im going to college next year and here are my requirements for a vista laptop. Microsoft Vista Laptop * Microsoft Vista Basic * Dual Core Process 1.8GHz or greater * 2GB Memory (optimally expandable to 4GB) * 80 GB Drive or Greater * CD-RW/DVD Combo Drive * AC Adapter * Symantec Antivirus software (provided by Northeastern University) * 10/100 or faster Ethernet card * 25 Foot Network cable * Printer and Printer cable * Optional: DVD+/-RW drive instead of CD_RW/DVD Combo drive and im thinking these: - 3GB RAM - bigger hardrive (250gb maybe) - good video card for games, but nothing too crazy or expensive. i have a stock Dell E521 right now so anything will be better. is an 8400 good? - $1000-$1200 is the top of the price range. dont need to spend any more as im spending enough for college, but i want a good laptop. looking for some advice and reasons for your suggestion. credits and rep will be given when deserved. thanks in advance
* Microsoft Vista Basic -- Vista blows, you can save money by getting a laptop without an operating system on it and installing your own, be it vista or something else. * Dual Core Process 1.8GHz or greater -- The Intel Core 2 Duo is best for laptops as it doesn't generate a lot of heat, you can get a 1.8ghz if you so desire and it should be relatively cheap. * 2GB Memory (optimally expandable to 4GB) -- 2GB is more than enough, all you need on a 1.8 CPU is 1gb to play WoW without the expansion. * 80 GB Drive or Greater -- Yeah, 80gb sucks and you don't want to be stuck carrying around an external harddrive, believe me. Get at least a 250, and the faster the drive, the more expensive. Shoot for a 5400-7200rpm though. ^_^ * CD-RW/DVD Combo Drive -- Nothing wrong with that. * AC Adapter * Symantec Antivirus software (provided by Northeastern University) -- WRONG... Symantec and Norton are the two worst scanners because they are the most used and therefor most targeted by hackers for scripts to infiltrate your system. Checkout Avira Antivirus, it's german, it's really good, and it's free for personal use. Corporate version is badass. * 10/100 or faster Ethernet card -- K but what about wireless? 802.11g ought to hold you over at school. You can usually get them built into your laptop these days along with the 10/100 NIC. * 25 Foot Network cable -- Lol... * Printer and Printer cable -- The cable usually comes with the printer... Get a $20 Lexmark from Walmart and it comes with ink and the cable. Then get another one when you run out of ink because the ink is $35. * Optional: DVD+/-RW drive instead of CD_RW/DVD Combo drive -- The price difference is literally a few dollars. But are you really going to be burning DVDs on your laptop? Take what you can get for cheap on the video card, try for something with 256 or 512mb, doesn't really matter what it is unless you want to play the newest games. Also, an extra battery for your laptop is a great investment.
adcice: clock speed isn't the only thing that matters for CPUs. a 1.5Ghz c2d is on par with a 1.8Ghz athlon x2/turion x2. add the RAM in yourself... for the drives: a 5400 RPM laptop drive is comparable in performance to a 7200rpm desktop drive(higher disc density and a smaller disc platter) also external drives... everything has a DVD burner in it now... atleast as far as I know. an OK card for games would be a 8600GT, or perhaps a 9600 when those finally come out.
doesnt matter if its vista or not. but vista is more future proof and will get better later on so i recommend staying with that. and get a core 2 duo with atleast 2.0ghz. remember core 2 duo, not dual core. and 8400 is good to play the games right now at low, but 8600 will be alot better. and dvd burner is good enough. try to get more than 2gb. its ok but u can easily upgrade it to 3 or 4 for 50 dollars or even less. the more the better. and for 1200 u can get GREAT DEALS. 320gb hdd, 3-4gb ram, core 2 duo at 2.0ghx or more, 8600m gt, norton is good, dvd burner, maybe even blu ray player with dvd burner if ur lucky, and everything else is not as important because its not built into the computer.
Check out this configuration Bandits. Its a few hundred more then what you where looking at, but it includes things such as a 3 year warranty, life time support, etc. http://www.digitalstormonline.com/laptoplo...d.asp?id=176341 If you have any questions, let me know.
why are you bringing up old posts? this was asked in 3 months ago. if he still needed help i think he would have posted.
