what do i need in a laptop computer to do the following?

Question

i use the micosoft business suite for work. i download lots of speadsheets and other files. i will use it as my over the road business computer when i am traveling. mainly to check email and work on excel files. i often have multiple files open at once and need wireless access. i want to buy an off lease or refurnished unit off of ebay. is that a good idea? what can i expect to get for around $400-$500?

Answer 1

It sounds like any modern laptop will suffice for your needs. All new laptops have built-in wireless networking. An off-lease or refurbished unit from Dell's outlet would be a good idea. Personally, I wouldn't chance a used laptop purchase from ebay. For the $400 that you would spend on ebay for a used laptop, you could easily have bought a new one for a couple hundred more.

At a minimum, get 60GB disk, 512MB RAM (1GB preferable), and 1.6GHz cpu. Screen size, weight, CD/DVD drive, etc. will be your other considerations.

I have a Dell D600, and it's more than sufficient for your use. It's a work horse but too heavy and large for my taste and needs its own carrying case. The 12" screen laptops look good for high-portability like road trips where you'll make lots of stops, and they easily slip into a backpack.