Going off to college, need help finding a laptop

ICANSEEYOU7687 · 03-29-2006, 12:55 AM

I've been accepted into georgia tech, a great school in atlanta, I am very excited.

Furthermore, my goal is to be a computer engineer. With that being said id like to add I am no beginner when it comes to computers.

Anyways, I need a laptop obviously but I am having trouble finding one that suits me. Heres what I am looking for in order from most to least of what I want the most (haha sorry if I sound pushy!) Oh yea, and my spending limit must be under $1500

Processor
AMD Athlon 64
AMD Turion 64
Intel Core Duo Processor
Intel Pentium M (id rather not, but I have seen some nice alienwares with them)

Memory
1 gig (A must!) of DDR2 (the good 533 Mhz stuff!!)
or DDR 400 would work just as well...but if im gonna take some programming or graphics classes id rather have the DDR2 stuff.

GFX Card
Has to be decent, atleast 128 megs (which a lot of laptops come with standard nowadays)

Other things im looking for are
Wireless G adapter (Although this can be added externally easily, but all the same internal, or one of those PC II Cards or something so I can have it on the go would be preferable)
Dual layered DVD-RW (hmmm well I just want this one, lol)

Those are the specific specs. Hard drive space isnt overly important, 60 gigs would work. I have several hardrives lying around about 120 gigs, getting a 20$ hard drive enclosure wouldnt be difficult at all.

If i wanted a pentium, dells have a wide selection, but i am not overly fond of dell. In my experience the numbers are good, but they just dont physically hold up well. I wouldnt mind an HP, and I have configured an alienware into my pricerange, but without the 300$ extended warranty, and a Pentium M.

Hopefully someone will ahve some suggestions! thanks for reading!

MatrixEVO · 03-29-2006, 01:07 AM

What is your budget? You say you don't like Dell, but they have exactly what you need. Look in my sig below.

ICANSEEYOU7687 · 03-29-2006, 01:09 AM

haha I edited my post just before you posted.
but under 1500$

But as I said I just dont like the quality of dells, although, their numbers are nice. All my experiences with dells have been fine, but over time they just dont seem to hold up.

On the other hand my sisters dell is still doing perfectly fine...but she doesnt use her computer nearly as much as I would

MatrixEVO · 03-29-2006, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ICANSEEYOU7687

haha I edited my post just before you posted.
but under 1500$

But as I said I just dont like the quality of dells, although, their numbers are nice. All my experiences with dells have been fine, but over time they just dont seem to hold up.

On the other hand my sisters dell is still doing perfectly fine...but she doesnt use her computer nearly as much as I would

I'm on a Dell Dimension 4100 (temporarily cause I'm waiting for my lappy) and it is still working great. The only problem was the OS it came with: Millenium Edition which soon turned into a nightmare, but now I have XP Pro on it and it's rock solid.

I also have a Dell Optiplex GX150 and it's also rock solid to this day.

ICANSEEYOU7687 · 03-29-2006, 01:32 AM

Well I guess everyone's experiences are different. But if someone would show me a nice dell thats worth the money, who I am to say its not nice?

But in any case I am still keeping my options open, and while I would prefer not to have a dell, but I might end up with one, who knows.

But ultimately im hoping someone know of some good places online and some computers that they know of that they can show me a link to. Also a 3 year warranty is kinda needed, so I need say that it needs to be factored into the price

suprasteve · 03-29-2006, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ICANSEEYOU7687

I've been accepted into georgia tech

how should I put this, as a yellow jacket myself, GO TO YOUR SAFETY SCHOOL!!! Some advice, apply to west campus housing, the dining hall has more selection, the CRC (big gym thing) is over there, there's ALWAYS buses on west whereas they just drive past east, there's a little store over there, no freshman hill, it's closer to every major building except Skiles, I'll stop there. Any tech questions feel free to PM me about them, the tour groups and FASET always put the best face on everything. Back to your question, I'd suggest a processor suited for mobility (M, duo, or turion) as you WILL be taking it to class as a computer engineering major. My friend's a CS and he's got a thinkpad, they're more expensive but lots of people have them around here and they're all but bulletproof. I've got a toshiba personally, but I don't use it much so that opinion doesn't matter too much. I'd suggest against an alienware though, if you want to do any serious gaming, get a desktop too, you'll never get a great gaming machine that's also portable, and in a lappy, portable is going to be important for you. I'd suggest a 14" screen, definitely no bigger than 15" though.

ICANSEEYOU7687 · 03-29-2006, 10:44 PM

haha I just got my housing info! and im looking at the west housing...

Unfortunately id rather have my own room, but it says this is usually saved for the upperclass students....

but anywayz, that aside...

I found this yesterday
http://www.compudirect.com/cgi-bin/p...icegrab&System

and it seemed like a really good deal, compared to dells site
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto...=MLB1677&s=biz

but it does not give the 2-3 year extended warranty which my dad is determined to make me have, which is logical. But that's just a hint at the kinda of things I am looking for.

suprasteve · 03-30-2006, 04:27 PM

on campus I believe OIT will fix your computer for free (software related), but I've not had a problem I didn't fix yet, so that could be your "warranty". The laptop wasn't configured when I clicked on it, I'm assuming you're not getting the integrated, and there's warranties on the bottom too I saw. The screen size is big, you won't like carrying it around campus, but that's your decision.

ICANSEEYOU7687 · 03-30-2006, 08:48 PM

Well, when it comes down to it, dell was the only one that offered the ram and other upgrades in a user customized way.

So I got a Inspiron 6400, a nice one too.

-1.83 ghz Intel Duo Processor with a 667 mhz front side bus, and a 2mb cache
-15.4 inch UltraSharp™ Wide Screen SXGA+ Display with TrueLife™ upgrade
-Windows XP Pro (which is required at tech now...or so I read, or a macintosh)
-1 gig of DDR2 533MHZ Ram, this computer is only using DDR400...
-8x Dual Layered DVD burner
-128MB ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON® X1300 HyperMemory, I wish i coulda got the 256, but money reasons...
- Wireless G card with bluetooth

- and a lot of other accesories like a docking station and such, im very excited! should prove to be a very nice laptop! even though im not in complete support of dells, this one seems very nice, hopefully itll change my outlook on them

03-29-2006, 12:55 AM	#1 (permalink)
ICANSEEYOU7687 Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 35	Going off to college, need help finding a laptop I've been accepted into georgia tech, a great school in atlanta, I am very excited. Furthermore, my goal is to be a computer engineer. With that being said id like to add I am no beginner when it comes to computers. Anyways, I need a laptop obviously but I am having trouble finding one that suits me. Heres what I am looking for in order from most to least of what I want the most (haha sorry if I sound pushy!) Oh yea, and my spending limit must be under $1500 Processor AMD Athlon 64 AMD Turion 64 Intel Core Duo Processor Intel Pentium M (id rather not, but I have seen some nice alienwares with them) Memory 1 gig (A must!) of DDR2 (the good 533 Mhz stuff!!) or DDR 400 would work just as well...but if im gonna take some programming or graphics classes id rather have the DDR2 stuff. GFX Card Has to be decent, atleast 128 megs (which a lot of laptops come with standard nowadays) Other things im looking for are Wireless G adapter (Although this can be added externally easily, but all the same internal, or one of those PC II Cards or something so I can have it on the go would be preferable) Dual layered DVD-RW (hmmm well I just want this one, lol) Those are the specific specs. Hard drive space isnt overly important, 60 gigs would work. I have several hardrives lying around about 120 gigs, getting a 20$ hard drive enclosure wouldnt be difficult at all. If i wanted a pentium, dells have a wide selection, but i am not overly fond of dell. In my experience the numbers are good, but they just dont physically hold up well. I wouldnt mind an HP, and I have configured an alienware into my pricerange, but without the 300$ extended warranty, and a Pentium M. Hopefully someone will ahve some suggestions! thanks for reading! Last edited by ICANSEEYOU7687; 03-29-2006 at 01:07 AM.

03-29-2006, 01:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
MatrixEVO Diamond Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Age: 20 Posts: 1,354	What is your budget? You say you don't like Dell, but they have exactly what you need. Look in my sig below. __________________ I don't own a computer! It's great! I don't waste lots of time anymore!

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03-29-2006, 01:09 AM	#3 (permalink)
ICANSEEYOU7687 Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 35	haha I edited my post just before you posted. but under 1500$ But as I said I just dont like the quality of dells, although, their numbers are nice. All my experiences with dells have been fine, but over time they just dont seem to hold up. On the other hand my sisters dell is still doing perfectly fine...but she doesnt use her computer nearly as much as I would

03-29-2006, 01:32 AM	#5 (permalink)
ICANSEEYOU7687 Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 35	Well I guess everyone's experiences are different. But if someone would show me a nice dell thats worth the money, who I am to say its not nice? But in any case I am still keeping my options open, and while I would prefer not to have a dell, but I might end up with one, who knows. But ultimately im hoping someone know of some good places online and some computers that they know of that they can show me a link to. Also a 3 year warranty is kinda needed, so I need say that it needs to be factored into the price

03-29-2006, 10:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
ICANSEEYOU7687 Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 35	haha I just got my housing info! and im looking at the west housing... Unfortunately id rather have my own room, but it says this is usually saved for the upperclass students.... but anywayz, that aside... I found this yesterday http://www.compudirect.com/cgi-bin/p...icegrab&System and it seemed like a really good deal, compared to dells site http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto...=MLB1677&s=biz but it does not give the 2-3 year extended warranty which my dad is determined to make me have, which is logical. But that's just a hint at the kinda of things I am looking for.

03-30-2006, 04:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
suprasteve Diamond Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Atlanta Posts: 1,355	on campus I believe OIT will fix your computer for free (software related), but I've not had a problem I didn't fix yet, so that could be your "warranty". The laptop wasn't configured when I clicked on it, I'm assuming you're not getting the integrated, and there's warranties on the bottom too I saw. The screen size is big, you won't like carrying it around campus, but that's your decision.

03-30-2006, 08:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
ICANSEEYOU7687 Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 35	Well, when it comes down to it, dell was the only one that offered the ram and other upgrades in a user customized way. So I got a Inspiron 6400, a nice one too. -1.83 ghz Intel Duo Processor with a 667 mhz front side bus, and a 2mb cache -15.4 inch UltraSharp™ Wide Screen SXGA+ Display with TrueLife™ upgrade -Windows XP Pro (which is required at tech now...or so I read, or a macintosh) -1 gig of DDR2 533MHZ Ram, this computer is only using DDR400... -8x Dual Layered DVD burner -128MB ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON® X1300 HyperMemory, I wish i coulda got the 256, but money reasons... - Wireless G card with bluetooth - and a lot of other accesories like a docking station and such, im very excited! should prove to be a very nice laptop! even though im not in complete support of dells, this one seems very nice, hopefully itll change my outlook on them