Hi.
I would like to get my sons a laptop for Christmas this year. The problem is that I don't know what kind or what features to look for. Any ideas?

I don't want to spend a fortune. 600.00 or less preferably. They will be 11 and would be using if for school assignments, some gaming, digital pictures and MP3s. Also, do any come where you can just push in a memory card for pics or mp3s?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

A few suggestions....

#1 Make sure it as a wifi card (802.11b/g). You only realize how great wireless is, when you can watch youtube atop the porcelain throne.

#2 If it runs Windows Vista, it MUST have at least 1GB of RAM. (2GB for heavy 3dgaming) If you opt for the older Windows XP, you can get away with 512MB RAM.

#3 Windows Vista Home Premium has "the pretty", Windows Vista Home Basic doesn't. Its also a quick way to check if the system skimps on RAM and video card specs.

#4 Opt for a DVD burner whenever possible. This is the easiest way to back up truckloads of photos. (Or burn your own home movies)

#5 As far as processors go... Clock speed (Ghz) doesn't matter so much anymore. The hot things now are dual-core processors. Chips to look for: Intel Core 2 Duo, AMD Athlon 64 X2. AMD processors tend to deliver more bang for the dollar, Intels tend to deliver more bang.

Heres an example of a decently equipped $598 laptop:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5978910


#6 A $600 laptop will not be a heavy 3D gaming machine. If there is a game your kid wants to play, check the system requirements for the game BEFORE BUYING THE COMPUTER!!! If the game asks for anything more than a 64MB video card, Intel graphics just won't cut it. Look for ATI or Nvidia graphics in such case, and yes, it will cost you more.

#7 Most laptops don't have room in their cramped cases for a camera card reader. Luckily, there are card readers that plug in via USB for $20 or less. Make sure it accepts the same type of card your camera(s) use. See:
http://www.walmart.com/search/browse-ng.do?ic=20_0&ref=125875.370791

#8 Unless you kid is gonna have lots of 3D games installed, or edit home movies, you can get away with 60GB. If video editing is in the cards, settle for no less than 120GB. Simple estimate: 25GB for system, 30GB for music/photos, and 5GB for each game title.

#9 Hate Vista? There are other options. Dell builds computers with Windows XP installed, rather than Vista. Only select laptops offer this option. There is also the Apple MacBook option, which is much more expensive.

#10 Most machines don't include Office software. If they do, its a trial version. Microsoft Office Student & Teacher edition will cost about $150. Or, save some cash and install StarOffice for free through Google. (Compatible with most MS Office documents)

Hope this was helpful!

Thank you for your help JWooden.
The computer from Walmart looks good. I think that's along the line I'm looking for. I'm thinking that they probably won't be doing too much gaming on it. They can just use the pc for that.

Oh, one more question. Does the brand matter? I'm not talking about a no name but are most of the regular name brands about equal?

Thank you again for your help. The links were very informative.

Twinhearts

I've generally had a good experience with Toshiba laptops, never had anything happen to force me to call tech support. Found another version of the Toshiba, with built-in camera card slots and a bigger hard drive. (Price is $50 more, but shipping is free and no sales tax)

IBM/Lenovo laptops are pretty reliable too, but they cost more. These are popular corporate laptops.

HP/Compaq laptops are okay too, they tend to come with **TONS** of extra trial software. (You'll want to audit Add/Remove programs before letting your kids have it)

Dell support is not what it used to be (once was top-rated, now you get thick Indian accents), but they're still decent computers. Best to buy direct from Dell.com, they have crazy specials which change everyday.

Tip: If you buy locally, you'll likely have to pay sales tax. (~$42, assuming 7% on $600) Most online retailers don't charge sales tax on out-of-state orders, so you can put that $42 towards buying better hardware.

Another tip: If buying from Circuit City or Best Buy... Employees will swear they're non commissioned. However, they can get fired by not meeting their warranty/upsell ("performance") quotas. Keep it in mind when they offer X or Y service. Chances are they'll charge you $30-$50 for something you can do yourself in 15 minutes. (Like burning restore discs)

Dell is running a thanksgiving sale on their Vostro line of laptops.

$399 buys you:
* AMD AthlonTM 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor TK-53 (1.7GHz/512KB)
* Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic
* 15.4" Wide Screen XGA LCD Anti-Glare Display
* 1GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHZ
* 120GB 5400RPM Hard Drive
* 8X DVD+/-RW w/Double-layer DVD+R Write Capability
* ATI Radeon® Xpress 1150 256MB HyperMemory™ (integrated)
* Dell Wireless 1390 802.11g Wi-Fi Mini Card
* 1 Year Dell Warranty


I'd suggest adding an extra GB of ram to give Vista an extra boost, and spending the extra $30 on getting Vista Home Premium. Overall, it's a fairly good deal on a laptop.