Comments on: Budget shopping tips: Laptops

Looking for a way to save money on your next laptop? Follow some of CNET's tips.

[gonzales27]

Lots of people entering College are looking for something just like this

[Evayy]

look for older models from newegg tigerdirect. Do not get latest and greatest. Some refurbs work out great. While an eariler adapter on asus 2 gig surf latter realized they could not be updated easily. Found a acer netbook 8.9 with windows xp 160 g tiger direct for 220 was cheaper then a nicer asus.....
Also dell out look gets some nice netbooks with coupons floating around for a great price..... There is always a way to compromise if you do your home work....
If conserned about re furbs look to square trade great place for warrenties....
Oh as far as netbooks go usb external dvd players can be found fairly reasonable priced as well......

[xmirage2kx]

Some of this info is good, but other parts not so much. There are a few things you need to get right from the start. Good CPU and RAM are the most important. Sorry, but the RAM you can buy after market isn't any cheaper in today?s market, plus then you will have to tear into your laptop and void the warranty and other things that most people are not willing to do. A dual core 2.0 gig processor with 4gig RAM and about a 200 gig hard drive will run all but the newest top of the line games with ease. This system will set you back $400-$800 depending on make and model. You can always get a 500 gig portable hard drive for $100 +/- for more storage. Net books are a great choice for 99% of users out there. Smaller keyboard and screen and slower specs but will do anything that a 3-5 year old computer will do for $200-400, throw a DVD burner on top of that and add another $100.... now you are moving into the realm of budget laptops. a 1.8gig 3gig ram 120gig hard drive computer will only set you back $350 at Wal-Mart or best buy.
MAC = BAD if you are on any kind of budget. You are paying top dollar for a subpar system. You can run MAC OS on a windows PC, spend 1/2 as much and get 3x the system. Don't pay for the hype. They have some cool features, but would you pay $3000 to add a cool cup holder to your car? That is exactly what you are doing when you are buying a MAC these days. If you have that kind of money great, but since your are reading the comments on a budget computer section I would bet money is your main problem.