Screen saver

Photo: Nicole Radja

As Edgewater resident Patrick Wasser can attest, you can score a used laptop for as little as $200 on Craigslist. But the laptop he bought on the site a year ago, a Pentium III–based IBM ThinkPad X20, is starting to show its seven years. “A few keys don’t work,” Wasser says. “Plus, the J key recently broke after my dog pounced on the keyboard.” Armed with a $500 budget, Wasser wants a computer that’ll let him check e-mail, listen to music, dabble in Word, and type words like jejune with abandon.

OPTION 1 Upgrade memory and processor
This is the best way to rejuvenate a dying system, but upgrading Wasser’s 2002 X20 would require a system gut. That’s possible with a desktop but not a laptop.

OPTION 2 Buy a used computer
Many manufacturers sell used computers for reasonable prices. The Lenovo Outlet Store offers refurbished ThinkPads from $465. Likewise, the Dell Outlet Store offers its Vostro 1510 with a new Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and 250GB hard drive for $489. Both systems meet Wasser’s requirements, but powerwise they’re overkill.

OPTION 3 Go for a refurbished Mac
“An Apple would make me feel younger and cooler,” Wasser says. Unfortunately, at $949, Apple’s cheapest MacBook refurb is $449 over Wasser’s budget, and despite Apple’s one-year refurb warranty, pet liability isn’t included.

*BEST BET* OPTION 4 Get a netbook
Starting at $250, this new breed of laptop is designed for the moderate computer user. Models like the $399 Lenovo IdeaPad S10 can breeze through everyday tasks. But, screen sizes are usually small, ranging from 7 to 10 inches wide, and many have hard drives as small as 4GB and lack a CD/DVD drive—so not really an option for enginnering students. Still, they’re a great option for casual users (like lit majors pecking away on Word) on a budget.

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