just wondering

[shadow1100mfp]

i'm going to college next january (spring semester... hooray for graduating early!) and i need to buy a computer.

what do you recommend for this? basically im looking for something that can hold/burn all my music and movies, has a rather large display and will last (and doesn't run really hot like both gateways i have). I'm thinking the macbook pro?

also; do you think i should wait and buy a new laptop a little before i leave or is a few months better so i can get used to the new computer?

also ill want to hook it up to my projector (im buying one when i sell the projects i made in advanced wood working).

any suggestions?

[operat0r_001]

http://www.amazon.com click todays deals

I like pricewatch.com tigerdirect etc

[Darren Kitchen]

If you're set on the macbook pro it doesn't really matter when you buy as prices don't fluctuate on those. Of course check a mac rumor site to see what the buyers guide says, they're usually pretty good at predicting refresh cycles.

If you're going to go the PC route I can say that Dell has some pretty good deals on laptops right now. I know because I recently helped a family member configure a Latitude. It looks like the biggest savings is on the AMD models though so that might be something to consider.

As far as heat is concerned you might as well get used to it. They don't call 'em LAPtops anymore for a reason ya know ;)

[shadow1100mfp]

i'm not set in stone about that, but i do like the layout of a mac; the only down fall is the smallish screen size (15").

dell is where i was heading if i didn't get a macbook/pro, because they are pretty cheap and good quality (had a dell computer kicking around for ever now). i'll probably end up getting dell just because it's cheaper to get an above average notebook from them than it is to get a decent one from apple

[MRGRIM]

I would say get a tiny laptop (light) then for when your home get a docking station and big 20"+ monitor, keyboard, mouse etc for your room.

[SmoothCriminal]

I'm in a similar situation, I am going to college in the fall.  I just built my rig last year, and spent 1500 on it.  I am going to buy a asus eeepc, and use that for class.  I am going to bring my desktop for my dorm, and my eeepc for lugging around.

[MRGRIM]

Norton Ghost (What I've used)

Acronis True Image

Google  :-)

[shadow1100mfp]

I'm in a similar situation, I am going to college in the fall.  I just built my rig last year, and spent 1500 on it.  I am going to buy a asus eeepc, and use that for class.  I am going to bring my desktop for my dorm, and my eeepc for lugging around.

same here really; i have a nice dell pc that ill take and lock in my dorm with one of those cable locks; and ill pretty much use it as a server or get a wireles keyboard and mouse and hook it up to my tv (i already have my tv, a 42 inch sylvania lcd) but i still want a nice laptop so that i don't have to bring home my pc over breaks just to use all my crap (the 2 colleges im looking at have short semesters and long vacations; thanksgiving vacation was almost 4 weeks, christmas was a month and they get out for summer in mid may i think)