Hello fellow Ozbargainers!
I was looking for some suggestions for laptops. Preferably under $1000 for budget. I just need a laptop for typing and browsing and all the basics not really a gamer but anything extra would be bonus. I also need Microsoft office :)
Many thanks!!
macbook
Surface Pro 3 (if you can afford it)
Otherwise, Surface Pro 2 :)
You will find the pen useful for scribbling on your lecture powerpoint slides, and Windows 8.1 really isn't that bad anymore.
Also consider the Dell Inspiron 13 7000 series. Considerably cheaper than a Macbook and Surface Pro (~$750 for the i5 model), has a full keyboard/laptop form-factor with the option of a tablet/stylus mode. Extra $50 to get a 1080p one.
A Macbook air would be slightly lighter (by about 250g), and somewhat longer battery life, but I would consider the 8+ hours on the Inspiron to be more than enough.
Other differences are the (hybrid) HDD instead of SSD and 8 GB of RAM, which is far more than the Macbook and Surface Pro at this price range. The RAM is really nice if you like having a lot of stuff open at once, e.g. lots of browser tabs (and 4 GB really isn't much these days). If you want, you can stick one of the recent $100 240 GB SSDs in and still come out ahead on price.
Surface Pro 3's my vote. High resolution screen, handwriting recognition, quality construction. BUT the keyboard cover is pretty expensive.
Dell Latitute on the Dell outlet is also worth looking into as well, if you don't mind refurbished.
Have a look at item code DFO-2907332LT
http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/product…
It's a 12.5 inch laptop with i5-4310U and 128GB SSD, for $699.
Or DFO-2829218LT, which is of a cheaper and heavier build quality but sufficient for university.
Seeings as this semester is nearly finished and uni doesn't go back until Feb.
You might be best served by waiting for the new laptops with the broadwell CPU (out early next year i believe). They use less power, so not as hot and longer battery life.
I agree. Apple usually have sales as do JB and Officeworks etc at back to Uni time.
Just wait till then.
Sweet thanks guys for the advice :)
Has anyone had experience with the newer Inspirons? The old ones were always very plasticky compared to Latitudes.
For a laptop you actually carry around with you every day, go 100% solid state (ie SSD, not hybrid - use an external drive for bulk media) and a 100% metal case.
Macbook Air 13" they are around $1k with the constant discounts.
Best bang for buck laptop on the market IMHO.
http://blog.laptopmag.com/macbook-air-recommendation