Looking To Buy A Laptop

[justrluk]

Carlie,

I've gone both ways: purchased a Dell laptop as a desktop replacement, own an iMac and two iBooks for my kids. Still have an iMac from about 10 years ago for my 6-year-old that works great. Have never (repeat NEVER) had a problem with operating the macs. Nor have I had any trouble with the Dell, accept the battery pack is going bad at only 2 years old. We can live with it since we really only walk around with it to surf/email. I have an extensive home network with a media server, burn movies, etc. The kids love their laptops, which I bought on eBay for only a couple hundred a copy. I know you were looking for new, but gently used and fully upgraded can really get you a sweet 'book for not-as-much cash. Have you thought about the Kindle Fire or iPad? For light use (surfing. email, etc.) you can't go wrong on either. No DVD/CD burners, though. Just a thought

[Wings]

x

x

x

I've had Dell and do not approve of them. I use an HP PC and it has never let me down.

Based on your expressed needs, I would go with a "mini-pc" from Hewlett Packard, like these ($279.99)

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/series_can.do?storeName=computer_store&landing=notebooks&a1=Category&v1=Mini&jumpid=in_R329_prodexp/hhoslp/psg/notebooks/leftnav_category_mini

*My 16 y/o daughter says she would buy (the more expensive, of course) Apple iPad ($600.00)

[Jerrel]

Carlie the kids got me a toshiba Satellite U 505,,it has windows 7, intel pentium, dolby sound, WI-FI a must now days 13.3 HD display a larger one wood be good, has skype also, Dual Core processor, web cam, they got it at Wal-Mart on sale less then 400.00..ans i have not had any problem as yet..

[john999]

Ienovo is not bad. It is a IMO clone from China but you get a lot of bang for the buck. Satellite is also and cheap. You can get a lot for 600 dollars. Of course you need wireless router.

[Chuck75]

Unless a laptop or netbook is needed for portability, a good desktop is a much better price performance combination. I've used both since the Z80 days in the 80's.

You can expect to pay almost double for a laptop vs. a desktop with more or less the same speed and capability. Replacing $100 dollar batteries periodically is also not my preference. The batteries on my last two laptops were recalled, and the netbook had a battery that started to fail while still under warranty. (Whew!)

The previous laptop had NI-Cads, and they had to be replaced about every two or so years. The company my son works for recently bought a lot of laptops from a govt. surplus sale. Many had never been used. More than half had batteries that failed while the laptops were in storage (A bit over one year)

[carlie]

How does this laptop look for a beginner who will probably do nothing more than emails and surf the net a little.

Also - I guess an important thing is will she be able to watch DVD's on it and burn duplicate dvd's and burn music CD's ?

Does this have enough RAM for a beginner ?

She won't be doing any type of work on it - just mainly entertainment.

Also, is this set up for WI-FI.

Thanks for your help.

carlie

http://deals.bestbuy.com/latest+deals/product/3668327/hp++pavilion+laptop++intelreg+pentiumreg+processor++14quot+display++pewter




$349.99

HP - Pavilion Laptop / Intel® Pentium® Processor / 14" Display - Pewter

Warranty Terms - Parts1 year limitedWarranty Terms - Labor1 year limitedProduct Height1.4Product Width13.4Product Depth9.1Product Weight4.7 poundsEnergy Star CompatibleYesProcessor BrandIntel®ProcessorIntel® Pentium®Processor Speed2.1GHzBattery Type6-cell lithium-ionDisplay TypeHigh-definition widescreen LED-backlit with BrightView technology (1366 x 768)Screen Size (Measured Diagonally)14"Cache Memory2MB on die Level 3System Memory (RAM)4GBSystem Memory (RAM) Expandable To8GBType of Memory (RAM)DDR3 SDRAMComputer Hard Drive Size500GBOptical DriveDVD±RW/CD-RWOptical Drive SpeedsDrive speeds not specifiedDirect-Disc LabelingNoDigital Media Reader or SlotsYes, digital media card readerGraphicsIntel® HD GraphicsVideo Memory1696MB (shared)TV TunerNoMPEGYesBuilt-in WebcamYesModemNoneNetworkingBuilt-in 10/100Base-T Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector)Wireless NetworkingWireless-B+G+NBluetooth-EnabledNoS-Video OutputsNoneAudioSRS Premium SoundSpeakersInternalPCMCIA SlotsNoneUSB 2.0 Ports3IEEE 1394 FireWire PortsNoneParallel PortsNoneGame PortsNoneLaptop WeightUltraportable (5.5 lbs. or less)Battery LifeNot availablePointing DeviceTouchpad with multitouch gesture support and on/off buttonHDMI OutputYesBlu-ray PlayerNoOperating System PlatformWindowsOperating SystemWindows 7 Home PremiumSystem Version64-bitIncluded SoftwareWindows DVD Maker, Windows Media Player; Adobe Reader X and moreENERGY STAR QualifiedYesBest Buy PC AppNoGraphics ChipIntelDND_Operating_System_VersionWindows 7DND_services_03YesDND_Color CategorySilver/GrayDND_Embedded_Mobile_BroadbandNoDrive Capacity500GBGraphics CardIntel® HD GraphicsDND_AvailabilityIn Store & OnlineUPC886112347840

14" screen, 4GB DDR3 memory, 500GB hard drive and Windows® 7 Home Premium.







Laptop and tablet screens are measured diagonally.







Enjoy high-definition images on this HP Pavilion g4-1229dx laptop's 14" widescreen display. An Intel® Pentium® processor elevates multitasking capabilities, boosts productivity and enhances your entertainment and Internet browsing experiences.

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Information provided by Intel.

What's IncludedHP Pavilion Laptop / Intel® Pentium® Processor / 14" Display / 4GB Memory / 500GB Hard Drive6-cell lithium-ion battery65W AC adapterSoftware: Windows DVD Maker, Windows Media Player; Adobe Reader X and moreOwner's manualProduct Features14" LED-backlit high-definition widescreen display With BrightView technology and 1366 x 768 resolution showcases movies and games in stunning clarity.500GB hard drive (5400 rpm) Offers spacious storage capacity.Intel® HD Graphics Feature up to 1696MB shared video memory for lush images and intense detail. HDMI output for flexible connectivity options.Built-in HP webcam and digital microphone Make it easy to video chat with family and friends.Multiformat media reader Supports Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO and xD-Picture Card formats.Intel® Pentium® processor B950 Features a 2MB L3 cache and 2.1GHz processor speed.4GB DDR3 SDRAM For multitasking power, expandable to 8GB.Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive Create custom DVDs and CDs.3 high-speed USB 2.0 ports For fast digital video, audio and data transfer.Built-in high-speed wireless LAN (802.11b/g/n) Connect to the Internet without wires.Built-in 10/100Base-T Ethernet LAN With RJ-45 connector for quick and easy wired Web connection.Weighs 4.7 lbs. and measures just 1.4" thin For easy portability. Full-size keyboard allows easy data entry.HP Imprint finish in pewter For a stylish appearance.Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit operating system preinstalled Provides a stable computing platform for word processing, Web navigation, media storage and more.Software package included With Windows DVD Maker, Windows Media Player, Adobe Reader X and more. Microsoft Office Starter 2010 also included (product key card required for activation; sold separately).ENERGY STAR qualified Designed to use less energy and meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy.Intel, Pentium, Celeron, Centrino, Core, Viiv, Intel Inside and the Intel Inside logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.