Question:
College Laptop Help
I'm heading off to college, and as a graduation gift, I getting a laptop.
1) What is your budget?
Around $1500
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Mainly college stuff, (i.e. papers), IM, Internet surfing, watching movies. NO GAMES
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Different places
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
No games
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
No Apple. I really liked the MacBook Pro, but PCs are more compatible with the business world (I'm studying business)
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
3-4 is good, I don't want to add too much weight to the laptop
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
Nope
9) What country are you buying this in?
US
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
Widescreen
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
Standard
a. XGA -1024x768 - Large and easy to read text + graphics icons, but you fit less stuff on the screen.
b. SXGA - 1400x1050 - Compromise resolution between XGA and UXGA.
c. UXGA - 1600x1200 - Very small text and graphics icons, you can fit lots of stuff on the screen.
Widescreen
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.
f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, 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?
Somewhat
14) How long do you want this laptop to last?
4 years
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
80-100GB
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
DVD-CD/RW
Based on my own research, I came up with three options:
1. Dell Latitude D620
2. Dell Latitude D820
3. Sony Vaio VGN-FE690
I am open to anything (except Apples!). I liked the Dells because you can get a lot for less money, however, I've heard some negatives about them as well. Thanks in advance for the help!
Answer:
Re: College Laptop Help
Lenovo z60t 14"
Lenovo x60 12" (if thats not too small)
Lenovo n100 15.4"
Answer:
Re: College Laptop Help
Thanks for the response. Out of curiousity, why the Lenovos over the Dells/Sony? Also, can I configure it to be around $1500?
Answer:
Re: College Laptop Help
I'd say go with the Lenovo T60. It's Lenovo's flagship model and you can configure it with an Ati X1400 GPU for just around $1500. I recommend a Lenovo for school because it is simply the highest quality notebook on the market today. It's durability and build quality stand unchallenged. IBM/Lenovo are also famous for their tech support. Dells are cheap and sony's simply aren't as durable. I'd consider the 14" widescreen T60 from Lenovo.
Even if you won't be playing games a dedicated graphics processing unit is important. It will allow you to run windows vista, and will ensure that your notebook lasts as long as possible. Remember, You can't upgrade or add a GPU later!!!
Answer:
Re: College Laptop Help
Either Lenovo ThinkPad like the Z61t or Z61m, or a Dell Latitide D620/D820.
Theyre very nice business oriented laptops that are designed for business users. I personally like the D620 best because it is very light and very inexpensive.
Answer:
Re: College Laptop Help
PortableOne EX which is the Asus Z62j might be worth considering.
Link
Answer:
Re: College Laptop Help
thinkpads are the industry standard when it comes to durability. hence their price premium.
Answer:
Re: College Laptop Help
If you are going to be carrying around the laptop more often than not, stick to a 14".
I'd vote for the Dell Latitude D620, well-built machine. However if you are going to be doing more multimedia stuff, then I'd consider something else; the Asus Z62F is worth a gander, or perhaps the HP dv2000t.
Answer:
Re: College Laptop Help
Go Asus dude. Everything else pales in comparison. Z62j or S62j is the way to go.
Answer:
Re: College Laptop Help
Thanks for all of the input! I've never heard of Asus before...what makes this a good laptop?