Laptop for school(practicing windows server 2008/virtualization)

tsmithlovesyou

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Oct 17, 2010
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18,510
Hi everyone. Thanks in advance for any advice! :)

1. What is your budget?
650-750

2. What is the size of the notebook that you are considering?
size not a factor

3. What screen resolution do you want?
anywhere from 14" to 17" is fine

4. Do you need a portable or desktop replacement laptop?
weight isnt a factor

5. How much battery life do you need?
Not a factor since I will probably just plug it in most of the time.

6. Do you want to play games with your laptop? If so then please list the games that you want to with the settings that you want for these games. (Low,Medium or High)?
I might play world of warcraft, but thats about it really.

7. What other tasks do you want to do with your laptop? (Photo / Video editing,watching movies, Etc.)
I need this laptop primarily for school. Next semester I will be taking a windows server 2008 class along with another linux class. So I'd like to maybe do something like dual boot ubuntu and windows 7. Our class will be using virtualbox as well for practicing windows server 2008. The problem is that the college's lab computers are just horrible. So I figured I would pick up a decent-ish laptop and use it while in class and lab instead. I guess I could just boot windows 7 and use virtualbox for ubuntu(or whatever linux we are supposed to be using) as well?

8. How much storage (Hard Drive capacity) do you need?
Not sure how much hard drive space will be required and how many of these virtual windows servers will be going on, since this concept is very new to me.

9. If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post their links.


10. How long do you want to keep your laptop?
A year, then I will give it to a family member.


11. What kind of Optical drive do you need? DVD ROM/Writer,Bluray ROM/Writer,Etc ?
Needs to have a generic dvd drive.

12. Please tell us about the brands that you prefer to buy from them and the brands that you don't like and explain the reasons.
Doesn't matter

13. What country do you live in?
USA

14. Please tell us any additional information if needed.
I'm just really not sure how much resources this virtualbox stuff will take up, whether I should get a cheaper laptop and just buy more ram, or if I should get a quad core, etc.