I am buying a laptop. What company, programs, basics, extras, price should I require? I am a finance student.?

Question

Please help!

Which company is the best? Which offers the most software programs in the package (the best but not most expensive)? What options (plugs, connections, burners, travel sticks, camera, iPod, cable, printer connections... etc.) should my laptop have? As a finance student, which programs should I ask for while buying a laptop? What stores would you recommend? This is my first purchase, and I admit I know nothing from the computer industry. Thank you so much for any help.

Magdalena

I consider price up to $1000 maybe a little bit more if you convince me ;) I am looking for something really good, but try to keep it as cheap as possible prefferably less that $1000

Answer 1

First question--what will you use the PC for, graphics, music, TV, photo's, videos?
Must get a firewall they are free, check out Microsoft Home.
By the way if you buy a PC consider a MAC that runs XP and the new VISTA.
Then you need anti virus use CLAM AV, its free, then a spyware detector use AD aware and Spybot.
Office software is almost free or cheap, use STAR Office or Word Perfect or Microsoft Office.
Dont forget a USB thum drive for backup transferring and carrying data arround. I like Dell, HP, Compaq and Toshiba especially for a Linux laptop use or even dual OS systems. COMPusa, Amazon, Staples, etc
Dont buy a laptop if you dont need it, Desktops are much much cheaper!!

Answer 2

You can get a nice loaded MacBook right now for about $1200 new.
It is superior in every conceivable way to what you will get with a PC Laptop.
Besides Mac supports their Hardware and OS as a unified system.
Microsoft and PC Laptop manufacturers do not, in fact they blame each other for any problems and will bounce you back and forth between MS and the Manufacturer until you finally just give up.
Hardware blames software and software blames hardware.
Mac doesn't treat their customers like that, they actually support their product and they won't leave you stranded.
http://www.pcconnection.com/Search?Term=Macbook&Offset=0&DefSort=Y&om=search
Once you go Mac you will never go back, It's a promise.
Any business software that you run on a PC will also run on Mac.

Answer 3

I buy from BestBuy, you can get help in selecting what you want and you know where they are if you don't like what you got. They do have some expertise because they have a whole department dedicated to computers. as far as brands, I usually buy HP.but there are a lot of companies making them now so read some of the material that is usually on display. The windows vista system is coming out soon I hear, you could look for compatability, but I wouldn't buy one with the first version of any windows until they get the bugs out.

Answer 4

The best laptops are Alienware. You will pay through the nose for them though, but they are the best. The next best I would say would be a dell. They are easy to configure what you need on their website and they have reasonable packages to chose from in the way of software. Just make sure you get a good wireless card and have a usb port and you are set. Most everything peripheral wise uses USB ports these days. Just go to dell.com and play around with the configurations

Answer 5

Get something with a good dual core processor, at least a gig of ram, and a decent video card.

Get something you are comfortable with, I like to go to shops and test computers for myself.

You will probably need Microsoft Office, or a free program similar to it. If you want to pay it will cost a lot, so ask for the student version.

Good luck and happy laptop hunting.

Answer 6

i know that alot of computers are now coming out with the new windows vista try looking that up. or hunt on the internet at sites like:
bestbuy
circuit city
walmart
office max
office depot
staples
good luck!

Answer 7

if u want tht cheap and best one go fot toshiba