School computer

roland_7707

Hey fellas, I am heading back to school in the fall and am needing a new laptop computer. I'm only wanting to spend around $500, and I am not very tech savy. So if yall could answer a few questions and give me your openions that would be great.
What is the difference between the AMD duel core processors and the Intel duel core processor? any info would be helpful thanks.

lilwing88

If you can find a MacBook for around $500, then go with that. I switched to Mac a few years ago and haven't looked back....

beatnic

Go with a Mac. You can run windows on it. Intel is generally favored over AMD. AMD is a bit slower now. A 13" macbook is all you need. You just need to find a few more bucks. And, you WILL NEED a computer at college. At some colleges you need one to register. Don't buy software. Universities get great deals.

xmacro

Intel is better than AMD; not only are they the market leader, there's less problems with them - just a general all-around better CPU IMO. If you can, try to get a second-generation i3, i5, or i7 (if all you do is word processing, an i3 is all you need). As for graphics card, there isn't really any bad choice since you don't sound like you'll be gaming, so any of the modern GPU's should do you fine

As for which computer, I say Windows - Mac is great and all, but you pay a definite premium for the Apple name; with Windows, you can get anything from Asus, Sager, HP, Sony, Dell, etc - tons of options for your budget and you don't pay any extra for the "hipness" factor like you do with Apple

Try to get Windows 7 Home Premium, and at least 4 GB of RAM (if all you do is word processing, 4GB is all you need). Also remember to get a built-in wireless card (a definite must), and you may or may not want bluetooth. Like beatnic said, don't buy software - universities get GREAT deals on pretty much everything Microsoft puts out - including laptops!

So ask your University if they have any deals going on - chances are you can get a new laptop at lower price than you could on your own (also don't forget to look for online coupons - you can save a couple hundred with promo coupons)

Lastly, don't scrimp on the screen - it's the most important part of the laptop since you'll be using it all the time. Do some research and find a good one.

ellinas

i'd go with a toshiba satellite c650D. $409. toshiba isn't a bad computer neither are macs. Most viruses don't affect macs because they don't have windows on them. So if you download windows on one then your chances of getting a virus or anything else will go up GREATLY

JCizzle

lilwing88:

If you can find a MacBook for around $500, then go with that. I switched to Mac a few years ago and haven't looked back....

+1 I used the white MacBook all throughout undergrad and graduate school and it's still going strong. However, it was not $500. lol

Luko

The cheapest I've heard of a new, basic MacBook is $1k. But, Mac is the way to go. Not for hipness but functionality. And how about NEVER having to worry about viruses, malware,etc. As someone who used a PC and hp laptop forever and then switched to Mac two years ago, I can say I'll never buy a PC again and I hate it when I have to jump on a PC to use IE or something.

ellinas

Luko:

The cheapest I've heard of a new, basic MacBook is $1k. But, Mac is the way to go. Not for hipness but functionality. And how about NEVER having to worry about viruses, malware,etc. As someone who used a PC and hp laptop forever and then switched to Mac two years ago, I can say I'll never buy a PC again and I hate it when I have to jump on a PC to use IE or something.

there are still viruses for mac but not as many bc most are directed at computers that have windows on them. so if he downloads windows then it won't even matter anymore if he has a mac...it will be like any other comp until he takes windows off

doromath

xmacro:

Intel is better than AMD; not only are they the market leader, there's less problems with them - just a general all-around better CPU IMO. If you can, try to get a second-generation i3, i5, or i7 (if all you do is word processing, an i3 is all you need). As for graphics card, there isn't really any bad choice since you don't sound like you'll be gaming, so any of the modern GPU's should do you fine

As for which computer, I say Windows - Mac is great and all, but you pay a definite premium for the Apple name; with Windows, you can get anything from Asus, Sager, HP, Sony, Dell, etc - tons of options for your budget and you don't pay any extra for the "hipness" factor like you do with Apple

Try to get Windows 7 Home Premium, and at least 4 GB of RAM (if all you do is word processing, 4GB is all you need). Also remember to get a built-in wireless card (a definite must), and you may or may not want bluetooth. Like beatnic said, don't buy software - universities get GREAT deals on pretty much everything Microsoft puts out - including laptops!

So ask your University if they have any deals going on - chances are you can get a new laptop at lower price than you could on your own (also don't forget to look for online coupons - you can save a couple hundred with promo coupons)

Lastly, don't scrimp on the screen - it's the most important part of the laptop since you'll be using it all the time. Do some research and find a good one.

This.

Asus and Acer both make good laptops you can get great deals on and would be my recommendation. Anything that conforms to what Xmacro said will fit the bill.