Best Basic Laptop?

[Johnny]

The case on this old (2.5 yrs.) Toshiba is falling apart and the coma key doesn't work and it's running slooow so I'm gonna pick up a new one today if I get my chores done.

Checking Fry's and Best Buy's websites I see Toshibas, (hey the coma worked), Compaqs, HPs (some refurbished), Asuses, and other obscure brands with various AMD and Intel processors. Any much better than another? Any to avoid?

Seems like a lot of choices for $350-500. I'm no techno geek, so a laptop is just a tool to me and I would rather spend my money on funner stuff.

I don't do any gaming. Just word processing, web surfing, and music from Rhapsody. (Y'all otta check out Rhapsody if you haven't already. For $9.99/mo. you can listen to any music you specify 24/7. Any albums, artists, etc. and buy any at a reasonable price if you want.)

Much obliged.

 

[Brian R]

I've never gone wrong with Dell...but it's a little pricey and not sure if they sell it in stores.

The Acer is supposed to be really good and for a good price.

Are you getting the full size or one of the mini notebooks?

 

[Johnny]

Thanks Brian.

BB has a Dell for under five but it recieved poor reviews.

Prolly a regular laptop.

Fry's has some Lenovos. They ok?

 

[Billy]

We buy from the selection available (except for HP which we will not buy again) at Costco because we get a 2 yr warranty from them & an extra yr from AMEX which gives us 3 yrs warranty without purchasing an extended warranty. This works well for us since we replace computers every 2 - 3 yrs.

Our current LapTops are Toshiba & Gateway & 2 older HPs which will be replaced by end of the year hopefully.

 

[Todd Anthony]

Thanks Brian.

BB has a Dell for under five but it recieved poor reviews.

Prolly a regular laptop.

Fry's has some Lenovos. They ok?

lenovos are IBM

 

[renegade_cowboy]

I just bought an Acer from BB for $326 and it works great, came with windows 7.

 

[Ron Werner]

bought a ACER, normal size, from Future Shop, be 3yrs this Boxing Day. Still working fine.
(sent from my acer )

Stay away from Celeron processors, if they are even using it any more.

 

[ruff]

We buy from the selection available (except for HP which we will not buy again) at Costco because we get a 2 yr warranty from them & an extra yr from AMEX which gives us 3 yrs warranty without purchasing an extended warranty. This works well for us since we replace computers every 2 - 3 yrs.

Our current LapTops are Toshiba & Gateway & 2 older HPs which will be replaced by end of the year hopefully.

Billy is absolutely right!
Do not buy an HP product.

They have the worse, absolutely the worse, customer service in the known universe. If anything goes wrong you will get no help at all. With that level of ubber dismal customer support it is a miracle (or maybe a shame) that they are still in business. Go figure.

From my experience if you get pretty similar specifications, the prices are pretty much the same. From the three manufacturers that I bought from: Dell, Gateway and HP- Dell had the best cutomer service and were always very helpful.

 

[John Buxton]

I've had HP's and think they suck.

I now have a Lenovo and would rebuy a Lenovo in a heartbeat, great machine. Go online to Lenovo and call them and go over what you need. The only thing I wouldn't buy again is the fingerprint thing, they dont work very well and really slow startup. Their customer service is in the US, they speak english!

 

[Brian R]

Jen has had her HP with no real probelms for about 8 years now.
I had my Dell for about the same

Dell is the absolute best I've dealt with for customer service...even though I didn't need them much.

A few computer geek friends of mine have said the same thing about Dell's Customer Service.

I'm not sure about HP's

 

[Brian R]

Off topic...I was so close to getting the Dell monitor with face recognition. It see's who you are and you don't need a password.
That's pretty damn cool...not sure it was worth the extra 5 or 6 hundred bucks though.

 

[Billy]

Off topic...I was so close to getting the Dell monitor with face recognition. It see's who you are and you don't need a password.
That's pretty damn cool...not sure it was worth the extra 5 or 6 hundred bucks though.

My Wifes Toshiba has some sort of Face Recognition Software in it although she has never set it up.

 

[Johnny]

Thanks for all the good advice!

Got home from a quick job to find no hot water. So today became new water heater day. Got fifteen years out of the old one. Not leaking but the pilot won't stay lit. Fetched a new one from my plumber-bud. Taking a break while the old one drains.

Maybe tomorrow will be new computer day.

 

[Brian R]

Rinnai tankless gas water heater

shiteatinggrin

 

[Ryan]

Macbooks are hard to beat if you don't mind the OS.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Like my little acer, easy to take anywhere. HSN

 

[Brian R]

Like my little acer, easy to take anywhere. HSN

Hey, We're talking about laptops here....Not THAT kind of laptop. :shock:
Is that your little nickname for it? shiteatinggrin

So what kind of computer do you use? :mrgreen:

Sorry bro...couldn't resist.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Acer Aspire One
Intel Atom processor
1.6 gig RAM
150 gig HD Wifi and webcam built in. Pretty good sound.

 

[Gnu]

I loathe all the big company pc makers. dell, hp, gateway, because they have the entire pc littered with their programs to promote business later on. ink, upgrades, internet, etc, and that slows it down to the point where the pc can barely function. I bought a dell, took it back, compaque took it back, highest priced hp hated it, acer and loved it on it righ now lol. Its packed with useful stuff, dvd, buttloads of memory, awesome video card mine has HDMI too great for netflix or blockbuster online movies on demand. and high end digital sound quality that is high def too. I paid $7bills and dont regret it one bit. 20 X's faster than the others I tried out. without all the spam. its quick and to the point unlike my response here lol

 

[Billy]

I loathe all the big company pc makers. dell, hp, gateway, because they have the entire pc littered with their programs to promote business later on. ink, upgrades, internet, etc, and that slows it down to the point where the pc can barely function. I bought a dell, took it back, compaque took it back, highest priced hp hated it, acer and loved it on it righ now lol. Its packed with useful stuff, dvd, buttloads of memory, awesome video card mine has HDMI too great for netflix or blockbuster online movies on demand. and high end digital sound quality that is high def too. I paid $7bills and dont regret it one bit. 20 X's faster than the others I tried out. without all the spam. its quick and to the point unlike my response here lol

I recently in the last couple of months bought a Gateway which to my surprise didn't have as much Bloatware as my previous HPs. What I always do is remove all the Bloatware first thing with a good uninstaller before ever using the laptop. Gateway & Acer are the same company now.

 

[joeynbgky]

The problems I have with the 1 gateway and 4 acers is the power cord connector...... They always break loose from the board inside and have to be repaired... So lat year I bought a Toshiba netbook.. The most expensive netbook I think.. I love it! The best full size laptop that I had was a White westinghouse! Yes, that's right Westinghouse... They had a model that came with a 19 inch monitor and the whole package. I still use it sometimes.. They quit making them. I think after 1 year . heres an old one I found on ebay.... http://cgi.ebay.com/Westinghouse-NB-14w ... 2a0a54da33

I need a new desktop for my office though. I have a 3 year old Emachines.. Works great but I am affraid something could happen any time..

BTW Emachines is my favorite desktop of all times!

 

[Johnny]

Thanks, y'all, for your advice.

I busted my budget for a Fujitsu Lifebook, Intel Core i3, 4 meganerd RAM, 500 whatever hard drive.

I chose the Lifebook cuz the case is rugged and it has a spill-resistant keyboard. It also has Bluetooth so I can play Rhapsody through my sound system. It also has a comma.

What I don't like about it so far is the keyboard layout with the number keypad on the right. Almost all have this, but why? Also, the four navigation arrow keys are smaller than my Toshiba. I hope I get used to it.