Laptop Computers for $1,200

[Matthew]

I'm taking the pluge for a laptop computer in the next couple of weeks. I've never had one before, so: What is good out there for $1.200, and what should I avoid at all costs. Is a Mac the way I should go? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Jim Alfredson]

What do you want to do with it?

[Matthew]

What do you want to do with it?

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What I'm looking for is something higher than just a word processor. I need something where I can do graphics easily. It's not a high-powered graphics need, but one for brochures, pamphelts, etc., maybe some Powerpoint stuff.

[Jim Alfredson]

Well, I would say get a Mac but anything with a decent screen size in a laptop is going to be far and above your budget. But they really are the best machines for graphics like Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.

I'll do some research on PCs... gimme a day or two.

[vibes]

What do you want to do with it?

←

What I'm looking for is something higher than just a word processor. I need something where I can do graphics easily. It's not a high-powered graphics need, but one for brochures, pamphelts, etc., maybe some Powerpoint stuff.

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Do you plan on keeping it mostly in one place, or will you be using it on battery power quite a bit? If so, and you go the PC route, I recommend getting something with Intel Centrino. Much better battery life than you'll get with a P4, and more powerful than a Celeron. I have a Dell with Centrino and the battery power is excellent. I can get through 3-4 hours of DVDs before I run out of power.