Hardware

Re: Techsoup refurbished computers

suzbill95 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:29:20 GMT

Can anyone tell me of the Dell refurbs are expandable for RAM or hard drive?

Re: Techsoup refurbished computers

rsmither — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:46:42 GMT

The "M" just means that this processor was designed specifically for notebooks - the "M" stands for Mobile. This is a chip that uses less power to help increase battery life. It also has some other features that are more useful for laptops versus a desktop.

A 1.8Ghz processor should be just fine for normal word processing, web surfing, email, etc. And most Powerpoint presentations and DVDs should play just fine. If your PowerPoint uses a lot of transitions and special effects, it might lag a few seconds between pages.

512MB of memory is the bare minimum for running Windows XP. Personally, I would want to upgrade to at least 1GB. So, I would figure that into the price. Depending of the type of memory used, it could cost $15 - $50 for 512MB more of memory.

Integrated wireless means just that - the wireless card is built into the laptop. There is no need for a seperate wireless card.

With most used laptops, the battery is the first thing to go - they only last on average 1 1/2 to 2 years. So, most vendors won't guarantee battery life - you might get a perfectly good battery that lasts for 2+ hours or you might get one that lasts just a couple of minutes. So, if battery life is that important to you, consider buying a new/reconditioned battery for whatever used laptop you end up buying. Hopefully someone from TechSoup can address the battery issue directly.

Techsoup refurbished computers

dshields — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:03:58 GMT

I run a small non-profit with limited budget and need a reliable and speedy notebook wireless ready. I am looking at the TechSoup refurbished Dell for $305 but don't understand some of the specs. What is a "Pentium M " processor-I've heard of all the usual Pentiums by number not by "M." And can someone explain to me the general idea of speed of 1.8GHz-slow,medium, fast? How good is RAm of 512MB and am I getting full wireless set up when it states " Integrated wireless network adapter included." It also doesn't disclose length of battery life or type of battery. Any help would be great.

Deborah