265 replies to this topic

[Mr Weebles]

I currently have a Dell Inspiron 9300 but it's got the Dell vertical line issue on the screen. And even though it was purchased during the timeframe Dell uses for the free LCD replacement, mine doesn't have the right part number for them to replace it. Which is bullshit.

So I need a new laptop. I won't spend any more money with Dell as they pissed me right the fuck off.

I only use my laptop to surf the net, watch porn and check email. Occasionally I'll edit some video but it mostly run-of-mill computer stuff. No heavy duty gaming or anything.

Also, a Mac is out of the question. I've heard all the arguments for them but let's face it, they're mostly for liberals, pussies and hipster doofuses (doofii?).

Has anyone bought an Acer? I've seen some decent prices online for a 14" or 15.4" model.

Anything else I should look at?

Edited by Mr Weebles, 11 February 2009 - 02:58 PM.

[bsj]

Weebs, FWIW, I have been VERY happy with my HP laptop...I bought it in early 2005 and its been a really good product, although now, 4 years later, I am looking to replace it.

I am probably going to buy another HP...I toyed with the idea of switching to a Mac...but I dont need anything high powered...I can get for $600 what I need in PC tech...would need to spend twice that to get a Mac...

I dont know much about Acer so I'll let someone else tackle that.

[sodenj5]

Not to hijack, but you're really limiting yourself if you just completely rule out macs. I have a PowerBook G4 and it's fantastic. Say what you will about Mac desktops, but I feel that their laptops blow everyone else's out of the water.

[Yaz4Ever]

Weebs, have you considered a netbook instead? You can get some with 160GB HDD, they're very compact, and they're inexpensive. The only drawback I've seen is the fact that they don't come with optical drives (CD, DVD, etc). If you can load something onto a thumbstick or download it via the Internet, and the unit you purchase has a HDD (some don't), I don't see how you'd go wrong.

[bsj]

Not to hijack, but you're really limiting yourself if you just completely rule out macs. I have a PowerBook G4 and it's fantastic. Say what you will about Mac desktops, but I feel that their laptops blow everyone else's out of the water.

I have heard their laptops are great...but they price themselves out of the budgets of a lot of prospective users...I have always been anti-Mac but finally said, let's give it a shot...

$1,200 for an entry level model?

Um...no.

[Mr Weebles]

Not to hijack, but you're really limiting yourself if you just completely rule out macs. I have a PowerBook G4 and it's fantastic. Say what you will about Mac desktops, but I feel that their laptops blow everyone else's out of the water.

DID YOU READ MY FUCKING THREAD?

JESUS H. CHRIST ON A CRACKER, I WILL NOT BUY A FUCKING MAC!

[drleather2001]

I've used IBM Lenovo at my old job and got a new one for law school. It's a rock and I've never had problems with them over a total of 4 years.

[Mr Weebles]

Weebs, have you considered a netbook instead? You can get some with 160GB HDD, they're very compact, and they're inexpensive. The only drawback I've seen is the fact that they don't come with optical drives (CD, DVD, etc). If you can load something onto a thumbstick or download it via the Internet, and the unit you purchase has a HDD (some don't), I don't see how you'd go wrong.

I've considered them but really need an optical drive for work and travel.

Plus, don't they have little teeny screens? I don't know if I can abuse myself to tiny internet porn.

[Blacken]

In order of what I'd buy if I were buying today for somebody who didn't game:

Lenovo (good hardware, not so reasonable prices)
Dell (decent hardware, reasonable prices--your loss if you rule them out, because they're the least bad of the budget manufacturers)
Toshiba (cheap hardware, decent prices)


I am an unashamed Thinkpad fan, so take that with a grain of salt.

You're cutting off your nose to spite your face by ruling out Dell, though--their build quality isn't the best, but it's very consistent. You will always get more or less what you paid for. HP's build quality ranges from good to fucking craptastic, so I can't really recommend them; Acer is a brand with similar quality variance, but topping out around "average".

[twoBshorty]

I just got a Lenovo ThinkPad R400 after 4 years with an Inspiron and have been very happy with it as a simple user. It's very well-built. But, as Blacken's post alludes to, it wasn't cheap. Mine was $1100 with 25% off on the warranty, some other 10% off coupon, and free shipping. And it was already on sale before all that. I did upgrade it off the base model, but it wasn't the high-end customization, either. I think in total I got about $450 off.

[CzarAlexander]

In order of what I'd buy if I were buying today for somebody who didn't game:

Lenovo (good hardware, not so reasonable prices)
Dell (decent hardware, reasonable prices--your loss if you rule them out, because they're the least bad of the budget manufacturers)
Toshiba (cheap hardware, decent prices)
I am an unashamed Thinkpad fan, so take that with a grain of salt.

You're cutting off your nose to spite your face by ruling out Dell, though--their build quality isn't the best, but it's very consistent. You will always get more or less what you paid for. HP's build quality ranges from good to fucking craptastic, so I can't really recommend them; Acer is a brand with similar quality variance, but topping out around "average".

I'd agree with just about everything that Blacken has to say. They have fairly good deals on several of the Thinkpad models right now. I'd shy away from Toshiba, but that's just me.

Thinkpad Deals

[Gagliano]

I'd get a Dell with the 3 or 4 year complete warranty that covers everything, including accidental breakage. A vertical line in the screen? No problem- put a screwdriver through it, and they'll fix it then. Spill a glass of JD on the keyboard? You're all set. And, they will come to you personally the next day. You can't go wrong, especially for about thirty cents a day.

My daughter didn't listen to me, and bought an HP at Best Buy with an extended warranty, and now she has a problem with it (it needs a new motherboard). Yeah, it's covered, but she needs to mail it to HP. Great.

[mrcleanwell]

I bought a Thinkpad T61 two years ago and love it. Haven't had any problems and will definitely be sticking with Lenovo for my next purchase.

[Chuck Schilling]

Another vote for the Lenovo Thinkpad line - my wife got a deal on an R61 for around $600 back in June and has had no issues to date. We've got 2 Macbooks in the family, and each has has issues (though each have seen heavy use and each is owned by a filthy, stinking hippie) - one blown hard drive after 2 years, the other's battery failed after 15 months.

[Blacken]

I'd agree with just about everything that Blacken has to say. They have fairly good deals on several of the Thinkpad models right now. I'd shy away from Toshiba, but that's just me.

Thinkpad Deals

I'm not saying that I'd buy a Toshiba, I'm just saying that if I had a titanic brain cramp and ruled out both Lenovo and Dell, they'd be next on my list.

[Resonance Wright]

Toshiba's problem, I've heard, is that they farm out a lot of their production to third parties and some of them have crappier QC. So it's a bigger crapshoot getting one.

Seriously, Weebs, get a Thinkpad. They're durable as hell -- they actually have a roll cage built into the chassis -- and they're not that expensive (shop a sale, folks, Lenovo has great sales) and they work really well.

[AlNipper49]

Just get a Thinkpad. Everything else is for poor people

[bsj]

Funny...I just spoke to my IT guy and he says he prefers Dell and HP to thinkpad...

Very strange how widely opinions range...

That said...he seems to be the dissenting opinion...I need a new laptop soon and will be looking at Lenovo, HP, and Toshiba...I am not a fan of Dell.

Edited by bsj, 09 February 2009 - 02:22 PM.

[Mr Weebles]

I have a Thinkpad at work and it's a solid machine.

But since I use my home laptop for such few things I'm loathe to spend that kind of dough on a Thinkpad. That money could be better used for beer and ammo.

As much as I hate to do it I'm leaning towards getting another Dell. Fuck.

[3rd Degree]

My old Vaio just bit the dust yesterday so I'm also in the market for a new laptop. Does anybody have any experience with refurbished Macs?

[Resonance Wright]

I don't get the 'thinkpads are expensive' thing. A basic T series is under a grand; if you shop a sale, it'll be in the $800s. Laptops are expensive. If you want to save some dough, buy a refurbed one -- they still come with a year warranty and they're cheaper, you can buy a nice one in the $700s.

Of course, you can buy a cheap laptop. Someone asked about Acer? I read a good writeup on them recently, arguing that they'd come a long way. The only guy, OTOH, I know who bought an Acer laptop bought two of them and neither lasted more than six months.

[Infield Infidel]

I've had my Dell Inspiron 6k since Jan 06, only probably I've had is the battery recalls. still runs like a deer

[Resonance Wright]

This is what I'm talking about. If you select a basic T400, upgrade it to Vista Home Premium and 2GB of RAM and the recommended AGN wireless, and enter in the coupon code USPTHREEDAYSALE -- at checkout, your total drops down to $793.50. That is a hell of a deal for the loadout you get in that machine. Configure an R500 the same way and the price after coupon is $737.80.

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P8400 (2.26GHz 1066MHz 3MBL2) 25W1
Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium12
15.4" WXGA (1280 x 800)
Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)8
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad)
160GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm4
CD-RW/DVD-ROM 24x/24x/24x/8x Max Combo Ultrabay Enhanced5
Intel WiFi Link 5300 (AGN)10
No Bluetooth
6 cell Li-Ion Battery ( 2.4 Ah )60
2714: 1 Year Depot Warranty - TopSeller7

Edit: Forgot the link.

http://shop.lenovo.c...enu-id=products

Edited by Resonance Wright, 10 February 2009 - 10:46 AM.

[bsj]

The Toshibas are not bad priced at all depending on what you are looking for...

I've priced out a couple in the $600-650 range that are pretty capable for most everyday tasks...3 GB of RAM....Duo Core processor...

Edited by bsj, 10 February 2009 - 11:30 AM.

[Resonance Wright]

I'm not saying this to nit-pick -- it's a mistake that a lot of people make. you should look at the processor.

There's a difference between a Core 2 Duo processor and a 'Dual Core' processor. If you are being sold something marketed as having a 'Dual Core' the chances are really good that it's just a Pentium Dual Core or maybe an Athlon X2. The Core 2 Duo brand is a selling point, they usually say Core 2 Duo explicitly if they have it.

Now, if you're fine with having a lower end proc, no biggie. Just the 'Duo Core' thing caught my eye -- wanted to make sure they weren't trying to fool ya.

[bsj]

I hear you...in this case it was in fact a

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T6400 (2.00GHz, 2MB L2, 800MHz FSB)

[Resonance Wright]

If you were a blood relative I would at this point be making a vociferous case as to why spending the extra $100 to get the Thinkpad would be a sound investment. The faster processor with 50% more cache, all by itself, makes a pretty big difference.

But if the extra $100 has been earmarked for something else, Toshiba isn't bad. Just make sure if there's an issue that you get it right back to the store and go buy another one someplace else. The lousy third party production runs on these things have been a huge issue for some folks.

[millionthcustomer]

My old Vaio just bit the dust yesterday so I'm also in the market for a new laptop. Does anybody have any experience with refurbished Macs?

No, but I looked into them pretty extensively before I bought the macbook I own now. I really like it. From what I heard on Mac forums, there's really no difference and they're waranteed just the same with the same applecare package. It can be a way to get bit more mac for your money.

[ShaneTrot]

My old Vaio just bit the dust yesterday so I'm also in the market for a new laptop. Does anybody have any experience with refurbished Macs?

Last March, I bought a late 2007 Macbook refurbished by Apple. Its been solid as a rock and my kids beat the living hell out of it. I like the Macbook but if I were to do it again, I would go for the Macbook Pro. I would like a little more screen real estate.

[bsj]

one thing seems certain...Gateways are dead.

[Orange Julia]

Toshiba's problem, I've heard, is that they farm out a lot of their production to third parties and some of them have crappier QC. So it's a bigger crapshoot getting one.

Seriously, Weebs, get a Thinkpad. They're durable as hell -- they actually have a roll cage built into the chassis -- and they're not that expensive (shop a sale, folks, Lenovo has great sales) and they work really well.

That's definitely the problem I had with my last laptop. it was impossible to find a part for it. I did, eventually but it was almost three weeks. However, i did just buy a new Toshiba and have had no problems. I also bought a toshiba for my niece and my sister bought one too.

However, my stepfather is very happy with his HP laptop, bought last year.

Having done user support in my lifetime, and had to support Dell products, I wouldn't touch them with a 10 ft pole.

[Razor Shines]

My general advice (based on anecdotal evidence only) is to avoid HP. I bought a new one and it lasted about 9 months before I had to replace the mother board. The new motherboard died a month later, fortunately the repair place took care of that free of charge. While I was looking for help on online forums, it appeared that a lot of other people had similar experiences.

FWIW, I bought a used Vaio on eBay and it worked perfectly for three years. It was too big, so I unwisely got rid of it and bought the 14" HP. Big mistake.

[MentalDisabldLst]

Most large businesses either go with HP or Lenovo, and with good reason - Dell's hardware sucks ass and is very inconsistent.

A large part of preferences between Lenovo/IBM and HP mostly revolves around the keyboard. The physical touch thing ends up being a matter of preference. I ask the Lenovo/HP question of every IT guy at every new client site I go to, just to gauge what kind of morons I'm dealing with here, and frankly everyone's usually evenly split. You can't go that far wrong with either vendor.

The only piece of advice I'll insist on is, laptops take a lot of abuse, even if it's just a porn-and-internet machine. Get the extended warranty. At least 2 years if not 3.

Here's a little secret: on the inside, most of the chips and parts of both Lenovo and HP are the same. Really you're just paying for the shell and the marketing. If you try the machines out for a few mins and prefer the layout of one over the other, go for it. Just stay away from Dell - their desktops are great but their laptops use substandard engineering.

[bsj]

I'm finding that if you ask 10 people, you will get 10 completely different answers. I am buying a new laptop as soon as my tax return comes in...a budget one, I dont need anything fancy...Im thinking in the $600-$650 range...and based on my own life experiences, my research, and the feedback here and elsewhere...I think I am going to look at Toshiba or Lenovo, with HP as my backup (I have had pretty good success with HP). I won't be looking at Dell, Acer, or Gateway...

[DJnVa]

I got a Lenovo about a month and a half ago, at Circuit City, for under $700. No problems with it at all.

[Resonance Wright]

One little thing for me is that most laptops these days don't have TrackPoints -- you know, the little guy in the middle of the keyboard you can use to move the mouse around, and the three 'mouse' buttons under the space bar. They just have touchpads. I guess I must be in the minority, because I never use the touchpad, it's all about the trackpoint for me.

[Worst Trade Evah]

I loved my Thinkpad, but my current computer is a Dell Vostro (the small business version). All things being equal I prefer the Thinkpad, but I got more features (like better video for some games) for less money with the Dell. I'm sure there's some loss of quality, but it's been 18 months, and I haven't had any troubles. In fact, when I was in the hospital, my (then) girlfriend dropped my Dell on the hospital floor straight on the corner by the DVD drive from a height of about 4 feet. A chunk of the corner case flew off. And it all still works just fine after that -- even the DVD drive has worked without a hitch. I've been pleasantly surprised.

[MentalDisabldLst]

One little thing for me is that most laptops these days don't have TrackPoints -- you know, the little guy in the middle of the keyboard you can use to move the mouse around, and the three 'mouse' buttons under the space bar. They just have touchpads. I guess I must be in the minority, because I never use the touchpad, it's all about the trackpoint for me.

Do you mean "the nipple"? Yeah, I prefer that to the trackpad too. I hate having to always lift my finger up to go more than a third of the screen.

[bsj]

Nevermind...broke it out.

Edited by bsj, 13 February 2009 - 01:30 PM.

[Fred not Lynn]

Another processor comp please. Can a so-called-expert tell me what performance difference I'll experience between a "Core 2 Duo 1.86 GHz LV" and a "Core 2 Duo SL9400 / 1.86 GHz LV" The first one (without the SL9400) designation is on a machine that has 1 GB more RAM and sells for $600 more.

EDIT: Never mind, I discovered the cause for confusion - they're actually the same processor.

Edited by Fred not Lynn, 13 February 2009 - 12:00 PM.

[Blacken]

Most large businesses either go with HP or Lenovo, and with good reason - Dell's hardware sucks ass and is very inconsistent.

Seems like every environment I've ever been exposed to has HP being the inconsistent hardware (jibes with my own experience, too). Dell's not great, but I don't know if you can really claim that HP's is better.

Here's a little secret: on the inside, most of the chips and parts of both Lenovo and HP are the same. Really you're just paying for the shell and the marketing. If you try the machines out for a few mins and prefer the layout of one over the other, go for it. Just stay away from Dell - their desktops are great but their laptops use substandard engineering.

Not these days. The casing and structure of a new Dell is just a bit of a step down from Lenovo. If you're talking about, like, the 6400/E1505 series of Inspirons, yeah, they sucked (no solid metal base, all-plastic structure), but a new Inspiron or Vostro will be fine and a new Precision (though obviously way out of the question here) is rock-solid. (I've had more than my share of experience taking apart Inspiron notebooks. Of course, mine has to be the rev just before the introduction of mag bases, but it's treated me well enough for the money.)

[ThreeIfBaerga]

I'm heading out tomorrow to grab my first Mac. Since I can't justify spending a shitload on a laptop and since I'm the opposite of a power users, is there any reason I should stay clear of the $1000 Macbook? Is the upgrade to a $1300-$1500 version worth it for someone who is a basic user?

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

A guy I work with just got it and sent me his receipt:
MacBook - $999
3 Years Support/Warranty - $249
Microsoft Office - $149
Corp Discount - ($90)
Tax - $54
-----------------
$1362

[Blacken]

If you can stand that atrocious piece of shit they call a keyboard, then it should be more than fine. Even the low-end MacBook is specced decently, though obviously nothing special.

[ThreeIfBaerga]

If you can stand that atrocious piece of shit they call a keyboard, then it should be more than fine.

What is it about the keyboard that sucks when compared to a PC?

I'm a big right clicker, so I assume not having that option is going to take some getting used to.

[sodenj5]

What is it about the keyboard that sucks when compared to a PC?

I'm a big right clicker, so I assume not having that option is going to take some getting used to.

I'm not sure if on the new notebooks there's a special gesture for right clicking, but on mine, I just hold control and click, works just the same.

Edited by sodenj5, 13 February 2009 - 11:49 PM.

[czar]

I'm not sure if on the new notebooks there's a special gesture for right clicking, but on mine, I just hold control and click, works just the same.

I have an aluminum unibody Macbook-- the entire touchpad is now the button, so clicking the bottom right corner of the pad brings up right click menu items. You can also set a two finger tap to bring up said menu as well as the aforementioned Ctrl+click.

[czar]

What is it about the keyboard that sucks when compared to a PC?

I'm a big right clicker, so I assume not having that option is going to take some getting used to.

I'll dissent and say I like the chiclet style keyboard. It has a bit of a learning curve, but after a couple weeks I was typing at my regular speed. The keys on all the Macs I've used have good tactile response and rebound-- although they are a bit more spread out than your typical notebook keyboard so those with small hands might notice a bit more of a "stretch" (so I've read on other forums and whatnot).

The biggest pain IMO is the lack of a 'del' key for forward deletions. Holding fn+Delete (Delete is like Backspace on a regular keyboard) does the trick, but I still haven't gotten used to it yet.

[Blacken]

What is it about the keyboard that sucks when compared to a PC?

Uncomfortable travel, mostly. Typing on the thing hurts like hell, but I hit keys relatively hard when typing so I may be an outlier.