Another Laptop question. Reliability?

[Death Metal Moe]

<p>So my mother has been borrowing my laptop for a week or two&nbsp;now and she's really finding it useful.&nbsp; She's only ever had an actual Word Processor for years.&nbsp; It's the old typewriter one with a small monocolor screen.&nbsp; If you want to change fonts you have to change daisywheels.&nbsp; It takes up all the space of a typewriter and a small monitor, which is most of her desk.&nbsp; </p><p>So she's really liking Microsoft Word, and all the space a laptop saves.&nbsp; I'd like to get her one for Christmas, and I can since my father and grandmother are going in with me for this.</p><p>My question is what are some tech savvy people on here using?&nbsp; I want to spend between 500 and 600.&nbsp; I want a new laptop for warranty purposes. I want a reliable one.&nbsp; I'm steering clear of Dell, heard too many horror stories.</p><p>Also, I know a bunch of places online to look for stuff, but I'd love any suggestions you had for good online deals.&nbsp; </p><p>Thanks.&nbsp; </p>

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[JPMNICK]

<p>i am a computer engineer and i buy all the technology for my office, and I always buy dell. As did JPMorgan when I worked there. they are very decent laptops, and for the price they are great. </p><p>IBM used to be the tops, but with this whole lenvo thing i am not so sure anymore. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>i would not rule out dell. </p>


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[Death Metal Moe]

<p>I didn't want to rule out anything, but they have a HORRIBLE word of mouth reputation.&nbsp; Also, last time I started a Laptop thread I remember a few people saying to steer clear of them due to constant overheating and hardware problems.</p><p>So you buy tech stuff, and you like Dell?&nbsp; Their prices are good.&nbsp; Any issues with upkeep?&nbsp; </p>

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[JPMNICK]

<p>not so bad, just the normal stuff you have to do with any comp. remove spyware, update some virus definitions, the usual. they are great for a mom type, because they self configure for wireless access points. </p><p>I have an HP laptop at home that I hate. it was stolen, so i got it for free. its a piece of shit, way worse than my dell and 2 IBM Laptops. the IBM T series is my favorite of all time, but they Dell is up there. I have a 600m and it is the perfect balance between portability and performance</p><p>will your mom be moving it around a lot, or will it mostly be stationary?</p>


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Thanks to Reef for my sig. You rock. Love Your Grandson Frank

It's gonna be BAM, I crush his little skull and I sit down and smoke a cigar for another 55 seconds. The next kid comes in, BAM I put my cigar out on him. I laugh and point at the other kids "Who's next chubby?"

[samnyc]

Dells are a good value as long as you don't customize too much.&nbsp; It will probably blow up after about 2 years but you'll want a new one by then anyway.

[Death Metal Moe]

My mother will keep it on her desk almost all the time I would guess.&nbsp; She's not VERY computer literate but she's enjoying all the laptop has to offer.

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[furie]

i have a dell laptop for 2 years now. i've never had a problem with it.<br />


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[LordJezo]

<p>How about a Powerbook?</p><p> </p><p>Those are the sex when it comes to laptops. </p>

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<font color=black>This message was edited by LordJezo on 11-4-05 @ 8:01 AM</font>

[Death Metal Moe]

<font style="font-size: 9px" face="Verdana">quote: </font><p>How about a Powerbook?</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Those are the sex when it comes to laptops. </p>------------------------------------------<br />I KISS YOU! <a href="http://www.78west.com/">The Message Whore - Click here for unlimited fun.</a><a></a> <font color="#000000">This message was edited by LordJezo on 11-4-05 @ 8:01 AM</font> <br />They're too expensive and I can't get software as easily as I can PC based laptops.&nbsp; Apple is not an option.

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[JPMNICK]

<p>Def do not go Powerbook or anything else Apple. Its a nightmare for support and software if something does happen to go wrong. </p><p>I really think Dell is your best bet, but if she is mostly going to keep it on a desk, maybe just a nice desktop with a flatpanel monitor would do the trick. my dad alwasy complained about how he wanted a laptop. so when we turned 50, we got him one. i do not think he has took it off his desk since the first week. </p><p>Do you have wireless set up in the house already, or a router to share the connection?</p>


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Thanks to Reef for my sig. You rock. Love Your Grandson Frank

It's gonna be BAM, I crush his little skull and I sit down and smoke a cigar for another 55 seconds. The next kid comes in, BAM I put my cigar out on him. I laugh and point at the other kids "Who's next chubby?"

[Death Metal Moe]

<p>I have a wireless router that Verizon gave me for free when I signed up for a year of DSL service, so I'm hoping to get an internal b/g set up in it.&nbsp; </p><p>I thought about the ol' regular tower and flatscreen but I think you can't really beat the space saving qualities of the laptop.&nbsp; Desk sits in a corner, so the only place to store the tower would be on the desk itself due to next to no legroom under the thing.&nbsp; Maybe one of those flat computers that the monitor sits on?&nbsp; I don't know, I didn't even try to price those.&nbsp; </p><p>Yea, I guess if anyone has any suggestions like that I'd like to hear them.&nbsp; I have mice and keyboards sitting around so all I would need is the actual computer, wireless card&nbsp;and a flatscreen. </p><p>I'm still gunnin' for the laptop though.</p>

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[BeerBandit]

<p>I've had a Toshiba Satellite for 3 years.&nbsp; I love it.&nbsp; No problems and I commute from Yonkers to the West Village every day with it.&nbsp; </p><p>My brother has (had) a Dell and Dell had to replace it within a year.&nbsp; He's still having problems with them.&nbsp; </p><p>But my wife's had a Dell Desktop for two years and loves it.</p>

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[Tall_James]

I dropped my Dell Latitude laptop the other day and the backlight on the monitor frizzed out.&nbsp; In the olde repair shoppe right now.

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[torker]

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[Death Metal Moe]

<font style="font-size: 9px" face="Verdana">quote: </font>I dropped my Dell Latitude laptop the other day and the backlight on the monitor frizzed out.&nbsp; In the olde repair shoppe right now. <img src="http://scripts.cgispy.com/image.cgi?u=tall_james" border="0" /> Shouldn't that be Ye Olde Repair Shoppe?<br />

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[PaulF]

<p>As a consultant, whenever I have to purchase directly or recommend a notebook for a client (I custom build all my desktop systems for clients),&nbsp;I try to steer them towards Toshiba.&nbsp;Best bang for the buck, and in six years and two different models, I have had one problem that was simple to fix. My current Toshiba is my main computer, and has been used every day for over 2 years. I do everything on it from writing software to developing websites to my accounting to writing this post. I even use it as a recording studio and video editor.</p><p>You can usually find a decent deal with some kind of rebate well under a thousand for a 15&quot; screen, combo cdrw/dvd reader, wireless G. Try to go for the P4 or Pentium Mobile. If you look carefully, you can usually find one for the same price or maybe only $50 more than the Celeron based ones, but the performance is noticably better. The same goes for 512mb ram vs. 256mb. The whole Centrino thing only refers to the pairing of an Intel Processor with an Intel wireless card. You may be able to get a non-Centrino notebook with the same specs for less money.</p><p>I cringe when I have a client with a Dell. Those things shed parts like crazy. I don't think I've seen a Dell laptop over a year old that didn't have some part held on by tape, usually the battery or its cover. The same goes for the Somy Vaio notebooks.</p><p>The IBMs are fine, but generally more expensive. The name change is just that, a name change. IBM hasn't made their own equipment in years.</p><p>The HP's are OK, but they seem to crowded with a lot of extra &quot;bling&quot; - buttons and such. I realy haven't had long-term experience to the newer ones.</p><p>To end a long post - try pricegrabber.com, froogle or keep an eye on CompUSA sales (they always have something available)</p>

[Death Metal Moe]

<p>Well thanks to everyone who left advice.&nbsp; I do appreciate it.&nbsp; </p><p>My mother needed the laptop sooner than Christmas because she's taking a Graduate course, so we just ordered it now and that's kinda her big Christmas gift.&nbsp; I know we'll end up giving her other shit.</p><p>We went with Toshiba.&nbsp; Right on their website there was a good deal on a laptop with a $100 rebate, free printer, free wireless router and free carrying case.&nbsp; It should be here sometime next week.&nbsp; We of course got the 2nd and 3rd year warranty just in case.</p><p>She's very happy to have a computer coming that's her's alone and that she can work on at her leisure.&nbsp; She's been borrowing mine, which isn't a problem, but I&nbsp;use it.&nbsp; I take it to practice and Unhallowed does work on it sometimes, and even if it's at home, it's in my room. So I have to set it up in her room for her.&nbsp; Her own laptop is just gonna be WAY more practical.&nbsp; It's got some internal wireless G card too so she can surf at will.</p>

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