Laptop for college student under $500

[scottmandue]

Daughter is going off to college, she is currently using my old HP laptop (don't remember specs.).

I don't know if this was her mom's idea or hers but she had her heart set on a Macbook... but then some of her grant money didn't come through... we could maybe scrape together $500.

So all you tech guys out there I throw down the challenge, best student laptop for under $500.

Let the carnage begin!

Thanks in advance.

[id10t]

Dell, buy as a small business, get the great next day on site parts replacement warranty.

Put Linux Mint on it, call it done. Or, put Windows 7 on it, pay for good AV software, etc.

[kaisen]

I bought two of these 17.3" HP units a couple months ago for $349

HP - 17.3" Pavilion Laptop - 4GB Memory - 320GB Hard Drive - Pewter - g7-1320dx

[AFC-911]

How about she use your old HP and you get a new $400 laptop?

FYI, I'm typing this on a 1.5 year old Dell laptop that retailed for around $400.

Also, keep in mind there are free computers she can use in the Library.

[stomachmonkey]

Will she be carrying it to class?

Is a camera important for taking video in class, skyping with you?

What courses is she taking?

[Halm]

We used to support one of the major Tobacco Road universities on their infrastructure and the stories we heard about students and laptops were too numerous to count.

Unless your daughter is going to live at home or attend a non-traditional school, I think you will face two issues with a $500 big box, consumer laptop. First, these things take tremendous abuse there: drops, slams, spilled drinks, locked in the car trunk on 100 degree days, forgot I stuck it in the microwave. You need a strong warranty.

Second issue is will it run applications the school requires in 3 years. Where we worked, they issued new laptops very 2 years to make sure they were up to date and capable. In other words, under buying now may require another laptop before graduation.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by Halm

I think you will face two issues with a $500 big box, consumer laptop. First, these things take tremendous abuse there: drops, slams, spilled drinks, locked in the car trunk on 100 degree days, forgot I stuck it in the microwave.

Because a $2000 MacBook Pro will never have to endure such abuse

I think all of those reasons are perfect rationale for why a cheap (i.e. disposable) laptop is a smart idea. Either a $250-280 15", or a $350-400 17".

Unless she is going to be a musician or artist or pharmacy-school-dropout, because then she NEEEEEDS her Apple fix or the entire hipster community will shun her and she'll never be invited to all the cool Occupy campouts.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by kaisen

Because a $2000 MacBook Pro will never have to endure such abuse

I think all of those reasons are perfect rationale for why a cheap (i.e. disposable) laptop is a smart idea. Either a $250-280 15", or a $350-400 17".

Unless she is going to be a musician or artist or pharmacy-school-dropout, because then she NEEEEEDS her Apple fix or the entire hipster community will shun her and she'll never be invited to all the cool Occupy campouts.

Agreed.

I'm the ultimate Apple fanboy but for a college student where the risk of damage and especially theft are really high I'd have a hard time advocating even a $500 laptop.

I'd grab one of the ~$350 major brand refurbs.

You can find them any day all day long on TigerDirect, Newegg, MicroCenter, dealnews etc....

I carry almost exclusively 17's. IMHO they are too big for school/in class use. Cumbersome, heavy and not comfortable for text entry.

The ergonomics tend to be better on 15's, decent size screen, full keyboards.

[Halm]

Originally Posted by kaisen

Because a $2000 MacBook Pro will never have to endure such abuse

LOL Didn't realize I was saying that.

What I am advocating is buying a better (business class) PC that will still meet school requirements in 4 years and endure those typical issues better than a consumer POS. And to buy a warranty that covers everything.

If that is a Windows or Apple box, I could care less.

[epbrown]

I'd take a look at the Lenovo Ideapad line. Lenovo makes the ThinkPad, having taken over from IBM years ago, and the build quality has trickled down to their lower-priced Ideapad line; the laptops don't have all of the cutting edge tech or features of the ThinkPad, but the build quality is still on par.

For similar reasons, I'd also consider a Toshiba Satellite.

The HP Pavilion, all Compaqs, and the larger Asus models all strike me as cheap and fragile. I had an Asus K-series and the battery was dead within a year, the DVD drive was iffy soon after, and it died about 2 years after purchase. It spent it's life inside my place, usually on a couch or table, never dropped or spilled on.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Agreed.

I'm the ultimate Apple fanboy but for a college student where the risk of damage and especially theft are really high I'd have a hard time advocating even a $500 laptop.

I'd grab one of the ~$350 major brand refurbs.

You can find them any day all day long on TigerDirect, Newegg, MicroCenter, dealnews etc....

I carry almost exclusively 17's. IMHO they are too big for school/in class use. Cumbersome, heavy and not comfortable for text entry.

The ergonomics tend to be better on 15's, decent size screen, full keyboards.

All very good points, and I agree

If it is important to her (i.e. she's going to be an accounting major) look for a 10 key numeric integrated. Seems like a lot of them have one and it doesn't cost extra.

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by kaisen

Because a $2000 MacBook Pro will never have to endure such abuse

I've never owned a MacBook and I think they're way overpriced for the performance, but I think one advantage they have in this situation is longevity - from what I've seen the average PC will stay current for 2-3 years, while MacBooks seem to have a 4-5 year ownership period and they command a decent chunk of change down the line. My Ideapad with dual core processor and 750GB drive was $450 new this summer - that wouldn't get me a 15" MacBook Pro made in the last 3 years.

[teenerted1]

office depot ran and ad last night for some $299 laptop for back to school

[scottmandue]

She is going to University of Oregon (Ducks)...

She was going to study biology but has changed her mind... so undecided on major... she is very practical (having said that she will probably announce she is running off to join the circus)

I am partial to Sony but only because I like the few desktop Sony's we have here at work, but I am not locked into any particular brand.

[Halm]

Schools around here will list spec's they expect the PC to meet before they will let it on the network. The spec's aren't tough to meet but the school really wants you to buy a per-configured box from them so there are never support issues / questions.

[recycled sixtie]

I am into my third year of my first laptop namely 15 inch Dell Inspiron. On second battery - lasts at least 3.5 hours. Perfectly reliable. As mentioned above make sure it meets univ. requirements.

[jrj3rd]

Check to see if the college has a tech store. When we bought my son's laptop thru the college tech center it was greatly discounted and came with on site service for the full four years. When his motherboard died his senior year they handed him another laptop to use while his was being sent back to the manufacturer for replacement. No charge and they handled everything. Beats getting the panicked "I need a new laptop" call.

Also the tech store had greatly reduced software prices (MS Office was $10 for the full package)

John

[BRPORSCHE]

dell outlet.

[1990C4S]

Anyone have a Panasonic Toughbook? Ugly as sin, but I think some kids need a rugged laptop...

[dennis in se pa]

Staples has specials in store now and then when the make a change over. HPs with 15 inch screens for $350.