Graduation present --Laptop advice.

[JohnnyFlame]

My second oldest is graduating from high school in a couple of weeks or so. She is heading to University in the fall and as a grad present we are going to give her a new laptop.

It's also going to be her computer at home as even with our two good computers it's a constant battle to get on them. We actually have three but the little one running Linux isn't cool enough and they won't use it.

Advice would be appreciated. What's important to me is reliability. Price wise the more expensive ones are likely out of my range. But I'm not looking at bargain basement either as I want to make sure this machine is good quality. I've never owned a Mac but I'm not adverse to buying one if that's the way to go. Hopefully that's enough info to go on but if not just ask away!!!!

[FanIn80]

Ordered by cost (ascending):

Probably good enough: http://store.apple.com/ca/product/FB...mco=MjE0NDk5Mw
Absolutely good enough: http://store.apple.com/ca/product/FB...mco=MjE0NDk5Mw

If she's taking some kind of engineering, graphics design, video, multimedia, architecture, etc etc (ie: something that needs a lot of resources):
http://store.apple.com/ca/product/FB...mco=MjE0NDk5Mw

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My personal recommendation would be http://store.apple.com/ca/product/FB...mco=MjE0NDk5Mw
With these two upgrades: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Product...21563(ME).aspx (7200rpm HD) and 2x http://www.memoryexpress.com/Product...16414(ME).aspx (4GB RAM)

That would give her:

Processor 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
L2 cache 3MB shared
System bus 800MHz
Memory 4GB (two 2GB) of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
Hard drive 320GB Serial ATA II; 7200 rpm
Slot-loading optical drive 8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Graphics Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor with 144MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory
Video Built-in iSight camera; mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video, and composite video (requires adapters, sold separately)
Display 13.3-inch (diagonal) glossy TFT widescreen display, 1280 by 800 resolution
FireWire One FireWire 400 port (up to 400 Mbps)
USB Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps)
Audio Built-in stereo speakers, built-in omnidirectional microphone, combined optical digital audio input/audio line in, combined optical digital audio output/audio line out
Networking Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit) Ethernet
Wireless Built-in AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi (based on IEEE 802.11n draft specification)
Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) module

Final cost: $1229.00 (plus taxes)

I think she'll like not only the look and the ease of use... but also the compactness and lightness of it.

Height 1.08 inches (2.75 cm)
Width 12.78 inches (32.5 cm)
Depth 8.92 inches (22.7 cm)
Weight 5.0 pounds (2.27 kg)

It's a bit more money than the average $500 laptop at Futureshop, but you'd be giving her something that would just turn on and work. She'll be spending more time doing her school work (hopefully ) and less time fixing her laptop and/or sending it in for repairs. Also, you won't have to buy her another laptop ever again, since this one will last at least 3-5 years.


Edit: Also, you will have a full 1 year to add on the extended AppleCare warranty. Whatever complaints you might have or advice you've read pretty much goes out the window when it comes to Apple's warranties. AppleCare really is a good investment. Especially on a refurb. It's pricey, but they give you 1 year complimentary AppleCare and you can add on the extended 2 year option on the 365th day after buying the laptop, if you wanted to wait that long.

[I_H8_Crawford]

If going the PC route, I highly recommend Lenovo Thinkpads, particularly the T-series:

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/c...059D38630597D5

Not flashy, but well built and has little things like drains under the keyboard in case of spillage, and a reinforced top in case of droppage.

Also, the Thinkpads always have the best laptop keyboards on the market, bar none.

I only buy Thinkpad when I get a new laptop.

[Titan]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

...you'd be giving her something that would just turn on and work. She'll be spending more time doing her school work (hopefully ) and less time fixing her laptop and/or sending it in for repairs...

This is the sole reason I bought a Mac. I just got tired of fixing my pc and wanted something I did not need to tinker with. Unless your daughter is a nerd, no offence to nerds who like to tinker with their electronics, she just wants it to work.

[Russic]

Fanin80's personal recommendation (the refurbished macbook) is what i would go with. I don't know much on the pc side of things anymore so i wouldn't be much help.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

$1,299 for an 18 yr old going off to university? Honestly, I'd say the cheaper the better. Chances are good they'll:

- lose it
- drop it
- have it stolen
- some combination thereof.

I guess it depends on how your daughter is with stuff and looking after her things. Same rules apply to digital cameras or any other electronic gadget IMHO.

Mac or PC will be fine, though she'll probably feel "cooler" with a Mac. That said, some faculties may have platform specific software so take that into consideration (ie Commerce & Engineering). Yes you could run Parallels, but you're adding a bit of complexity to something that's supposed to be simple, as well as increasing cost.

Given it's potential for daily usage, I'd take durability into consideration, and by that I mean the wear and tear it'll take being lugged around. Pretty easy to judge, just go to the store and see how the chassis creaks or flexes in your hands.

[Kipper is King]

I've got both an HP laptop and an HP desktop. They've both worked well for a couple years, they run current applications well and they both cost about $700 at Best Buy. The only problem I find with them is the "bloatware" crappy software HP loads onto them. It can be removed however, just a minor hassle.

Macs look cool, sure. But I think they are overpriced. Comparably powered laptops cost hundreds less. However the build quality of new Macbooks is rock solid.

Also, you may want to look and see if her university offers any sort of a discount problem. At the U of C for instance, both Macs and PCs are discounted if you order through the University.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Kipper is King

Comparably powered laptops cost hundreds less.

Without wanting to turn this into another Mac vs PC thing, I have to point out that this statement just isn't true anymore. Obviously, I am biased towards Macs... but you should know that I sold laptops for a living (I did it for 9 months as a secondary income last year) and I am also a Network Admin who purchases all of our hardware for the company I work for. I'm well familiar with prices and what you get for what you're paying for.

Case in point:

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...112414&catid=#
This is the only made-for-Windows laptop that Futureshop sells that even comes close to comparing to the specs of the Macbook I linked to. It has a slower processor, slower hard drive, is bulkier, weighs more, isn't as solidly built and doesn't come with the same quality of support... but it costs $70 more.

[Link not working - Dell's site sucks for linking quoted builds]
This one from Dell is closer to the specs, size and weight of the Macbook I linked, and Dell's support is probably second only to Apple's (ie: it's very good), but it has a slower hard drive, and it's the same price.

The bit about the University discount is a great point though. I hadn't even thought of that. I think you can get like 10% off or something. I know, with Mac, you can get 10% off right from Apple's online store if you have your student ID info.

[mykalberta]

I am in a similar situation, my sister is graduating high school this year, i ordered the following, here is a review on CNET of a model similar to what I bought

http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/asus...-32466960.html

She isnt a gamer, just a normal female user I would suspect. Total cost was about 600US plus shipping. I looked a little in Canada, couldnt find it. It will run what she needs, and be light enough she can carry it and not look like some engineering n00b.

Runs Windows XP, I will configure it for her and lock it down and then give it to her when she has her ceremony in May.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

I am in a similar situation, my sister is graduating high school this year, i ordered the following, here is a review on CNET of a model similar to what I bought

http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/asus...-32466960.html

She isnt a gamer, just a normal female user I would suspect. Total cost was about 600US plus shipping. I looked a little in Canada, couldnt find it. It will run what she needs, and be light enough she can carry it and not look like some engineering n00b.

Runs Windows XP, I will configure it for her and lock it down and then give it to her when she has her ceremony in May.

They have a 7" screen and you can buy them at Memory Express.

[mykalberta]

Yah I did a search and saw them at NCIX as well.

Now that MemX has moved away from their convenient location in the NE, I rarely go there anymore even though their new store is much nicer and not that much farther away. I ordered her a 500 Gb External slim drive as well, with that and SyncToy installed she should be ok.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Without wanting to turn this into another Mac vs PC thing, I have to point out that this statement just isn't true anymore.

I agree 100%, however when purchasing a laptop for a student who will use their laptop for doing assignments, taking notes, surfing the net, checking email etc the power provided by those laptops (Macs or the 'equiv' PC) is not needed.

Unless the student NEEDS a specific platform, then the main factors for your decision should be

- Weight : 10 lbs of laptop + power supply etc is a lot to carry in a backpack.

- Price : Paying $1,000+ for something that will be lugged around in a backpack, opened and closed in crowded lecture halls with desks with less than 1 square foot of room on them. There is a lot of abuse that happens and I have seen Macbook Pros that had the aluminum case buckle so badly that you can't get the DVD tray out.

For a gift to a new student, I would suggest one of 2 options.

An entry level Dell, HP or some other < $700 laptop.
A netbook, such as an Aspire One, Dell Mini 9. Just over 2 pounds with a < $400 price tag.

Another suggestion I would make is that you wait until right before school starts in the fall so you have more options, especially if you are considering a netbook, since the technology is advancing so quickly that you have no idea what will be available 4 months from now.

Edit: Also, there seems to be a lot of market pressure on Apple to get into the netbook market, so it might be something that comes up in the future.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Rathji

...An entry level Dell...

Before I switched to Macs, I bought Dells only. The 4 computers I owned before my iMac were all Dells, and I buy all of our office machines from Dell.

Like I mentioned earlier, Dell's product support is second only to Apple's. Not only that, but they generally build their stuff well and use decent quality parts.

Of course, there will always be nightmare stories of people who got something that didn't work, etc, but when you sell as many machines as Dell does, you're bound to get someone who likes to post their problems everywhere they can.

If Mac isn't the right answer for this situation, I'd have no problems with recommending a Dell laptop.

[OBCT]

All very good advice.

Personally, I'd strongly consider something similar to what myk mentioned.

this and if needed this

$600 US plus shipping together. Not bad at all. Main downsides are no internal optical drive, not enough horsepower for heavy graphics applications and smaller screen (10"), but those don't sound like deal breakers anyways. Worth consideration IMO.

[JohnnyFlame]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

$1,299 for an 18 yr old going off to university? Honestly, I'd say the cheaper the better. Chances are good they'll:

- lose it
- drop it
- have it stolen
- some combination thereof.

I guess it depends on how your daughter is with stuff and looking after her things. Same rules apply to digital cameras or any other electronic gadget IMHO.

Mac or PC will be fine, though she'll probably feel "cooler" with a Mac. That said, some faculties may have platform specific software so take that into consideration (ie Commerce & Engineering). Yes you could run Parallels, but you're adding a bit of complexity to something that's supposed to be simple, as well as increasing cost.

Given it's potential for daily usage, I'd take durability into consideration, and by that I mean the wear and tear it'll take being lugged around. Pretty easy to judge, just go to the store and see how the chassis creaks or flexes in your hands.

Of my four kids she is easily the most responsible. Not that she hasn't ever broken anything but I'm pretty sure she will take care of whatever we get her. Despite that durability is high on the list.

[JohnnyFlame]

I should have put a BIG thank you into my last post. This is excellent advice and comes coupled with choices. I guess we will now have to decide whether we're surprising her or just letting her pick with a heavy dose of our imput. I'm leaning towards letting her have the choice as there are a lot of decisions in this advice that need a personal decision. Weight, size of screen, timing of purchase etc.

But thanks again for the advice. I'm exploring my way through the links, soaking up the comments and yes thinking about the hit to my pocketbook.

[FanIn80]

It's all good. Computers, laptops, etc, are the things I know the most about... so I don't mind helping out with that stuff. Just don't ask me how to fix your car or install a water faucet!

If you guys do decide to go the Macbook route, and want some help setting it up, feel free to contact me. I can help with the hardware upgrades (RAM, HD) and the Windows partition stuff, so she can run any Windows-only applications. All on the house, of course.

[ikaris]

I'd go for Dell or HP. And make sure you get a CompleteCare warranty with Dell (or something similar with HP).

For the relative bang for the buck, they can't be beaten. Generally, I've had positive experiences with both companies with respect to support.

[MRCboicgy]

Got this one before Christmas at BB for $1199 and it kicks so much ass...beautiful screen, fast as anything, just nice.

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/ca/en...5-3818022.html

others: http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/ca/en...7-3806904.html

[Winsor_Pilates]

I would recommend a Mac as well for the following reasons.
-Easy, she can use it quickly and not need to tweek things
-any laptop for a student should be fairly light and have good battery life. It's not always easy to plug in at Uni. Even if you go PC, do not underestimate these 2 things.
-I imagine a new Uni student will like the "cool" factor of the Mac, and will also enjoy doing things with pictures, videos and other multimedia a lot. Mac's will deliver great for this stuff.