a laptop for university

well i'm going to university and i have decided taht i should get a laptop instead of a desktop

i have decided ibm for my laptop since it is very durable

i'm probably goign to use it for mostly working like word, excel and such
while soemtimes maybe on a friday night i might play a little game or watch some movies

so i'm thinking of 2378RBU and 2378RAU

their both t42's, but there is a problem
one is 20$ less than the other (canadian currency)
the 1.7 ghz one with CTP (2378RBU) is actually 20$ less than the one with 1.6 ghz with no CTP (2378RAU)

just wondering how come there is a 20$ difference, is it because of the CTP, and what does the CTP do

and what would you guys recommand for an ibm laptop for University?

thanks

:buyIBM: :centrino:

edit:
2378RBU - http://www-131.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/s...yId=2049168&dualCurrId=1000075&catalogId=-124

2378RAU - http://www-131.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/s...yId=2049168&dualCurrId=1000075&catalogId=-124

i believe that durability, processor power, and the battery life is very important to me

since the processor power is 1.6-1.7 there isn't much difference is there?

 

CTP is basically a measure of performance. In this case it has no meaning except it wasn't listed for the other model. Since the machines are otherwise identical I'd go with the cheaper more powerful one.

 

hmm ic, any recommandations about what laptop i should buy for University and such too?

thanks

 

If you are not going into a "computer-use heavy" field (i.e. programming, hard science, engineering, graphic design, etc...), you have a lot less need for a high-power machine.

The things you have to decide:

1-Are you going to play the "current" games (i.e. Doom3, Half-life 2 and onward)? If so, you really need a good GPU. (video card)

2-If you are going to download movies and music AND are planning to keep lots of what you download, you need a DVD-writing drive (which is optionnal on most low-end new notebooks and standard on most high-ends.)

If you answered "no" to the previous questions, you're in luck, because beyond that, what you buy really does not matter that much. Of course, a better processor, more RAM, and a larger and faster HD are always nice, but they're not necessary. It really becomes a matter of "how fast will my computer boot and my programs load?", and the answer to the question is "a few seconds longer, top."

In my opinion, you should go for at least 512 megs of RAM, a 60 GB hard disk at 5400 RPM, and a 1,6 Ghz Pentium M minimum, and build from there if you want to put more money on your notebook. That puts you at the low-end of the "sweet spot" (the price range that gives you the most bang for your buck. Going cheaper means you'll gain very little cash for a significant decrease in performance)

Screen size and quality, battery life, and weight are also factors to consider.

Battery life is easy to decide: are you planning on using the notebook in areas where you don't have access to a socket for more than a few minutes at a time? if so, just spring for an extra-length battery: it doesn't cost that much.

Screen size and weight have to be balanced: obviously, a larger screen means the laptop is bigger (to some extent) but REALLY improves the computing experience. However, lugging a notebook around is a pain.

My suggestion: go for a decent screen size (14-15 inches) and a backpack carry-case.

Finally, if available, do spend the money for a display upgrade.

 

My recommendation: get a t42 2379 DXU. It has a 60gb hard drive at 7200 rpm's, 512 mb of ram, 15" screen at 1400x1050, and 64 mb ram graphics card, ATI Radeon 9600. My son, a college student, has a 15 inch screen xga, 256 mb of RAM, and a 40 gb hard drive. He now has upgraded the RAM, wished he had a sxga+ screen and is considering a larger hard drive.

I agree that durability should be an issue. I use mine for Word, excel, etc. I play a game now and then and watch movies periodically. I also bought an extra larger battery (4 hours of use) for $99. I love this notebook.