Is there any brand I should absolutely avoid? Any honorable mentions?

Looking for something around $500, which looks doable. This will be my first one and I want to avoid drama!

go laptop..

BlackAdder7 said:

go laptop..

That's a given

I am thinking about doing the same thing. I was so pleased with my Dell desktop, still alive and well after 8 years, that I am considering another.

But I don't know if Dell Laptops are the thing.

I think I have been told to avoid Toshiba. My brother had one, IIRC, that died quickly

I'd get a macbook, but they're like $1000

NDRU said:

I'd get a macbook, but they're like $1000

Yeah, I would too but I just need something that will do in the meantime of me having an extra $1500 to drop on a Mac!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

NDRU said:

I'd get a macbook, but they're like $1000

Yeah, I would too but I just need something that will do in the meantime of me having an extra $1500 to drop on a Mac!

I'm in the same boat

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

NDRU said:

I'd get a macbook, but they're like $1000

Yeah, I would too but I just need something that will do in the meantime of me having an extra $1500 to drop on a Mac!

Why not get a refurbished Mac. They are just as good as a new mac, but cheaper( the reason they are refurbishes is because most of the time, people just bring them back because they decided that they don't want them.) Also, If you are a student, you can get one at a discount. I have 2 of them,(a macbook 6 years old and an Imac, nearly 2 years old) and I have never had a problem. I can't really say that back the PC's that I have own....Except one, my HP, that lasted 5 years. Go on the apple website and type in refurbished macbook and see what you find.

shorttrini said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Yeah, I would too but I just need something that will do in the meantime of me having an extra $1500 to drop on a Mac!

Why not get a refurbished Mac. They are just as good as a new mac, but cheaper( the reason they are refurbishes is because most of the time, people just bring them back because they decided that they don't want them.) Also, If you are a student, you can get one at a discount. I have 2 of them,(a macbook 6 years old and an Imac, nearly 2 years old) and I have never had a problem. I can't really say that back the PC's that I have own....Except one, my HP, that lasted 5 years. Go on the apple website and type in refurbished macbook and see what you find.

that's a good idea

my sister got one from craigslist, even (something I would not do) and it has been fine

NDRU said:

shorttrini said:

Why not get a refurbished Mac. They are just as good as a new mac, but cheaper( the reason they are refurbishes is because most of the time, people just bring them back because they decided that they don't want them.) Also, If you are a student, you can get one at a discount. I have 2 of them,(a macbook 6 years old and an Imac, nearly 2 years old) and I have never had a problem. I can't really say that back the PC's that I have own....Except one, my HP, that lasted 5 years. Go on the apple website and type in refurbished macbook and see what you find.

that's a good idea

my sister got one from craigslist, even (something I would not do) and it has been fine

Apple has some great deals on refurbished mac's. Like I said, you can get Applecare and it is covers the computer just like it would a new mac.

NDRU said:

shorttrini said:

Why not get a refurbished Mac. They are just as good as a new mac, but cheaper( the reason they are refurbishes is because most of the time, people just bring them back because they decided that they don't want them.) Also, If you are a student, you can get one at a discount. I have 2 of them,(a macbook 6 years old and an Imac, nearly 2 years old) and I have never had a problem. I can't really say that back the PC's that I have own....Except one, my HP, that lasted 5 years. Go on the apple website and type in refurbished macbook and see what you find.

that's a good idea

my sister got one from craigslist, even (something I would not do) and it has been fine

great idea but they still start out at a grand!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

NDRU said:

that's a good idea

my sister got one from craigslist, even (something I would not do) and it has been fine

great idea but they still start out at a grand!

yeah I noticed that. But the newest, cheapest macbooks start at $999

NDRU said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

great idea but they still start out at a grand!

yeah I noticed that. But the newest, cheapest macbooks start at $999

This is true, but they last. I have had both of mine for a total of 9 years and I have yet to have an issue. If you are a student, or work for a school you get additional discounts. If you wanna go the PC route, HP has some excellent laptops as well.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Is there any brand I should absolutely avoid? Any honorable mentions?

Looking for something around $500, which looks doable. This will be my first one and I want to avoid drama!

get a blue one!

XxAxX said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Is there any brand I should absolutely avoid? Any honorable mentions?

Looking for something around $500, which looks doable. This will be my first one and I want to avoid drama!

get a pink one!

now you're stereoptying..literally!

BlackAdder7 said:

XxAxX said:

get a pink one!

now you're telling him to get one just like mine..literally!

i thought yours was sparkly red

shorttrini said:

NDRU said:

yeah I noticed that. But the newest, cheapest macbooks start at $999

This is true, but they last. I have had both of mine for a total of 9 years and I have yet to have an issue. If you are a student, or work for a school you get additional discounts. If you wanna go the PC route, HP has some excellent laptops as well.

right, what I mean is brand new ones are starting at $999, but the used ones are more than that which is strange

1) What is your budget?

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

a. Netbook; 10” screen or less
b. Ultraportable; 11" - 12” screen
c. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
d. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
e. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen

3) Where will you buying this notebook?

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?

a. Like:
b. Dislike:

5) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed?

6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?

7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?

8) Will you be playing games on your notebook? If so, please state which games or types of games?

9) How many hours of battery life do you need?

10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?

11) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista or Windows 7), Mac OS, Linux, etc.

Screen Specifics

12) From the choices below, what screen resolution(s) would you prefer? Keep in mind screen size in conjunction with resolution will play a large role in overall viewing comfort level. Everyone is different. Some like really small text, while others like their text big and easy to read. If you are unsure of what to purchase, we would highly recommend you check some notebook screens before you buy to see what you like. You may also wish to take a look at the notebook screen guide for more information.

• Netbook resolution: WSVGA
• Actual resolutions: 1024x600 and 1024x576
• Offered on Netbooks 10" and smaller
• Netbook standard resolution. This is the lowest resolution available, and is designed to easily read text and icons on smaller-sized netbook screens. However, this leads to a somewhat “crowded” display that can generally only handle one visible window at a time. Typically not available on larger machines.
• Standard Resolutions: WXGA, HD, 720p
• Actual resolutions: 1280x800 and 1366x768
• Offered on larger Netbooks and Notebooks up to 16"
• Lower resolution screens offer big text and icons that are easy to read. Less stuff fits on the screen, which translates into more scrolling. Multiple windows can be worked with, though they may have to overlap some.
• Midrange Resolutions: WXGA+, HD+, 900p
• Actual resolutions: 1440x900 and 1600x900
• Offered on all Notebooks. Keep in mind text will be very small on a 12" WXGA+ notebook.
• A set of in-between resolution options that are found on some machines. Considered base resolution on 17" inch and higher laptops. Text and icons are smaller than standard resolution screens, and more windows fit onto the screen. These resolutions are very good for working with multiple windows side-by-side, without having to overlap them.
• Maximum Resolutions: WSXGA+, WUXGA, FHD, 1080p
• Actual resolutions: 1680x1050, 1920x1200 and 1920x1080
• Offered on Notebook 15" and larger
• On these screens text and icons will be very small. Text can often be hard to read, though some do like it. A very large number of windows fit on the screen, and there will be little need to overlap any of them. Max resolution screens are good for applications that require high detail (CAD, graphics editing, etc.)

13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?

15) When are you buying this laptop?

16) How long do you want this laptop to last?

Notebook Components

17) How much hard drive space do you need; 80GB to 640GB? Do you want a SSD drive?

18) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?

[Edited 12/20/10 18:15pm]

[Edited 12/20/10 18:21pm]

i am hopeless with computers and ALL electrical devices

so i am sorry i can not help u....

i always trust the sales ppl... except when they confuse me,

if they take their time and explain it...that's when i get it

I just got a Gateway laptop. I've yet to take it out the box.

I love my new HP laptop

Our dell lasted for yrs with zero issue

Go with an ASUS if you are going to get a laptop and don't have the $$$$ to spend on a MacBook.

They are great with porcessing and memory and memory, and you can get a really decent laptop for about $500.

Used Mac G5 or new mac mini

NDRU said:

shorttrini said:

This is true, but they last. I have had both of mine for a total of 9 years and I have yet to have an issue. If you are a student, or work for a school you get additional discounts. If you wanna go the PC route, HP has some excellent laptops as well.

right, what I mean is brand new ones are starting at $999, but the used ones are more than that which is strange

That IS strange...I will call them tomorrow and send u an org note.

shorttrini said:

NDRU said:

right, what I mean is brand new ones are starting at $999, but the used ones are more than that which is strange

That IS strange...I will call them tomorrow and send u an org note.

the problem seems to be that only the MacBook Pro is available online as refurbished, and it is the MacBook that is $999 new.

Before you buy, whatever you buy - ask about the recycling charge you may or may not see on your bill. I bought a new Mac at Future Shop, sent someone to pick up and pay...and when they returned I found a $165 recycling fee on the bill. Called to see if this was a mistake. Apparently not. Same thing with the new printer I bought - $50.

I see some stores are charging, some are not. Something wrong with this picture.

Don't buy a really expensive anything unless it actually does something that you NEED. $300 laptops that do everything a normal person does on a computer are easily found. If you need something with 3 or 4 gigs of memory instead of 2, or a 500 GB hd instead of 250 or 320, it may run you $400-500. And if you get one of those you should be able to do pretty much anything other than the highest of high end gaming. So my only advice is to not over pay for a fashion statement laptop - just get what you need.

One needs to plan for the future. While I agree that one should buy a computer for what you need it to do, I always say, the more the better. I am willing to shell out the on a computer, so I will not have to upgrade it for years to come. Give me all the bells and whistles now, I don't have to spend the money getting those things, that I needed, later.

It's a good thing I have a cousin who knows how to build PCs from scratch. He did mine, and I've had it for ten years with only one problem. He's going to build me a new, SUPER PC next year. I can't wait.

He always told me don't buy store PCs, because they don't put top-line pats in them.