What should I look for in a laptop computer for my daughter going away to college?

Answer 1

you want to look for several factors in buying a laptop

i suggest a macbook, they are the best laptops for a great deal, if you wanted to buy a comperable pc notebook it would cost you several hundred more! ALSO with a mac you can load windows xp or vista, and run both a mac and a pc at the same time (TWO laptops in one)

1. check for ram: you generally want 512+ (mac's use ram more efficentally) PC: more like 1 gig
2. storage: 60 gigs or more for students
3. sound and video capibilities
4. make sure it has a built in wifi card
5. processor: the new intel core 2 duo is the best processor by far on the market
6. battery life: you want something you wont have to recharge every 3 hours.

Answer 2

Something that has a lot of space so she can save a lot of stuff on it like reports,essays, and homework stuff like that. Something that is not cheap (i mean not something old) And also something she could also something she can have fun on too when she has spare time. Only you know whats best for your daughter but if you need any more help maybe you should go to radio shack or some computer stores and just ask what they think but don't be surprised if they start recommending high pricy stuff because they will do anything to get you to buy their products no matter what the price is. Also something that has good battery power that you don't have to recharge like every 3 hours and stuff like that. Also make it something easy to carry around nothing really heavy. If it were me i would suggest the NOTEBOOK they are really handy especially for taking notes. Main #1 thing in a computer that you shud always look for in a computer is that it has something to block all those nasty viruses,spywares and anything that will destroy it. Hope that helps

Answer 3

Does she really need a laptop?
Desktops are cheaper, more durable
Laptops are stolen easier break easier
You must buy insurance with a laptop
If you do buy one with the suggested config by the college bookstore
Anti Spyware, Antivirus, Office software, word processing, Excel, etc
Wireless, 17 inch, Dell or Toshiba, HP
If in Graphics art world get a MAC
100+ Gb Hard Drive
1-2 Gb Ram
Dual Processor
Fast SATA Drive
DVD R/W
Thumb Drive USB 2 Gb is $29
Wireless Keyboard/Mouse
Off Campus you can get wireless from Veriozn for $79 a month

Answer 4

Costco is a good place to purchase laptops as well as Best Buy. The return policy at Costco has changed to 90 days but they extend the manufacturers warranty for free. Although it is a short return policy, it is hassle free as long as you bring back everything that was in the package. As a college gal myself though, I have an Apple laptop that I purchased about two years ago and I love it. It's easy, user friendly, and has never given me a problem. It was about $1000 but well worth the price. I recommend Apple for people that want to use it for internet surfing, basic word processing, and music storage. Just the basics. It can do so much more but if your daughter only needs it for that then I would go with an Apple. $600 every few years compared to $1000+ for about 10 years, seems like a good deal to me.

Answer 5

1. Check to see if the college has a 'recommended' brand. That would mean that they will 'support' problems with that brand.

2. Large screen (at least 15 inches), and plenty of battery power (always found in the specs).

3. Get all the RAM you can stuff in it (at least 1 gig)

4. get a good antivirus / spyware remover. Colleges are prime territory for passing stuff like that around.

5. Hard drive space - >80 Gig. Seems like a lot but with songs, and video email, etc, it gobbles it up.

6. Get a bag for it. You're gonna drop $1000 for something that is 5 pounds... best to protect it from the weather, etc.

7. Wireless LAN card & ethernet port. So she can 'connect' wireless AND wired.


good luck

Answer 6

I would look for battery life (how long it will run on a battery), cost, hard drive space (60 or higher is best), RAM (1 gig or higher), Intel Graphics 945 or better (that is for Windows Vista to run the Aero Interface), Screen size (i wouldn't go inder 14.1 inch widescreen or above 15.4 inch widescreen), wireless connection (a/b/g should be included, bluetooth (if needed for headphones to use in a library), a DVD-Rom combo or DVD burning drive. Also, a built in webcam for video confrencing with professor or you.

The laptops I recomend are these brands: Acer, Lenovo (formally IBM, and Toshiba)

Answer 7

Make sure to get built-in wireless card, that could be very useful in college. Beyond that, it depends if she will be doing a lot of heavy computing or just writing papers and sending e-mail. If she is going to be doing heavier stuff (including working with large graphics or engineering programs) then look for higher RAM memory and faster processor speeds.

Answer 8

it really depends on your budget. Talk to her and ask her what she will need it for. If it isn't gaming, then something simple will suffice. If she is into gaming (which she probably shouldn't be since she'll be studying), then you'll need a good graphics card. If she's going into a technical field, she might need something really powerful. But basically, she'll need the following.

Basic word processing and spreadsheets
Internet
Wireless
Compact or Big (will she be carrying it around or using it primarily in her dorm
Comfortable Keyboard? she can always attach a separate one if she wants

Discuss it and you'll find something you both can work with.

And by all means, install the best antivirus, antispyware, firewall, and protection programs out there.

Answer 9

I great laptop for collage would be either the Macbook or Macbook Pro. They both have great programs for homework and there easy to use. The only difference between the two is that the Pro has a bigger screen. And a little more expensive.

Answer 10

Make sure it's light, since she'll probably want to take it to class with her and include a tote bag to go along. Just make sure you get her the right CDs (Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc). Unless she has a specific need for her computer, that should do. She can probably find people in school to get her programs that she would want (DVD player, CD burner, etc).