Laptop ?'s

Parents Forum
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<p>I have a few questions about laptops. We will probably buy D one for Christmas, she will be a music ed major or spanish ed major in the Fall of 2008.</p>

<p>I am wondering what exactly will be needed on this machine. Is 1gb of Ram ok or should I upgrade to 2? I am so confused about wireless cards, routers, etc…Would it be better to buy her a Tv or get her laptop equipped with the TV tuner? Should I upgrade to MS Office or leave it with the included Works package?</p>

<p>You should know she is NOT a gamer at all, she will be using the Laptop to write papers, email, download music, and maybe will add Sybalius or Finale at a later date (music programs). </p>

<p>TIA</p>

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<p>I would probably just go with 1 gigs of ram if she is not a gamer. As for Microsoft Works vs. Microsoft Word, I guess it depends. I just get tired of having to switch the format for saving documents on the Works processor to the .doc format that is more widely accepted. Either will probably suffice; it would deppend what software she is used to using.</p>

<p>As for TV, it would not really matter. Unless you get a built-in tuner for a laptop, it might just be better to get a separate television set. I sometimes find it nice to work on papers while watching television and doing so all on one screen might be a bit tough.</p>

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<p>I’d stick with 1 gig of RAM then if she needs more for her music programs she can upgrade then or get an external.</p>

<p>A tuner for the laptop rather than a TV will take up less space, but if you’ve been working all day on a laptop sometimes it’s nicer to get away from it and watch a TV.</p>

<p>Personally, I prefer MS Office, but you might want to wait and see if she can get a cheaper student version through her school.</p>

<p>It’s always worth asking what deals they will offer you, e.g. if the tuner is part of a package and you don’t take it, will they throw in MS Office instead?</p>

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<p>I’m no expert, but my S is headed off to college this fall and I have been looking into computers lately.</p>

<p>You might consider holding off on the laptop a little bit longer. Some schools have requirements/recommendations or can provide better service for a particular brand. You may want an extended warranty and accidental damage coverage. These are very expensive, but can be cheaper through the school’s purchase plan. Four years is a long life for a laptop. Another reason not to get it too early.</p>

<p>If you do go ahead and get the laptop before she goes off to school, you may want to wait on upgrading the software. Some schools have free or greatly discounted software, including Microsoft Office.</p>

<p>I’d skip the TV tuner–my friend got one for his D’s computer. He thought it would be great to have, and that she could record programs, etc. She never used it at all. More wear and tear on the computer even if she does.</p>

<p>Don’t worry too much about the processor speed; for what she needs, something near the bottom of the price range is probably fine.</p>

<p>Memory will probably be more important for web surfing and the music programs. With Vista, 1GB of memory seems to be the bare minimum. Personally, I think I’d spring for 2GB. You could upgrade in a couple of years, but it’s easier now. The 1GB option will be installed as two 512MB sticks, and there are usually only two slots, meaning that you would have to buy two 1GB sticks in the future anyway. I don’t understand vladivar–I’ve never heard of external RAM.</p>

<p>You may want to check the sound card requirements for your potential music programs to see if the integrated sound card on your candidate laptops is compatible. Again, your school may have requirements or recommendations on this.</p>

<p>She will want a wireless connection, but I think most laptops are going to have wireless ethernet built in, so you won’t have to worry about that. The router is not part of the computer but a means to connect multiple computers to a network or the internet. That won’t be needed at college, as they will most likely have ethernet connections in the dorms and wireless around campus.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>I would also look into a MacBook. Many fewer headaches, software kids like that is not really available on a windows machine, and the capability of running windows software if absolutely required. MS/Office is available in a Mac version as well.</p>

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<p>I suggest reading the thread that I started several days ago called “Computers and Vista for College.”</p>

<p>I had a very specific question in mind when I started that thread, but the people who have posted there have brought up additional important computer issues, and their posts make clear that the best decisions about a computer for college often depend on which college the student is attending.</p>

<p>Unless you daughter would get a lot of use out of the laptop during her senior year of high school, it may be better to wait to get it until she knows where she will be going to college.</p>

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<p>Thanks for your input. The reason I was planning on it as a Christmas gift is that an expenditure like that would be better at that time. There are lots of expenses in the coming year and I would like to spread them out as much as possible. Maybe as a graduation gift it would be better but at that time we are talking about supplies for dorm room, class trips to DC and Europe in the Spring, graduation party, and omg, so many other spring/summer expenses related to my youngest D as well. Thinking about getting a second job…</p>

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<p>The sweet spot for RAM right now is 2GB. Don’t scrimp. Buy a machine with wireless built in. Look for a graphics card that does NOT use “shared memory” and has at least 128MB of RAM. The TV tuner can be purchased later.</p>

<p>If you aren’t going to buy until December, don’t waste your time shopping now. Everything will have changed by then. Post in December and include your budget and I’m sure you will have 10 or 15 great, but completely different, suggestions!</p>

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<p>^^Agree with WashDad on the minimum requirements.</p>

<p>Passing it along from the College Life threads last year…check for coupons online and remember that Dell negotiates. Also agree that you should wait till December, Dell always has huge sales for the holiday season.</p>

<p>My S had a Dell custom built last year at significant savings. It was much cheaper than the student discount through the college, and he built a far superior machine. Took him several days of negotiating and included many upgrades and free extras like comprehensive 4yr extended wty.</p>

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<p>Schools usually have a tech dept website with information relevant to their school. For example, the UW-Madison DoIT site tells people to stick with what they are familiar with regarding Mac vs PC, unless their major dictates otherwise (eg heavy graphics use, engineering has a list of its own reqs) and they list basic, average and upscale examples for laptop/desktop and Mac/PC. Some schools have summer deals for their incoming students. UW has special deals through Apple and Dell, but also states that one should check for deals on the Dell website. Consider putting the money aside at Christmas to use in July or Aug, it would be nicer for her to have the latest technology, or the same tech at a much better price.</p>

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<p>3Ks, I did not know that Dell would negotiate!! I do have a discount through my employer but as you say, I think the deals are much better at Christmas time. </p>

<p>I think I may post on the boards for the schools she is applying to and see what types of requirements/suggestions they currently have for their incoming students.</p>

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<p>I definitely agree on the ram upgrade. Processor speed is not important but newer operating systems and programs hog a lot of ram. Excess ram seems to prevent system crashes and allows use of several programs at the same time.</p>

<p>Also consider waiting. Laptops have high failure and breakage rates. The insurance costs are very high. Also when a repair is necessary, it is much easier to go through the college IT resource, rather than deal with an outside vendor. Most colleges will provide insurance, loaners and IT support for systems purchased through the college.</p>

<p>When it is time to purchase, also get backup drives. A separate hard drive is a good idea and a flash card is essential. </p>

<p>My D has made it through 2 years with an old desk top. The only real disadvantage is the size. Kids hardly ever carry laptops. With a flash drive she can go to the library and work on projects using the library computers. She does miss the opportunity to sit outside and do emails and IM’s. That is not something she has much time for anyway.</p>

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<p>WAIT< WAIT< WAIT!!! It makes no sense to buy your daughter a laptop 8 months before she needs it. Technology changes so rapidly. For Christmas, give your daughter an envelope with a picture of a laptop in it and a check for $1400, and tell her bank the money. Together you can pick out a laptop in June or July before freshman year! (Mac laptops are durable and do not “Have a high failure and breakage rate”. We LOVE our 3 different generations of macintosh laptops.) :)</p>

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<p>They are just as prone to the indignities that kill any other notebook: closing the lid on hard objects, dropping them onto hard surfaces, spilling quad hazelnut lattes into the keyboard, and cracked screens.</p>

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<p>I agree with waiting…in fact, I would suggest waiting until the summer after your daughter graduates from High School. DH is a great fan of the Dell Outlet. We have gotten several family computers from it. DD has a very high end Dell Latitude that came with every bell and whistle, and a three year in-home warranty for $1000. He happened to hit it lucky the day he was looking online. It’s well worth checking out. We got the computer in July…they come with the standard warranty at least. DH felt that any issues would crop up in the first couple of months of use. DD has had very good luck…so far.</p>

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<p>DO NOT by Microsoft Office or Works. Download OpenOffice.org. It is free and completely compatible with Microsoft’s formats. Why pay when something just as good is free.</p>

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<p>Twenty-six years in the software business. Buy Office.</p>

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<p>3ks-</p>

<p>Never heard of negotiating with Dell before. Tell us about it. I assume he called them and started asking for upgrades, etc.?</p>

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<p>WashDad, and you would know this …how? ;)</p>

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<p>This guy told me…</p>