Laptop-bore - Need to find a good laptop for my sister

[Green Man]

My sisters graduation is in June and I'm hoping to get her a laptop to congratulate her on doing really well this year and because she seems to need a computer of her own more and more everyday for school work. So Ive taken a bunch of terrible jobs from craigslist in order to buy one.

So basically I'm looking for one that

- Doesn't have a webcam built-in
- Can handle video editing well which is a hobby of my sisters
- Isn't a Compaq or HP. Same thing, I know both garbage


I don't really care about it's ability to play games but she does own almost all the sim games so I guess if it can handle Sims 3 that's a bonus. Oh and I don't really have a budget yet but I was thinking around $400-$500. Maybe more.

Thanks.

[ch1nchilla]

why no webcam?

spoiler (click to show/hide)

http://www.apple.com/macbook/

[close]

[Madrun Badrun]

Just get the first laptop you see that comes in pink and put a drop of glue on the webcam part.

[demi]

You wont find one for $500. I know you're not exactly moneybags but good luck finding one for $500. Maybe around Black Friday...

[Joe Molotov]

She can use my lap top. 

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

So why does she need a laptop again?

Also LOL at not having a webcam.  I think it is pretty much standard these days to have it included in the laptop.  Your mom will just have to trust her that she won't get naked on camera, which is most likely her concern.

[choco parfait]

She's twelve. Don't make this weird, bro.

Twelve? Graduating? Sounds like a smart cookie. 

Can handle video editing well.

That's pretty much the only problem with the search for a $500 laptop. I would advise a Dell whenever they go on sale, or a netbook even, but such configurations will definitely not be at the top of the pack. A machine capable of intense video editing will probably need lots of RAM and a strong CPU at minimum, which all equate to $$$, so be aware of that.

[chronovore]

Webcams are pretty much de rigueur at this point, but you can permanently disable them in the Hardware Manager in Windows machines, can't you?

Also, LOL at having video editing as a hobby but not liking the Mac. There's not an easier platform in the world on which to edit video.

[Powerslave]

She can use my lap top. 

[Phoenix Dark]

Quite an expensive gift for a 12 year old. She can't use a library computer or yours. I doubt a kid in a public school is getting slammed with lots of writing homework

Seems like a better gift for entering high school.

[Smooth Groove]

Laptops are too dangerous for her age.  You don't want her to be learning about BBC yet. 

[Smooth Groove]

Some of my posts are ignorant. I do it for shock value. Hate it or love it. I'm cool either way

[drew]

do they even make laptops without webcams anymore? i just put a small strip of electrical tape over mine.

[choco parfait]

Some of my posts are ignorant. I do it for shock value. Hate it or love it. I'm cool either way

You're nuts but what can anyone do about it.

[chronovore]

do they even make laptops without webcams anymore? i just put a small strip of electrical tape over mine.

That's what a lot of people do, yeah. If you're concerned about someone seeing you, it makes sense. If you're worried about the 12-year-old girl using it without your awareness, it's a different problem.