Laptop (and bag) for Bschool...

Its a high capacity battery (8 cell) that came as a free upgrade. Adds a bit of weight, but the total weight is still 3.7 lbs or so.

To be honest, I haven't used the system much, but thus far the keyboard seems great. Very good feedback and I love the TrackPoint. Hate the trackpads.

Hey guys.

I've been thinking of buying a laptop as well.

Here in Philippines, laptops are quite more expensive than it is in other countries. So I'm planning to buy it in the states. Can you anyone suggest where? Is it cheaper on-line? I have a friend who bought a $2000 laptop in Texas. He has a cousin working in HP, so he got a lot of discounts. I think it was around $200-400 off. I've also heard of student discounts? Can anybody give me an idea?

Also, should I buy a high end laptop? I am quite a computer boy. Is it worth it? Is it a good investment?

I would buy a higher end laptop. When I spec machines for my department, I always assume a service life of around 4 to 5 years, if you buy low end then you may find yourself outgrowing it faster. I buy from a big name brand to make it easier to support, usually Dell or IBM, and always buy the "Act of God" warranty plan in case you happen to drop it or worse. All universities have purchase plans with big name computer companies, I happen to work for Stanford (No, not at the GSB ) so I am familiar with some of their discounts, but they differ from school to school.

i've had a number of laptops over the last few years; a couple of acers, an IBM t41, and a mac book. The t41 was amazingly well made, but I prefer my new mac book. The mac is tactile, fast, compact, and the battery lasts ages - not bad considering its price!

londonluddite - count me in one the Mac side as well--I'm looking at getting a Macbook (my first!) for school in the fall. Any buying tips?

I'm looking at a black MB with 2 gigs of ram. Also will probably get one of those dvi adapters so I can run a dual monitor set-up at home. And for software, MS Office 2004 and Parallels.

Did you get a white or black one? Any issues with dirt (on the white) or fingerprints (on the black)? Also, what do you think of the glossy screen--I've heard mixed reviews. Any other thoughts?

i'm also considering a Mac... but tech support at most schools will not help you out if you have a problem... this would be my first mac, but i'd like to think i'm saavy enough to figure things out if/when a problem arises... we'll see though, i might just end up getting a thinkpad

the best place to get a mac i think is definately amazon... no sales tax on a $2k purchase is huge

I have the black one and its wonderfully tactile, which makes up for the fact it does get covered in fingerprints (but not to the extent it bothers me). I have the 2ghz core duo with 1 gig ram and to be honest it has never struggled, even with 20 odd different word documents open, so not sure you would need more memory. Regarding the screen, I think it is great, very bright and not too glossy. I have the resolution up pretty high, which means I can have two word docs up side by side - although i do have pretty good eyesight. One the buying front - I live in the UK and the mac prices are fixed here, so can't help with buying advice.

Not too fussed about tech support as I have an engineering degree

The Apple Store Genius Bar will do the tech support job very well. Get the three year apple care plan. Its a great investment. Its very difficult to argue against a Thinkpad (I have one) except that it runs windows. I like windows, but if you want to truly enjoy your "computing life ", get a Mac.



Agreed, its a heck of a deal. I don't think you can configure your Mac on Amazon though. BTW, Amazon has some insane deals on several Windows machines.

Found on Dell website:

Inspiron E1405 Intel┬о CoreтДв 2 Duo T7200 (2.00GHz, 4MB L2 Cache, 667 MHz FSB)
Genuine Windows VistaтДв Home Premium
LCD Panel 14.1 inch WXGA+ UltraSharpтДв TFT Display with TrueLifeтДвMemory 2GB DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHZ, 2 DIMM
Video Card Intel┬о Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Hard Drive 160GB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive
Combo/DVD+RW Drives 8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Sound Options Integrated Sound Blaster┬о AudigyтДвHD Software Edition
Wireless Networking Cards Intel PRO/Wireless 3945a/g
Primary Battery 85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Bluetooth Options Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Internal (2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate)

Total price $1,156.00 (after $500 discount)

not bad...eh?!

it won't make much of a difference if youre just surfing gmatclub and running excel, but if dell gives you the option to upgrade to 2GB DDR2 SDRAM at 677MHZ, then i would do it to take full advantage of that core2duo's frontside bus.

this deal is okay if you need something right now, but if you can wait, lenovo usually runs great specials every few months. thinkpads are a million times better in terms of quality.

Hmm, with the Apple student discount, the price is the same. Although Amazon has no sales tax*, you have to go through the hassle of the mail-in rebate.

*Since I live in WA, I get charged sales tax on my Amazon purchases

If you buy a computer directly from Apple's online store, do you get charged sales tax?

Not bad at all. Where did you get that quote? How did you get discounts?
Do you still have the link?:)
By the way... do you get Vista installer cds? Or just preinstalled?

Alright guys. This has already been discussed but I still want to hear some feedback.

Is everyone getting a 12 inch for portability or 14 inch because of the bigger screen? I'm going back and forth. Worried that a 12 inch will be too small for long sessions..

I have a compaq 14in widescreen. It's a good size, but it can get a little heavy lugging it around all day (esp because it has the extra large battery). I really like the widescreen aspect.

My buddy has a Dell 12in. Very small and sleek--he has no problem holding it in one hand and taking it down to the coffee shop. His also has an extra large battery. The big drawback is that the keyboard is not full size. The punctuation keys (. ,) are esp tiny.

I think I'm getting a 13in MacBook, but if I were getting a PC, I'd get the smallest one with a full size keyboard. I think there are some 12in Lenovos with full size keyboards. At home, you could have a separate monitor.

If you are researching for a laptop,.
I found this site that may help you.
It's a forum like GMATClub

https://www.notebookreview.com/

This is my primary concern. The X-60 is the quintessential portable business tool, just not sure if I can handle staring at a tiny 12" screen all day. I've grown accustomed to the ultra wide 17" Vaio, but the weight and low battery life are becoming major concerns.

Does anybody know whether IBM makes a 15" or 16" that weighs under 4lbs with the same specs as the X-60 for around $1500 w/AMEX promotion?

Have you guys considered how you're going to move all your gear from day to day? I REFUSE to lug around a notebook case because I plan to spend 10~12 hrs/day on campus shuttling between lecture halls, MBA lounges, libraries, cafeterias, the IMA gym and quite possibly on board the local bus system. A solid, not too flashy, weatherproof backpack with a built-in laptop compartment should do the trick.

Not the most appropriate bag for most of us, the Burton Audex I-pod pack comes equipted with most of the features I'm looking for at a not-too-ridiculously-expensive price (~$100). I'm opting for the extra capacity because of my (somewhat) active lifestyle and consolidation needs. The bag is durable and fits well with casual b-school attire.

Some essential key features:

* Abrasion-resistant bottom (essentially, when it's not on our backs, it's going to be on the floor!)
* Padded, ergonomic shoulder straps to keep the stress off our lower back
* Easy-access, reinforced padded side entry laptop compartment (fits 15" laptop) This also keeps the PC as close to our backs as possible for proper weight distribution and extra protection
* 900+ cubic inch separate center storage compartment. Perfect for gym wear, training gloves, and a toiletries pouch (never know when you might be able to sneak in a quick workout) Besides, the extra space can accomodate a ziplocked sandwich/lunchbox, powerbars etc.
* Seven internal pockets for our TI finance calculator, PC charger, extra battery pack, and peripherial adaptors
* Stash slots on both sides for two 16oz water bottles
* Detachable front case (kinda cheezy but it could be used to hold all our mechanical pencils, refills, coins, memory sticks, business cards, etc.)
* Intergrated Audex iPod control system with Airwave Radio Frequency technology and updated control pad on shoulder strap including a remote port and headphone jack (at first I was thinking this was unecessary, but factoring in the round trip commute and on-campus walking time, it might be nice to skip between podcasts, audiobooks and tunes)