Question:
advice for poor grad student
hello,
i was hoping someone could help me out. i have been a dell user for as long as i can remember, and am a bit scared to try to brands. i'm looking for really user friendly, competent computer. i really really appreciate anyone's help in trying to decipher what laptop is best for me.
thank you again to anyone who is able to help me.
liz
General Questions
1) What is your budget? 1K max, preferrably a bit lower
2) What size notebook would you prefer? b
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? lots of internet surfing and googling, word processing, store music
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk? traveling with it
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games? none
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like? used to dells, open to others
7) How many hours of battery life do you need? the most possible, this is actually pretty important fo rme.
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person? no
9) What country are you buying this in? usa
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen? no pref
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer? no pref
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? nope
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? minor importance
14) How long do you want this laptop to last? as long as possible (4+ yrs)
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB? no clue
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive? no
Answer:
Re: advice for poor grad student
Dell E1505 sounds good, get a 9 cell battery for extended battery time.
Answer:
Re: advice for poor grad student
You are not going to get very far without an optical drive lol. Don't worry, you came to the right place.
Answer:
Re: advice for poor grad student
Dell D620 is nice.
Answer:
Re: advice for poor grad student
I'll second the Latitude D620, the Latitude series is better built than the Inspirons and have superior keyboards as well.
Answer:
Re: advice for poor grad student
latitude is over 1k no?
look at the 640m
Answer:
Re: advice for poor grad student
It starts from 899 and he doesn't seem to need too much power so basic model+whatever he wants to add should be fine.