Hi everyone,

After six years of heavy usage my Mac is on the blink. I'm a student and I can't afford to buy a replacement Mac, so I'm in the market for a Windows 7 notebook. I don't know much about computers, so the array of cheap notebooks quite confusing to me.

My absolute budget limit is $701 (I literally have $701 in my bank account). A netbook is too small for me as I do a lot of online research and a 10" screen involves too much scrolling up and down when reading PDF journal articles.

My minimum requirements are:

• 13" screen


• 320 GB hard drive


• 2 GB RAM


• Wifi (I have a b/g/n wifi router)

I use my computer for:

• word processing


• browsing the web (including YouTube)


• lots of emailing


• reading PDF files


• iTunes-related activities (listening to music, renting movies, syncing with my iPod)


• storing digital photos

I also use a Canon USB scanner and a Samsung USB laser printer. I don't do any gaming. I only work at my desk, so battery life doesn't matter.

I'm happy to consider any brand except Dell (two of my friends had problems getting replacement Dell power bricks). I need this computer quickly, so ideally it needs to be from a retailer who has a Dunedin presence, or can deliver to Dunedin within 48 hours.

Please can you advise the best notebook I can get for under $701? Look forward to receiving your advice!