laptops for college students?

clause324

hey guys i need some help with buying a laptop for college. these are the specification.

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory: 2GB
Hard Drive: 80-100GB
Media: DVD+/-RW drive
Network Port: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet port
Wireless Access: 802.11g compliant
Price: less than $1000

also it should be long lasting it should work efficiently for at least 3yrs.

thank you

Answer
Laptops with those specs should all be under $1000. Dell is the best for low-end laptops, for performance, reliability and lastability. They have useless tech support, so you'll need to know a bit about laptops. HP is another brand worth looking into. Their laptops are average, but you can easily get one with the specs you wanted, for under $1000, they'll probably last three years, and they have very good support for all their computers. I had to setup 200 computers for a business once and 50 of them failed within a week. HP sent a worker from the US to replace motherboards in all of the computers.

I wouldn't recommend you to get Acer or Compaq laptops, because they aren't very reliable, and they have lots of proprietary hardware, so if a component breaks, they'll charge a lot for repairs. Asus and Toshiba are good brands, but their low end laptops are terrible compared to their mid-level laptops. Sony laptops are completely overpriced, and the other big laptop manufacturers (IBM, Lenovo, Benq, gateway etc.) make pretty ordinary, low end laptops.

Basically, stick with Dell or HP.

Laptops for Business?

NNZ1991

Alright so my sister is looking for a laptop for college and were not sure what to get. She is going to major in business so were looking for a computer that will be good for business purposes. Something thats not ultra light but not heavy would be nice. I was looking at the Lenovo laptops. I have lost all faith in dell when it comes to laptops. How is gateway, we had a lot of those in school.

Answer
I am not a huge gateway fan for business, but IBM/Lenovos are great. If your looking for something for a test run or just to use for a year until she really sees what she wants/needs - then spend the big bucks - I would suggest these guys:
http://stores.ebay.com/IT-bySMart

They sell used off lease business grade laptops for really inexpensive ($350 can get you an IBM, which is also lenovo) business grade laptop that is about 2 years old with win XP PRO installed! It is a great buy. After her first year of school you can resell the laptop for around the same price and then put that $$ towards a newer laptop that she may need.

FYI Apples are good, but unless she is doing graphics or design then it is really overkill for business school

Best of luck.

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Netbook or Laptop for Business Major college?

Kind10101

I'm majoring in business admin. and deciding whether to get a laptop or netbook for the coming school year.

I want a netbook for its ultra-portability, small size, and easy computing however my current sony vaio laptop's specs are a bit outdated (running 1GB ram and 80 GB HDD 1.6GHz). The battery is dead so I have to constantly keep it plugged in (on battery lasts only 10 minutes!) and the DVD/RW optical drive doesn't work. I have to always rely on my slower desktop pc to burn/copy/rip data off of discs, which is TIME CONSUMING!

Mainly i'll be using the "new" computer for typing notes, using Office constantly, browsing. Netbooks sounds perfect but I also feel like replacing my current laptop.

This HP G62 is the laptop i was thinking of purchasing
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/hewlett-packard-hp-pavilion-15-6-amd-athlon-ii-dual-core-p320-laptop-g62-224ca-silver-future-shop-exclusive-g62-224ca/10146058.aspx?path=87ae90558a40f44ae5e7a41d10ca0203en02

..and the netbook
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/hewlett-packard-hp-mini-10-1-intel-atom-n450-1-66ghz-netbook-110-3018-black-110-3018ca/10146622.aspx?path=a8d3e591c007e5318895e48a3cf6638den02


WHICH ONE?!

Answer
I'd say stick with your current laptop, and just buy a new battery. You can get a new one for like $50.

College is f'ing expensive, so save your money. Using your desktop to rip music or whatever from discs can be a pain, but who cares... cd's and dvd's are going the way of the dodo anyways. And, if you got a netbook, there would be no optical drive, so you'd still be stuck ripping from your desktop.

A netbook sounds nice, and I got one for college, but then you get into class and start typing...and the damn keyboard is very small. It's really a pain. Plus, the battery life can suck. My little Lenovo s10 only gets maybe 2 hrs on a 3 cell batt. If I upgraded to a 6 or 9 cell batt, sure, I'd get more time, but it would also be bulkier and heavier.

While going to college, it's more important to use a laptop that you don't give a crap about...somethign you don't mind getting scuffed or dinged up. Because it'll get tossed around in a book bag and such.

I'd prefer a laptop over netbook if you're going to do a lot of typing, because you want that full-size keyboard.

Look at it this way...

$50 ... you just bought a new battery for your old VAIO
$50 ... you just bought an external cd/dvd burner drive for your old VAIO
$50 ... you just bought 1gb addt'l RAM for your old VAIO

Google up "black viper windows" and tweak the services on your VAIO so it won't be running a bunch of crap you don't need. A 1.6ghz lappy is plenty fast to do what you need to do in college (MS office, music, surf for porn in class, etc). The main hindrance is usually lack of RAM. But, as I said, you can get 1gb stick for $50...or less.

Just stick with your VAIO and save your money. A netbook isn't worth it for college, and a newer laptop isn't worth it, because you may get it stolen, damaged, etc from carrying it around a lot. If you borked up your VAIO, you wouldn't feel so bad...so spend a little cash to upgrade it, then use it until it breaks.

Best laptop for a college freshman?

McKenzie

Ok so I'll be attending UC Santa Cruz in the fall and I'm in need of a good laptop. Of course I've looked into macs, but to be honest I don't know sh*t about computers and I'm not sure if apple is all its cracked up to be. I don't really do gaming and most likely will not be into digital..things...so I just need something nice. Money isn't really an issue because I've been saving up specifically for something durable and well, nice.
I have no clue what anything about computers really means; I don't understand how one laptop can cost $600 and another $1800. Lol. Anyways what are your recommendations-and why?
Thank you!

Answer
For a new laptop as a college freshman, there are a few things that you need to look for:

-Business class:
A typical personal computer might not hold up to the amount of computing time that you'll need in college, so it's best to get a business-class laptop. Business-class computers are generally built with more reliable components and are better designed for less downtime. Home-user computers are cheaper, but they are not made with the business-quality components, so they are more prone to overheating and premature failure in a high-use environment like college.

-Mac or PC?
That's a personal decision, but I know more about PCs, so that's mostly what I'll be talking about....

-RAM size:
You want at least 1 GB of it.

-Processor:
Intel Core 2 Duo

-Wireless:
Currently, there are three main wireless Ethernet standards: 802.11a, 802.11b (also known as Wifi), and 802.11g. Although 802.11b operates at a slower speed, it is currently the most popular standard, but the 802.11 g will probably dominate in the near future. Cards and routers that function on the 802.11g standard are backwards compatible with the 802.11b standard. That is, 802.11g cards can connect to 802.11b routers and vice-versa. You might want to check with your college about which standard they use, but if you get a 802.11a/g card, you'll have all your bases covered. You might have to pay a little extra for that though, so if you check with the school and they have either a 802.11b or g network, you should just get the 802.11g card. This card (or mini card) should be built-in.

-Warranties and other protection:
Since you'll need this computer for four years, it's best to be protected. Have a four-year warranty (if the computer breaks down because it's not very good, you're protected), four-year accident protection such as Dell's CompleteCare, HP's Accidental Damage Protection Service, or Lenovo's Thinkpad Protection (if you ever drop/spill it, it'll be protected), and CompuTrace LoJack (a tracking device if your computer ever gets stolen).

-Software (operating system):
You've got a choice between Vista and XP for PCs. Vista's the newer one, so to avoid compatibility issues down the road, it might be a good idea to go with Vista. Nevertheless, use Windows XP Professional over Home, as Professional has advanced networking and file options that are not easily accessible in Home, or use Windows Vista Business over Home Premium or Ultimate because Business has advanced network and file features over Home Premium without the added media features of Ultimate.

-Recommendations:
Dell Latitude (D630 or D830 are good choices)
HP Business Notebook
Lenovo ThinkPad
Apple MacBook Pro

-What not to get:
Dell Inspirons, HP Pavilions, MacBook Air, and Lenovo 3000 series

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How can I transfer songs from my iPod onto my computer running Windows Vista Business?

best laptops for college business image

Chad A

Sorry for the super-long question, but I'm dying to connect up to my new laptop (in college now), but I'm too nervous to go and attempt to do so on my own without having a clue about what to do, and I don't want my iPod to get cleared (lots of songs). I'm now running Windows Vista Business, and I have the 3rd Generation iPod. I have tried to follow the steps that have been posted in similar categories of questions, but it seems to me that each answer is for Windows XP, ect, and I can't find *anything* on transfering songs from an iPod to a computer with Vista.

Thank you for taking the time to read this really really lengthy post. I hope I've covered all that's needed, but if not I'll try to add whatever is necessary, as I'll be checking this question multiple times every day.

Thanks again!

Answer
Howdy!

I have Windows Vista Home Edition and I'm pretty sure it works the same way. Go to apple.com and dowload the NEW version of iTunes (7.3)- it's Vista compatable. I've done this and everything I've put on there before Vista is there! Drag and drop like normal and you should be fine! If you've had it connected to a desktop you need to unsync it to that desktop first! You will loose the files if you try to sync it to another computer (iTunes will ask you though), but I usually recommend that you manually manage your music if you can. Hope it helps!

When do you get the email for Your laptop at stevens henager college?

mommyofone

I'm a student at Stevens henager college studying business. I'm in nearly in my second week of my 2nd class. And haven't heard anything from my advisor.

Answer
Ask your RA or other students./

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What is the best laptop to buy for a student attending college in the fall of 2011?

best laptops for college business image

Dillon Ben

My parents are letting me get a laptop before college. I can spend up to $1000. Maybe a few more hundred. What would be the best bang for my buck?
I was looking at the Macbook Pro but I would only be able to afford the 13". I dont know if this is too small or not.

Answer
Haters gonna hate but i would honestly recommend a macbook pro, this laptop is reliable, wont ever die, has specs that will cover your needs, and if you have a problem, Apple has the best customer support in the business. It is well worth the money. If the MacBook pro is too pricey, a standard MacBook will do just fine.

edit: I have the base 13" model and I think it is the perfect size. It is light and portable and the battery will last me around 7 hours.

How can I transfer songs from my iPod onto my computer running Windows Vista Business?

Chad A

Sorry for the super-long question, but I'm dying to connect up to my new laptop (in college now), but I'm too nervous to go and attempt to do so on my own without having a clue about what to do, and I don't want my iPod to get cleared (lots of songs). I'm now running Windows Vista Business, and I have the 3rd Generation iPod. I have tried to follow the steps that have been posted in similar categories of questions, but it seems to me that each answer is for Windows XP, ect, and I can't find *anything* on transfering songs from an iPod to a computer with Vista.

Thank you for taking the time to read this really really lengthy post. I hope I've covered all that's needed, but if not I'll try to add whatever is necessary, as I'll be checking this question multiple times every day.

Thanks again!

Answer
Howdy!

I have Windows Vista Home Edition and I'm pretty sure it works the same way. Go to apple.com and dowload the NEW version of iTunes (7.3)- it's Vista compatable. I've done this and everything I've put on there before Vista is there! Drag and drop like normal and you should be fine! If you've had it connected to a desktop you need to unsync it to that desktop first! You will loose the files if you try to sync it to another computer (iTunes will ask you though), but I usually recommend that you manually manage your music if you can. Hope it helps!

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