I'm going to get a new laptop for college, and I am looking for some advice.  I already talked to some professors and people at the university and they didn't list any specific requirements for the laptop.

Here are some things to consider:

- I'm going into computer science (I'm not completely sure how this would affect my laptop decision...but maybe you would know)
- I'd like to be able to have 5 windows open, including a browser window with 20 tabs, at least one of which is a YouTube video playing
- The laptop does not need to handle high-end 3-D games
- I'll likely use some distribution of Linux, but there is a chance I will use Windows 7
- ~$1000 is the maximum I would want to pay

Sorry if I left any important information out.

Well having 20 tabs open + doing compter science requires a powerfull CPU. Alienware has extremely good laptops. Take the MX11 and configure some. Core 2 Duo should be enough (dus pricing it at $749) but faster  = better so you can go with the i5 from $...(i forgot). If you configure the MX11 with i5 proccesor + making the default 2GB ram into 4 that adds on to exactly $999.

Of course alienware are really high-end computers. But once again for the requirements you propose take a good proccessor and as much RAM as you can get! Don't mind about video cards really altough there are some pretty mediocre required to run W7 smooth.

Second recommendation is the Dell Inspiron 17R (mind the R ): http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/deals/large-screen-laptops?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&redirect=1
it comes with an i3 Processor which is pretty good and 4GB which should be enough. It is far cheaper saling at $709.99. Included is a 320GB hard drive which can be made a 0.5TB hardrive for about $50 extra. If you have the money go for the alienware, else go for this one.

ElseIf
figure it out yourself, somehow ;)


Somehow, I would be scared of buying a Dell laptop. In the past years, I heard nothing but bad experiences about them, regarding broken screen or hard drive. Biggest example is Sam Heald's, which took away Zelda project.