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Thread ID: 71121 2006-07-27 05:14:00 Girl without a clue needs help blue girl (10831) Press F1
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473972 2006-07-27 05:14:00 I so need help!!!! Want to buy a new laptop, know nothing about all those funny numbers and thingey me jigs. Even went into computer store and the guy there just kept spitting out numbers. I don't need numbers I need helppppp!!!

I'm a post-grad university student. Basically the only thing I do with my laptop, is sit on my bed with it on my lap and write a long thesis documentey thing on Microsoft Word. And although I want a lightweight computer, as I do heeeaps of typing, the keys need to be OK to type with.
(so criteria 1: Don't want a computer that will burn my thighs ;) )
(and criteria 2: It will need to have Microsoft Word, and preferably compatable with my old essay Microsoft files on version 98)

I occasionally want to paste in a jpg. The thesaurus / dictionary thing is useful for me if it has that and definitely a spell-checker.

Then I walk to uni with my laptop, home, to the bar with my girlfriends.
(so criteria 3: Can't be really really heavy. My current laptop is killing my shoulder as it is so heavy :eek: )

I'd also love to be able to use the internet from my computer.

I've got up to $1,000 to spend on a second-hand laptop. But can push it up a bit more, depending...

So if anyone has any good ideas????

Any help so appreciated!

Would the Dell X200 be ok, as I saw one of those and it is meant to be quite small???? 		blue girl (10831)
473973 2006-07-27 06:02:00 Correction: You DO want a computer that can burn things, as it will burn (or write to) CD and/or DVD. pcuser42 (130)
473974 2006-07-27 06:13:00 I believe MS Student & Teacher edition sells at around $200 nowadays. If you're willing to learn a slightly different interface you could cut this cost by using Open Office (www.openoffice.org). You could open all your old files and save in MS Word format as well, but by default it saves in a different format (ODT). Unless the notebook comes with Office, it's at least worth trying out for a few weeks.

I'm afraid I know very little about buying second-hand laptops. You can get a new entry-level laptop not far above your budget though. 		TGoddard (7263)
473975 2006-07-27 06:20:00 Secondhand laptops usually have dead or "on the way out" batteries.

New laptops come with a guarantee (and are new. ;)) You can buy a new one for about $1000.

When you are writing a thesis, whatever time you have allowed for this task is too short. By a factor of 2 or more. :D Any computer problems will not help. 		Graham L (2)
473976 2006-07-27 06:29:00 Basically you can get away with ANY new laptops out in the market, and most 2nd hand laptops for sale .

Watch out with 2nd hand laptops, because of their portability they may have suffered, and their batteries might not work, meaning you have to have it plugged in all the time .

If you are working on it all the time make sure the screen is good enough for you to use, and the keyboard is big enough not to cramp your hands .

Around about now the schools must be starting to exchange their teachers Toshiba laptops, they would be cheap to buy (around $700 or less) that would do you fine .

Surely the uni you are at has second hand machines advertised? Or there is a shop there that can advise you on laptops? 		netchicken (4843)
473977 2006-07-27 06:45:00 Here is a nice selction.....

www.dse.co.nz 		Cicero (40)
473978 2006-07-27 06:47:00 I so need help!!!! Want to buy a new laptop, know nothing about all those funny numbers and thingey me jigs .

Basically the only thing I do with my laptop, is sit on my bed with it on my lap and write a long thesis documentey thing on Microsoft Word .

Can't be really really heavy .

I've got up to $1,000 to spend on a second-hand laptop . But can push it up a bit more, depending . . .



Acer Aspire 3623WXCi Notebook Celeron M 370 256MB DDR2 RAM 1 . 5GHz processor $898 . 00 Dick Smith Electronics


Includes 128MB USB Microdrive Acer Aspire 3623WXCi Notebook Celeron M 370 processor $1032 . 98 Dick Smith Electronics (Nationwide)


But I have no idea what colour it is . . . . . . . . :D 		pctek (84)
473979 2006-07-27 09:17:00 Yeah I'd agree it's best to get a brand new as laptop batteries aren't really something you'd count on to last too long when you don't know who has been using it.

In the meanwhile I've found a Lenovo (aka IBM) Thinkpad for $959.40:
Here's a link for details:
www.aquilatech.co.nz

This one too is pretty much on par with the Acer (although the Acer has a better screen). However my experiences with the reliability of Acer (Veriton) desktop PCs hasn't been very good at all so I'd probably reckon the Lenovo is at least worth a look. 		technicianxp (6463)
473980 2006-07-27 09:28:00 Thank you guys so much for your help .

OK so to summarise, you think I may as well buy a new one for my money, which is less likely to have "battery issues" .

And suggestions of the Acer Aspire 3623WXCi from Dick Smiths or the Lenovo (aka IBM) Thinkpad from the Warehouse . :p

Anyone have any more insight on which will be a)less likely to burn the thighs b)light and c)stylish out of the 2? :confused:

Thank God for people who know things technical!!!! :o 		blue girl (10831)
473981 2006-07-27 09:51:00 I like thighs,but apart from that,I think Apple do a lovely pink one. Cicero (40)
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