<p>My old Dell 8100 Inspiron broke, so after much haggling and loud complaining I managed to get a new 8600 wide screen laptop. Dell makes decent machines, it's the user who likes to mess things up.</p>
<p>for your case tho? referbished =good deal.</p>
<p>Dell does not make decent machines. The user does not cause hard drives to completely fry out, or fans to just stop working, or motherboards to fry. The user also shouldn't have to pay the repair bills when they are under warranty, and when they have insurance that they pay for monthly on top of that. The user may download some viruses or do something that a format can fix, but when the actual computer literally stops working from parts being fried (I have five friends with dell laptops, this has happened to 3 of them so far, the other 2 just got theirs in the last two months.. give it time).</p>
<p>
[quote]
Dell does not make decent machines. The user does not cause hard drives to completely fry out, or fans to just stop working, or motherboards to fry. The user also shouldn't have to pay the repair bills when they are under warranty, and when they have insurance that they pay for monthly on top of that. The user may download some viruses or do something that a format can fix, but when the actual computer literally stops working from parts being fried (I have five friends with dell laptops, this has happened to 3 of them so far, the other 2 just got theirs in the last two months.. give it time).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No. The user can, and DOES, cause parts of the machine to fail, especially if they know nothing about computer maintenance. We've owned the same Dell laptop for years and it still runs in perfect working order. It's all a matter of taking care of it. In the rare event a part really is faulty, then that's why you have a warranty.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I need a laptop for a summer program +high school (junior here) but since more college student s have laptop, can you guys clue me in on laptops?</p>
<p>i need laptop, can you guys give me some rec's?
-screen size, between 12-15 inches
-less than $ 1,000
-wireless internet
-battery power, more than 4 hours
-dosne't get hot
-DON"t need DVD/games/music/gaming/PS2 port
-good screen resolution
-fast
-5 poounds or less
-new
-has USB/printer ports
-a CDdrive that also functions as a re-write
-decent memory</p>
<p>I'm mostly gonna use this for writing/journalism/web browsing, but i need one with a pretty good speed, light, good/decent memory.</p>
<p>Does this kind of laptop even exist?
I want the faster speed,plus the lightweight and long battery, but all the laptops i've seen that have those features also have bunch of gaming/DVD/music burning/graphics features that i'll NEVER, EVER, use, and plusthe raise the price ofthe laptop to over1,500! Does this kind of laptop exist or am i dreaming?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I recommend NOT getting a Mac or Comcrap.</p>
<p>Make sure you are getting a Pentium M processor, as you mentioned the need for efficiency, decent speed (very fast for basic apps, not gaming), and good battery life. They also have the advantage of being nearly silent. You will not have to be bothered by the incessant humming and whirring of the laptop ever again.</p>
<p>I do recommend a Dell notebook. As long as you take care of it and keep it free of viruses and spyware, they should work fine.</p>
<p>If you want, you can also customize your computer order on Dell's website to reduce price.</p>
<p>I beg to differ... considering all of the friends who have Dell Laptops that have broken are/were comp sci majors and definately take care of their laptops, and 3/5 have had hard drives fry. 2 of them fried about 1 month after their 1 year warranty was up, the other one fried during the warranty time and Dell "fixed" the hard drive by replacing the motherboard, sent it back with a bill for 800 dollars (Laptop still not fixed as it was the hard drive that was broken...) ... and as i mentioned earlier, my friend was in the process of filing a lawsuit against them, and they finally have given in to him. I really would not reccomend getting a Dell. Their technical support and customer service is horrible. Which i may add, was also mentioned by other posters besieds myself. I'm not going to argue about this anymore.. i'm just stating my opinion (that i have given examples to support) as to why Dell doesn't make great quality laptops.</p>
<p>I agree with you!! I posted by story above, but just wanted to add that the customer service was horrendous! When I was fed up and wanted to get a refund, they kept sending me from dep't to dep't for about a week when my dad finally went their corporate office and managed to scare them into a refund.</p>
<p>fendergirl must really loath dell. I've been using my inspiron 8000 (which is a LAPTOP) for 4 yrs without any problems.</p>
<p>i understand that its a laptop, i was't saying that it wasn't a laptop, i was just clarifying that i dont mind their desktops, just their laptops, but it wouldn't let me edit my post, so i made a new one. I'm glad you're having no problems with yours, i'm just saying that you are one of the few :P</p>
<p>Want to use a mac? Get a pc and do a dual boot config: winxp and some flavor of linux. Linux is very similar to mac, obviously not the same, but similar enough.</p>
<p>Haha... Ironic that my laptop's hard drive JUST started making weird clicking noises... LOL.</p>
<p>It seems to me that everytime one of these threads comes up people argue over which company is the best and cite various examples and friends who have had trouble with each company. I own a Dell, have had no trouble, my mom owns a Sony, she has had no trouble, and my brother owns an HP, and he had no trouble until he completely fell apart after four years, which is a long time for a laptop. Before my Dell I owned a Toshiba but it was recalled due to the Celeron processor being too slow (I would recommend staying away from the Celeron).</p>
<p>Clearly every laptop company is still in business for a reason--they make reasonably decent laptops. I wouldnt say that i am "one of the few" who HASNT had Dell problems just because 3/5 of your friends have had problems fendergirl. Five people is not an accurate selection sample, I'd say. Almost everyone I know at my school either has a Dell (with the same printer that came free with the purchase :-)) or an Apple. So far no one seems to be having trouble with their laptops. Everyone is going to have a story about a friend who had terrible times with this company and that company and blah blah yeah it happens. But to the OP, spending under 1000 shouldnt be hard for what you want, it's getting a warranty in that price range that will be almost impossible. The warrenty I got for my Dell (three years full coverage if i drop it, spill stuff on it, etc, its all covered) was 300 dollars on top of ther 1200 dollar laptop. I would recommend going to your school, seeing which companies they offer deals with, if any companies have on site repairs at your school, and then checking out various websites for the best deal. It all takes lots of time and effort to get the best deal! Good luck!</p>
<p>I think fendergirl meant 60% when she said 3/5, not "three out of five people." </p>
<p>Dell laptops are fine, especially taking their price into consideration. Add that to student discounts and offers, and you get a really great deal. Also, friends of mine who use Dell laptops have not complained of any problems, so I guess the quality has increased recently.</p>
<p>However, I'm definitely getting a Mac because of its 1) excellent UI and 2) superior software. Microsoft Office for Mac is actually better than its Windows counterpart, due in part to Apple's strict Human Interface Guidelines. Although Macs are much more expensive than PC laptops, I still feel that they are superior. Hehe.</p>
<p>Good luck on your laptop searching, and I sincerely hope you get a great deal! ;)</p>
<p>i full agree with that. if i had extra money i would of gotten a 15" powerbook :) but oh well, i luvs my toshiba :)</p>
<p>Get a Mac. I work at the Service Desk at the University Information Services at Georgetown University. Since September, I've seen ONE Mac that had a problem(and it was that the person couldn't find out how to connect to the wireless network). On my floor in the dorm, many people come to me w/ problems(Windows based computers). One girl's dell wouldn't turn on properly. She would have to hold down the power button, and even then it would only turn on once in a while. She called Dell Support, and they told her that it was her hard drive. She sent it in and they sent another one, and it still wasn't working. She found out the problem and it is now fixed...for now. Another girl had a Toshiba, and suddenly the screen only showed vertical lines. I took it to UIS to get fixed, but when i got there it was back to normal. We still don't know what went wrong. </p>
<p>On the operating systems: Mac OS X 10.3.x clearly is superior to Windows XP. Firstly, there is the ease of use. To set up a wireless connection, just go to the Airport menulet on the top, and select the network that is listed. You can then set it to automatically connect to that network. Also, there is a feature called Expose(accent on the last e). When you press F9, all open windows are shown, so that you can easily find the window you want, instead of moving them around, or navigating submenus on the bar at the bottom in windows. Press F10, and all open windows in the open application(for example Safari, the web browser) are shown. Press F11, and all open windows are swept to beyond the screen, so you can easily access the desktop, as well as providing a better way to drag and drop icons into folders, windows, etc. Macs also come with many applications already on the computer. The iLife suite, including iTunes, iPhoto, iDVD, iMovie, and GarageBand are included. Safari, Apple's web browser(which is superior to Internet Explorer, which is where many viruses, adware, and spyware come from in the first place) is included. Apple Mail is included. On the consumer models(iBook and iMac), AppleWorks, the word processing application, is included. Sherlock, a search program that allows you to search Stocks, Pictures, the Internet, a Phone Book, eBay, Flights, Disctionary, Translation, as well as allowing you to search for movies in your area, is included. Preview, the pdf reader, is included, and renders pages EXTREMELY fast. iCal, where you can put all of your appointments, etc., is included. iChat, Apple's chat software, is included(compatible with your AIM screen name). You can also control your computer using the included voice recognition software. The list goes on and on.</p>
<p>And of course, Mac OS X provides you with stability. How many times has Internet Explorer or some other application crashed, and the whole computer crashes? This is a daily occurence for many. In Mac OS X, things are handled differently. If a program crashes, ONLY that program crashes, not the whole system. So, for example, Safari could've crashed, yet you could still be typing your paper in AppleWorks or Word. Simply force quit the program(press Command, Option, Escape), and go on with your life. </p>
<p>In regards to processor speed, Macs typically are faster than their PC counterparts. Firstly, do not compare a 1.33 Ghz PowerPC PowerBook with a 1.33 Ghz Pentium III Dell or whatever. The architecture in a PowerPC chip is different from that in the Pentium chips. This is the difference b/w RISC vs. CISC technology(it's all over the net). To get a very rough comparison b/w the two chips, double the PowerPC number to get the rough equivalent of an Intel chip. So, a 1.33 Ghz PowerPC is equivalent to a 2.66 Pentium. </p>
<p>The benefits of switching to Apple far outweigh those of sticking with PCs. From personal and job experience, Macs are the superior computers. And, if you absolutely need a PC, install VirtualPC(made by Microsoft). It emulates the Windows XP environment on your Mac, and works exactly the same as the normal Windows XP. I used it for my comp sci class that I needed a program for(although the program is included standard on macs(it's called SSH Secure Shell), it's text based, and the Windows visual version is just easier). Although I would recommend having at least 512MB RAM for Virtual PC, it works fine, and does the job. Clearly, there is no reason to have a Windows based PC if you have a Mac w/ Virtual PC.</p>
<p>Get a Mac. You'll never go back.</p>
<p>I agree with pennhopeful, on just about everything. I've got a 15" powerbook, and I love it. I've grown up on Macs, and I've never had anything else in my home.</p>
<p>I saw people spend hours hooking their computers up to the internet during move in. All I did was
1. plug in the ethernet cable
2. set the settings up directly as the schools IT website says, and I was up in les than 5 minutes.
and to get on the wireless, I just walk to the lounge, or wherever the signal is (which is really everywhere except in the dorm rooms), and open my computer, and I can surf the net by just opening the browser.</p>
<p>My only complaint is that I couldn't get 1024mb ram, so I've got 512mb. (Parent's limit, not Apple's)</p>
<p>The only advantage a PC has over a Mac is that PCs have more games. And that's why I have a PS2 =P</p>
<p>No one that I know who has a Mac at school has taken it to IT. The same cannot be said for my PC friends.</p>
<p>I have seen Mac's break (I worked for IT for 3 years), but very few :) i would definately buy one.. and i plan to in the future... But first I want to pay off my new car and my college loans :)</p>
<p>yeah definitely Macs have problems(as all computers do), but at a much lesser rate than PCs.</p>
<p>dells are reliable and dont have serious problems, but they are overpriced.</p>
<p>Both Mac and PCs have their strong spots and weak spots.</p>
<p>Mac advantage
-Reliable OS
-FAST, regardless of processor
-Apple's products are very durable, and quality is high.
-Easier to use and configure, especially for the beginning or novice user</p>
<p>Mac disadvantage
-Not too many programs available. (But for most uses there is some program)
-Only one manufacturer: Apple
-Somewhat pricey</p>
<p>PC advantage
-Much much more common and widely used
-More choices and Manufacturers for actual machines
-MUCH MORE SOFTWARE! Literally gazillions available.
-Cheap</p>
<p>PC disadvantage
-Windows is unreliable and tends to crash often
-Regardless of processor, PCs can run quite slow. (And down the road as software gets updated, your PC will become outdated)
-Many PC manufacturers make poor quality products (NOT ALL, though) and many of them have poor warranty support.
-Windows is certainly complex to configure. You definitely might want to keep a copy of "Windows XP for Dummies" at hand.</p>
<p>About manufacturers, IBM is known to make the best PC laptops. For a fact, the majority of Fortune 500 companies buy IBM laptops. So do check out IBM first (<a href="http://www-132.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=-840&langId=-1&storeId=1&categoryId=2035724%5B/url%5D">http://www-132.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=-840&langId=-1&storeId=1&categoryId=2035724</a>)
HP, Dell, Gateway, and Toshiba are all average. They all have high points and low points. You will have to check each one out and see if they suit you or not.
(I can tell you that one major problem with Dell is their support. If you ever have to call them about a problem, you better be ready to deal with people in India who aren't fluent in English.) (No offense to Indians on this board; I happen to be one myself)
Whatever you do, NEVER EVER buy Compaq. Even though they are owned by HP, Compaq branded PCs are absolute BS. Trust me, I speak from recent experience.</p>
<p>So it's up to you what you want. Incognita, your dream laptop is possible as both a Mac (iBook G4 12") or as a PC (Dell Inspiron 600m or 700m; HP dv1000 or ze4900; Gateway M210, M320, M405 or M450; IBM R series)</p>
<p>If you want a PC, then my favorite place to shop for one is Newegg (<a href="http://www.newegg.com/app/manufact.asp?catalog=32&DEPA=3%5B/url%5D">http://www.newegg.com/app/manufact.asp?catalog=32&DEPA=3</a>). If you want Apple, obviously it's the Apple store (If you have already been accepted to a University, then you can click this link <a href="http://store.apple.com/1-800-780-5009/WebObjects/EducationIndividual?type=higherEd%5B/url%5D">http://store.apple.com/1-800-780-5009/WebObjects/EducationIndividual?type=higherEd</a> to get special discounts)</p>
<p>BTW, if you want some good discounts, do check out <a href="http://www.techbargains.com%5B/url%5D">www.techbargains.com</a>. It is constantly updated with different coupons, deals, etc.</p>
<p>Good Luck</p>
<p>Dude... looks like i'm not getting a dell afterall</p>
<p>Are sony vaio laptops good?</p>
<p>Just as a sidenote, the number of applications available for Macs usually is brought up as a disadvantage, however this is not necessarily the case. There are hundreds of programs available for Mac OS X, and hundreds more for Mac OS 9. There is usually a Mac equivalent of all of the most popular applications. However, if there is a program that you need that is ONLY available for Windows, then buy Virtual PC. This will allow you to use ANY Windows based application on your Mac. </p>
<p>From what I know, Vaios are in general good, MUCH better than Dells. Of course, I'd advise everyone shopping for a computer to look into Apple, for the benefits listed above. Also, price is no longer a disadvantage, b/c the prices are accurate for what you get. You can get an iBook G4 for $999, even less w/ the educational discount. Also, EVERY Mac comes w/ FireWire, which allows for connecting to high speed devices(this comes in addition to USB ports). PCs are still catching up to this.</p>