Laptop virgin!

DawnMc

Hey there,
I'm completely clueless when it comes to laptops. I want to buy one for a new course I'm starting in September.
Can anyone recommend one suitable for me? Want to buy it asap.
Thanks!

Karoma

¬_¬

What course? What are you going to be using it for? etc, etc, etc.
Wait until you start the course perhaps.

rsta

Hey there, I was a laptop virgin (!) too before i got mine earlier this year.

I just wanted the basics so I could use the internet, email and save photos and music on it. Posted my questions on boards here too and got lots of recommendations.

So I bought my laptop from dell.ie got the Inspiron 1300. Its grand, has a nice big 15" screen. (its good for watcing dvd's too.)

On Dell's website you can put together a package for your laptop like type of memory, microsoft packages, mcafee security and stuff like that. check out the website. and shop around first too maybe have a look in a few shops and see whats out there. Good luck

DawnMc

Just a college course
I'll need to be able to type up essays etc

DawnMc

Hey rsta,
Think I'll buy the one you did. Any advice on memory, virus stuff etc?? I am so clueless!!

Ruu_Old

If you are only going to use it for word, database or access type stuff then any of the Dell Inspirons would suit you just fine. They start from €479.

DawnMc

Right, I'm on dell's website now customising the Inspiration 1300.
What extras do people advise I opt for?

Steveo1983

If you want a dell try here much cheaper than building one on the site.
http://stores.ebay.ie/Dell-Outlet

DawnMc

Ya but there's only one and it's damaged

Ruu_Old

You'll need more RAM, put as much into it as you can. Probably a bigger hard drive, maybe a wireless card if you want to access the net if you go to college and it has a wireless network.

Anti

unless your doing a cad course just buy any old cheap laptop, and save the other bobs for beer and pizza. i suggest you go to pc world / dell and get something basic, with a min of 512mb ram. But you should really have 1gb. You will want at least a 60/80gb hard drive, and you will need a dvd+-rw. 15.4" screen, with a display of 1280*1024 is a must also. Graphics are not really needed unless you plan to play games ( 3d ones, not solitare ) or plan on doing some type of rendering. The min cpu you should go for is a intel centrinio. or a AMD turion. But the chances are your course is 2+ years ?

If i was in your situation i would buy a laptop with a intel core 2 duo t2300/t2400, 1gb ram, 100gb hdd, some what moderest graphics.

ill post a few links of a few things for you to condsider:

pc world ones :

http://www.pcworld.ie/products.aspx?range_rid=56&image=Compaq

http://www.pcworld.ie/productDetails.aspx?productRID=1416&image=Philips_Freevents

and dell :

http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=ie&cs=iedhs1&kc=305&l=en&oc=L08529&s=dhs&sbc=latit_d520

and this one

http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?b=&c=ie&cs=iedhs1&l=en&oc=N08646&rbc=N08646&s=dhs&sbc=iedhsrsinspn_6400_2


Hope this helps you some way

rsta

I picked the 52gig (sp?) memory on mine. The mcafee virus thing was free for 3 months. Then I didnt bother paying for it again I downloaded Avg7 as virus protection.

If you ring dell up actually they will tell you in more detail about what you might need.

5uspect

well unless you don't plan on doing anything too intensive like simulations, CAD or even games then you shouldn't need too much. Most Dell laptops come with microsoft Works but you may require Office (Word, Excel etc) which will add to the cost. I often find that people looking for laptops for "just typing up stuff" actually want it for a whole lot else. Things like watching movies, playing music and storing photos. I guess it just happens as you rely on it more and more.

It would be a good idea to wait until you enrole in the college tho, most universities have a discount deal with the likes of Dell so you can knock a few euros off the price.

I'd say go for a machine with at least 512MB RAM and a bigish hard drive. Processor wise I'm not too sure about laptops at the mo (Core 2 Duo maybe it one of the best?). Also make sure it has CD/DVD write capabilities (mose laptops don't have floppys anymore) and USB 2.0.

DawnMc

Thanks for all your help - too kind! I have just purchased the Dell Inspiration 1300!! It's basic and thats all I need I suppose!
Thanks again to all

5uspect

DawnMc wrote:

Thanks for all your help - too kind! I have just purchased the Dell Inspiration 1300!! It's basic and thats all I need I suppose!
Thanks again to all

Best of luck with it!

Anti

eeeek!

Shouldn't have bought that one.

Its the pc equivilent to a three legged donkey

Hah, im just messing, enjoy the phone calls to malasyia for tech support if anything goes wrong