New Laptop

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by sirbleedsalot

After looking reading your responses I was looking at the following laptops.
http://www.sager notebook.com/pages/notebooks/product-price.cfm or the
the hp zd8000
however if I can get a laptop for $600 that will do everything I need then I might just save some money.

If you want to replace your desktop, the ZD8000 will do well, but it will be just that. The P4 uses so much power and creates so much heat you won't make it through a long class to take notes, not to mention having an uncomfortable warm lap.
If you do get a HP, get the 12 cell battery. It both lets you use your laptop longer and it also sticks out the bottom, elevating the rear. The rear is where the exhaust fan is and allows much better air flow, meaning the fan gets used less and giving you even longer battery life. I get ~5.5 hours on my HP L2000 for general use: note taking, spider solitaire, video (not DVD). I know I can watch DVDs for at least 3 hours with some other use mixed in. Best $25 I put in the computer. I just wish I has ponied up and gotten 1gig of ram instead of 512, but you got to make budget somehow. :-/

Good luck!


Wetzel


PS: If you spend less than you had planned to, take the money difference and stick it in a retirement savings account. Compound interest is awesome.