# Looking to Buy a Laptop



## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

I am ruling out a Mac, because I can't afford it. I'd like to keep it around the $500.00 mark give or take $50.00. I don't do gaming, but do have a website to maintain. 

Any comments or suggestions? ~Thanks!~


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

You should have no problem finding a laptop under $500. Look at a discount house like TigerDirect.com and use the sort by price option. Look for an Intel dual core machine with a at least 2 gigs RAM and a 15" screen. Personally, I don't worry about brand.


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## aspiringfarmer (Jan 30, 2010)

Hi Rean,
Try searching the Dell website. The Inspiron series might be of interest to you. Two possible options would be:
http://www.dell.com/us/en/business/notebooks/laptop-inspiron-1545/pd.aspx?refid=laptop-inspiron-1545&s=bsd&cs=04&~oid=us~en~4~laptop_inspiron_1545_anav2~~
or
http://www.dell.com/us/en/business/notebooks/laptop-inspiron-1545/pd.aspx?refid=laptop-inspiron-1545&s=bsd&cs=04&~oid=us~en~4~laptop_inspiron_1545_anav2~~

I hope that helps. If you have any questions, let us know!

Kind regards,
aspiringfarmer


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## fratermus (May 11, 2009)

Web work shouldn't take too much horsepower. When I made this decision recently I picked a small Eee netbook and really like it. 

You may find it useful to pick one with an ability to dock so you can plop it down and effectively have a desktop. Having an external kb/mouse/monitor hooked up the dock can really reduce fatigue during those long CSS-hacking sessions...

I've found docks @ eBay for $10 depending on the laptop brand.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

I would suggest that you spend all you can to buy one as quality seems to be hand in hand with price. 

http://www.carbonite.com/blog/post/2009/11/Laptop-Failure-Rates.aspx


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Windy in Kansas said:


> I would suggest that you spend all you can to buy one as quality seems to be hand in hand with price.
> 
> http://www.carbonite.com/blog/post/2009/11/Laptop-Failure-Rates.aspx


Spending more on a computer normally buys additional performance. But there's no reason to believe that a higher performance machine will have a lower failure rate.

If you are thinking of spending more on a computer to buy peace of mind from product failure, I think your dollars are better spent elsewhere (perhaps on an extended product warranty).

Buy just what you need, and no more.


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## rikithasta (Jan 29, 2010)

Nevada is very right about price and product failure. The more fancy things a computer has, the more likely it is to fail. The only difference is they come with better warranties automatically. The one upgrade you should look for is the Intel Dual Core or Core 2 Duo, they'll double the life span of your computer, and they're available at the 500 dollar range.

I've owned, used, and fixed a variety of HPs and Dells. I tend toward them because they're a bit cheaper than the other brands and they're still pretty good for non-gamers. I took a quick look, the Inspiron 15 for 450 looks good. 

Like another user said, you can get deals from TigerDirect.com and NewEgg.com. Cnet.com has reviews of specific computers, and usually lists the places to buy them.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

rikithasta said:


> The one upgrade you should look for is the Intel Dual Core or Core 2 Duo, they'll double the life span of your computer, and they're available at the 500 dollar range.


Yes, if you're going to go with a new machine then don't fool with anything but a dual core processor. They're not that expensive anymore. I bought a dual core laptop on sale at Fry Electronics a few months ago for $329.

An argument could be made for buying a high-end Pentium 4 machine if you can find a killer deal on a used off-lease laptop at eBay. A machine like that will run XP just fine, which should hold you for a good long time, as long as you have modest computing needs.


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

Thanks for all of the replies! Right now I am using an old dell 5150 that has had a huge history of problems. I have a dell desktop, that runs pretty good. I've done a couple of home builds of desktops, and don't know if folks are home building laptops. Any one know about that?


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Well it seems to me a company that is paying for warranty replacement using facts from their files would know what is and isn't. Their evidence and statements clearly show that reliability is in part based on product quality, i.e. cost.

As sited in the URL given. The graphs seem pretty clear. To each their own however.
http://www.squaretrade.com/htm/pdf/SquareTrade_laptop_reliability_1109.pdf


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

Hmmm. Acer and Toshiba. Thanks Windy for the site!!



Windy in Kansas said:


> As sited in the URL given. The graphs seem pretty clear. To each their own however.
> http://www.squaretrade.com/htm/pdf/SquareTrade_laptop_reliability_1109.pdf


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

I'd agree with Windy - if I were to purchase a laptop today, I'd go with one of the two you mentioned. I disagree with Nevada on that one point - there ARE laptop manufacturers out there whose laptops are proven to be more reliable, even if they are based on the same parts generally.


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## WindowOrMirror (Jan 10, 2005)

Another caution that I would give is that, though the netbooks data looks like a GREAT cost/failure tradeoff, netbooks often get bought, used for a month or two and then sit the rest of their life. Alternatively, they can be a second computer that gets used only travelling, etc while an "expensive" laptop gets used all the time. With similar use rates, I would wager that the Netbook failure rate skyrockets.

R

P.S. Rean... ASUS and Toshiba, not "Acer"


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

WindowOrMirror said:


> P.S. Rean... ASUS and Toshiba, not "Acer"


Whoops!!! That's what I get for trying to stay awake for a few hours after working a night shift. Thanks!


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## FarmerChick (Dec 28, 2009)

check out this site

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu8QBn...8j/EXP=1265037441/**http://www.cwioutlet.com/

great deals big time


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Kung said:


> I disagree with Nevada on that one point - there ARE laptop manufacturers out there whose laptops are proven to be more reliable, even if they are based on the same parts generally.


Maybe. My new laptop is a Lenovo, which is IBM's new product line. Evidently their keyboards aren't the new sealed type. As a result I'll be replacing the keyboard due to a coffee spill.

My point is that it didn't do me a lot of good to buy an IBM product.


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## rikithasta (Jan 29, 2010)

Rean you asked about home built laptops. 
Laptops are still at a point where you have to plan everything extremely carefully. If you have a big block of nothing in a desktop it isn't too big of a deal. If you do in a laptop, it stops being a laptop. Because of this, everything is more integrated in a laptop, and the case is designed around the insides. 
I'm sure it is possible to build your own, but there isn't nearly as many people doing it as there are desktop builders. Because of this it isn't cheap. 

Also, a note on your old dell, they're kind of different post 2007ish (can't pinpoint the year, it could be a bit earlier). I found the newer dells to be much more durable.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

rikithasta said:


> Rean you asked about home built laptops.


I thought he was making a ******* laptop joke.

http://www.break.com/pictures/*******-laptop611454.html


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## HOTW (Jul 3, 2007)

I have a Toshiba which I bought for about $389. My daughetr has one I would buy another one again.my DH is a rep for HP and computer repairman for Dell..LOL..the Toshiba replaced a HP that the hinges did a whack job and shorted the whole interior. The Toshiba hinge is not 2 hinges but 1 across the length of the machine. The guys in the store were busting my DH for my buying ti but it was my money and I had been impressed by my daughter's machine.


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2010)

Having bought a Toshiba laptop a few years ago, I get email from them all the time. about 2 weeks ago, there was an ad for one for $299. This is the same one, but now it's 399. If I were going to do any sort of upgrade, it'd be memory. You can get more processor too, but very few applications that you'd use would challenge the default one. Anyway, possibly you can get on their mailing list, next time it's $299, look at it and a couple upgrades. 
http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/cdetland.to?poid=467347


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## OntarioMan (Feb 11, 2007)

I think most any laptop will last 2 years, but finding one that will last 3-5+ years is much more difficult. Some of the consumer grade cheaper laptops are built poorly/cheaply - they flex, plastic parts break, motherboards have cheap components, etc. 

I have two older laptops, an IBM ThinkPad and a Dell Latitude. Both are long past their prime, but both are still productive and continue to function well. Ironically, I've been given several much newer/faster consumer grade laptops in recents years, all had failed for one reason or another and were far too expensive to fix.

If your needs are not great, and you can live with (or want) XP, then perhaps something like an off-lease T42/T43 would work... they're quite cheap now and very durable/capable. When the promos hit, I've seen these systems for just over $200, and when you buy from places like IBM.com, they come with a short warranty. Aside from that, I'd have to agree with whoever said "spend a bit more and get a better quality laptop". Laptops are more difficult and more expensive to fix, so quality is important.


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

zong said:


> Having bought a Toshiba laptop a few years ago, I get email from them all the time. about 2 weeks ago, there was an ad for one for $299. This is the same one, but now it's 399.
> http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/cdetland.to?poid=467347


Thanks Zong! I've been leaning toward a Toshiba!


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## fratermus (May 11, 2009)

Windy in Kansas said:


> Well it seems to me a company that is paying for warranty replacement using facts from their files would know what is and isn't.


Companies are fully capable of squandering funds and making moronic decisions. There is nothing magical about companies that guarantees (or even suggests) they know what is good for them.



Windy in Kansas said:


> Their evidence and statements clearly show that reliability is in part based on product quality, i.e. cost.


Quality != cost.
Correllation != causation.

The word "quality" does not appear in that .pdf.

I suspect the price difference between low-end and premium laptops is _way_ bigger than the spread between their 3yr failure rates (20.6% and 18.1% according to the graph).


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

fratermus said:


> I suspect the price difference between low-end and premium laptops is _way_ bigger than the spread between their 3yr failure rates (20.6% and 18.1% according to the graph).


While there are industrial laptops available at extra cost (that's a whole other story; but trust me, you don't want to pay what they want for one), when talking about consumer laptops the difference between low-end and premium laptops is performance. If extra performance is important to you for some reason then fine, but don't expect better reliability from a higher performance laptop. That's not what they're promising and that's not what you're getting.

I hear that all the time. I had a friend ask me about a video adapter for a desktop computer while we were at Fry's Electronics a while back. I showed him an inexpensive adapter and told him that it would more than meet his needs. He picked up a box with a higher performance adapter that cost twice as much and asked, "Wouldn't this one last longer?" People often get the impression that if they pay more they'll get better reliability, but there's no reason to believe that a higher performance video adapter will last any longer than a lower performance adapter. The same is true with laptops.

Now for brand. Most people who buy on the basis of brand do so based on previous experience. Like someone (or his brother-in-law) owning a Dell previously and having good luck with it, so he buys another Dell. However, that's not conclusive evidence that the new Dell will be any more reliable than an ACER or Lenovo laptop.

What I do is to buy in the basis of value (lowest price) for a machine with specifications that meets my needs. I know that from a maintenance & reliability standpoint that I'm taking the luck of the draw no matter what brand or model I buy. I have to live with that risk, but I don't see how my risk is any greater than someone who continues to purchase the same brand of laptop for emotional reasons.

Sorry for going on about this, but this topic is important to me. I hate to see trusting people get screwed. All I'm saying is don't spend $1800 on a laptop when a $400 laptop will meet your needs. If you don't know the difference then the $400 laptop is probably right for you. When in doubt, ask a question in this forum.


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

All very good points. I thank everyone for their input. I was having a discussion with my daughter tonight about flat screen TV's. She wants to buy one from best buy, and I tell her to buy from someone with a more reliable customer service return policy. Of course whenever I tell my children something, I am the village idiot. lol. I was telling her that the innards in a Sanyo, are probably the same or similar to a Sony, as holds true with computers, which made me stop and think. "How willing am I to pay for a popular brand name." So. I am slinking of to my corner, and doing some more research, and coming back here to read what everyone is advising.

Thank you all!!!


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

I've decided on a Toshiba. But am wondering has anyone every bought a refurb? Thanks!


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## OntarioMan (Feb 11, 2007)

All electronics are definately not "the same". The quality of some of the components which make up the system vary widely, other components are very similar. With laptops for example, quality of motherboards, power supplies, fans, keyboards and the case itself vary widely. Quality of components like hard drives and cpu's doesn't vary nearly as much since there are far fewer manufacturers of those components. 

I would agree that a good return policy is a definate must. With laptops, you quite often see folks buy extended warranties where they normally wouldn't - laptops are difficult and expensive to repair. Laptops often come with a one year warranty, so what happens if your $500 laptop fails after 18 months? 

Which brand and which model to buy? Who knows... they change so quickly now that its impossible to keep up.



rean said:


> All very good points. I thank everyone for their input. I was having a discussion with my daughter tonight about flat screen TV's. She wants to buy one from best buy, and I tell her to buy from someone with a more reliable customer service return policy. Of course whenever I tell my children something, I am the village idiot. lol. I was telling her that the innards in a Sanyo, are probably the same or similar to a Sony, as holds true with computers, which made me stop and think. "How willing am I to pay for a popular brand name." So. I am slinking of to my corner, and doing some more research, and coming back here to read what everyone is advising.
> 
> Thank you all!!!


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

rean said:


> But am wondering has anyone every bought a refurb?


Refurbished is not a problem, at least with respect to laptops. A refurbished laptop is a machine that had a problem in the field so it was exchanged for a new laptop, usually within a few weeks of initial purchase. The laptop is returned to the manufacturer for repair, say to replace the CD drive or touchpad with new parts. After repair the refurbished laptop should be 100% in all respects. There is no reason to shy away from a refurbished laptop.


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

Thanks Nevada, I was thinking the same thing, but just wanted to hear it from someone else! :0)



Nevada said:


> After repair the refurbished laptop should be 100% in all respects. There is no reason to shy away from a refurbished laptop.


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## fratermus (May 11, 2009)

I've bought many refurbished electronic items (car gps, handheld gps, netbook, mp3 players) and haven't had a problem with any of them. Just have to watch the price. I've seen some refurbs go for more than a loss leader was selling them for new.


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