I'd check with your school. I've seen folk get by with less but at 250 yes it's OK. However I find many struggle to compile code on Linux. I'd like to see folk learn all that but many need to start easy like Visual Studio (which has a free Express version for folk in school and more.)
You can bump the RAM later for a little boost. It's not a terrible machine.
Bob
PS. http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-Pentium-N3540-vs-Intel-Core-i3-4005U pegs it close to the i3. I see a 250 buck offering with Windows that would ease the frustration level for a beginner.
Hello, I am a second year college student majoring in Computer Science. I'm learning C++ now, and will soon be learning HTML and Python. I have a good desktop setup, so power really isn't a huge issue. However, for being on the go so often I need a portable laptop for writing my programs, and doing the usual, simple school work and note taking.
I found a Dell 14 3000 Series pre-loaded with Ubuntu, which I think would be a nice addition for my programming, and it is a very cheap deal ($249). It has an:
-Intel Pentium N3540, 2M Cache, 2.66 GHz Processor
-4GB Single Channel DDR3L Memory
-500GB 5400 rpm HDD
I absolutely understand this is not a powerhouse machine, but what I'm asking is will it do the job well? I don't want a terrible machine that will only anger me as I try to work efficiently, but I sure won't be gaming or video editing on this. Thanks for all the advice you can give me!

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