Laptop computers - Advice wanted

[Alex De Kok]

I've been thinking about getting myself a laptop to make my writing habits a little more flexible. I don't know if the funds will run to a new one, but there seem to be plenty available used. I don't see the need for the latest specification just to do word processing, so a used model might suit me fine.

Does anyone have any recommendations on -

1. Makes/Models to look for?

2. Makes/Models to avoid?

Thanks in anticipation. I've developed a great respect for the collected wisdom here.

Alex

 

[cloudy]

I've been thinking about getting myself a laptop to make my writing habits a little more flexible. I don't know if the funds will run to a new one, but there seem to be plenty available used. I don't see the need for the latest specification just to do word processing, so a used model might suit me fine.

Does anyone have any recommendations on -

1. Makes/Models to look for?

2. Makes/Models to avoid?

Thanks in anticipation. I've developed a great respect for the collected wisdom here.

Alex

I'll holler at Dran, get him to poke his nose in here.

Salvor-Hardon is another good one to ask.

Sorry I'm not much help.

 

[zeb1094]

I can only suggest that it be a Dell. I have had several over the years and the Dells have always stood up well. I had a HP and the disk drives on it kept crashing. Had a Compaq, before they merged with HP, the screens on those were crap. I have had two Dell laptops, the first for 6 years, the keyboard finally crapped out, the current one is a Dell and is just over 4 years old and is going stong.

I hope this helps and no I'm not a Dell employee. Although you might think so as all my desktops are Dell as well as my laptop.

 

[velvetpie]

I agree with Zeb. I have two Dells and have had little problem with them. Visit DellOutlet.com and you can view the reconditioned Dells that come with warranties. Might be something there that you'd like.

 

[Guest]

We've had pretty good luck with Dell's around here.

One thing I learned, don't buy a affordable computer from a company that is discontinueing their computer line in favor of their other products. They outsource their repair/support to a company that has every reason to NOT provide support and no reason to help you.

 

[Salvor-Hardon]

Dell Laptops are really nice for teh balance of reliability versus price, though I have to say if you can get a decent Toshiba or IBM in your price range, I like them a little better (5 years in a PC store and the last 4 as a Network admin. I've seen too many Dells with problems to be a staunch supporter).

One good place to check is featuremarketing.com They offer refurbed and end of lease machines at good prices but you have to sign up as a small business to order. Make up a company name and you're good to go.

And to be truly fair, an iBook with OS X kicks ass and you don't have to worry about virus issues yet.

 

[R. Richard]

Dell Laptops are really nice for the balance of reliability versus price, though I have to say if you can get a decent Toshiba or IBM in your price range, I like them a little better (5 years in a PC store and the last 4 as a Network admin. I've seen too many Dells with problems to be a staunch supporter).

I would agree with Salvor-Hardon here, although I would avoid Dell. I would not even think about HP/Compaq.

My advice would be to buy a low end/low cost machine and use it for a bit. Find out what you like and don't like cheap. If you then find that you really want a better laptop, you will have some background before you invest your hard earned bucks. Chances are you can then sell your first laptop for nearly what you paid for it.

JMHO.

 

[Alex De Kok]

thanks for the replies so far, but UK outlets would make more sense to me. Dell has a UK outlet, and I've seen an IBM Thinkpad 390 at a price well within budget.

Keep the advice coming, please. I won't be buying this side of Christmas.

Alex

 

[Liar]

From geek HQ:

I write for a computer magazine, and the resident laptop expert here says this:

Dell works. Not great, but never bad.

Sony works but are way too expensive. Same with IBM. And HP. And Apple. If money is not an object, those deliver. But their low-end models sucks.

For budget models, Acer works, and are cheap. But total crap if you want to upgrade anything. LG gives much bang for the buck too, if you don't mind crappy customer service (this is for Sween, so I don't know if that applys).

Don't know how much that helps you, but there you have it.

 

[yui]

From geek HQ:


Sony works but are way too expensive.

Dear Geek HQ,

Know anything about LCD screens that don't work, mebbe? I've a Sony Vaio PCG-FX210 and a couple of weeks ago it went wacky on me. In order to get my desktop to be visible, I had to restart once or twice; now, it won't show at all. I know Windows is running because I can hear it when it when it opens, but all I have is a faintly glowing grey/black screen. <quiet weeping>

Signed,

Very bummed in the US

 

[Guest]

Dear Alex, No tech knowledge here, just user experience. I've had 3 different Dell lapdogs and each was just fine (provided for me every two years so never traded in for any problems). My current model is a Dell Latitude D610. If I had to pay for one myself it'd be a Dell. (Only problems I've ever had were with 'bugs'.)

Merry Christmas, amigo.

Perdita

 

[Guest]

www.tigerdirect.com

I got mine from there... would have cost me 3Gs but only cost $1300

they are one of the companies that buys that laptops that have been opened that people returned... like someone special ordered something and changed their mind.... I got a SWEET laptop from them

 

[Liar]

Dear Geek HQ,

Know anything about LCD screens that don't work, mebbe? I've a Sony Vaio PCG-FX210 and a couple of weeks ago it went wacky on me. In order to get my desktop to be visible, I had to restart once or twice; now, it won't show at all. I know Windows is running because I can hear it when it when it opens, but all I have is a faintly glowing grey/black screen. <quiet weeping>

Signed,

Very bummed in the US

Dear V. Bummed,

It's not a real desktop. You are not supposed to move the icons around by hand, and windows does not "open" per se. So let go of the screwdriver.

your most humble guide,
GHQ

 

[Liar]

Actually, yui, I haven't got much of a clue. Sounds like a bummy connection between screen and puter. Left it out in the snow? Dropped it from a table? Tried to close it the other way round?

Or maybe you just got the odd crappy one. Got warranty?

 

[yui]

Dear V. Bummed,

It's not a real desktop. You are not supposed to move the icons around by hand, and windows does not "open" per se. So let go of the screwdriver.

your most humble guide,
GHQ

Dear GHQ,

I'm getting on plane now to come kick your smart Swedish ass.

Kisses,

V. Bummed and Now Slightly Miffed with the Tech Support

P.S. When Windows commences, starts, initiates, embarks upon its virtual journey, whatevah ….

 

[Liar]

Dear GHQ,

I'm getting on plane now to come kick your smart Swedish ass.

Ah, my plan is working.

 

[NoJo]

For long periods of writing, get one with the best screen and full-size keyboard you can afford. You can't get better than Sony's Onyx monitors, but you can get cheaper. If you get a low-power one, that uses a Centrino processor, you can also use it for quite a few hours on battery.

 

[yui]

Actually, yui, I haven't got much of a clue. Sounds like a bummy connection between screen and puter. Left it out in the snow? Dropped it from a table? Tried to close it the other way round?

Or maybe you just got the odd crappy one. Got warranty?

No dropping or snow. I know of one way to close it, but I'm open to suggestions.

It's been a good laptop; warranty's expired, though, cause I've had it about four years.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Liar]

No dropping or snow. I know of one way to close it, but I'm open to suggestions.

It's been a good laptop; warranty's expired, though, cause I've had it about four years.

Thanks for the help!

Well den, I'm afraid you are in for one of the allegedly bad Sony-experiences: Expensive repairs.

Glad I could help. Although I didn't.

 

[JRaven]

Alex,
My experiences have been with Dell, IBM, and Toshiba. All of them have performed fine for me. IMHO, the trickiest part of laptops has been the drivers and the peripherals.

Some laptops come with an "eraser" in the middle of the keyboard. You use it kinda like a joystick instead of a mouse. Some have a touchpad just below the spacebar. You drag your finger across it to move the mouse. Mine has that and I'm always hitting the mouse buttons between it and the space bar. REALLY screws things up sometimes when I'm tying to fast to notice And lastly, some have a track ball off to the side. Wish mine had one of those, although it's hard to move the mouse quickly just a little bit when playing Minesweeper.

Really, my best advise is to echo another's. Just go buy a cheap one. Use it for a little while. Figure out what you really want in a laptop. Then dump the old one and get one that really satisfies your needs and wants.

Jenny

 

[JRaven]

Dear Geek HQ,

Know anything about LCD screens that don't work, mebbe? I've a Sony Vaio PCG-FX210 and a couple of weeks ago it went wacky on me. In order to get my desktop to be visible, I had to restart once or twice; now, it won't show at all. I know Windows is running because I can hear it when it when it opens, but all I have is a faintly glowing grey/black screen. <quiet weeping>

Signed,

Very bummed in the US

Yui,
First, determine if the problem is hardware or software.
When you first turn your laptop on, do you get a splash screen as it goes through its Power On Self Test (POST to us geeks)?

Sometimes, the splash screen is disabled in settings. If it is, then when you turn on the laptop, keep hitting the F8 key. It will give you a text screen (NOT a window) with various boot up options. If you don't get that, you have a hardware problem. If you DO get the text menu, select SAFE MODE. The screen will be all screwed up, poor colors, big icons. Just click Start/Shutdown/Restart. Odds are, it'll make everything okay.

If all that doesn't work, about all you can do is to plug the monitor from your desktop into the back of it. Or, if you're as bad as me, one of the six old monitors that I have to step over to get to one of my few working PCs.


Let me know how things go.

Jenny

 

[Liar]

Some laptops come with an "eraser" in the middle of the keyboard. You use it kinda like a joystick instead of a mouse. Some have a touchpad just below the spacebar. You drag your finger across it to move the mouse. Mine has that and I'm always hitting the mouse buttons between it and the space bar. REALLY screws things up sometimes when I'm tying to fast to notice And lastly, some have a track ball off to the side. Wish mine had one of those, although it's hard to move the mouse quickly just a little bit when playing Minesweeper.

That's why you buy a regular mouse for ten bux and plug it into the nearest USB port.

 

[JRaven]

That's why you buy a regular mouse for ten bux and plug it into the nearest USB port.

True, but when you're curled up in bed with the laptop on your lap, it's hard to use a regular mouse. Besides, that touchpad on mine is still "active". I still accidently hit the mouse buttons on it when I hit the spacebar.

Jenny

 

[Liar]

True, but when you're curled up in bed with the laptop on your lap, it's hard to use a regular mouse. Besides, that touchpad on mine is still "active". I still accidently hit the mouse buttons on it when I hit the spacebar.

Jenny

Hehe, you should see how I use my "laptop" most of the time.

 

[JRaven]

Not very mobile, is it?