Laptop Purchase Help :-) urgent !!?
I've to choose between Core Duo (1.7 Ghz) and Intel Celeron (1.7 Ghz). I know core duo is always better but isn't celeron worth considering too?
Also the new laptops that is released in these days in the market come with OS as Windows Vista which is not recommended 'cause of some flaws in it. Is this true? and does it need atleast 1Gb to run properly? how true is this?
10 points for the best answer, you have my word !
Answers:
The kind of laptop you should get is a Dell. I do not work for them, but I can say from experience that a Dell is a great machine. They will continue to support it for as long as you own it. Yes it is true that Vista needs 1Gb of RAM to run well. However, I would immediately remove Vista, and install XP if you can, because it does have so many flaws, and Microsoft has had more time to remove the bugs from XP. Also, if you do put XP on it, before you do anything else, put AVG Anti-Virus, AVG Anti-Spyware, and ZoneAlarm Firewall on it.
You should also do this if you leave Vista on it. I have found these programs fairly easy to find through Google. They work very well for me, and I can't say enough for them. The best part about them is, they're FREE! I must also say that Intel Celeron processors run much more slowly than any other Intel processor that they make, yet they are listed at the same speed. Also, let me give you fair warning that Windows Vista is NOT a good choice just yet, because it does have flaws, which make it not too reliable at this point.
Since you're an engineering student, with lots of things to get done, you need as much reliability as you can get. So, if you can afford it after making the purchase of the laptop, no matter what brand you settle on, pick up a copy of Windows XP Professional if you can, and install it. I would recommend that you get a Mac, but they're not in your price range. So, stick with Dell. The type you need is actually in the price range of $499 and up, as I have just found on www.dell.com
I hope this helps!
go to geeks.com, lots of cheat notebooks, the kind ur looking for too.
Core Duo is way better than a Celeron. I too am an Engineering student.
I got my HP Pavilion dv9000 for $700 after a couple rebates, I doubt the sale is still available.
There are some flaws in Vista and it does create some inconveniences. I've encountered a couple which cost me a total of 8 hours or so in trying to resolve it. (Which I finally did.) If you're going to run specific programs, you might want to do some research to see if it is compatible with Vista.
Vista requires 512MB of RAM to function, however 2GB is recommended since 1GB would already take up 80% of the RAM. Currently on my Core Duo AMD64, 2GB RAM, laptop by HP, the RAM is at a constant 40% with only a few windows and such. If idle, it sits at about 33%. So, if you're going to be running some projects, I'd recommend Core Duo (since the purpose of the Core Duo would benefit greatly for running projects without a hitch if you're going to render things).
It is true that a Core Duo is better, in terms of perfmance, with Celeron because Core Duo has dual processor (1.7*2 = 3.4 GHz). Of course good perfomance comes with a price and since you are under budget constraint I think you will be safer with Celeron (but expect slower performance).
I really recommend you go for Duo since you have loads of project coming up and being in Engineering field you usually make use of certain tools to help you with your projects.
Certain manufacturers still giving option to customer to opt for Windows XP instead. Before purchasing, you will have to make sure that it is not "forcing" you to use Vista. Lots of programs are still not compatible with Vista. Sticking with XP is a wise decision. Later on you can always upgrade to Vista when it gets stable in the future. It is true that Vista RECOMMENDS 1 GB of RAM to run smoothly. XP only needs 512 MB however.
Have you tried visiting Dell website? You can custom built your laptop, picking up what's vital and leaving out what's unimportant to squeeze within your bugdet.
Intel Celeron is worth considering if you're on a tight budget. But based on my experience, Celeron processors aren't good when it comes to multi-tasking, meaning when you're doing a lot of things at the same time (e.g. listening to music while surfing/converting videos).
Windows Vista is quite good when it comes to security. It was not recommended not because of its flaws but because of its compatibility problems with other hardwares and softwares. The 1GB requirement is for Vista Home Premium edition and above. But for starter edition, 512MB is enough.
If you'll ask me what laptop to choose, i would recommended Dell because it's customizable and they have lots of discount offers nowadays. They also offer Ubuntu OS if you don't want to run Windows (which is cheaper).
I would stick to Windows XP for now while the first service pack for Windows Vista is not yet released by Microsoft.
Hi! yea uhm i'd most probably go for the 1.7 core duo coz its faster and more capable to run windows vista than the celeron. I'm also not quite sure if vista needs a gig to run properly but i knw its standards are high. I also think they shuld have sorted the flaws before it came out. best of luck tho.
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