Another school laptop thread.

[GuardianFlame]

I have been looking for a new laptop for a while now, I need it to be able to run some of the heavier programming softwares. I have 2 expensive desktops already, and this will just be used to do small amounts of work while I am on breaks at work etc..

Price range below 500 <-
Screen size - probably 13-16 (Will take advice on reasonable size)
Not much experience with laptops.

thanks.

[defiantroa]

You will need something that is around $700 range at least if you are doing heavier programming or probably setup a VM on the side running. Consider this, don't go cheap on your education ..you'll make up the money once you start working full-time

[GuardianFlame]

You will need something that is around $700 range at least if you are doing heavier programming or probably setup a VM on the side running. Consider this, don't go cheap on your education ..you'll make up the money once you start working full-time

Do you have any recommendations for screen size workability, processor speed (AMD not so good from what I hear for laptops)? I can increase my price range. Like I said this is going to be a break/reference computer used 2-3 hours per day. I don't need any of the fancies, just power.

The current EPP + 25% bing cashback from HP lets you build some decent computers for 950 + tax, then - 25% droppping it in the 750 range.

[dougmwpsu]

If you're actually going to carry this around daily, I'd recommend light and small. You sacrifice usability and screen resolution, but I think 16" is a lot to lug around. If you're using it for programming work, I imagine that it's all about processor speed and ram, having beefy graphics hardware is a secondary concern, right?

Keyboards on the smaller laptops can get pretty compacted, blending in multiple key functions and doing away with the num pad ect. keep that in mind as well.

[GuardianFlame]

If you're actually going to carry this around daily, I'd recommend light and small. You sacrifice usability and screen resolution, but I think 16" is a lot to lug around. If you're using it for programming work, I imagine that it's all about processor speed and ram, having beefy graphics hardware is a secondary concern, right?

Keyboards on the smaller laptops can get pretty compacted, blending in multiple key functions and doing away with the num pad ect. keep that in mind as well.

This is exactly what I was looking for I was looking at 13- to 15.4 the 13's didn't seem to have enough memory to do it without raising the price considerably.

right now the EPP +25% cashback HP deal seems really good any suggestions?

[damnyou]

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?CS=19&kc=6vaff&oc=dndozm9&dgc=CJ&cid=24471&lid=566643&acd=10550055-1260291-

Upgrade to Core 2 Duo Processor T6500 for $35 more