my school requires to have laptops the sad part is it has to be windows based and my screen broke ok so i got mad and broke it. but for me to replace the screen it was going to cost $800 and to replace the whole computer was going to be $1500 and it was going to be about the same quality as the one I got for $600 which was a Toshiba Satellite which I just got to get through the year but I'm getting a mac for college as I'm planning to go to university columbia chicago and do an interdisplinary in film and fiction writing. I don't know if that helps you any or not. If you need something short term then what I got would be fine but something longer term you should probably spend extra bucks to get exactly what you want and get one custom made but thats JMO