Also...

[non_trivial]

I am thinking about buying a laptop; Through the university I can buy a Dell Latitude D531, which is an entry-level business laptop. My main thinking behind this is that they come with a 3-year next business day warranty - I gather Dell's warranty cover is pretty good

Comments

[rjw1]

im using one with the mid range spec for work. its fine.

dual core is possibly worth it.

[sulkyblue]

You can run the stuff you need to run off a 6 year old machine, so I really would save the 100 quid.

Frankly - you can get some pretty reasonable laptops for like 299 (pc world). Or may even be worth looking second hand (buy on ebay - get free MOD information thrown in).

[sulkyblue]

I had been thinking about one of the cheaper Dells, but frankly given my experience of laptop reliability, I think it's probably worth the extra.

[karne_k]

If you don't need the battery life, then there's no real advantage in the higher spec model. Modern laptops seem to be mostly limited by their hard drive speeds anyway. Strongly suggest that you go for XP if at all possible.

[non_trivial]

Alas, Vista Business only. Although I'd seriously consider putting Linux on it if there were a version that just worked.

[karne_k]

Linux and stats software won't go well :) Ubuntu should just work on those Dell's though, many people must use it there.

Presumably you'd have access to college workstations so you're mainly after portability? Considered an eee?

[non_trivial]

TBH the stats stuff isn't very important - I have to take a course because the research council funding me say I do, not because I'm likely to use it...

Weirdly Dell have an offer on the same machines for their small and medium business, but with the option to have XP installed and slightly higher specs, but I suspect you need to be VAT registered or similar to take advantage of it.

I have had a play on an Eee, but I can't use the keyboard for any length of time.

My main reason for wanting a laptop is so that I can have all my college stuff (papers, bibliography, etc.) all in one place set up the way I like it, and have it be portable. The central college workstations don't seem to keep settings and preferences very well, and Masters students don't get their own desktops...

[elvum]

I (and others) have had good results buying reconditioned Dell laptops from http://www.mcscom.co.uk - YMMV though.

Personally I would care about the longer battery life, but not about the higher specs.

Zeroshock laptop cases rock. :-)

[karne_k]

As an alternative, michelle uses a Toshiba M200 which is being sold for about £300 on ebay atm. Portable, a tablet/laptop convertible and has a very high res screen. I'd have one myself if I didn't like my Eee so much :)