I will add a cautionary note here...remember that one feature common to all portable computers is that they are portable (they tend to fit well in book bags and the like). I have not been to a campus in the past few years where there wasn't SOME way to find an available computer at any time without owning one...either a friend, a student lounge, a laboratory, a locked building with no lock on that southeast basement window...For incredibly low budget, use a Tekram motherboard with Cyrix processor or buy a used system and dicker down the price. Martin Kurr email [log in to unmask] > From: Dean Kukral[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] College computer for freshman > Quite frankly, I think the daughter would much prefer > to have a nice mid-range portable computer. One > that she could easily take with her to the library or > class... Curious about the people moderating your messages? Visit our staff web site: http://nospin.com/pc/staff.html