College Laptop

[thinkpad777]

Hi everyone , need some advice on choosing a laptop.
Thanks in advance for any input!

What is your budget?
450-550

What country will you be buying this in?
USA (new jersey)

What size notebook do you prefer?
Thin and Light (13 - 14-inch screen)
Mainstream (15 - 16-inch screen)

What brands do you like or dislike?
Like: toshiba, lenovo
Dislike: dell, acer

Would you consider a refurbished laptop?
No

What are the primary tasks you need this notebook for?
Web Surfing, Computer Programming, Video Chat and Conference, Casual Gaming

use of virtual machines
use of cisco packet tracer
use of rational software architect

Where will you be using this laptop?
Will be used different places and Will stay on desk

How many hours of battery life do you need?
2-4

Will you be buying online or in store?
online or in store

Which OS do you prefer?
Windows 7 or Linux

List the screen resolutions that interest you:
Standard Resolution (1366 x 768)

Do you prefer a glossy or matte screen?
Glossy or Matte is fine

Is the laptops design important to you?
No

Approximately what date will you be buying this laptop?
Around 06/15/2012

How long do you want this laptop to last?
5 years

How much storage capacity do you need?
250 GB

Are you interested in SSD for storage?
No

Do you want a built-in optical drive, what type?
DVD Burner

[pepper_john]

thinkpad E420 or E430. I have an E420 for two yrs and love it.

[simplyderp]

1366x768 is way too low for programming. 1920x1080 is ideal, but 1600x900 is fine if you have an external monitor.

[thinkpad777]

I have an unexpected readjustment of budget to 500 bucks, any recommendations on toshiba or lenovo at that price range?

[Confuzzled77]

Newegg.com - TOSHIBA Satellite L755D-S5171 Notebook AMD A-Series A6-3420M(1.5GHz) 15.6" 4GB Memory DDR3 1333 640GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi AMD Radeon HD 6470M

[Threshold]

Newegg.com - lenovo IdeaPad Z575 (12992PU) Notebook AMD A-Series A6-3420M(1.5GHz) 15.6" 6GB Memory DDR3 1333 500GB HDD 5400rpm DVD±R/RW AMD Radeon HD 6650M has a much better GPU for the same price, if that interests you, though the hard drive is a little smaller.

[thinkpad777]

the second link looks more tempting but it has nine 1-star review complaints on newegg, does anyone own this laptop by any chance?

[Threshold]

the second link looks more tempting but it has nine 1-star review complaints on newegg, does anyone own this laptop by any chance?

I got mine within the past week or so, but I picked it up refurbished from Lenovo's Outlet, and I haven't noticed any of the mentioned problems with it. It's a little harder to find there though, since it goes out of stock so fast.

There are problems/duds with any item, and a few of those look like they don't know that the 6650M isn't the only video card; there's also an integrated 6520G which things run on by default unless they need the power of the dedicated GPU. In any case, that's only 10% of the reviews total, and the 4 and 5 star reviews are 86% combined.

As far as any potential RMA issues with Newegg, I'd just go through Lenovo if there are any issues-they provide the warranty.

[Confuzzled77]

Newegg.com - lenovo IdeaPad Z575 (12992PU) Notebook AMD A-Series A6-3420M(1.5GHz) 15.6" 6GB Memory DDR3 1333 500GB HDD 5400rpm DVD±R/RW AMD Radeon HD 6650M has a much better GPU for the same price, if that interests you, though the hard drive is a little smaller.

didn't see this one.. definitely choose this over the one I originally put.

[simplyderp]

If you raise your budget, you can get a Lenovo ThinkPad T420/T520 with 1600x900 res and webcam for 599.25 + tax using the B&N Gold 25% off coupon. It expires today, I think.

Both of the other laptop suggested are great, but they have 1366x768 resolution. IMHO, it would be a nightmare to do any software development at that resolution. Basic programming, like textbook exercises, should be no problem though. However, if you suggest to use this laptop for five years, then I would strongly recommend going for at least 1600x900.