I'm getting a lappy, and I need your help!

[Kerrigan_dragon]

I'm starting University this fall! Woohoo! I took a year off to work and travel, and I enjoyed both. I met some of my favourite ATGers and went to America for the first time, and had a lot of fun. But now I'm eager to get back to school and learn things and be with my friends. I've really missed my friends.

But anyways, I need to buy a laptop for school! And I was hoping the ATG could help me out a bit because, well, I know about as much about computers as I do about llamas. That is, not much.

One of my friends recommended I get an HP G62 laptop. It's got 320 GB Hard drive and a 3 GB RAM. Actually, she found a link, so click . I still don't know what a Dual-Core Processor is, but people tell me it's a good thing?

My mom recommended a Macbook as an option for its longevity.

So, ATG, what should I get? I'm definitely open to more than just what I said here, those are just what's been said to me so far.

Spoonfeeding time:

-what kind of laptop should I get?
-is it necessary to have a laptop in university?
-will Timmy ever get out of the well?
-what kind of experiences have you had with buying computers?
-anything else relevant  

[emmmahy]

I am Emmmahy, the Evil Overlord of the Sparkling Dutchman!
I have been known to have a temper, and to blind enemies with my lack of shirt.

" First I thought 'lap dance? Does she need our help picking out outfits? o_0' XDDD

Get one that has a 3 year guarantee, trust me thou shall need it, and one of the more famous, quality brands that have a World Wide Guarantee. :3 "

You are not a friend?
Fear me and my neverending sarcasm, you fool.

 

[Kalstolyn]

My best suggestion is to go to Memory Express (there are three locations in Calgary and two in Edmonton). They hire good staff, are not pushy, and if you walk in and say "I would like a laptop or a netbook that does X, Y, and Z; What do you suggest?" they should be able to give you something fantastic!


As far as longevity is concerned, toshiba has the best tech on the market right now with the hard drive impact protection standard on almost all their portable computers.  

[Bassios]

All depends on what you want from your laptop, really. If you're after a workhorse laptop for typing up university assignments, browsing the web and listening to music then you're looking at an entirely different spec set to one for playing games and stuff.

The one you've linked is a pretty good workhorse with enough grunt to play games if you want to, but not at the highest video settings.

Personally, I'd suggest staying the hell away from a Macbook, but I'm biased against apple and their pretentious brushed metal interface. THEY EVEN HAVE IT IN THE STORES! I MEAN, SERIOUSLY. URGH.

biggrin

 

[Kerrigan_dragon]

I swear by my pretty floral bonnet...

What I want from the laptop is just to surf the internet, type up documents for university, listen to music, watch movies and videos, edit images, and occasionally play a game, but not graphics intensive ones, and not very often. (Think Tiberian Sun and Zoo Tycoon, that's pretty much all I play on the computer). So yeah, a workhorse laptop is what I need.

Also, I'm not that fond of Macs, in all honesty. I really like Macs from the 80s, but they aren't useful for school. >_>;;

Kals: I'll check out Memory Express tomorrow, I guess. smile Thank you.

...I will end you.

 

[Elcia]

No mac love in here? Ah well, I'm biased so it's ok.

Having no background to back me up I can't suggest any, but I agree with the idea to ask for a good workhorse comp.

Also if you are going to spend a lot of time hanging around school in between classes it is a pretty good idea to have a laptop. I found that the computer labs where less than comfy for working especially when they filled up with noisy users, and sometimes you have to juggle the classes that use the rooms. Also libraries comps always seem to get occupied fast.

Anyway it's a nice excuse to get yourself a brand new toy.
What are you planning taking? Just out of curiosity.  

[Jafthasleftthebuilding]

I was just about to suggest a mini, instead, but I don't know how big or small a screen you find acceptable.

Macs just come off as really expensive. >_> They aren't suited for gaming, for a long time they just didn't have the two button mouse, really, really, really annoying.

For basic things, with a bigger screen, I might go with this,
but maybe you want to purchase the computer in the store and one that isn't as basic?

The one you have linked, I feel as though it should have at least 1 more gig of RAM.

I usually buy through DELL, cuz they letz me kusstomize. biggrin I'd go Alienware if I had the money [I game.]  

[Kerrigan_dragon]

Well, I got a laptop. It's the one I linked to.

My friend has the same one, and I used it for a while and found that I really like it, so I got it.

I have named my laptop Mathias. He is gayer than a tree full of monkeys on nitrous oxide, and has a crush on my friend's boyfriend's laptop Maxwell. smile Heather and I came up with a whole story for this laptop. He runs really fast, has a nice keyboard, and I actually like Windows 7, I've found. (Thank you for letting me lurk on your computer a lot, Roland.)

 

[Taeryyn]

I haven't used Windows 7 much myself, but I've heard lots of good feedback about it. It's certainly pretty.


I bought this laptop (a Gateway) just before I started university in 2005, and it's still going. Haven't ever had to have it repaired, but I don't do all that much with it.

I ended up having a lot of major performance issues when I was running Windows XP (since the specs for this machine are really terrible xD), but since switching to Ubuntu it's been great.

I really ought to look at purchasing a newer computer, since I've been eyeing the Sims 3 for quite awhile (and my laptop most definitely doesn't support it; it doesn't support the Sims 2, and would probably have trouble running the Sims...), but that probably won't happen any time soon.  

[Roland Karloseth]

"I've been burned so bad...

Glad I could help? sweatdrop It's no problem. I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes Windows 7, at least. xd

...but I still play with fire!"

 

[Miss-dark8607]

I am not much of a techie. However, I STILL have a Mac Powerbook G4. It's six years old and still running (not as smoothly as it once did but still) It's been bumped, dropped, and crashed (once). Yet it's still here. So I do highly recommend Mac products and most big city malls have a Mac store in which you can get your Mac looked at if issues arise. On the PC side I have always loved anything Sony produces most of my ex roommates have had Sony based laptops and they all preform well.

So yeah either a Mac or a Sony. Those are the best IMPO.  

[emmmahy]

Kerrigan_dragon

Well, I got a laptop. It's the one I linked to.

My friend has the same one, and I used it for a while and found that I really like it, so I got it.

I have named my laptop Mathias. He is gayer than a tree full of monkeys on nitrous oxide, and has a crush on my friend's boyfriend's laptop Maxwell. smile Heather and I came up with a whole story for this laptop. He runs really fast, has a nice keyboard, and I actually like Windows 7, I've found. (Thank you for letting me lurk on your computer a lot, Roland.)

Gayer than a treefull of monkeys on nitrous oxide?

Is that a Good Omens reference I see thar? surprised