Notebook Price Appraisal

[krtel]

Hi all,

I\'m

considering buying a notebook for college. I will use it for college work/research and some gaming (games like

Splinter Cell, Grand Theft Auto, etc.). I have been watching different ads for months now, and I finally came across

a very appealing offer. The notebook I want is priced at $799 after rebates. It comes with a free color printer. I

bought an 802.11b wireless network card (to take advantage of wireless internet access) for $5, after

rebates.

Here are the notebook specs:

Compaq Presario 2190US Notebook
Microsoft Windows XP Home

Edition
Intel Mobile Celeron Processor 2.4GHz
32KB Level 1 Cache
256KB Level 2 Cache
400MHz Frontside Bus
256MB

PC-2100 DDR SDRAM, Upgradeable to 512MB
(1) 256MB SO-DIMM Memory Module
1 available 200-pin SO-DIMM slot
40GB

UltraDMA ATA/100 Hard Drive
Combo DVD-ROM/CD-RW Drive
15.0\" XGA Active Matrix Display
Integrated 4x AGP ATI

Mobility RADEON Video Chipset
Up to 64MB of Shared Video Memory
Internal Max Resolution: 1024 x 768 at 24-bit

(16.7M colors)
Video Out Supported: NTSC, PAL
Integrated SoundBlaster Compatible Audio Chipset
16-Bit

Stereo
Integrated 56K V.92 Fax/Modem
Integrated 10/100 Fast Ethernet Network Adapter

Ports:
1-Serial 9-pin

port; 1-Parallel 25-pin port; 1-PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse port; 1-VGA 15-pin port; 1-TV Out S-Video port; 2-USB 1.1 type

\"A\" ports; 1-Modem RJ-11 port; 1-Network RJ-45 port; 1-Microphone port; 1-Headphone port

1 (1 free) Cardbus

PCMCIA type II or type III slot
Built-in Speakers
Power Supply: Universal AC Adapter
Battery Included: 8 Cell

Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery
Average Run Time: Up to 2.5 hours
Included Software:
Compaq Custom Utilities,

Norton Antivirus 2003 LE, WinDVD, Microsoft Windows MovieMaker 2.0, MusicMatch Jukebox, Roxio Easy CD & DVD

Creator, Microsoft Works 7.0, Microsoft Money, Microsoft Encarta Online Deluxe
Dimensions (WxDxH): 10.72\" x

12.96\" x 1.62\"
Weight: 7.25 lbs
1 Year Limited Warranty


Is this a good buy, or would I be better off

waiting until after Christmas? I don\'t go to college until mid-January. Thanks!

[belgareth]

It\'s

about average for that computer. If you can afford the extra cost you should look for a laptop with a P4 processor

instead of a celeron.

The Christmas season is one of the best times to buy becasue everybody is vying for the

gift market and the deals are usually better than most other times of the year.

[Mtnjim]

You might also

look for integrated wireless (802.11b & g)as a lot of colleges have access points and you could be doing class

research out on the lawn while watching all of the hott young wander by in skimpy clothing!

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