A fellow I know is preparing himself for a college education in veterinary science. Knowing that I slink around the internet tech world, he came to me looking for advice about what notebook computer he should buy. He plans to spend between $400 and $600 and he wants to get the most for his money (smart kid). He needs his machine for internet access, music downloads, heavy-duty emailing and of course for some school work.
It occurred to me that because my computer experience is limited to desktop models I might not be Andy's best source of information on the latest notebooks. So I told him that I'd present the question to our readers and deliver your input back to him. Knowing that our readers are some of the brightest minds on the internet, I have no doubt that Andy will get his best information right here on BloggingStocks.
So, the question is:
What is the best laptop computer that Andy can get for between $400 and $600 and what should he expect as far as speed, memory, peripherals and overall performance?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-06-2007 @ 11:30AM
Andrew P. said...
First and foremost, with that price range, you immediately will limit yourself to a slim selection of NEW laptops (which is good or bad depending on your outlook). Apple can be tossed out, as their cheapest is $1099. Of the remaining three, it looks like HP (Compaq) is currently offering the cheapest base model online. But of course, there are always weekly deals at Best Buy, Circuit City, etc. However, if new vs. used is not an issue, some great deals can be had on eBay.
For tech specs, it looks like he can stay pretty basic (which is good for his price range). Be sure to have adequate space on the hard drive for those music downloads. Also, be sure to get at least 512 MB of RAM, but this is mostly standard now with Vista out. A high-end multi-core processor isn’t necessary for the intended use, so that will again save a bunch of money.
On the topic of Vista, it may be tricky to pick up a cheap laptop that has high enough tech specs to fully support the OS’s new features. I don’t really know how demanding it will be on aspects like the RAM, graphics card, and processor.
For the companies listed, Apple will have the best tech support by far, while the other three will probably be about the same. With regards to problems/repair history, Apple is again the winner, followed by HP, then Dell, then Gateway (based on consumer data). But if you want an Apple, you’ll have to go used and get an older model (for that price range).
If I had to make the decision, I’d eliminate Dell and Gateway (bad personal experiences in the past), and then make the Mac (Apple) vs. Windows (HP) decision.
Hope this helps!
(These views are a collection of my opinions and what I’ve read/heard)