Need help...laptop for 9th grader!

[disney5]

So we have decided to get our high school freshman a laptop for Christmas...sick and tired of the arguing of who is on the computer when. (Siblings are 11 and 10)
I figure this way he has his own for homework, research etc.

Any suggestions...do they come with word/excel already or would I have to have that installed.

Not looking for super cheap...but not the top of the line either!
Thanks!

 

[bjscheel]

I have a Toshiba Satellite that was under $500. It came with a "trial" of Word and Excel- I can use it 40 times or something like that. I like it, it seems like a good laptop.

I just got an HP desktop and it comes with "reduced capability" Word and Excel- they also have advertising in the corner. I just started using Excel last night and it seems like this lite version will work for me- I haven't determined what's missing from it. Maybe some laptops come with this reduced version?

 

[ksloane]

My #1 advice just avoid Intel Celeron processors. I've bought cheap and not cheap laptops for myself and family and the only ones we've found that don't last are those - the name brands didn't matter, but if it's a Celeron processor, it has to be replaced within a year...

 

[Princess Nancy]

Look into Microsoft Office for Students. It is significantly cheaper than the full version. We all use it and I have yet to find anything I cannot do.

 

[disneymomofmyca]

I use Microssoft Word and then go to Zazmar.com and have it converted....easy as pie. They convert to many files types. Just a thought....

 

[ksloane]

There is also software called open office (http://www.openoffice.org/)

It is free and will do pretty much all basic and some complex stuff.

I teach in a very rural high poverty area and that is what I recommend to parents here. If they need to add some bells and whistles, they can always save at home on a flash drive and pretty it up at school.

Something to consider.

ETA: For what it's worth, the Student edition does not come with Microsoft Access. I don't know if your son will use this, but if he takes a computer class at our school and most college intro classes here as well, he'll have assignments on this. He can do them in a lab setting of course, but wanted to make sure you realized this before you purchased.