New Computer Advice

[JS19]

I started a thread a while ago about purchasing a new tv which had good results so I thought I would try my luck with computers. I'm looking to get something new. Not much of a criteria i'm looking for. I know next to nothing about computers, my only use is to go online and type papers. I'm looking to spend as little as possible but decent enough quality. Prefer laptop but if the price is right I would go with a desktop, so, any suggestions?

EDIT: I should add that I also use it for FOF and OOTP. Not sure if that makes a difference in what I should be looking for.

[DaddyTorgo]

if all you are using it for is those two things, don't be afraid to go cheap. You should be able to get a laptop for ~600 bucks i'd think, without any of the bells n whistles.

[Pumpy Tudors]

OH FIRST A TV AND NOW A COMPUTER

AREN'T YOU MISTER MONEYBAGS

[Sgran]

if you want to run OOTP, then you need to load up on RAM. The minimum specs (if i remember right) is a gig, and a new OOTP is coming out soon, so I would go even higher. I've seen some shelf models with 2 gigs. You don't seem to need an expensive video card or excessive hard drive space (most shelf models i saw recently had at least 80 gigs, which should be more than enough if you're not doing any downloading). I'm one of the few people left who don't mind desktops, which are about half the price of a laptop (if you don't need a monitor).

[the_meanstrosity]

If you go with a laptop make sure you know what resolution and screen size you want to work with. I personally enjoy more screen real estate so I prefer resolutions that are 1680x1050 or higher. Some people can't see the text well enough at that resolution so they prefer something smaller. 15.4 inch laptops are by far the most popular and are normally the best deals. 17 inch laptops are starting to gain in popularity though as desktop replacements. As for manufacturers, I'd go with either Dell (Vostro or Inspiron) or HP simply because they normally have the best prices. You can find some good deals at Best Buy, Office Depot, Office Max, Staples, Frys, Circuit City, etc if you watch the ads.

Deciding factors on notebook: screen size, resolution, integrated or non-integrated video, RAM (at least 2 MB if you go Vista though you can buy and add this yourself usually), and Operating System.

If you elect to go desktop, you have a lot of choices that really depend on your budget. How much are you wanting to spend and what parts will you need (case, monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc). Are you savvy enough to build your own PC?