CSI

Abhay Gupta

Buying a Computer
Extra Credit

September 2015
Due: October 10, 2015

Shop for a Computer:

You have been given $2,000 to purchase a computer for college. If you spend less, you
may keep the difference. What computer would you purchase and why? Justify your
answer based on how you would use the computer.
Assignment: Got to www.pcmag.com. Click on the
link of the left side of the screen to indicate the
type of computer you would like to purchase
(laptop or desktop).
1. Scroll down, click on some links to read the
tips on How to Buy this type of computer.
2. Next, search for computers in your price range.
3. Browse through the computers that fit in
your price range.
4. Click on computers you are interested. Read
the Review at the bottom to see Pros, Cons,
and Bottom Line.
5. Click on Reviews, Comments, and Specs
to learn more.
6. Finally, choose two computers you think
would best meet your needs. Complete the
assignment below.

Fill out the chart below describing the computer systems features. Include a hyperlink to
the website you would purchase your computer from. When you finish, save the file as
yournameBuyingAComputer and submit it on moodle. (Feel free to add any other spec
to compare the two computers if that is helpful).
Features
Computer #1 LinkComputer #2 Linkhttp://www.amazon.com/Dell-Latitudehttp://www.amazon.com/Dell-Latitude-E74407000-Ultrabook-Tablet/dp/B00PC6AMAU LED-Ultrabook/dp/B00GRG9WKU
Name Brand & Model

Dell Latitude 13 7000 Series 2-in-1 (7350) Dell Latitude E7440 Touch

Type of Computer:
Hybrid - laptop
ie. Desktop, Laptop,
Netbook, Ultra book, etc.

Ultrabook

Pros

Keyboard dock has a good selection of

ports, and a battery that provides 10 hours
of life. Backlit keyboard. No bloatware.
Three-year warranty.

Ruggedized MIL-SPEC construction. Bright,

crisp 1080p screen. Good capacity in SSD. Dual
pointing devices. Removable battery. Three
USB 3.0 ports, HDMI, Ethernet, and miniDisplayPort. Compatible with wired and WiGig
wireless docks. Comfortable keyboard. 802.11ac
+ Bluetooth 4.0

Cons

No I/O ports on tablet.

Somewhat pricey.

The Dell Latitude 13 7000 Series 2-in-1

(7350) detachable-hybrid tablet is a great
middle ground between a slim tablet and a
clamshell laptop.

The rugged Dell Latitude E7440 Touch business

ultrabook offers a nice mix of premium features,
good performance, excellent battery life, and
compatibility with other E-series Latitude
laptops in Dell's stable.

Intel Core M-5Y71

Intel Core i5-4300U

Bottom Line

Processor Name

CSI
Abhay Gupta
Processor Speed

Buying a Computer
Extra Credit

September 2015
Due: October 10, 2015

1.2 GHz

1.9 GHz

Operating System

Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro

Microsoft Windows 8 Professional

Amount of RAM

8 GB

4 GB

Screen Size: 13.3 inches; Screen

Type: IPS LCD

Screen Size: 14 inches; Screen

Type: Widescreen

Solid State Drive

No rotation speed specified

Hard Disk Drive

Rotation Speed: Solid State Drive

External options only

External options only

Display (monitor) size &

type
Storage Type & Speed:
ie. HDD = Hard disk drive
SSD = Solid state drive or
both
Optical Drive (CD/DVD
Drive)

Battery Type (if applicable)

3 Cell Primary Battery and 2 Cell

Secondary Battery

NA

Installed software
Technical Support

NA
Three year warranty

NA
Three year warranty

Other features included

that influenced your choice
of this computer

Touchscreen and can be removed to

become a tablet, so it is more
accessible

Touchscreen, but has great battery life

compared to other Dell laptops; also has a
fingerprint lock

Customer Ratings/Reviews
(Search on Google if
needed)

Daniel Brown

AoMMisa

I work we have a bunch of these that

Pretty much this notebook. But the price is

sometimes sit for a while between uses...

very high.

Be aware that the keyboard dock battery

can die completely if left sitting too long. It
is covered under warranty, but Dell is backordered on the battery itself and will want
to swap your whole system and that can be
annoying to have to move your data.

Graphics Card
Total System Cost

Intel HD Graphics 5300

2nd graphics card - Nvidia GeForce GTX
980
$1549.00 but on Amazon, it is $1399.00

Intel HD Graphics 4400

$1769.00 but on Amazon, it is $948.00 with
shipping

After comparing the computers above, write a paragraph discussing which computer would you buy and why?
After carefully examining each of these two computers, I would buy the Dell Latitude E7440 Touch
Ultrabook because overall, it is better compared to the Dell Latitude 13 7000 Series 2-in-1 (7350). The only
con for the E7740 was that it was expensive, but I found a solution to that. Everything else is comparable, but
the 7350 has a detachable tablet; however, comments state that the tablet can stop working at times. The
E7740 is also $452 cheaper, even though it has a better processor and better processer speed. The only
downside to the E7740 is that it only has 4GB RAM, whereas the 7350 has 8GB. The E7740 would be slower
than the 7350 at multitasking, but at one task, it would be a lot faster because of its enhanced processing
speed. The E7740 also has a larger screen of 0.7 inches, which gives a better display. The 7350s graphics
card is bad for quality but good for the battery usage, whereas the E7740s graphics card is good for quality
and decent for the battery usage. The E7740 also has three USB 3.0 ports, which are now becoming more and
more popular, but the 7350 has no ports on the tablet. They both have three year warranties, which is essential
to the safekeeping of the laptop. The only comment for the E7740 was that it was too expensive, but there is a

CSI
Abhay Gupta

Buying a Computer
Extra Credit

September 2015
Due: October 10, 2015

solution to that on Amazon. Overall, the E7740 has better performance and quality, as well as leaving me with
$1050 afterwards for other purchases, so I would buy the Dell Latitude E7740 Touch Ultrabook.