business school laptop
I'll be attending business school in the fall and am required to purchase a laptop. I've done a decent amount of research - mostly reading these boards and visiting retailers'/resellers' web sites - over the past several weeks and have narrowed down my choices to the following:
- Dell Lattitude D620
- Portable One UXM520 (not yet released)
- Asus W7J
I should note that my school offers the D620 at a significant discount and services the model on site at no additional cost. Should I purchase the W7J or the UXM520, I'd also buy a 3-year warranty.
Also, if I've exlcuded models that fit my needs (Asus W3J?), feel free to add those as well.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
1) What is your budget? $2,000
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook? MS Office, internet browsing, some statistical software, download/listen to music, watch movies
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk? will be traveling frequently with the notebook
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games? will not be playing games
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like? no
7) How many hours of battery life do you need? at least 3.5, preferably more
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person? no
9) What country are you buying this in? u.s.
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen? widescreen
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen? doesn't matter
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? yes
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last? will purchase in the next several weeks...want it to last 3-4 years
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB? 100GB
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive? would prefer one, but not necessary
Answer:
Re: business school laptop
lenovo 3000 v100 definately
Answer:
Re: business school laptop
The HP nc6400 is another option, better-built than the Dell:
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en...3-1847703.html
Answer:
Re: business school laptop
Perhaps the ThinkPad Z61t is worth considering.
Answer:
Re: business school laptop
For durability, the Dell is a good choice. It is quiet, durable and has excellent battery life if you choose the Intel GMA 950.
The HP NC6400 is a great choice too; it also has a 3 year warranty.
Answer:
Re: business school laptop
Why not consider ThinkPad T60. Personally, that s a good choice.
Answer:
Re: business school laptop
Sorry I havent responded...I've been on vacation (and still am)...
Thanks for all your input thus far.
I didnt consider the T60 cuz I wanted a widescreen...The Z61t looks great; the only problem is that I really need the computer by the middle of August and from what I've read, there seems to be shipping problems with IBM/Lenovo...laptops are rarely received on time...
Also, I'm kinda surprised that nobody has commented on the P1...I know it hasnt been released yet, but given the company's reputation (on this site at least, I had never heard of them before), I would think this machine is gonna be pretty reliable...
Answer:
Re: business school laptop
Sorry I havent responded...I've been on vacation (and still am)...
Thanks for all your input thus far.
I didnt consider the T60 cuz I wanted a widescreen...The Z61t looks great; the only problem is that I really need the computer by the middle of August and from what I've read, there seems to be shipping problems with IBM/Lenovo...laptops are rarely received on time...
Also, I'm kinda surprised that nobody has commented on the P1...I know it hasnt been released yet, but given the company's reputation (on this site at least, I had never heard of them before), I would think this machine is gonna be pretty reliable... The portable one does look like a nice one. Personally, I don't like 12" screens as they seem a little small to me, but if you are okay with that it probably is a good choice.
Answer:
Re: business school laptop
You'll see almost as much vertically on a SXGA+ 14" ThinkPad and more horizontally than you will on a 14" WXGA+ widescreen.
Answer:
Re: business school laptop
I'm entering my last years of a PMBA program where I was required to purchase a laptop to start here is what I observed.
1) You can probably manage just under a grand and be fine
2) Get a 15.4. You can find one that is thin enough to compete with the 14's on portability and it will be much easier to use including a more comfortable keyboard.
3) I've used mine 90% of the time for spreadsheets, notes and word processing.
4) I drag it to home school and on flights occasionaly with no issues
5) no time, no games
6) I bought and can recommend an HP. I've used it two straight years every day wth no issues. , I didn't care for toshibas they just looked bulky. Some of the Dell's I've seen look a little cheap...Thinkpads seem to be bulletproof
7) 3.5 is a good mark. To many clowns in my program bought obnoxious game machines or overpowered desk top replacements and they constantly have to plug in.
8) online is fine
9) US
Screen Specifics
10) widescreen
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen? doesn't matter
Build Quality and Design
13) yes
14) 3-4 years
Notebook Components
15) 60GB
16) DVD-CD/RW