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Lightweight Laptops

ErwinErwin
edited May 2007 in Technology
I am thinking in getting a good lightweight laptop for school, I carry a bunch of books and papers and I want something that is not very heavy, I do not care how big the screen is, as long as it is a good laptop. I will apreciate any help.

Comments

  • SailSail
    I hate to say it, but it might be time to get a Dell.
  • raquorraquor
    edited May 2007
    Indeed, since I have a desktop I can use for serious computing power and gaming, I've been looking at lightweight laptops myself. So far the best option I've seen is the E1405 from Dell, primarily because it comes configured with the RAM and such that I'd want and is only $100 more than the E1505 where I'd have to upgrade a couple times to get what I want.
    Post edited by raquor on
  • AprecheApreche
    The Ubuntu Dells are actually a good deal. I took the cheapest Linux Dell and tried to make the same machine on Newegg. I was only able to save about $40 before shipping. If that machine is good enough for you, just get it.
  • ninjarabbininjarabbi
    This is somewhat related so I figured it's better than starting a new thread. Ok, so In the fall I'm going to go to NMU up in Marquette, and they have a laptop for every student program, where everyone gets a laptop for two years and after that you get to trade it for a newer one. Now they haven't released a the spec's of this years model yet, but A buddy of mine has heard that the new ones are basically overpowered netbooks, or underpowered ultraportables, whichever way you want to look at it. Now It wouldn't be a huge problem, because I was planning on buying a new portable DVD drive for my netbook anyway so it's no big deal, except for the fact that supposedly these laptops have no USB port. What I want to know is, do they even actually make computers without USB? He said they were doing it because they wanted to focus on cloud computing or something but to me a computer without USB is basically useless. No flash Drives, No external hard drives, no mice. I'm really hoping that he is wrong but I just want to know if computers without USB even exist anymore. I've searched around and I haven't really been able to find much.
  • AprecheApreche
    Is this Netbook for every student free, or do you pay for it? Can you refuse it?
  • ninjarabbininjarabbi
    Is this Netbook for every student free, or do you pay for it? Can you refuse it?
    Well technically I pay for it because it's included in tuition, but basically it's free. And I don't know the specifics but what I heard is that is that it's basically an IBM version of the macbook air, so I'm not actually sure if its a netbook or not.
  • AprecheApreche
    Well technically I pay for it because it's included in tuition, but basically it's free. And I don't know the specifics but what I heard is that is that it's basically an IBM version of the macbook air, so I'm not actually sure if its a netbook or not.
    There's no such thing as IBM laptops. You probably mean Lenovo. Also, as far as I'm aware. Lenovo doesn't make anything comparable to the Macbook Air.

    Also, even if the computer they give you is awesome, you basically can't trust it. Who knows what kind of crap the school installed on there. Since you can't refuse to pay for it, just take it and only use it for school things. Like if you need to install some bullshit software for a class or something. Bring your own computer that you use for reals.
  • ninjarabbininjarabbi
    There's no such thing as IBM laptops. You probably mean Lenovo. Also, as far as I'm aware. Lenovo doesn't make anything comparable to the Macbook Air.

    Also, even if the computer they give you is awesome, you basically can't trust it. Who knows what kind of crap the school installed on there. Since you can't refuse to pay for it, just take it and only use it for school things. Like if you need to install some bullshit software for a class or something. Bring your own computer that you use for reals.
    Oh yeah I forgot thinkpads are Lenovo now. I pretty much planned on just using my own computer for most stuff anyways because of the whole privacy issue. I've got my dell mini 10 netbook, but do you think it would be worth it to bring my desktop up there?
  • AprecheApreche
    Oh yeah I forgot thinkpads are Lenovo now. I pretty much planned on just using my own computer for most stuff anyways because of the whole privacy issue. I've got my dell mini 10 netbook, but do you think it would be worth it to bring my desktop up there?
    If you're living there, you'll want your desktop for some college PC gaming.
  • ninjarabbininjarabbi
    Oh yeah I forgot thinkpads are Lenovo now. I pretty much planned on just using my own computer for most stuff anyways because of the whole privacy issue. I've got my dell mini 10 netbook, but do you think it would be worth it to bring my desktop up there?
    If you're living there, you'll want your desktop for some college PC gaming.
    Yeah I'll probably end up bringing it. I doubt I'd really be able to play many games on a lowend ultraportable/netbook.
  • Luke BurrageLuke Burrage
    I'm really hoping that he is wrong but I just want to know if computers without USB even exist anymore.
    That's called an iPad.
  • WindUpBirdWindUpBird
    edited June 2010
    I'm really hoping that he is wrong but I just want to know if computers without USB even exist anymore.
    That's called shit.
    Post edited by WindUpBird on
  • JonathanDP81JonathanDP81
    I'm really hoping that he is wrong but I just want to know if computers without USB even exist anymore.
    That's called shit.
    Or, more charitably, a Kindle or Nook can run apps. Which you probably already have a iPhone for. (Is it me or is Apple getting more evil?)

    Anyway, I've been looking into netbooks lately and think the HP Mini line looks pretty good. Any thoughts from you lot?
  • WindUpBirdWindUpBird
    Is it me or is Apple getting more evil?
    Apple hasn't been good since Woz left.

    HP Mini looks pretty robust. I've been thinking of that or a Dell Mini to take backpacking.
  • ninjarabbininjarabbi
    Is it me or is Apple getting more evil?
    Apple hasn't been good since Woz left.

    HP Mini looks pretty robust. I've been thinking of that or a Dell Mini to take backpacking.
    I know a guy with an HP mini and it seems pretty nice. I've got one of the first gen dell mini 10's and while I like it, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. First of all it's got a really glossy top so it's very easy so scratch. Plus the video card has some shitty drivers so you have to jump through hoops to get ubuntu running on it if you don't buy the one with it preinstalled (I still haven't gotten it working right). The video card isn't the greatest anyway, with it sorta just barely working when streaming videos. Also it has a pretty weird touchpad. The buttons are part of the pad itself, not separate so when you click you might move the mouse. And one of the problems I have had is that I often bump the touchpad with my hand while I type and it moves the cursor and screws up what I was typing. Overall its not a bad netbook but there are definitely better options. I'd look into a new eepc or other netbook that has the nvidia ion gpu in it.

    Actually I've been thinking of buying an ipad. With textbooks being so big and heavy I figured maybe I could just buy and ipad and just buy for cheap/pirate the textbook ebooks. Anybody here had any luck with textbook ebooks?
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