Cost-effective Laptop?

[john silver]

I want a laptop for college that is both kick-ass and moderatly priced. What is the best kind?

[USED]

DELL all the way no questions asked... they will give you a student discount too ;)

[LittleFish]

Ahhhh! Do not get a DELL laptop!

The Intel Celeron processor in most DELL laptops is a very slow CPU and though DELL may give you a student discount, keep in mind that quality is often tied to price (and a discount doesn't make a product better anyhow, just cheaper).

If you will be doing anything graphics intensive (gaming or 3D work of any kind), there is the Fujitsu line, but most of those are considered high-end and start around $1400. Also plausible is a Toshiba laptop, as they don't cost so much because they have slightly lower quality displays (another problem with the DELL).

For a moderately priced, "all-purpose" laptop, get an HP Pavilion, and get it from Costco (comes with a 6-month no-questions-asked warranty).

Don't like any of those? Compare to HP Invent (build-it-yourself) laptops for price and components.

Just don't get a DELL. It is the worst laptop I have ever worked with.

[Torlok2002]

Originally posted by john silver
I want a laptop for college that is both kick-ass and moderatly priced. What is the best kind?

I want a new car that is real fast, has DVD/navigation, AWD, 400hp, and is under $10,000.

Now how about some reasonable request instead of a generalized oversimplified question.

[USED]

LittleFish,
I hate to say it but you are worng my friend,
Most dells come with a P4 m processor, (they had cells, like two years ago, get with the times)
HP are next to compac (seeing that they are one and the same now) your wost choice! they have the cheapest parts in them and you will have problems after the first year.
I, as I have said before, work for a major college in seattle (one of the most advaced tech places in the US) and I see 1000's of laptops and 10,000's of problems with them... The ones with the least problems are dells! most are HP and compac and the build it your selfers (NEVER BUILD YOUR OWN LAPTOP NEVER!!!!!)
Dell also has the best customer service.. even If I wanted a expensive laptop I would go with dells, I would not get a sony or Toshebia, they have problems when it comes to software and drivers! GO DELL

[john silver]

kick ass doesn't mean it has to be top of the line. Kick ass for a moderatly priced machine.

[LittleFish]

What will you be using the laptop for (primarily and secondarily)?

What is the price that you would like to pay?

What is the price range that you can afford?

-----
to USED:

DELL Inspiron notebooks come by default with Celeron CPUs, for a P4 CPU, it's just a $150 addition

student discount? through whom is it offered and how much? final prices of selected series?

edit: HP is not Compaq. HP is open architecture, Compaq is closed architecture (which means for Compaq, good luck getting any technical support, and any repais will cost you a lot)
The only blatant esception that I am aware of is the HP iPaq=Compaq iPaq

[Torlok2002]

Originally posted by john silver
kick ass doesn't mean it has to be top of the line. Kick ass for a moderatly priced machine.


My above forementioned car is not top of the line, there are 600hp cars...

sorry, I just hate sensationalized speech.

</rant>

[john silver]

okay...well I can't buy a lap top now anyway. Unexpected costs of living have arisen so buying a lap top isn't feasible right now. Thanks anyway for the help.