Looking to buy a lappy/notebook... any suggestions?

[RobCom]

Hey guys,

My gf needs a laptop for school next year (her semester starts in january) and i figured xmas would be the perfect time to get her one. Since its for school it will mostly be word processing, research on the net, email, etc.... no gaming or anything CPU/video intensive related. I was looking into the Dell Inspiron 1100. for $750 (+shipping/tax), here are the specs. :

- 2.0ghz celeron (normally i would avoid a celeron myself but for her, i feel its content for years to come)
- 15.0 XGA Display (upgraded from the 14.0 minimum)
- 256mb (266mhz/1 DIMM) (low in my opinion but still adequate for her)
- 20gb hard drive (should be plenty)
- 24x CD-ROM/DVD drive
- internal 56k modem (who cares! I'll have her sharing my broadband connection at home)
- integrated network card (for the DSL connection )
- 65 WHr Battery (its the small battery, should i upgrade it for $50? )
- 1 YR Warrentee/mail-in support
- NO Accident Care
- NO floppy Drive
- XP home and Wordperfect prod pack (I can install my xp pro and office xp on it, if i want, right )


This notebook will come to about $850 shipped to my door (minus any promotions/coupons i may find).
It is a good deal?
My gripes are no floppy(which i can get a USB floppy somewhere under 25bux) and the warrentee.
Should i get a better warrentee? Should I get atleast 1 YR accident care on it til she gets used to using a laptop? If something went wrong with it within a year (dropped, liquid spill, etc..) i would be VERY upset.

Do u guys know of a better deal somewhere else? should i look into used since its main use will be just to get her through her masters degree program. So it only has to last/keep up with technology for two years. Can i find a used laptop and use its existing warrentee (just in case)

Thanks
Rob Comitalo

 

[Spoooon]

HP Shopping has Free shipping $250+ and a 10% off Coupon Code

New HP Pavilion ze4500 AMD XP-M 2200+ 1.8Ghz 128MB/20GB CD 14.1" Screen, 56K, Ethernet, XP Home $799 - 10% coupon - $100 rebate = $619 shipped free. Tax only in CA, TN. DVD/CDRW combo drive +$75, 15" Screen upgrade $25.

 

[thelittleprincess]

i don't know too much about computers....but i did reseach for about a month or so for mine (for use in professional school).

XGA - not great at all. my brother finally agreed when we went out to fry's and checked out a couple screens. so my reseach proved well - lots of sites suggested SXGA+ which is what i ended up getting.

Floppy drive??? oh so obselete now. my school had it down as a requirment, but my brother insisted that i would't need it, and in the rare case that i did, cd burner would suffice. so far, he's right. been in school for 2 months now, and the only time i almost needed a floppy drive was when the school's internet was down, and my team member couldn't email me a paper we were working on. didn't matter too much since there was six of us, and we were all sitting in the same room. and someone else did have a foppy drive on their laptop.

if she's like me, a light portable laptop is important. i had a temporary compaq (close to 8 lbs) for the first week of school (my T40 was on order) and that thing killed me the first day - and i'm sitting in class for 7 hours minus the lunch hour. so it's not like i had to lug it around campus - we stay in one room - but that thing was like lugging a huge heavy rock. my shoulder was killing me. my T40 is a mere 4.5 lbs --> i can definitely feel the difference, especially having to lug around ethernet cord, ac adapter, class handouts, printed notes, and my purse --believe me, i try to lighten my load, but it's hard. oh, and i wouldn't lug my laptop in a wheeled case --> hell, i paid $1800 for my T-40...i'm not gonna wheel it over bumps and cracked concrete, even though my lappy has shock absorbers.

i know, mine's a lot pricier than what you chose....but i figured if i'm using this for the next 4 years, it better be one that i like. i hope you find what you are looking for at the right price.

hope that helps, opinion from a gal.

 

[Pandaren]

XGA - not great at all. my brother finally agreed when we went out to fry's and checked out a couple screens. so my reseach proved well - lots of sites suggested SXGA+ which is what i ended up getting

I disagree. XGA is not necessarily bad, especially for those who are nearsighted.

Should i get a better warrentee? Should I get atleast 1 YR accident care on it til she gets used to using a laptop? If something went wrong with it within a year (dropped, liquid spill, etc..) i would be VERY upset.

Might be a good idea if the user is clumsy or accident prone

 

[Spoooon]

I forgot to say, another user posted about XGA on a 15" screen. He didn't like it. You might want to run out to Circuit City or something and take a quick look at laptops in person. I have SXGA and it's worth the upgrade IMHO.

 

[RobCom]

thanks for the comments