While researching my guide to multimedia equipment (below), I looked into Medill’s tech requirements and recommended laptop.
I was horrified. It’s ridiculously overpriced. By hundreds of dollars.
Mostly, that’s because the laptop comes with a mandatory 3-year warranty. From CDW-G, it runs about $1,850 without all the software.
But you can customize an HP laptop with a bigger screen, a larger hard drive, an improved processor, a Web cam and microphone, and the 3-year warranty and the fingerprint reader for $200 less… and free shipping.
Here’s a screenshot. There’s a rebate, but HP almost always has rebates online (yes, I dream about and check out new computers quite often), especially during the holidays and back-to-school. CDW never offers rebates, from what I can tell.
More importantly, at HP you can take out the stuff you don’t want, such as the $350 warranty. Medill recommends, but doesn’t require, such a long warranty.
Oh, and if you’re a Costco member (it’s only $50 to join) and only want a 2-year warranty? You can customize a Medill-approved computer for under $1,300, or more than $550 less than the cheapest option actually recommended by Medill. Costco takes full returns for 3 months after purchase, and has a free, 2-year warranty [PDF] for computers and TVs.
Here’s a screenshot of what I mean. I know that this model has built-in Ethernet, wireless and Firewire to Medill specs, because I bought it a few months ago and am currently typing on it.
And let’s not get started about the software. CDW-G offers Adobe Design Premium CS3, Photoshop and Premiere Elements, and Microsoft Office 2007 Professional for $810. If you buy it with the laptop, it’s $800 pre-installed, and $700 if you put the DVD in yourself. Medill does note that the same software bundle is cheaper from eAcademy — but should make much clearer that it is more than $200 cheaper than the CDW standalone bundle. Here’s the math:
$348 for CS3 Design Premium
+ $77 for Office 2007 Professional
+ $160 for Photoshop and Premiere Elements
= $585
And there are better deals to be had. This academic year, Microsoft offers Office 2007 to students for $60 direct, for instance.
And still, somehow, Medill specifically touts the $2,650 option as “discounted“:
A computer and software package designed especially for Medill is available at a discount. We have negotiated with Computer Discount Warehouse (CDW) to offer the Lenovo T60p, already loaded with the recommended software, at a discounted price of about $2,650.
In short, anyone can get the same thing for about $2,225 (that’s a $1,640 HP laptop, with the three-year warranty, and $585 in software from eAcademy). If you’re willing to forgo a year in your warranty, you can the same thing for about $1,915 (that’s a $1,280 Costco laptop with a two-year warranty, a $50 Costco membership, and $585 in software).
Or, you know, $735 less. And think of how much your family will save on Costco groceries, too!
Technology changes quickly and prices fluctuate; I don’t expect Medill to find the best deal for any given hardware or software, and they certainly say that people should shop around. But if the school endorses specific products and vendors, knowing that many families will listen, it should be pretty close to market price, or cheaper. An hour of searching should not turn up deals that are hundreds of dollars better.