Question:
Cheap Ultralight/ Ultra portable recommendations?
Hi I'm new to this forum and I'm looking forward a CHEAP ultralight and ultra portable laptop that I can bring to classes, etc. I'm a poor student so I would like something that's pretty cheap but still durable enough to be carried on a more or less daily basis. I don't care about the brand but I would like something that doesn't feel super crappy. I just need something that can run office apps well, browse the internet smoothly, and play movies. Harddrive space doesn't really matter to me as I have a desktop rig that I use for main storage and heavy duty tasks. I'm pretty open to anything as long as it's cheap, reliable, and not too slow. Weight matters the most to me as I want something that's very light and pretty small (best if under or around 4 lbs). Older models are fine and stuff on ebay are not a problem.
1) What is your budget?
Less than $700 preferred
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen (if cheaper)
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Office apps, movie watching, internet, email
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
constantly on the go
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Starcraft! nothing other than that
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
don't care
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
3-6 hours sounds good to me
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
Nope I don't mind
9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in?
USA
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
whatever is cheaper
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
don't care. as long as the viewing angle isn't insanely bad
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
glossy is nice but matte would be cheaper
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
nope
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
should be durable and last the few years of college
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 160GB?
whatever is cheapest
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
just a dvd-rom drive
Thanks!
Answer:
Re: Cheap Ultralight/ Ultra portable recommendations?
i would stalk Dell Outlet for
D420
D410
X1
for a few days until you can find a price you like.
Answer:
Re: Cheap Ultralight/ Ultra portable recommendations?
Consider averatec...cheap, light--crummy build+battery life though...
Otherwise consider an older x4x or x30x with an external dvd drive.
Maybe you should save some more money first.
Answer:
Re: Cheap Ultralight/ Ultra portable recommendations?
Compaq v3000z starting at $407.99 with student discount?
No idea, I'm actually curious about this too since I need a smaller laptop to use in conjunction with my Asus >_<
Answer:
Re: Cheap Ultralight/ Ultra portable recommendations?
You might look for an old Sony S series (like the Sony S260 or S360). I used to own one and it was excellent all around. I personally sold it a few months ago for $850, so I wouldn't be surprised if now you could find one in your budget.
Answer:
Re: Cheap Ultralight/ Ultra portable recommendations?
I'd be going used at this point...
Just the other day I managed to pick up a Vaio pcg-v505ack on eBay for $200 without a hard drive. Popped in a drive, reinstalled, and now I have another good-as-new laptop (fantastic condition). She's state of the art in ultraportable for 2003, and I've been using v505 as my development lappy for the past two years. 1.5ghz pentium M, 512mb RAM, mobility radeon graphics... runs all my development apps, full page print images in photoshop... whever I ask of it. It's this lappy that has sold me on Vaio's.
Point being... more than good enough performance for anything but the last three years in games, but she plays QuakeII like a demon! :)
...but of course "used" comes without a warranty, so you may need to have a tech friend in the know if you don't have the skills yourself... and purchasing sight-unseen comes with risks, was quite worried about my purchase until I got past the POST on its first boot. :)
Answer:
Re: Cheap Ultralight/ Ultra portable recommendations?
Hmm that Compaq v3000z looks really tempting at this point. The cheaper the better. Is there a super slim, super light older model of any laptop? I just want something that's really no frills but can run office apps, play movies and brosw the net.