Laptop For college suggestions!

wjp09 · 06-16-2009, 06:45 PM

Hey all. I am graduating from High School on Friday and I am ready to start looking into getting my supplies for college.

Like most college goers I am going to get a laptop

Does anyone have a suggestion for a college laptop? It does not need to be super amazing because I have a desktop for that.

Thanks for any input!

TarekElsakka · 06-16-2009, 07:08 PM

Try Apple, they have really good student discounts and offers. But a notebook from Apple is definitely not going to be cheap, so try Dell. Dell is not expensive but really good quality. Stay away from HP notebooks as much as possible! I bet they are contagious, they even slow down other computers around them, lol.

KabaModern · 06-16-2009, 08:06 PM

Brand = Quality + Price

Apple = Excellent + Expensive
Dell = So-so + Cheap
HP = Good + Average
Sony = Excellent + Expensive
Gateway = Good + Cheap/Average
Toshiba = Excellent + Cheap/Average
Acer = Not even worth putting the formula unless it's one of their high end ones...

Those are my observations from working in a consumer electronics store for over four years...

For the record, I own a Sony VAIO notebook and a custom built desktop...

Youngbinks · 06-16-2009, 08:13 PM

I've gone through 3 laptops since entering college and Apple is definitely the best.

I started with a Gateway Tablet and had nothing but problems from the moment I got it. I replaced it with a Sony VAIO and it did well for about 8 months and then completely stopped working. I took it to Best Buy (I had the 3 year warranty) and they said that it was somehow out of warranty and that it would be $1800 to fix.

I got a MacBook Air instead.

Londonrockz568 · 06-16-2009, 08:30 PM

I'll go ahead and suggest the Macbook Pro 13inch from Apple.
http://store.apple.com/us/configure/...mco=NjcxMTQ2Mw

At 1199 its the most affordable unless you buy the $900 macbook.
U get what you pay for, no viruses, good for multimedia, videos, pictures, you can add iWork on there for documents and spreadsheets letters etc.

KabaModern · 06-16-2009, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by Londonrockz568

I'll go ahead and suggest the Macbook Pro 13inch from Apple.
http://store.apple.com/us/configure/...mco=NjcxMTQ2Mw

At 1199 its the most affordable unless you buy the $900 macbook.
U get what you pay for, no viruses, good for multimedia, videos, pictures, you can add iWork on there for documents and spreadsheets letters etc.

Add on all the bells and whistles (more RAM and definitely a bigger hard drive...160gb ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!) and your $1199 is looking more like $1400...doesn't seem so attractive anymore...

Londonrockz568 · 06-16-2009, 10:27 PM

I dont think he was asking for all the bells and whistles. The macbook pro 13inch is fine just out of the box if u decide not to add anything.

He's already got a powerful desktop, im guessing the laptop is just a secondary item.

Youngbinks · 06-16-2009, 10:46 PM

I agree with London. For the money you are getting a fantastic machine with plenty of mobile capabilities. I really wouldn't mind picking up a 13" MBP myself.

iCafe · 06-16-2009, 11:14 PM

hey man i suggest you use a desktop

Youngbinks · 06-16-2009, 11:24 PM

Why is that Tom?

In my opinion laptops are paramount to college life. If you need to meet up at someone's apartment or dorm or the library to study you're going to wish you had a laptop. There were very few days when I didn't use my laptop and even fewer when I wished I had brought a desktop with me.