General

[PumpGod01]

I'm gonna be a student in college next year and I will need a laptop...

My main thing I need in a laptop will be internet, work and basic office stuff, portability, and lightweight... I prefer taking notes on a laptop so I want a small one, I lugged my big one around to the classes that let me in high school and it was a monster...

So portability and battery life is important... Can I have some suggestions please?

[Murph]

EEE PC for sure. You can get 'em dirt cheap, around 300 bucks, don't expect any games newer than 2000 to run well on the thing, but they're supposedly fantastic for internet applications as well as taking notes, you can get one with a 10 inch screen. The keyboard's a little cramped but once you adjust I'm sure it's fine.

I'm personally waiting to see what they come out with once Windows 7 is availiable because rumor has it they're holding off on releasing the newest EEE PC variants until it is released.

[OldGadget]

woot has em for 149.00 today ..

[Harbinger[TG]]

woot is sold out.

[Pif]

I love the specs on the MSI WInd. I liked the EEE, but the WInd is better on paper

[PumpGod01]

Okay... So EEE or MSI wind and I may need to wait a while on the EEE because they may be releasing more?

Anyone else have any input?

My cousin said I shouldn't buy anything that doesn't usually sell for around 4-500$... Now on sale is a different story but he said some of the cheaper ones blow

[Harbinger[TG]]

Of course cheaper ones might suck, that is why they are cheap.

[desertT1]

Originally Posted by PumpGod01

My cousin said I shouldn't buy anything that doesn't usually sell for around 4-500$... Now on sale is a different story but he said some of the cheaper ones blow

The little tablets are cheaper because they are more of a barebones machine compared to other laptops. They probably have the Atom processor which is very cheap compared to some others I have seen, but not that it's a bad thing. They are more energy efficient compared to most other options.

Whatever you do, don't get one along with a data package from a phone company. The data package will cost so much more than the hundred dollars you will save initially.

[brycelarson]

I picked up an HP from tigerdirect. it was 499 - shipping was 1.99 - so I'm $0.99 over your budget - but it's a decent machine.

dual core 1.2, 4 gigs ram, 360 gig hard drive, DVD+-RW, 17" screen Vista home premium.

great general use computer.

[CrazyBoy78]

I'm siding with the netbook crowd here. Go to a Best Buy/whatever and check them out. See what you like and then start deal hunting. The HP's (like bryce's) are a good value for the buck.