Opinion? laptop brand (Full Version)

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bobby -> Opinion? laptop brand (3/8/2006 17:23:46)

HP or Sony?

[8|]



BobbyDouglas -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/8/2006 18:44:21)

quote:

ORIGINAL: bobby

HP or Sony?

[8|]

- Neither. Dell laptops are the best for their price/performance right now. And if they don't have a good deal for the specific laptop you want, they will within the next month. If you would rather stay away from Dell, Toshiba usually has pretty good deals on good laptops. Toshiba's tech support involes dialing a single toll free phone number, providing an ID # on the bottom of the laptop, and waiting for 2 minutes to talk to a rep that knows something.

Without knowing what your use is, here's my suggestion:
1.66GHz Intel Core Duo CPU
Windows XP Media Center
15.4" Widescreen LCD
512MB Shared Single Channel DDR2 SDRAM 533MHZ
40GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
CD/DVD Burner
WiFi
Crappy Dell 720 Printer
Price: $729 shipped
linky

If you want to add another stick of ram, or upgrade your hard drive, it is usually best to do it with parts from another store (such as Newegg). Hard drives and ram are pretty easy to install.

If you end up spending another couple hundred on the Dell laptop, I have some coupon codes for additional $$ off ($200 of $1600, $250 off $1700, $350 off $2000).



Kitka -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/8/2006 19:50:01)

quote:

HP or Sony?


I don't have any personal experience with either brand, but a client has a Sony Vaio which has been nothing but trouble for him. Every time something goes wrong, it has to be sent away and he is often without it for weeks each time. He has a business with two branches in different cities that he shuttles between. So he needs to have a reliable portable computer with all his current files including payroll for staff. It is damaging to his business to be without it so frequently and for such long periods.

Needless to say, he won't be buying another Sony in the near future. [&:]

I own a 5 year old Dell laptop, and I have to say it has been very reliable - it has never needed any repairs or replacement except the battery. I have whinged a heap about the support being located in Malaysia and India - but have only needed it on a couple of occasions. So I'll back BobbyDouglas' recommendation.



bobby -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/9/2006 14:00:08)

I have had no luck with Dells at all, either desktop or laptops. All of them but one have been nightmares for me. Same for Toshiba's

So far the ones I've liked have been Sony or HP and the models I'm looking at are nearly identical... just wondered if anyone had an opion on either one as a whole.

Right now I'm leaning towards the HP

[:)]



rdouglass -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/9/2006 14:17:36)

quote:

Same for Toshiba's


Interesting. For the company I work for, I've purchased 7 Toshiba laptops in the past 2 years and they have all been bulletproof. Not one has required any service at all and only 1 support call for a link to a new driver. The tech support spoke understandable English with no heavy dialect and was all of about 5 minutes. 4 minutes of a combination of being on hold and giving serial numbers, etc. to verify purchase.

I'd buy one again in a heartbeat. </$.02>



Spooky -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/9/2006 15:48:17)

Still happy with my Dell :)
I lust over an ultra portable Sony, but I know how very impractical that would be..... [&o]



bobby -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/9/2006 16:07:28)

I used to love Dell and Toshiba. I had great luck with early Satellites

Since they started outsourcing them I've had issues with wifi, keyboard quality, video, you name it. Dells are usually a software problem. Restoring a Dell is the hardest Windows install I've ever had to perform.

Debian Linux is easier... not that anyone here can relate [:D]

I'm fairly partial to the pretty red finish on the body of the HP special edition models.

But I'm also just starting to shop. I'm taking my time, waiting for the right deal. Then I'll buy one, resize the partition to 15GB and install Debian on the rest...

[:D]



BobbyDouglas -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/10/2006 18:45:40)

I would really reconsider the Dell laptop. Despite your poor experience, they are still great laptops.

I never buy Maxtor because I don't feel safe when putting data I need on it. However, if a Maxtor came out at a great price/value, and people continue to say they are great drives, I would buy it. You could have 10 dead maxtors in your lifetime, and believe that they are the worst drive mfc ever, but the truth is that it is all bad luck.

I'm not saying Dell has the best laptops around, but they are going to be at the best price for the performance you get out of the laptop. I would look at a Dell just the same as an HP or Toshiba.

You might want to take a look at Acer's Ferrari laptop. If you do decide to go with Dell, let me know and I'll send over some coupons so you can save up to 40% on the laptop.

I called Toshiba again today and got through within 5 minutes. If that kind of support is something you would rather pay for, then stay far far far far FAR away from Dell.



Brandon -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/10/2006 19:36:15)

How about a MAC. I hear some good things with the new MacBook Pro [:D]



bobby -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/13/2006 19:56:55)

Toshiba outsources their laptops now. Have for a while. Ever since I have difficulty with them. Nice machines, Dells too... just not for me.

I like Acer. The new Ferrari is over priced, but it's a beautiful piece (much like the car it's named for). I really like the new 20" display.

Mac would be cool, but I'm going to run Debian Linux on it so I don't want to pay the extra $$ for Steve J's proprietary hardware and operating system.

I'm already going to pay $70 for Windows and use it... never.

I think I'm sold on the HP special edition. And as much as I hate to admit it... the fancy red metallic finish was the final straw, LOL

Though now I'm looking at new exhaust and intake for my car... weighing that against the already long wait for a laptop and prioritizing my budget...

[8|]



rdouglass -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/13/2006 20:58:50)

quote:

the fancy red metallic finish was the final straw, LOL

Though now I'm looking at new exhaust and intake for my car..


Well, which one gives you more horsepower? [:D]



bobby -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/13/2006 23:00:25)

LOL

The HP and the Sony I was trying to decide between were nearly identical. The Sony has a webcam and microphone, the HP has bluetooth and the custom finish (and is $100 cheaper)

The Borla exhaust and supercharger will give me more horsepower.

But I'll still need a laptop eventually for tuning my EFI chip.

Life is full of such difficult decisions...

[8|]



mar0364 -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/14/2006 9:58:46)

Toshiba satellite. I've had one for six years and continue to abuse it. It keeps going.



erinatkins -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/14/2006 13:01:50)

Question of the hour will be will you get the laptop or the new exhaust and intake for your car?

I have heard you mention a laptop for years now....[;)]




traveler98 -> RE: Opinion? laptop brand (3/16/2006 9:31:52)

In a former life consulted to big box retail stores (Walmart, Sam's, Best Buy, CompUSA, Fry's and Staples in the electronics arena) and when this type of discussion came up, the return or failure rate for HP was considerable higher than Sony.

When you ask those people it usually went:

Sony or Fujitsu first and then Toshiba.

Since going out on my own, have had nothing but Toshiba for notebooks for the last 4 years and am quite happy. We used to get Dell every year from that former life and often had to replace mid year so not to impressed with them.



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