What would you do?

[CrimsonMaiden]

Some of you are aware of the saga I've been through with my laptop. For those of you who aren't, here's a quick run down.

I sent it off to be worked on cause the DVD+RW drive had not worked correctly since I bought it. It was supposed to come back in one week, guaranteed. It didn't. They (Sony) extended the completion date a week. When that date arrived, they said a part had been ordered and had not come in. Best Buy said to give it one more week, and if it wasn't back to me, they'd exchange the Sony for a new one. Repair status on website still said delayed due to unreceived part on Thursday morning. So, I called Best Buy, and they said to come in and they'd exchange it for a new one.

Well, today... the Sony laptop was delivered. Come to find out... it was done on Wednesday and told Best Buy it would be delivered to me no later than the 11th. However the person I talked to Thursday morning did not give me that info (if they had, I would have never done the exchange.)

So, now I have two laptops and have to decide which one I want to keep. Do I keep the one I had or the new one? What would you do?

Here's pros and cons:

New one (an HP Pavillion zv5445us) has bigger hard drive, larger video memory, a slightly faster processor, and a slot for SD cards (otherwise, same specs as old laptop). However, it was a display model and had been sitting on display for a couple of months at least.

The old one (Sony Vaio) had the defective drive to begin with. I don'tknow if it was replaced totally or just worked on. When it came back to me, it was scratched up, some of the screws weren't screwed in (they were in a small baggy rolled up inside the hard drive bay, I'm guessing to keep the hard drive stable), and one of the stoppers on the inside of the lid to keep it cushioned when closed is missing.

I know nothing about HP's reputation with laptops. I asked a friend who said they had problems for awhile, but that the quality of them has drastically improved (and he said he'd keep it and take the old one back.)

So, if you were in this situation... what would you do? Take the old one back and keep the new one or vice versa?

Thanks to all who read that whole thing and who respond.

 

[cantdog]

I'd go with the new one. If they were equivalent, I'd be harder pressed to decide, but the features push me over the edge in a definite way. HP desktops used to be for shit, too, but you already know the Vaio is for shit.

 

[carsonshepherd]

I;ve heard great things about HP laptops... I'd keep the new one since you know the old one is/was defective.

 

[TheEarl]

New one. If it goes tits up again, then HP's customer service are very helpful. From what I've heard, Sony's IT section must share staff with PC World.

The Earl

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

The fact the new one was a display model wouldn't worry you any?

 

[The_Fool]

Go with the HP. The Sony has travelled too far and with loose screws, what else might be loose inside, rattling around waiting to short something out?

 

[entitled]

The fact the new one was a display model wouldn't worry you any?

There should be no reason for worry. Best Buy is usually excellent about checking and re-checking display models before putting them up for sale. i've personally never had problems with display ANYthings from there.

 

[Wildcard Ky]

I'd keep the new one. Even though it was a display it still carries the new warranty.

 

[cheerful_deviant]

My HP desktop is now 6 or 7 years old and has given me no trouble at all. (Except viruses, which are my own damn fault )

When I bought my laptop last year I checked out a lot of brands and the HP's seemed to get pretty favorable reviews. I was going to buy one but the Toshiba was on sale and I was short on funds.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

The fact the new one was a display model wouldn't worry you any?

i used to work in Furniture Crim. We sold display modles for thousands less. In most cases, they were just as good, if ot better than the pieces coming out of the boxes, since we alwasys selected the best looking ones to show cutomares.

 

[Virtual_Burlesque]

The new one.

I have never had any problem with HP products. (In fact, I have a digital HP camera that I wish would die so I might get a snazzy new one.)

A few months burn-in only proves that it shouldn't go west the first time you turn it on.

Usually, the first few hours in any piece of electronic equipment's life is the most dangerous.

Sony also has a good name -- in my experience -- but this particular piece of equipment has failed once.

Unless there is evidence of physical abuse (which you did not mention) I would go with the newer, more powerful model, that has no history of defects.

 

[lil_elvis]

Keep the HP. I HAD a Vaio once and had nothing byt trouble with it, that's why I've got a thinkpad now.

 

[mlady_france]

I have to go with everyone else on this one, crim. The new one sounds like it's a lot better, and my mom works with hp consultants all the time. She highly recomends hp based on their customer servise. I've bought display modles before, it really never has been an issuse for me. They are usually in just as good condistion, but a lot cheaper.

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

Thanks everyone for your opinions. I appreciate it.