Laptop Advice

[katiesue]

My current laptop, sony viao, is starting to have issues. The screen flickers on/off, the wireless cuts out/in. It's old and bulky and the battery is shot as well.

Sooooo.....time for a replacement. Any input on brands and places to purchase appreciated.

I'm looking lower end model. $600-800ish range. I use the laptop for pretty basic functions, internet, taxes, downloading photos, itunes, and basic word/excel/powerpoint functions for maddy's school and my work. Not a gamer.

I'm not in much of a rush. I've been watching sales/pricing for a few weeks now.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Both Dell and HP make perfectly serviceable laptops (I'm partial to Dell). If you don't use the CD drive often, you can look for a model that allows you to remove the CD drive and put a second battery in its place, extending your off-charger use time. The one my company has given me has that and it's wonderful to have nearly 8 hours of use without having to plug it in.

[Kevy Baby]

I don't have much input on a new laptop. However, I can offer some tips on lap dances.

[katiesue]

I don't have much input on a new laptop. However, I can offer some tips on lap dances.

Which was of course going to be my next question.

[katiesue]

it's wonderful to have nearly 8 hours of use without having to plug it in.

I currently have about 8 minutes of battery time unplugged so anythings an improvement.

I'd also like to have a dvd-rw drive. I can store more photo files in less space that way.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I currently have about 8 minutes of battery time unplugged so anythings an improvement.

I'd also like to have a dvd-rw drive. I can store more photo files in less space that way.
There are models with multiple bays where you can have a dvd and battery installed at the same time, but probably not in your price range. But if you only plan to be doing burning on an occasional basis, it's very simple to just keep the removable dvd player around until you need it and swap the battery out.

[katiesue]

There are models with multiple bays where you can have a dvd and battery installed at the same time, but probably not in your price range. But if you only plan to be doing burning on an occasional basis, it's very simple to just keep the removable dvd player around until you need it and swap the battery out.


Excellent - let me go look at their site. I'm sure I don't need multiple bays.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Hmm, it looks like, at least for Dell, their low end laptops don't offer the swapable expansion bay. That's too bad. In that case, I'd at least upgrade to the largest primary battery they offer.

[BarTopDancer]

I have a Dell laptop (700m) that I love. It's name is Shiny (is anyone really surprised?)

I have a cd/dvdrw drive and an extended battery.

It's 3 years old and I have about an hours worth of battery life when it is unplugged. The battery was a 5 hour battery when I got it.

Check out NotebookForums (http://www.notebookforums.com) for coupons and codes.

I recommend that you buy the extended warranty + accidental coverage. The accidental coverage covers you if you drop it or spill stuff on it and the warranty is for the monitor.

I've played around on the Dell websites recently and their stock computers are nice machines. I would say buy only the memory that comes standard with it and then go to newegg (http://www.newegg.com) and buy some to upgrade. All it involves is unscrewing the memory bay on the back (2 small Phillips head) and popping the memory in.

[DreadPirateRoberts]

I have a Dell laptop. I'm very happy with it.

[CoasterMatt]

Rose just got an Acer 5100 3357 laptop last night - it's got decent specs, and is on sale at Circuit City right now.

[madmonkeygirl]

Like CM said i just got my first laptop last nite at Circuit City and it's an Acer 5100/3357 it has a DVD and DVD burner and it has what i love about it a 5 in 1 media card reader so all i have to do is put in my SD cards etc from my digital cameras and i'm all set. It was in the price range we got it at the lowest price range there was (did an internet search for it) I wouldn't recommend a Dell after a certain person i know basically had trouble with his and smashed it to pieces but hey...i've had friends not have good things to say about Dells so.... you can get more memory if i need it as well but others the specs it has is wonderful i don't know the actual specs but CM does...good luck with finding one...i basically use mine for email, internet (certain websites), photo stuff (printing etc) so basic stuff...oh and i think my name for mine is "The Smirk Machine"

[Morrigoon]

I'm very happy with my Toshiba. As powerful as VAIO models, but less expensive :)

The difficult thing about laptop shopping is that the retailers and manufacturers purposely make it hard to compare apples to apples. The model names often change (ever so slightly). I know with Toshiba... my model is A105-s4334. The second half of that number changes depending on which store you're looking at, so if you, for example, want to do a search on newegg, search by the first part of the model number.

[Alex]

Watch that Acer closely while it is on warranty and/or returnable. Every one I've been near has had big problems.

But its been a few years so maybe they've straightened out.

[madmonkeygirl]

I have an extended 2 year warranty with my laptop that includes the battery and monitor that the manufacturer doesn't cover. So ya i got additional coverage waranty. I'll keep that in mind and you stay away from "The Smirk Machine" lmao my dad has a Toshiba and it is a literally a piece of crap. His runs so damn slow. He got it a couple years ago maybe 3 years if i remember correctly and he didn't even do any research he just went online and bought it. CM looked up reviews of my model and so far alot of positive ones. So we'll see.

[katiesue]

Thanks for all the good info. I'm still deciding but leaning toward an HP through Costco that's $100 off currently.

[katiesue]

I'm currently surfing LoT from this HP Pavillion (http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11212797&search=HPMay10&Sp=S&Mo=2&cm_re=1-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&N=0&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=All&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=HPMay10&Ntt=HPMay10&ec=BC-EC877-CatHome&No=2&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&pos=8&topnav=&s=1)

So far so good. Getting used to vista now.

Thanks again for all your input.