Re: Best Cost/Quality Desktop system for a college freshman

I'll also vote for a laptop. Less space than even the smallest desktop
and the portability will come in handy. I'm sure his roommate or
another college friend wouldn't mind occasionally carrying it for him if
needed. From a 'green' standpoint they also draw less power & throw
less heat. And there is more flexibility for placement within the dorm:
desk, lap on the bed, a classmate's room, student lounge, etc.

David's suggestion of a Latitude D630 is good; we buy thousands of them
every year here at work. The Latitude line has better engineering than
Dell's Inspiron lineup. They cost a little more but are worth it.

Most other brands have good models as well. Just make sure it is
dual-core, has 1GB (XP) or 2GB (Vista) or more RAM, and has a
screen/keyboard he can live with. Go for a 9 cell battery (v. 6 cell)
if possible. Ditto a 7200RPM drive v. 5400 or (yes, they still sell
them) 4200RPM although 5400RPM is adequate. 120GB is a good size; 80 is
a dead minimum.

Keep in mind you're buying a laptop that will still need to be useful in
the 2011/12 school year, so don't cheap out. Or do cheap out & plan to
replace it his junior year.

Additional suggestions:
- Get a Kensington-type laptop lock cable. Cheap ($10-20) and will
deter theft.
- See if your homeowners insurance needs a rider for it to be covered.
- Get a USB external hard drive so he can make backups. Term papers
aren't eaten by the dog anymore; they're lost due to a crashed hard
drive.
- For usability I prefer an external portable wireless mouse like the
Logitech VX Revolution or VX Nano.
- Extend the warranty for the full 4 years he'll be in college.

Warning:
- Dell's bought at Best Buy are covered by Best Buy for warranty work,
not Dell.