Budget laptop for uni

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BillyFieldman

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#141336 9-Mar-2014 13:09

I'm looking for an inexpensive laptop for use to do computer science/infosys assignments and projects. Do these courses require students to have powerful high performance computers?

Would something like this celeron laptop be sufficient?

Acer Aspire E1

JoshWright

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#1001662 9-Mar-2014 13:17

If you're happy with using solely Google Docs or other online web services a Chromebook might be a good option, they're cheap, fast, and have a good battery life. Assignments or projects sounds like it wouldn't be intensive work, and any decent computer should work well.

Beware of cheap (~$500) Celeron/Pentium computers, they usually don't have the greatest specs. If I were in your position I'd look on Trade Me for a near new computer with decent specs, something like a cheap MacBook or a Dell or Asus. You could look at Ultrabooks like this one;

http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/laptops/laptops/asus/auction-702761041.htm

They're thin and light, and have good batteries. Hope that helps.

nathan

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#1001673 9-Mar-2014 13:25

ASUS Transformer Book T100 Convertible Notebook Tablet

tigercorp

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#1001731 9-Mar-2014 14:50

nathan: ASUS Transformer Book T100 Convertible Notebook Tablet

Another vote for this. Picked one up a month ago as a bit of a toy but have been using it more and more and am seriously impressed with its performance and battery life. It come with MS Office Home(?) and if you add a 64gb microsd card then you're sorted.

billgates

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#1001742 9-Mar-2014 15:16

I also recommend the Asus T100. They are $670 at Computer Lounge with free shipping. It comes with MS Office Student version.

For few extra $$, you can get the Surface Pro 1 which will also let you take hand written notes in OneNote as it has a built in Wacom digitizer. MS Office needs to be purchased separately though (Office 365 University is cheap or you may even score MS Office 2013 Pro for free from your education provider via the Student Advantage program if they are eligible)

If you all you need is Microsoft Office, Web Browsing then you can also take a look at Surface 2 ($650). It's running Windows RT so you will not be able to run and install x86 applications. Only applications from the Windows Store will run (like App store on an iPad).

Type Cover 2 accessory goes well with both the Surface Pro 1 and Surface 2.

http://www.computerlounge.co.nz/notebooks/componentview.asp?r=p&partid=20608

http://www.noelleeming.co.nz/shop/computers/windows-8-tablets/microsoft-9ur-00005-surface-pro-128gb-tablet/prod122728.html

Do whatever you want to do man.

Batman

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#1001816 9-Mar-2014 18:35

If I were you I'd buy a cheap 15" laptop from Dell our something similar

15" because it's the cheapest
A 10" tablet is to small to see and keyboard and track pad also too small

Ideally get i 5 but might be beyond your budget. What is your budget?

Batman

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#1001820 9-Mar-2014 18:41

this search gives the i5 laptops

this one at 2.25kg and Haswell (latest intel) should be light enough to lug and good battery life

if i were you i'd then clone the drive into a SSD and get around 10 times the performance

good luck

BillyFieldman

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#1001949 10-Mar-2014 00:03

Thanks for the recommendations. Will check them out.