laptop help

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Quicky
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laptop help

Post by Quicky »

Hey guys im getting ready to start my freshman year of college and i was wondering if i can get some help on my decision between either a lenovo T400 or macbook/macbook pro(im getting a good deal on them through my dads work). Im having a rough time picking one.

Here is some stuff that might help:

-My major is pre-med
-I mainly use my computer for surfing the web, word processing for school, downloading n putting music on my ipod, watching youtube, email, and aim
-I wont be programming as much since I took a college class in High School for C++

Feel free to add your own suggestions on another laptop

Any help will be greatly appreciated

Thanks!
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T'lon Nanaki
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Post by T'lon Nanaki »

I don't know much about individual laptop brands or what-not but from your discription of what you would be using it for I might suggest looking into a netbook, I did some research on them myself not to long ago and was thinking of getting one as a companion to my desktop.

from what I've read the only major differences that I've notice is that they're about 3/4 the size of a laptop(give or take), doesn't have an internal CD/DVD ROM(which you could probably get an external drive if you needed it), and they cost alot less than most laptops.

in my own opinion the only main draw-back to them is that they can't play video games, atleast the newer "resource intensive" ones. I'd give you a URL of the site that I read but I wasn't paying attention at the time.

the ones i've looked at run somewhere around $200 and up.
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Post by Mentat »

Ditto T'lon Nanaki. Quickly, if that's all that you want to do, then you do not want to get a Mac. Macs are very expensive, I got the cheapest one for ~$1,000. It's a very good computer, but it won't be much different from a netbook if you aren't using much of it's functionality, except for the fact it costs 2-4 times more.
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bongomeno
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Post by bongomeno »

Apple computers SUCK. its always been that way and always will...... if you want a netbook get one with ASUS hardware and Windows XP (or 7 when it comes out) annnnndd... MAKE SURE YOU DONT GET WINDOWS VISTA BECAUSE IT @#$%^&&^%$%^ SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!
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Pete
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Post by Pete »

I have 3 computers:

Custom Built Desktop PC -- custom built from parts... has 3x19" LCD monitors, tons of storage and is super powerful; running Windows XP 64-bit edition (the fastest OS out there at the moment)
I use this if I am at home...it's great for doing any kind of work (for me, usually web design) because of the large amount of screen space. I much prefer to do programming / web coding on a PC than on a Mac. This would also be an amazing gaming rig if I ever do any gaming (sadly, haven't had much time to do it in a few years...)

15" Macbook Pro - Laptop
This is my main laptop. It's powerful and what I bring with me to work if I'm working (most companies in Los Angeles and Hollywood are Mac-based). I also do all of my video editing work on it. For programming tasks, or everyday web surfing, I prefer using Windows...but that's just a personal preference.

8.9" EeePC 900 - Netbook
This is my ultra-portable computer -- I used it exclusively for TEN MONTHS while I was traveling around the world -- including 6 months in Asia. I carried this up through the Himalayas in Nepal, to Mt. Everest Base Camp, and all through India, and it worked perfectly! It does the majority of every day computing tasks pretty well, but it's kinda slow and poky...so if I have the option to use one of my other two computers, I will use it. This is the computer I will take with me on weekend trips or trips where I don't plan on using a computer much. It's also great for watching movies or TV shows on a bus or airplane.


Anyway... all of these computers are perfectly adequate for surfing the net, writing emails and documents, listening to music or any everyday activities. It seems like that just about covers all of the stuff you listed above.

So the real question is: how much do you want to spend?

You can get a decent Netbook for $300. Most Windows laptops run from $600 to $1500. Macbooks cost $1000 plus and Macbook Pros cost $2000 plus. Custom-built desktops range in price, but will absolutely give you the best bang for your buck.

Macbooks / Macbook Pros are excellent computers, probably the best form factor and physical construction of any computers out there. Almost everyone who buys a Mac loves it, and if you're doing creative work, you'll love it even more. (I use mine for video editing and animation...and love it.) They're great for people who aren't all that computer savvy, because the software all tends to be simpler than equivalent PC software. Macs also last FOREVER. I have friends who still use 5 year old Powerbooks as their main computer. My friends with Windows laptops tend to replace them every 2 years or so.

Windows laptops are much cheaper, and will also do everything you need. I find them to be quite a bit more customizable, and I slightly prefer Windows XP to OS X. (I can't stand Vista...hopefully Windows 7 will be a worthy upgrade.) One flaw of Windows (for me): it can't run Final Cut Pro or certain other Apple software.

Anyway, I would say if you're going to get just one computer to last for all of college, go with a Macbook. If you want flexibility and maybe want to get another computer down the line, go with a Lenovo.
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Post by burger2227 »

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

My DELL desktop and LCD monitor cost $500. My laptop cost $800 with GPS service I can use in my car. Plus it runs anything I install! I can go to India with Pete on his next trip......

A good laptop should have more on it than just IM and the Internet! You won't be watching UTUBE in class I hope. Get a cellphone or an MP3 player if you want to play! School is for your future!

PS: Don't even ask me about the THUMB phones these days. :lol:
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Post by Mentat »

And if you do plan to eventually take up BASIC again, I would advise sticking to a Windows XP machine, or Linux if you like it. I don't know of any free basic interpreters/compilers for Mac (Gambas maybe?). Vista can be BASIC unfriendly too, especially to the compiled ones, though not as much as Macs.
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T'lon Nanaki
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Post by T'lon Nanaki »

Pete wrote: Custom Built Desktop PC -- custom built from parts...
same here pete only mine is running XP professional, I think desktops are the best when you put them together your self, I spent around $350 for the core( that is the tower motherboard,ect.) and about 5-6 hours putting it all together and setting it up, best experience of my life!

but keeping to the topic, Quicky, what ever laptop/netbook you decide to persue, be sure that you do the following:

1-Know first what you really NEED, i've seen people get there 'dream' system and later find out it can't run a program cause it doesn't have a particular feature (like a 3D graphics card for example)

2-DO RESEARCH,and i mean spend and insane amount of time doing it, I can't emphisize this enough sence i've heard too many stories of how someone went and got a system and found out later that what they got was below their expectations.

3-only after 1 and 2 should you look for what extras you WANT, after all a NEED and a WANT are completely different things and a NEED should always outweight a WANT (it's a common sence thing I rarely see practiced now days, kinda sad)

the three things listed are in my view, the primary conderations that you (everyone for that matter) should follow.
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Post by Nodtveidt »

Mentat wrote:I don't know of any free basic interpreters/compilers for Mac (Gambas maybe?).
According to the Gambas website, it will compile but it will crash due to "endianness management".

http://gambas.sourceforge.net/en/main.html

Furthermore, it's only an ok system, but I guess it's the best free VB replacement there is.
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