If it is a desktop replacement, this is not an issue, but if you're going to be toting it around then you have to consider:
BATTERY LIFE! Faster processors, louder speakers, and (above all) larger screens will suck battery life like a mother!
Aside from that, make sure the processor has an adequate heat sink for its needs. Mine's practically burning up at only 1.73 GHz!
With a budget of around $800, though, you shouldn't have much to worry about in terms of a processor being too fast. Make sure you have enough USB ports to suit your needs, and make sure the DVD drive is R/RW because nobody wants to not be able to burn DVDs.
Oh, man. The power jack thing seems to be a problem everywhere. Anybody know more about this? My searches have just come up with a lot of people complaining about all of the major brands...
Any lesser-known, higher-quality brands that manufacture their own computers?
Apple's current line of Intel laptops use a patented setup called MagSafe. It's a magnetized power connector, the idea being that it simply pops out when the cable is tripped on, instead of damaging the port/cable or worse, pulling the computer crashing to the floor.
I'm a big fan of the MacBook for its size and feature set. The most important thing for me in a laptop is form factor; I've tried using other peoples' 17-inch machines, and while the screen is beautiful, the computer is too heavy to leave comfortably on my lap for long periods of time. I like small screens, and the MacBook's got a nice 13-inch with a widescreen form factor, so it's still good for movie-watching and the like, but retains its maximum portability.
Oh yeah, and they can run Windows now too, if that's a potential deal-breaker.
Plus the macbook has something almost no laptops have: A Decent trackpad. Every other laptop I've used have these tiny little boxes for trackpads, and then they try to take up more space on them by putting scroll bars on them.
Macbook's trackpad is really big and supports double tapping for right click and two finger scrolling!
I also want to throw out there that the MacBook is worth the investment. I've had mine for a month now and I am in love with it. Definitely check out the education discounts and deals, I got a free printer and iPod nano with mine (after rebates, of course) and getting just the basic 13" screen and 3-year warranty with the education discount, it only was around $1300.
I'll sell you my iBook for 20 bucks...;) (who cares if it doesn't turn on?)
But seriously though, laptops are a careful balance. You want something light and small if you plan on taking it to school. (even my 14" felt awkward on those stupid tiny desks in college.) But large enough to work on. (i.e. for video editing anything under 15" is just ridiculous, the 17" clunkers just might be worth the weight and space.) Go to a store and heft which ever ones your thinking about, AND MAKE SURE IT HAS THE BATTERY IN IT. Some stores / brands I won't name used to be notorious for taking batteries out to make them seem lighter, though I haven't heard that complaint for a while.
that said, if you're going to be using it as your main computer, you'll want to look into its docking capabilities so that you can easily use it at home, without having to deal with the small screen and keyboard.
So there's my general 2 cents, and then of course, on a more personal note, get a mac. ^_^
Thank you for your help, guys! I would potentially love a Mac... I used them all through my high school years, and Vista just doesn't do it for me (my mom has it on her laptop). It's a good possibility, so hopefully I'll be able to convince my parents that few extra hundreds of dollars are worth it.
EDIT: Also, just realized I accidentally posted this in the forum's Tech Support section instead of somewhere more relevant!
Comments
BATTERY LIFE! Faster processors, louder speakers, and (above all) larger screens will suck battery life like a mother!
Aside from that, make sure the processor has an adequate heat sink for its needs. Mine's practically burning up at only 1.73 GHz!
With a budget of around $800, though, you shouldn't have much to worry about in terms of a processor being too fast. Make sure you have enough USB ports to suit your needs, and make sure the DVD drive is R/RW because nobody wants to not be able to burn DVDs.
Any lesser-known, higher-quality brands that manufacture their own computers?
Though the computers are out of your price range at first glance, you might want to check their educational store, or possibly their refurb page (refurbs are covered by the standard one-year warranty and are eligible for warranty extension via AppleCare). If those prices are still unreasonable, there are plenty of places to find decent used machines for a bit cheaper.
I'm a big fan of the MacBook for its size and feature set. The most important thing for me in a laptop is form factor; I've tried using other peoples' 17-inch machines, and while the screen is beautiful, the computer is too heavy to leave comfortably on my lap for long periods of time. I like small screens, and the MacBook's got a nice 13-inch with a widescreen form factor, so it's still good for movie-watching and the like, but retains its maximum portability.
Oh yeah, and they can run Windows now too, if that's a potential deal-breaker.
Macbook's trackpad is really big and supports double tapping for right click and two finger scrolling!
But seriously though, laptops are a careful balance. You want something light and small if you plan on taking it to school. (even my 14" felt awkward on those stupid tiny desks in college.) But large enough to work on. (i.e. for video editing anything under 15" is just ridiculous, the 17" clunkers just might be worth the weight and space.) Go to a store and heft which ever ones your thinking about, AND MAKE SURE IT HAS THE BATTERY IN IT. Some stores / brands I won't name used to be notorious for taking batteries out to make them seem lighter, though I haven't heard that complaint for a while.
that said, if you're going to be using it as your main computer, you'll want to look into its docking capabilities so that you can easily use it at home, without having to deal with the small screen and keyboard.
So there's my general 2 cents, and then of course, on a more personal note, get a mac. ^_^
EDIT: Also, just realized I accidentally posted this in the forum's Tech Support section instead of somewhere more relevant!