Buying Advice

[ashea]

I'm looking to buy a laptop and I know nothing about what to look for. My budget is anything under $2000 CAN (about $1650 US). I'm a university student, I need something that can store a lot of mp3s and burn CDs and DVDs, that I can play games on, and just your basic university uses. These are the specs that my university recommends for new laptops (I'll be using the campus' ResNet):

Processor: Mobile CELERON M ILV 373 (1 GHz), Mobile CELERON M 310 (1.2GHz), Mobile PENTIUM M ULV 723 (1.0 GHz) or Mobile PENTIUM M 710 (1.4 GHz)

Memory: 512MB SDRAM

Hard Drive: 30GB ATA/100 4200 rpm drive

CD-ROM or DVD-ROM Drive: 24X CD-ROM, 8X DVD-ROM, 24x-10x-24x-8x CD-RW/DVD combo drive or Multi-Burner Plus drive

Graphics: Minimum SVGA (800x600) x 1024 colours AGP graphics with at least 8MB SDRAM video memory

Sound: SoundBlaster Pro Compatible sound support

Monitor: 12.1"LCD Colour Display supporting at least SVGA resolution (800x600)

Interface Ports: 1 RS-232 serial port, 1 ECP/EPP parallel port, 2 USB 2.0 (universal serial bus) port

Expansion Slots: 1 PC Card Type II Cardbus slot

Expansion Bays: not applicable

Operating System: Windows XP Pro or XP Home (I already own a copy of XP Home)

Networking and Communications: For RESNET, CARREL or Law Library Use - 10/100 BaseTX Ethernet Adapter

For on-campus wireless use: 802.11g* or 802.11b internal or wireless card (*802.11g is preferred)

For other off-campus use - Check with your ISP (Internet Service Provider) for Ethernet or Modem requirements

 

[xDarkWizardx]

Go to Dells website and look around. I'm sure you could find whatever you need for however much money you have there.

 

[Prometheus]

Go to Dells website and look around. I'm sure you could find whatever you need for however much money you have there.

Agreed, dell has some pretty decnt introductory models for laptops, and based on those guidelines, I'm sure you could find something there. Plus if you're not a computer expert, I've heard dell has fine computer service. Personally, I was in your position at the beginning of the school year and your requirements/budget are pretty similar to m ine. After doing some research, I went with an IBM, more expensive than a dell but I felt it was worth it for the rep of its' durability. I haven't had any problems with it whatsoever.

On another note, my little brother will be leaving home to go to university and I'm probably going to tell him to get a dell simply because he's not a computer expert and his needs are pretty consumer/mainstream.