Expert: Bobbert - 10/19/2007

Question
Hi I'm looking to get a new laptop on Nov. 6th, and I was wondering if you could recommend a model/customization for me. I'm going to be using this computer mainly for fun, mostly the Internet(about 3-5 hours a day!) and some movie watching. I'll also be using the computer for college so I'll need the right programs to do that well. My price is 1200 TOPS, but I MUCH rather stay around the 1000 range.

Answer
Well, it really depends on what your needs for college are, running a web browser and video playback isn't really a challenge for modern hardware, so you need to analyze what your most demanding application load is going to be. What kinds of applications does it need to run for school? Audio/video editing? 3D rendering? long battery life? etc

Also, do you have any preference between Apple's OS X and Microsoft's Windows XP or Windows Vista? Personally I'd suggest the Mac Book with OS X, which fits nicely into your price range, and will "just work" for what you've described, however if you have a specific application load in mind, the Apple may not be the best solution.

-bob