Author Topic: New laptop! (Read 5364 times)

offroadjosh · « **on:** January 28, 2010, 01:17:20 AM »

I need a new laptop for under 500 bucks. Needs to be reliable! Dell will NOT work.(they sucks in my opinion and i have had VERY bad luck with them and there support)

Josh

DaculaWeather · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2010, 06:51:12 AM »

I have both a Dell and Toshiba but my Toshiba feels more solid, the Dell feels cheaper. The Toshiba is the one I use.

Bushman · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2010, 08:49:26 AM »

My new Toshiba L510 cost about 450 and is quite nice.

killwilly · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2010, 08:57:05 AM »

I have two Acer laptops. My old XP runs 24/7 with weather station connected, both have been brilliant. My wife's Toshiba Has been rubbish by comparison.

Alan.

offroadjosh · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2010, 11:52:47 AM »

Hmm I think I may go with Toshiba but I also like ASUS, Going to go to best buy and wally world today and look. I have looked on Newegg and found nothing that I wanted.(Well least not in my price range haha)

Josh

Bushman · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2010, 11:59:37 AM »

Asus has a good rep. In fact, my friend who works for HP told me unequivocally NOT to buy HP! He said they are turkeys and support sucks. I had an Asus netbook for a whiel it was great.

Strgazr27 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 28, 2010, 12:22:48 PM »

For the money it's hard to beat an ACER. Especially if you get it home, wipe the drive to get rid of all the "Crap" on it and do a nice fresh install. My 7yr old LOVES his. It takes a beating from him at times and just keeps on rollin....

Bushman · « **Reply #7 on:** January 28, 2010, 12:45:38 PM »

My Acer netbook (current wx station) rocks.

ncpilot · « **Reply #8 on:** January 28, 2010, 01:24:19 PM »

I bought an Asus for my Father based on the reliability surveys conducted in 2009. Bought it from Amazon, and it carried a 2 year warranty, plus I think a 6 month or 1 year accidental damage warranty. With the $100 rebate from Asus, the price came to around $500-525 IIRC... barely in your price range--if rebates are still available...

They sell for less at places like Best Buy, but only have 1 year warranty...

If I was going to replace mine (an older HP that has been fine), I'd probably look at Asus or Acer...

offroadjosh · « **Reply #9 on:** January 28, 2010, 01:44:27 PM »

Sooo its ASUS or ACER... and maybe Toshiba. I guess I will find the cheapest one with the most power lol.

Josh

Bushman · « **Reply #10 on:** January 28, 2010, 01:48:24 PM »

FWIW, my new Toshiba is a 2 ghz processor with 4 gigs of RAM. It rocks. Does not have HDMI out so that migth be an issue for you. Some laptops do.

Garth Bock · « **Reply #11 on:** January 28, 2010, 02:39:23 PM »

I just bought a Dell Inspiron 15 with an i3 core. It should arrive next week. I was also looking at getting a Mini 10 netbook with GPS for traveling. I am surrounded by Dell here at work and the problems are almost non-existent. I also have an old Inspiron 1150 that I use for DJ'ing that has taken alot of abuse and never lets me down.

Cienega32 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 29, 2010, 06:54:09 AM »

Quote from: offroadjosh on January 28, 2010, 11:52:47 AM

Hmm I think I may go with Toshiba but I also like ASUS, Going to go to best buy and wally world today and look. I have looked on Newegg and found nothing that I wanted.(Well least not in my price range haha)

Josh

Avoid the "Optimized" scam at Best Buy...

Chris H. · « **Reply #13 on:** January 29, 2010, 09:32:40 AM »

My Toshiba Satellite A215 is pretty good. They don't make the A215 anymore, but the Satellite is pretty good for a laptop. Mine has an AMD Turion X2 64 processor (1.6GHz) processor and the RAM is maxed out at 4 gigs. Plus I'm running 7, so that's always a plus. Beats using Vista like it had been.

And if you're concerned about battery life, Toshiba does make a laptop with around 11 hours...which tops anything made by Apple. But in any case, I think this 11 hour laptop made by Toshiba is over $500. And Apple doesn't make a laptop less than $500.

Still there are pretty good laptops at Toshiba.

offroadjosh · « **Reply #14 on:** January 29, 2010, 10:39:37 AM »

Thanks guys=) I am also debating the route of just building my own. Either way I gotta get this done soon haha.

Josh

Chris H. · « **Reply #15 on:** January 30, 2010, 01:19:12 AM »

Quote from: offroadjosh on January 29, 2010, 10:39:37 AM

Thanks guys=) I am also debating the route of just building my own. Either way I gotta get this done soon haha.

Josh

I've yet to find a slim enough empty laptop shell to build my own laptop with. Based on what you're saying, I guess I'm not looking hard enough, huh?

offroadjosh · « **Reply #16 on:** January 30, 2010, 11:42:02 AM »

I have found a few slim plastic cases and 2 aluminum cases(which i'd prolly buy). I would have a solid state HD, 3gb ram, XP, idk on the mother board... or about the rest yet havent decided.

Josh

Strgazr27 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 30, 2010, 12:31:36 PM »

you'll likely find it will cost you more to build it than buy it. Not to mention no warranty. I gave up after 2 tries and I have been building machines since 2001.

offroadjosh · « **Reply #18 on:** January 30, 2010, 04:19:45 PM »

I rather pay a bit more, and know exactly how it was built. Also use the brands and build it to exactly how i want it. Plus it will have a warranty, all the parts I have ever put in a puter either have lifetime or at-least 3yr.

Josh

SLOweather · « **Reply #19 on:** January 30, 2010, 08:00:46 PM »

Quote from: offroadjosh on January 30, 2010, 11:42:02 AM

I have found a few slim plastic cases and 2 aluminum cases(which i'd prolly buy). I would have a solid state HD, 3gb ram, XP, idk on the mother board... or about the rest yet havent decided.

Josh

Just out of curiosity, where did you find these?

cmgaskins · « **Reply #20 on:** January 30, 2010, 09:29:34 PM »

Quote from: offroadjosh on January 28, 2010, 01:17:20 AM

I need a new laptop for under 500 bucks. Needs to be reliable! Dell will NOT work.(they sucks in my opinion and i have had VERY bad luck with them and there support)

Josh

I have used dell computers for the last seven years, yes I have had problems but nothing you wouldn’t have with any computer that runs 24/7. Dell tech support in the beginning did suck but the last three times I have used it with my warranty I had no problems.

Dell Latitude D620
Dell has replaced the:
Monitor, Motherboard and Power Supply
Each time with no complaints

Dell Vostro 420
Never had a problem and it still in use today

Dell Inspiron 1100
Never had a problem and it still in use today

Dell Dimension 4600
Never had a problem and it still in use today

Dell Dimension 2400
Never had a problem and it still in use today

All of these computer are currently running 24/7 and hibernation is turned off.

offroadjosh · « **Reply #21 on:** January 31, 2010, 01:28:35 AM »

Quote from: SLOweather on January 30, 2010, 08:00:46 PM

Quote from: offroadjosh on January 30, 2010, 11:42:02 AM
I have found a few slim plastic cases and 2 aluminum cases(which i'd prolly buy). I would have a solid state HD, 3gb ram, XP, idk on the mother board... or about the rest yet havent decided.

Josh

Just out of curiosity, where did you find these?

Helps when your Dad works at IBM and is the top network engineer.... I get to find neat prizes here and there

Josh

Strgazr27 · « **Reply #22 on:** January 31, 2010, 08:43:18 AM »

Quote from: offroadjosh on January 30, 2010, 04:19:45 PM

I rather pay a bit more, and know exactly how it was built. Also use the brands and build it to exactly how i want it. Plus it will have a warranty, all the parts I have ever put in a puter either have lifetime or at-least 3yr.

Josh

Yep your right but now your looking at tearing it down, sending it out....NOT worth the time and effort unless you want to be able to say you did it yourself.

Proper cooling, grounding, wire routing etc are all things to be taken into account. It's NOT like building a desktop.

If you are bent on it good luck! Post some pictures as you go. I would also LOVE to see a picture of that case.

offroadjosh · « **Reply #23 on:** January 31, 2010, 11:44:57 AM »

Yea I REALLLY wanna build it but the cooling and wiring is what scares me. Maybe I should stick to building desktops and just get a good quality laptop.. One day though I wanna build a laptop to say have done it haha. I may start on one as a project and work on it over a time period.(kinda like my truck... which is eating my money at this point due to upgrades=P

JOsh

SLOweather · « **Reply #24 on:** January 31, 2010, 02:12:23 PM »

Ah, OK.

I found this page about a project where a guy built an Apple 2 GS laptop out of a GS from the 80s and a bunch of custom parts.

http://benheck.com/04-14-2008/apple-iigs-original-hardware-laptop

I got to thinking about trying it, since I have 4 GSes in the garage. Mebbe I'll just make a custom wooden laptop case for it...

Quote from: offroadjosh on January 31, 2010, 01:28:35 AM

Quote from: SLOweather on January 30, 2010, 08:00:46 PM
Quote from: offroadjosh on January 30, 2010, 11:42:02 AM
I have found a few slim plastic cases and 2 aluminum cases(which i'd prolly buy). I would have a solid state HD, 3gb ram, XP, idk on the mother board... or about the rest yet havent decided.

Josh

Just out of curiosity, where did you find these?

Helps when your Dad works at IBM and is the top network engineer.... I get to find neat prizes here and there

Josh

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Author Topic: New laptop! (Read 5364 times)