Cheapest Laptop Computers -- The Best Thing for College Now?

Buying one of the cheapest laptop computers you can find might be the best thing to do, if you need to get a computer now. Right now, Intel is promising several different lines of new processors, including mainstream quad-core processors for laptops and graphics integrated into the main chip. Microsoft is claiming it will be shipping Windows 7, its new operating system in late October. There are rumors of net books with ARM processors (like cell phone processors) and platforms other than the motherboard Intel has been selling Atom processors on. This might not be the best time to try to buy a new, better (my entry level or upper end) laptop.

Last time things were like this, AMD was cutting into Intel's market share, Intel was introducing a bunch of new processors including the "core" architecture we see now and Microsoft was about to ship Windows Vista. A lot of people bought laptop computers then that didn't make them happy.

Even though Microsoft tried to tell them, manufacturers really didn't understand the hardware needed to run Vista. A lot of computers, both small laptop Computers and desktops were sold with Vista installed and not good enough hardware to run it. To a great extent Vista got blamed for the shortfalls of the computers it was sold on.

I'm a cynic. I don't have faith that computer makers have learned from this experience. I don't have faith that anything of Microsoft's associated with Windows 7 will be backwards compatible with anything I have now. Contrary to what you see in adds now, other than the cheap laptop computers you now see in Wal Mart and in some of the big box electronics stores like Best Buy, laptop computer prices are generally higher than they were a few months ago. For example, I bought the laptop I'm working on now in June. The same equipment in a computer from the same manufacturer in the same store is $75 more today. It wasn't on sale when I got it. I will be behind the curve when the new processors and operating system ship. I don't mind though, this computer will still be able to do what I want it to do.

If you aren't satisfied with being behind the curve with the new computer you buy today three months from now but do need a computer now, I see two ways for you to go.

BUY A NET BOOK -- If you are a light computer user, that is, you usually check your e-mail, surf the web, shop, download music, do schoolwork, and aren't a gamer, you can buy a net book and use it as your primary computer short term. If you can text with your phone the smaller keyboard won't bother you and the small screen will be huge compared to your phone. Even if you are a college student, you can go this route. I know a girl whose laptop bit it the end of last April that didn't have enough money then to buy a new one. She got a net book and did her final papers and work on it. She's pretty happy now, she loves the net book and uses it all the time, and got a new laptop for the few things the net book didn't do acceptably. Net books are probably the cheapest laptop computers that have a useful niche. You can get one, use it for three to six months, and when things have shaken out, get a new up to date laptop. You'll still have the net book that will still do almost everything you need

BUY THE CHEAPEST LAPTOP COMPUTERS YOU CAN -- Computers being sold now generally are eligible for an upgrade to Windows 7 when it ships. You can buy one of the ultra low price laptops available now, and get the Windows 7 upgrade when it ships. The computer will be little faster than a net book, but you can do some minimal gaming, you'll have a CD/DVD burner and a full size keyboard and display. These cheap laptops and notebooks will give you a chance to play with Windows 7 so when things settle down a little, you will know what hardware it takes to run it. Because they are the cheapest laptop computers they will give you a real bottom and can buy your new laptop to get back ahead of the curve with confidence that your hardware will do the job.

This may well be a good time to not push the edge but to save money and buy the cheapest laptop computers you can find.

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