<p>Thread says it all. I sort of want a Mac, but I figure current college students will know alot more. LEARN ME ;)</p>
<p>if you want a mac get one. lots of people have the new macbooks, and i'm sure they're fine. I don't know if a pro is worth an extra $1000 (or whatever substantial increase it is) though...</p>
<p>Arghhh there are so many of these threads in College Life, go look those up. =) But personally, I'm in love with my HP Pavilion dv2000t.</p>
<p>I have an Inspiron 9300 which I believe is no longer being manufactured, but of course you can still buy from the Inspiron line. I love Dell products. Everyone in my family owns them. Then again, we pay the additional couple hundred bucks for service plans and it's awesome. All you have to do is call their customer service line, they'll remotely access your PC to verify the error, then send a technician to your home (for me, within 24 hours) to fix it free of charge with no hassle. REALLY nice for me as my motherboard kept overheating and I was concerned about losing it during school for weeks due to shipping/repair/reshipping. They dropped by in between classes and fixed it with no problems.</p>
<p>I like the Inspiron line because they can handle pretty much whatever you want to throw at them graphics-wise and are still portable. People laugh at me when I crack open my 17" laptop in lectures, but it really offers me the best of both worlds. It's 9 lbs, but whatever. I look at it as weight lifting.</p>
<p>I've only had one problem with mine in three years, but regardless, whatever happens I have this bangin' warranty.</p>
<p>Lenovo ThinkPads / Dell Latitudes are the way to go.</p>
<p>Slightly expensive, but you can look around for deals to push the price down drastically.</p>
<p>Can't beat their build quality, especially since it'll most likely be very important to you during college.</p>
<p>personally, i've had bad experiences with dells, so i'll be going with an HP or a sony.</p>
<p>People have had bad experiences with every company that has ever existed. Unless you explain what those experiences were, so other people can determine for themselves if this is common and can be generalized or if it's uncommon then you aren't really adding anything of value.</p>
<p>All right then...over the past two or three years I've found dell's laptops haven't held up well for me. normal wear and tear seemed to make a serious impact on the two different computers i've worked with. on top of that, dell's tech support is AWFUL. dells are fine if you just want something cheap that will get the job done for a time. i wouldnt invest a lot of money in a dell.</p>
<p>You...really...don't...know...what...you're...talking...about.</p>
<p>For the sake of everybody else, I advise everyone to ignore his comments. The fact that he's thinking of Sony as an alternative is bad enough.</p>
<p>Again, Lenovo ThinkPads and Dell Latitudes are the best series of laptops to get in terms of durability, reliability, and quality. Remember, I'm not talking about the lesser models like the Dell Inspirion. ThinkPads and Latitudes are business-class models, designed primarily with quality in mind.</p>
<p>If people want to do their own research,
<a href="http://forum.notebookreview.com/%5B/url%5D">http://forum.notebookreview.com/</a>
is a good site to begin.</p>
<p>Amievil,</p>
<p>Any laptop is great if you don't have problems. As I've documented on CC, I've had significant problems with my Dell Latitude, as well as with the service I've received. As far as I'm concerned, any laptop that can't handle being thrown into a back pack and lugged around campus isn't worth it. My experience is that the Dell Latitude can't handle that. If I just wanted a computer that would sit on my desk all year around, I wouldn't have paid a premium in purchasing a laptop--a "business" model latitude at that.</p>
<p>Any portable electronic is susceptible to becoming damaged if you don't treat it with care. Just because a laptop is portable doesn't mean you should just chuck it into your backpack. Is that what you do with your digital cameras or iPods? They all have moving parts, and don't respond well to excessive shuffling. That's just how they're engineered. People work on it to make it more durable, but it's certainly not perfected -- especially since the technology is relatively recent in comparison to the days before the digital world.</p>
<p>That being said, the Dell Latitude you've got is top-notch in durability, and your laptop would've broken even faster if it was of another series and had gone through the same rigors.</p>
<p>There are steps you can take to ensure longevity, and that involves getting the proper case as well as general caution.</p>
<p>On the other thread it was mentioned that the laptops UVA sell have some type of UVA software. What kind of software is this exactly? Is it even important for a CLAS student?</p>
<p><em>all</em> of the UVa software is available for free download. none of it is essential except possibly for homedirectory mobile access.</p>
<p>I really can't stand people who use the internet to pump up thier egos. I didn't make any outrageous statements. I didn't tell anyone what to do. I shared my own experiences. I think Dell blows and I won't be buying from them again. Why do you care? I...advise...everyone...to...tell...amievil...to...go...****...himself.</p>
<p>haha, sorry amievil but that was pretty funny.</p>
<p>and btw, yes, i throw my ipod into my backpack, loose, without a case, then throw by packpack into the backseat of my car, lug it around school, and toss it on the couch. I have had my ipod for 2 years with absolutely no problems. Portable devices should be able to be put in a backpack and carried around. Grant it, you shouldn't throw it around, but you also shouldn't have to rent the flying nimbus to set your laptop on to take with you (big ups if you caught the db reference).</p>
<p>I've heard enough horror stories about dell latitudes to be weary. If you haven't, read the reviews on cnet.com, that may open your eyes a bit. If it doesn't then there is no convincing you</p>
<p>I love the macbook pro....the illuminated keyboard is nice, especially for nights when your roomate goes to bed early and you just want to stay up talking. turn the lights off and put your illuminated lights on, :)</p>
<p>
[quote]
I really can't stand people who use the internet to pump up thier egos. I didn't make any outrageous statements. I didn't tell anyone what to do. I shared my own experiences. I think Dell blows and I won't be buying from them again. Why do you care? I...advise...everyone...to...tell...amievil...to.. .go...****...himself.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Because people may take your singular anecdote and actually believe that you have any credibility at all. Pump up my ego? Please.</p>
<p>ehiunno, unfortunately, that's the pinnacle of durability in laptops in today's technology. If it's not good enough for you, I don't know what else to say other than to not get a laptop because you'll be disappointed, or to design your own, more durable architecture.</p>
<p>Also, people at cnet.com aren't the most technologically fluent. I am not going to bother to cite every review from there and point out where it was most definitely failure on their part to take good care of their laptop. The only true gripe people can have about Dell Latitudes are their screens, specifically the ones with WSXGA+.</p>
<p>Any thoughts on the panasonic tough book? Seems able to withstand abuse. Lenovo took over IBM about a year ago so I can't comment on them but my IBM machine has been steady and the tech support very strong. My desktop is Dell and the machine is good. Tech support was marginal until they returned it from overseas to Atlanta.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Because people may take your singular anecdote and actually believe that you have any credibility at all. Pump up my ego? Please.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>all hail amievil, protector of the people!</p>
<p>mac book or powerbooks are the best- i have had dell, mac, and hp's and MAC IS BY FAR THE BEST, especially in terms of laptops</p>