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~$300 Laptop/Netbook recommendations

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skwire:
Christmas is coming and my wife and I would like to get our oldest daughter an inexpensive laptop/netbook around $300.  Yes, we realise that this is at the low-end of the spectrum.  However, she's only twelve and would be using this mainly for typing her school papers, surfing the web, etc.  Has anybody had a good experience with a lower-end model that you'd like to recommend?

Ath:
Only some general advise:
Get a current model, not last-years shop-sale type of a 'bargain'.
Select on the screen quality/brightness, there is a difference; and take home the one that you tested being good...

For a girl of that age, looks do matter, AFAIR ;)

tomos:
I dunno will this be of any help as many of the model names & numbers seem to be different between Europe and the States :(

This is just research - I've just purchased a Lenovo Ideapad N581 - it's 'due' tomorrow :p
(It's been a real PIA getting info - you see models on sale, go to the manufacturer's site and there is no information about it or even similar models e.g. ASUS F201, Lenovo Ideapad N581. Often a review site will have a review of one laptop - but not of the other you want to compare it with).

From my notes:
AVOID

ACER 756 11.6" - Runs very HOT HOT HOT (pity, sounds good otherwise)

Lenovo ThinkPad X121e (AMD E-300) - terrible screen

Lenovo IdeaPad S206 - Notebookcheck give very poor review: "Short battery life, mirror TFT, bendable chassis - does not live up to the expectations for netbooks."

Samsung 305U1A-A01DE - great battery life (& screen I think) but HOT; poor build-
I initially ordered the brand new ASUS F201 (11.6"). There's little or no info out there about it and I *think* it's not available over there yet (if at all?). It's predecessor got good reviews - for the build at least.

But they seem to be having a problem with delivering, so I cancelled that. After reading some very good reviews (reasonably bright screen, reasonable CPU, reasonable battery life) I decided to go for the 15.6" Lenovo Ideapad N581 notebookcheck.net link -
there's lots of different versions of that here (mainly different CPU's) - you could get a model: without OS; 320GB HD; 4GB ram; lower strenght CPU - for around 300 euros (amazon.de).

mouser:
Whether the laptop is for you or daughter, my advice is the same: The primary deciding factor is the form factor.

If it's going to be used 95% at home on a desk, go for big screen (15.6" or even 17") and don't worry about weight or battery.
If it's going to be carried around constantly, go for small and light, and don't worry about the rest.

40hz:
For inexpensive laptops I've had the best luck with Asus and Gateway. If I were in the market for an inexpensive laptop today I'd definitely lean towards one of those. It's hard to recommend a specific model since a "model year" for most laptops seems to be about three months long.

Also +1 with everything in Mouser's post above. If you're not going to be lugging it around much, size, weight and battery life become much less of a factor in your buying decision. Ditto Ath's comments on the screen - which is probably the single most important deciding factor since you have to look at (and live with) the screen more than anything else.

Also keep an eye out for sales and specials. You can sometimes catch a really amazing bargain if you routinely check the websites and big-box store ads. When they get down to one or two left of a less popular or "soon to be discontinued" model they will very often cut the price to rock bottom so they can "retire" the SKU code.

Anything that gets you as close as possible to 64-bit/multi-core CPU/4Mb RAM/ and 500Gb HD is where you want to be.

Luck!

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