My wife and I are looking to replace our laptop and while I'm pretty versed in the garage I'm not when it comes to computers.
We are in the $500 price range and it will be used mainly for my wife's work. Power points, word and the like. I found this one and it looks pretty good but I'm really not sure what I am looking at. http://www.google.com/products/catalo ... 88209377710751&os=reviews

It's getting pretty good reviews and some nice words said about it from gamers. I don't imagine she will be using those kinds of resources so I'm thinking it will be good for her. What do you recommend? Thanks

I have HP and really like it.

My suggestion would be to go to www.hp.com and do some research. Then customize a machine to what you really want / need. They come up with some really good deals.

I've had good luck with Toshiba.

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I'm on my second Toshiba. HD video and all that for under $500, works well for me.

Some question and thoughts:

1) What laptop are you replacing?

2) Does the laptop need to be truly mobile or is it just going to be used around the house?

3) Is it going to be presented from?

4) How important is screen resolution?

5) How long do you expect to use the new laptop.

5) Lots of experience suggests that Hewlett-Packard does make the best mainstream $500 laptop, but such laptops are heavily compromised, giving up some combination of processor power, lightness, battery life, screen quality, warranty coverage, etc. However, some of these capabilities may not matter to you, so that may be just fine.

I had Toshiba's way back when then got on a HP kick and did ok with them until they went to the 64 bit systems and had a new one keep crashing. I took it back and got a new Toshiba and have never looked back. I have 3 of them now in the office and personal.

My kids are all about Apple Mac's but not for 500 bucks.

At $500, you can get a lot of laptop.

We get off-lease models from tigerdirect.com - I mostly stick to Dell's. They hold up well with our field sales people and come in pretty cheap.

Another option would be to look at the Dell outlet - they refurb off-lease units and let them go fairly cheap, you just need to keep an eye out - some models go fast.

I just went through this for both myself and my mother. Her price range was also about $500, mine a bit more as my intent was to do HD video processing.

Here's my advice: All the major brands offer a very similar machine at that price. (except sony or apple, they'll be twice as much). You need to go to the store and look at the form factor - notice things like keyboard feel, screen appearance, USB and power port locations, etc. This is the only thing that matters. Pick the brand that looks and feels the best to you, and it will be within $50 of every other machine in that range.

I bought a badass Toshiba (i7-740, off chip video, etc) becasue it was extremely powerful for the money. I HATE it. It works fine, but I hate the keyboard, hate the fact that the power cord sticks out right where my mouse it, hate the fact that the battery lasts about 40 minutes. It's 4 months old and the battery lasts 40 minutes. That's ridiculous.

Find one that you like in person and buy it.

FWIW, we chose the Dell for mom and she loves it It's similar in performance to mine (with the exception of video) and the battery lasts 3 hours...

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That's the thing: buying a notebook is different than the buying to specification we do with desktops. Desktops don't have to care about battery life and you can plug any keyboard you want into it.

Notebooks are an intensely personal decision - I'm sorry yours didn't go that well.

I have had good luck with HP and Toshiba for personal use.

I have had horrible luck with Compaq... but that was back in 2002 and I have refused to buy anything from them since.

When I worked for the govt we had IBM T40/T42's and they worked well enough. Battery life wasn't the best thou.

Now that I'm a contractor I have had a Dell D620 for the past 3yrs and it's been a great computer. 4hrs on a battery easily.
Will

After going to notebookreviews.com and really starting to see who really builds laptops etc, 2 companies actually do, I finally got good advice and am going to buy from this site, which links you directly to HP (if you click on their coupons). http://www.logicbuy.com/subcategoryde ... omputers/119/Laptops.aspx
Reliability is important, and SAGER is what I am getting next from xoticpc, customer service, support and reliability is key here.

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I didn't mean to sound like the Toshiba laptop itself was bad, my point was that the "little things" that I never would have guessed mattered to me are the things I don't like.

Things like keyboards and interface locations are NOT what was on my list when I went shopping, but they turned out to be the most important thing.

OK so after doing some research and talking with a friend that works at CompUSA I opted for an odd brand. They apparently make motherboards and recently got into the laptop game. It's an Asus. I'm assuming that's an A at the front of the name. Wierd font. I took your advice to go and use one and see how I liked the feel. When it was all said and done I opted for this over two others. A Samsung and a Toshiba. The Toshiba was a nicer maching I thing but not $150 nicer. The only thing it had that this doesn't was more Ram but my buddy is hooking me up with twice the ram for $50 and he is going to install it. Anyway I'm using it right now and it's way better than the Acer we have. Much nicer. I'll report back later on if I still like it. lol

Got it for $400 btw.

Good luck with your purchase and keep us updated. Last laptop we purchased was an Acer and we have had good luck with it. Also have a Dell that we like.

Matthew

Maintenance is critical on laptops. Keep air vents clean, do disk clean ups, and defragmentation at a minimum.
get a reliable virus company you like to keep virus definitions up to date, and I also use malwarebytes to keep a check on that sort of thing too.

Asus is a good brand.

I was gonna recommend my laptop:

http://www.acer.com/ferrarione/specifications.html

Cracks me up when someone asks for help.

Asus is a good brand. (Andy, we agree again! Woo-Hoo)
A critical part of purchasing new computers is the support package. Did you get the extended warranty from the mfgr? Or opt for the CompUSA package? Thats how the box stores can afford to sell at such low prices. Cheap prices means cheap parts means short life spans.

So treat it well and it should last a long time.

Steve - we must stop this. People will start talking.

I'll tag on the tail end of this to say that five years ago I bought a huge 17" screen HP Multimedia Laptop to do video and audio editing on the go, for work. It cost about $2,000. That computer was total crap. I had it back to HP three times on my dime for service. They charge $300 per pop on service after the first year. Anyhow it is sitting here in the junk pile with three other laptops by IBM and Dell. I really kick the crap out of them.

The latest is another HP I use just for email and Facebook, and some simple word processing. I even used it at my Autocross last weekend for timing the events! I said I'd never buy another HP, but I bought this little HP Mini last year from Verizon for $200 and got the data plan with it. Damn thing has worked flawlessly and has a warranty plan with Verizon should it crap out. So the newer technology HP minis are a good buy for the money... in my opinion.

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Why is that? Isn't it better to get input before a purchase you are well versed in?

I third that. Asus is a great brand. I like their stuff a lot, but they tended to be a little pricier and had fewer models. I loved the keyboards on the ones I looked at.

Oops, gotta go. My Toshiba battery is dy...

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LMAO that's funny.

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Sure it is.

But you did not even give a simple thanks back to all those that answered your query. You simply wrote that you talked to someone else and followed their suggestions. Now how does that make all those who thoughtfully replied feel? Maybe like you didn't even read their responses?

So, rather than saying "it cracks me up"

I should have said "what a douche bag!" why bother asking in the first place?

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Well "after doing some research" implied following the advice given here and looking at the different brands and types offered.. I'm not going to run right out and by and HP because someone here said too. I used all the info provided and made a decision. I'm sorry I didn't buy something anyone else in this thread told me to. If that makes me a douche bag then I'm ok with that.

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Well, he did take my advice, and mentioned it. I took that as a thanks whether it was intended as such or not

But in general, I agree with Jr, just never thought about it quite so candidly. People ask me about cars all the time, and I'd wager most of you get this, too. "You're a car guy, what should I buy?" I got so tired of taking time and giving well thought out advice on various vehicles, their pros and cons, etc, only to have the asker go buy a friggin' Ford Exporer. So I stopped trying. Now I say "well, i'm not the guy to ask, my needs and criteria for cars are different than most people's."

If the insist, then I give them this:

Your first car should be your race car.

Your second car should be one that can tow your race car to the track (and the shop)

And should you be lucky enough to have the means, your third car can be something practical, like perhaps be able to get you to and from work Monday to Friday...

They leave me alone after that.

Advice not taken. A true story:

Dateline: summer 1996.
Place: Work (Dover, DE)
Cast: Me, coworker named Connie, her husband, off stage, Connor (I don't make this stuff up, ok?)

Act 1:

Me: Hey, Connie, how long have you had that Civic now? I mean, you got that when I started here 6+ years ago.

Connie: Yea, about 10 years now, I guess.

Me: It sounds due for a timing belt, what are the miles?

Connie: About 100k.

Me: Oh... run, don't walk, to the Honda dealer, tell them I sent you!! Figure about $600 for a Civic timing belt. You are now 3 years and 40k miles past the belts expiration date. SERIOUSLY.

<Note: Price Honda has an EXCELLENT service department>

Connie: Oh, I will ask Conner. He knows these things

<Andy thinks, and I don't?>

Act 2:

<Next Day>

Connie: Hey, Andy, I asked Connor, he doesn't want to spend the $$ right now.

Me: Well, my opinion, but I think you are going to waste more than money here. Have him call me, I will explain what will happen next. I just don't want to see you get stranded in the middle of nowhere...

Connie: Well, that's what Conner said...

Act 3:

<A few days later>

Connie: Andy, you were right. The timing belt failed over the weekend. It's at Delaware Auto Sales getting fixed.

Me: Take it to Price. Don't mess with amatuers. Delaware Auto Sales is good, but they don't know jack about Honda's. Important, do not bother repairing that engine. It won't work. Trust me on this, Honda 4 bangers don't rebuild well, I have tried. You will put a new head on the old block and all you will have is a smoke generator. Get up with K. Wanatabee, in Compton, CA, I will get you a number. They specialize in late model, low mileage used Japanese car engines. Great prices, great warrantee, I have seen their stuff. EXCELLENT.

Connie: I will check with Connor.

Act 4:

<Week+ Later, office parking lot>

Me: So, I see Connor had DAS repair the head, eh?

Connie: Yes.

Me: I will put this bluntly. I have given you and Connor excellent and pin-point accurate advice. For whatver reason, Connor has been arrogent enough to ignore my advice and do his own thing. His right, yes, but when the right answer is staring him in his face, it makes me wonder about the mans decision making skills. Good luck, I am done with this car, ok? I am no offering any more assistance to either you or Connor regarding cars, EVER.

And I never did.

I never did see Connor around again... he used to come to work parties, but never did after this. His absolute stupidity still blows me away. I keep this story in my memory, so when I see something simular going down, I can be ready for the idiots...

Andy, I just had my 02 CRV timing belt replaced. 716 bucks, but I know it was well worth it, as the cost later would/could have been more.
Advice giving is tough. i can see where you feel you really want to help someone.
Case in point. Friend destroyed his '10 Camaro SS
Friend wants new one, asks us what we think. We went through the whole routine of, "that dealer sux as they tried to screw you on your known TSB for your drive shaft issue. They tried to make him buy a new one as the known bolt issue was broken. After we showed him the TSB, driveshaft was replaced for free".
To make a long story short, he bought an '11 Camaro SS from the same dealership at a much higher interest rate. He is paying over 3% more interest and paying Hawaii cost for this car. And, he still thinks Gieco is going to keep his rates low.
So, no more advice to him. We told him buy in another state, and something other than a sports car, especially after totaling one. DONE, DONE!!
I have been biting my tongue on allot of things lately. Too each his own.

My biggest pet peeve of all is when people take advice from some random dudes on a car forum over me

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Words to live by.
Everything else just isn't important.

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agreed.

I don't like to toot my horn, but shit, I know what I am talking about. I know more about modern Corvette's and their needs, than some schmuck at the parts counter of most GM dealerships... yet ppl will STILL ignore my advise.

I ran into a guy at Sebring in 2009 or 2010. New Z06. Yellow. Killer bad ass. I was handing out Guru static clings and he asked me about this Diablo tuner thing he just got. He was constantly throwing codes when he tried to make changes.

I told him to take it back!

These are not tools to be toyed with. With a modern car, you need access to a dyno and an exhaust gas analyser and someone who fully understands the cause/effect of the changes these tools can impart.

I suggested he join the site and open a discussion on how to best use this thing, and I reinforced, that the factory tune is pretty damned good already. I don't think there is much left in it, to be honest. You might get more, but at the cost of what? Emissions? MPG?

He didn't seem to like my answer.

Part of me hopes he blew the fucking engine up on the Garden State Parkway, in the middle of a 95F Friday on his way to the beach.

He never joined the site.