What I don't want:
- Another Dell! Maybe there is something wrong with me, but my last two computers have been Dell's, and the mouse always skips on me, and it drives me insane.
- crappy speakers that I have to supplement with other speakers, it seems kind of counter productive.
- A computer that gets too hot! I don't need burned legs, or my couch set on fire. HP's are known apparently for getting super hot, but I seem to like them.
What I do want:
- integrated webcam/mic so that I can skype
- easy to use keyboard (I have to test them to see if they are comfortable)
- capable of playing a MMO (I'd like to get into Everquest again...)
- long lasting battery (over 3 hrs preferably)
- not terribly heavy
- DVD/CD player, burner
- able to watch hulu/netflix and the such, meaning it isn't too small of a screen (15'' seems to work for me)
- decent speakers!
- cuteness is a plus (purple would be awesome) but NOT a necessity. I was so excited to see a purple Sony, and very sad to see that it cost $50 to get it that way. I can live with a boring looking computer.
My husband is a computer guru, and we'll do some consumer reports shopping, and testing again at Best Buy again, but I would love to get people's opinions!
If your husband is a computer person, I'd go with his recomend!
ReplyDeleteI always liked my Dells, although my computer people here tell me that Dell has gone significantly downhill. They suggested an Acer- don't know if they have them in America. My current computer was custom-built by a small shop here, which has been a mixed blessing. I got exactly what I wanted, but it's had some unusual breakdowns. I probably won't do that again.
Considering that you seem to have a fair number of multi/media wants on your list, inexpensive may be a challenge (ie. I don't do much from a video/game standpoint, so I can save a lot with less RAM and smaller screen).
Okay, so that was just totally unhelpful. Talk to the computer people you know and trust, do a lot of reading of reviews, and then move forward.
WEll, Dell's have been fine for me, but also last time I needed one I 1/2 got it bc my mom already had a credit card with Dell and I could just pay her back.
ReplyDeleteI wanted a Mac. But I couldn't get a database program I liked (and couldn't get the money together in time and couldn't get credit with Apple). So my suggestion is go Mac.
But, if A wants to keep everything on a Windows OS, or whatever he wants that not Apple, then yea, look around at other computers.
I am not sure (though maybe) that you can get that much more battery life. Macs seem to do better than Dell's. With my Dell's the only way to get more than 1 1/2 is to have a battery booster. however, this extra battery had to be inserted in the CD/DVD compartment, meaning you can only have either long battery OR CD/DVD usage, which sucks.
Buy yourself a little cooling pad that hooks to your computer via USB. i use it for my computer to keep it from getting hot. yes, it's a pain to remeber to lug it all around the house...but what do you want? life comes with choices.