another technical complaint
i desperately need a laptop. i am at a serious disadvantage at school without one. the professors set rules like, "the test is open notes, but it should only be an outline you create. you can't use your regular class notes." so a person who has taken their notes all semester on a computer can just print those out and use them, but i can't bring ( Read more... )
http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=CATLIST&PRO_SUB_CAT=270&PRO_SSUB_CAT=999
There are a few other sites where you can get a cheap/used laptop, if you google around. I won't mention any because I haven't had any firsthand experience with any.
Typically a *used* laptop is not all that good of a bargain, although a *refurbished* one might be -- note the difference between USED and REFURBISHED. I'd prefer something with a full warranty, because laptops are subject to breakage and are delicate and expensive. A laptop is one item where the extended warranty actually is a smart investment.
Performance-wise, pretty much any new laptop or even one a generation or so old will do what you need. Most current laptops except the very cheapest include wireless (802.11b or g; g is better/faster and backward compatible with b). But you could save money on an older one and add a wireless networking card -- be forewarned that I've had a lot of frustration with my wireless even though I know what I'm doing. You can add wireless for around $30, so spending an extra $100-200 for it built in isn't necessarily smart, unless you have something else in mind for your PC-card slot. Stay away from USB-based wireless -- it will sux0r.
You probably don't need more than 10-20GB for your hard drive. Current models tend to be between 20-60GB, depending on price.
Pretty much anything current will have a DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive in it. An older model might have DVD-ROM or CD-R/RW but probably not both. It won't really save you too much to skimp on the optical drive, though it might save you enough to be worthwhile to get a lower-spec, older machine.
I'd recommend at least 512MB of RAM. I would recommend AGAINST anything less than 256MB. Doing virtual memory swaps to the hard drive on a laptop with insufficient RAM is excrutiating. Lappie hard drives are anything but screamers, and hard drives are a million times slower than RAM to begin with. If you can get away with it, disable the swap file altogether, so you can let the hard drive shut down when not in use and conserve battery life.
Invest in a spare or large battery if you want 4+ hours of battery. The typical battery will last 2 hours on a charge, 3 if you set it to max-battery mode, which cripples performance. Oh, also, I've heard a lot of older model laptops come shipped with dead batteries, and it may be a hassle or added expense to get the battery replaced. If you do buy an older one, make sure they guarantee the battery is strong and still holds a full charge, especially if long life is important to you.
Sony Vaio laptops are among the smallest and lightest, but I hear bad things about durability and Sony's tech support. IBM laptops are also very small and light, and I hear nothing but high praise for their durability and support. They're not "pretty" though, if style matters (which it shouldn't). I *love* IBM laptops. Dell, HP, Toshiba are all pretty good quality, but I'd watch the low-end Dell models, because low-end Dell stuff is shit. eMachines/Gateways are a mixed bag -- I hear good and bad about them, but I have a poor opinion in general about the companies. The recent eMachines laptops do look pretty nice, though.
There's also generic/"whitebook" laptops that you can buy from a number of lesser-known companies. These might be OK if you don't need a lot of support from the manufacturer. I don't know a lot about them, but there are some on the market that look pretty nice. It's really hard to say without seeing it in person, I find. So definitely do some shopping in stores for that hands-on experience -- but be open to buying online if you can find a superior deal.
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