17 replies to this topic

[Elle]

Right, so I need a laptop. Problem is, i'm not kidding when I say im utterly clueless with computers. I know nothing.

This laptop will be used for:

-crazy internet browsing
-endless amounts of uni work
-shitloads of music files
-watching / downloading the occasional movie online

I don't really play many games, so thats not much of an issue.

Budget:

Doesn't bother me. 3k (AUS) or so?



Any advice/ features / attributes that I should be looking for would be much appreciated. If anyone has any exact models that they would recommend, feel free to post these also. Don't hesitate to post information that is seemingly blatantly obvious, because really, im just that dumb when it comes to computers.

Thank you in advance for your help

Edited by Elle, 02 August 2011 - 03:40 AM.

[Waser Lave]

You should be able to get a decent computer for everything you need with a lot less than 3k (unless that's in Yen).

[MoriNoRyu]

Pretty much any computer costing more than 500$ will be able to handle everything you need.
Basically all you need to look for is
Screen Size and Battery Life.
Because laptop speakers blow ass in general anyways.

[Elle]

Currency is Australian dollars. From what i've seen though, laptops are genrally a fair bit more expensive over here, especially for something decent. From what i've seen, laptops around the $500 mark tend to be those scrawny children like laptops .

[Strategist]

http://www.cnet.com....5-339307265.htm


Good screen size
HDMI out (can be hooked up to sound systems/TV's for playign all the music through decent speakers )
Nvidia GeForce GT 520M Graphics card
3GB DDR memory (RAM)
500GB HDD
DVD burner/player
Wireless networking capability (Wi-Fi)
Very good battery life etc etc etc etc etc

This particular model you can pick up on sale currently for around the $800 mark which is good for what you get really.

IMO, $3000 is WAY too much to spend on something that will most likely be outdated within a year or so. I would say more of a budget between $800-900 to $1500 should suffice.

Edited by Strategist, 02 August 2011 - 03:51 AM.

[iomega]

Do you know where you'll be buying it from?

http://dicksmith.com...6027tx-notebook

I've had my eye on this one for awhile, but currently it's currently a bit out of my price range

Half of your budget though lol

[Strategist]

Do you know where you'll be buying it from?

http://dicksmith.com...6027tx-notebook

I've had my eye on this one for awhile, but currently it's currently a bit out of my price range

Half of your budget though lol

Thats decent XD

HP make a decent laptop too.

[Elle]

Do you know where you'll be buying it from?

http://dicksmith.com...6027tx-notebook

I've had my eye on this one for awhile, but currently it's currently a bit out of my price range

Half of your budget though lol

No idea as of yet, i guess it depends on wherever the best place to buy happens to be xD

I did actually check out this laptop the last time i was in dick smith, and I love everything about it, EXCEPT the weird black internal design and its somewhat chunkiness/ heaviness. It may grow on me though, ill have to check it out again!

[iomega]

Yeah at 4kg it's gonna be a bitch to carry around Uni

[Drakonid]

Thats decent XD

HP make a decent laptop too.

No they don't, they make terrible, overheating laptops.

[MoriNoRyu]

^ This

[Blissey]

Toshiba is where its at, durable, too!


(Im on a 6 year old toshiba laptop now :3)

[Jeb]

I would say invest in a MacBook if you want something that is going to be long lasting and smooth running. They are pretty resilient when it comes to working fast with age, but that goes with any computer if you use it right. However generally they don't have as much space as a customized PC and don't run all the same programs as a PC, which if you are not playing games shouldn't be too much of an issue, but its not everyones fancy to go that way. I would suggest, only spend the extra money on one if you plan on doing a lot projects that may slow down a PC. Like heavy duty graphic and 3D design, video and music editing, software manufacturing, etc.

If you are someone who has a tendency to break computers, I'd say Mac hands down, because they are far more resilient than a PC. If you know how to, and are able to keep a PC running smooth with age, though it takes a bit more maintenance, I wouldn't spend the extra money on a Mac.

An the same if you are not doing anything super fancy on your computer a cheaper PC should handle as good as any Mac. I would say if you are going to have movies and music on your comp, go with something with a lot of space, music files are small, but they can really bog down your hard drive if you have enough of them.

Edited by Jeb, 02 August 2011 - 05:40 AM.

[Random]

As I always say, check out deal sites like slickdeals.net every day for a week or so. Guaranteed to find an unbelievable computer deal in just a day or two.

[luvsmyncis]

I'm really dumb about computers as well. I got my laptop three years ago on sale for $600 and it does all those things you require.It's a Compaq or something. Sometimes it feels really warm to the touch, but I just blow on it and it cools off.

[Eyams]

3k should be plenty...

[iomega]

No they don't, they make terrible, overheating laptops.

I'll partly agree with you on the overheating part, my dv5 when using 'High Performance' averages around 95°C.
In 3 years though, I've rarely needed to raise it above the basic 'Power Saver' setting and it averages around 38°C.

[Elle]

I'm really dumb about computers as well. I got my laptop three years ago on sale for $600 and it does all those things you require.It's a Compaq or something. Sometimes it feels really warm to the touch, but I just blow on it and it cools off.

im too weak to blow.