Hey everyone,
I'm a newbie, my name's Mai and I need to buy a new laptop (hopefully soon
) but I'm having some trouble choosing...Help? 
I found this questionnaire and filled it in
General Questions
1) What is your budget? Doesn't matter, but I would prefer it to be reasonable, obviously! Hehe
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen (preferably 14")
d. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) Where will you buying this notebook? I live in Amman, Jordan (The Middle East ) but I'll be getting it from the U.S.A
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
a. Like: Toshiba, Sony, Alienware
b. Dislike: Dell, Acer, Compaq,HP, LG
c. Need more info on: Fujitsu, Lenovo, ASUS
5) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
Surfing the web, downloading movies, music and series (need A LOT of memory!), Microsoft Office and Photoshop will be used often. Some gaming, not hardcore though (Alienware might not be best choice afterall =() Also, I might need it for some business-related things (Finances, etc) in the future (studying at the moment) which is why I'm considering VISTA Business.
6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both? Both.
7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games or types of games?
Some games, such as World of Warcraft or Midieval II.
8) How many hours of battery life do you need? The more, the better. Minimum of 3.
9) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?
On-line would be OK, but its preferable to see a 360-degree view first.
10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc. Windows, either XP or VISTA Business. (Could you provide a bit more information on VISTA Business so I can choose once and for all? Thanks! )
Either way, Duo Processor needed.
Screen Specifics
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer? Sorry, don't know!!!
a. WXGA – 1280x800 or occasionally 1280x768; For people who like big text and icons that are easy to read. Less stuff fits on the screen, which translates into more scrolling.
b. WXGA+ – 1440x900; A modest bump over WXGA. Text and icons are a bit smaller. A little more stuff fits on the screen.
c. WSXGA+ – 1680x1050; The middle ground. Again, text and icons are smaller than WXGA+, and more stuff fits onto the screen. Good for having applications open side by side, like a web browser while playing a video.
d. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Very small text and icons, that can be hard to read. Lots of stuff fits on the screen, which means less scrolling. Good for applications that require a high level of detail like CAD or Photo Editing.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen? Glossy, lots of movie-watching
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? Not really, but if it's available with the right specs and for an OK price, why not?!
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last? Around May, for as long as possible, minimum 3 years (I take good care of things My current laptop lasted a good 5 years...Toshiba rocks!)
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 80GB to 500GB? Do you want a SSD drive? Not less than 120 GB. Yes, if possible (A bit more info on SSD Drives would be highly appreciated as well! Thanks )
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive? CDRW/DVD-ROM.
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END COPY
Please state any additional features you need. It's also helpful if you can indicate how experienced you are with computers. If you're a novice and don't know much, that's alright. Everyone's a novice at some point.
I've owned a laptop for the past 5 years or so and it's still doing OK, I can handle and take care of them but I'm not exactly an expert (no programming skills WHATSOEVER, I'm afraid to say ) I would like it to be reasonably fast, not less than 2.0 Ghz. Minimum 4 USB ports, Wireless-enabled, can be connected to a projector and the battery won't die out on me within a couple of years. Also, it would be great if the speakers could play loudly. Preferable to have Arabic on the keyboard, if not then I can get the stickers but the laptop should allow me to type in Arabic if needed. I don't mind if it has a camera and built-in mic, but only if it won't add more than $25-30 on the total price (since that's what I'd need to get a decent external one!) Should be somewhat sturdy (just in case!) since I can have my clumsy days And should have a SD, xD card reader.
Thanks for your help!!!
Mai
I'm a newbie, my name's Mai and I need to buy a new laptop (hopefully soon
) but I'm having some trouble choosing...Help? I found this questionnaire and filled it in
General Questions
1) What is your budget? Doesn't matter, but I would prefer it to be reasonable, obviously! Hehe
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen (preferably 14")
d. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) Where will you buying this notebook? I live in Amman, Jordan (The Middle East ) but I'll be getting it from the U.S.A
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
a. Like: Toshiba, Sony, Alienware
b. Dislike: Dell, Acer, Compaq,HP, LG
c. Need more info on: Fujitsu, Lenovo, ASUS
5) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
Surfing the web, downloading movies, music and series (need A LOT of memory!), Microsoft Office and Photoshop will be used often. Some gaming, not hardcore though (Alienware might not be best choice afterall =() Also, I might need it for some business-related things (Finances, etc) in the future (studying at the moment) which is why I'm considering VISTA Business.
6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both? Both.
7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games or types of games?
Some games, such as World of Warcraft or Midieval II.
8) How many hours of battery life do you need? The more, the better. Minimum of 3.
9) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?
On-line would be OK, but its preferable to see a 360-degree view first.
10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc. Windows, either XP or VISTA Business. (Could you provide a bit more information on VISTA Business so I can choose once and for all? Thanks! )
Either way, Duo Processor needed.
Screen Specifics
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer? Sorry, don't know!!!
a. WXGA – 1280x800 or occasionally 1280x768; For people who like big text and icons that are easy to read. Less stuff fits on the screen, which translates into more scrolling.
b. WXGA+ – 1440x900; A modest bump over WXGA. Text and icons are a bit smaller. A little more stuff fits on the screen.
c. WSXGA+ – 1680x1050; The middle ground. Again, text and icons are smaller than WXGA+, and more stuff fits onto the screen. Good for having applications open side by side, like a web browser while playing a video.
d. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Very small text and icons, that can be hard to read. Lots of stuff fits on the screen, which means less scrolling. Good for applications that require a high level of detail like CAD or Photo Editing.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen? Glossy, lots of movie-watching
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? Not really, but if it's available with the right specs and for an OK price, why not?!
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last? Around May, for as long as possible, minimum 3 years (I take good care of things My current laptop lasted a good 5 years...Toshiba rocks!)
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 80GB to 500GB? Do you want a SSD drive? Not less than 120 GB. Yes, if possible (A bit more info on SSD Drives would be highly appreciated as well! Thanks )
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive? CDRW/DVD-ROM.
==========
END COPY
Please state any additional features you need. It's also helpful if you can indicate how experienced you are with computers. If you're a novice and don't know much, that's alright. Everyone's a novice at some point.
I've owned a laptop for the past 5 years or so and it's still doing OK, I can handle and take care of them but I'm not exactly an expert (no programming skills WHATSOEVER, I'm afraid to say ) I would like it to be reasonably fast, not less than 2.0 Ghz. Minimum 4 USB ports, Wireless-enabled, can be connected to a projector and the battery won't die out on me within a couple of years. Also, it would be great if the speakers could play loudly. Preferable to have Arabic on the keyboard, if not then I can get the stickers but the laptop should allow me to type in Arabic if needed. I don't mind if it has a camera and built-in mic, but only if it won't add more than $25-30 on the total price (since that's what I'd need to get a decent external one!) Should be somewhat sturdy (just in case!) since I can have my clumsy days And should have a SD, xD card reader.
Thanks for your help!!!
Mai
