Question:
Cheap laptop for business and occasional entertainment.
My dad wants a laptop but is very limited on his budget
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
$900 or less( the cheaper the better)
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
MS word/ppt/excel Internet, picture/video viewing, listening to music
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
taking it with him daily
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
other than solitare, NO.
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
not gateway, compac,sony, or apple
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
as much as budget will allow...at least 3hrs...more is better
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
nope....but if i could find one at a local store that wouldn't be bad either
9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us 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?
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.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
either one will do
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
nope, functionallity is the key
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
sometime between the day after Thanksgiving and mid January
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 160GB?
no less than 60 but 80+ would be nice
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
DVD-CD/RW or DVD/RW-CD/RW
Answer:
Re: Cheap laptop for business and occasional entertainment.
My dad is not exactly the most computer savy so...Would it be better to wait for WinVista or just have him get WinXP. Is Vista hard to learn. Keep in mind he is still learning how to us XP and do basic task such as use MSword and IE.
Answer:
Re: Cheap laptop for business and occasional entertainment.
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/sh...mySimon%2FCNET
I suggest the DV2000t, it's a nice laptop and at a good price of under $600, but you should at least get one with a 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz core duo.
I have used Win VISTA for quite some time now, it's really nothing special. If you don't care about Direct X10, then stick with XP. Windows Vista is sortof a waste, and the AERO interface is just a novelty that really is nothing great.
Answer:
Re: Cheap laptop for business and occasional entertainment.
Thanks
Keep the suggestions coming.
Answer:
Re: Cheap laptop for business and occasional entertainment.
If he's only going to be using the bare basics then consider a used machine. Try eBay for a used laptop that will suit him equally well.
For a new machine, the HP nx6325 offers excellent quality and a decent price; also take a look at the Dell Latitude 131L.
Answer:
Re: Cheap laptop for business and occasional entertainment.
Thanks Chaz, I'll look into the dell and HP. I don't think he'll go for the used ones. He's not to fond of eBay.
Answer:
Re: Cheap laptop for business and occasional entertainment.
The lenovo z61m would peobably be the most reliable entry but a little bit pricey. also the Dell notebooks are a good option and with the 20% of coupon it would probably be the fastest available in his price range. The Asus F3f is also a very good 15inch notebook in you price range.
Answer:
Re: Cheap laptop for business and occasional entertainment.
You could look at the HP nx7400 too.
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en...5-3261319.html
Answer:
Re: Cheap laptop for business and occasional entertainment.
You could look at the HP nx7400 too.
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en...5-3261319.html
Is 1.6 GHz going to be enough? Will it be adequate for at least a few years?
Answer:
Re: Cheap laptop for business and occasional entertainment.
Is 1.6 GHz going to be enough? Will it be adequate for at least a few years?
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
MS word/ppt/excel Internet, picture/video viewing, listening to music
A 1.66 GHz (T5500) is more than enough. Actually, you're not gonna see a difference if you compare it to a faster clocked one...
The clock speed is not so important nowadays, it would make a difference only in demanding tasks like rendering...