Laptop Recommendations

Elfstalker · Post by **Elfstalker** » Tue May 30, 2006 5:17 pm

Hello,

I'll be needing a laptop for grad school soon. Anyone have a suggestion on a brand/ model? Since it's for school, I need lots of memory and speed.

I've been looking at Dell and Sony Viaos lately, but I'm open to ideas.

I'd like to stay under $1200.

hobbywhelmed · Post by **hobbywhelmed** » Tue May 30, 2006 6:52 pm

I have had two Sony Vaios. I would never recommend them. The big one overheats if you watch a movie on it and don't give it some airspace underneath. It also "encountered a problem" with various programs at least two times every time I used it for the first 6 months, and nobody could figure out why. After that it decided to relatively behave.

The other one (one of those "mini" notebooks, and not a good one for typing a lot) came with an external DVD drive that never worked right.

I've heard good things about Dell. Toshiba's, too, get good reviews. Dell might have the edge for service, but Toshiba's seem to have fewer problems.

I'd rather have a unit that didn't make you need good service, you know?

Joost · Post by **Joost** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:49 am

-sitting on a chair in a computerstore-

I recommend the Acer Aspire 5003 (5000 series)

- 1024mb ram
- 100gb hd
- dual layer dvd writer
- ...
great laptop, and well in your price range

zerospace · Post by **zerospace** » Wed May 31, 2006 4:00 am

I'd stay away from Sony, Compaq/HP, and Toshiba for sure. I've heard decent things about SOME IBMs, tho that wouldn't be my brand of choice. I own a low-end Dell laptop which, once I removed the usual Dell bloatware, is fantastic. Its not even a high-end system and it burns DVDs like a champ, and doesn't even get that hot--then again, that's the processor in it. heh.

A bit of advice if you do go with Dell:

a) remove the bloatware they install on it (extra software that loads on startup -- if you don't need it, get rid of it, it'll only slow it down).

b) go on the Dell website and learn how to make an operating system CD -- they do not ship with them by default anymore -- either pay an extra $10 when you order it (watch for this option) or make yourself the disc immediately upon receiving the laptop, because if for whatever reason the hard drive dies.. say bye-bye to your OS unless its still under warranty.

I've heard good things about Sager laptops as well, but I can't really speak for too many other brands never having had them. Just my opinion anyway!

hobbywhelmed · Post by **hobbywhelmed** » Wed May 31, 2006 7:41 am

Acer - there's another brand I've never had a problem with!

Joost · Post by **Joost** » Wed May 31, 2006 8:21 am

-still sitting in a computerstore-

Like I said

, I have already had a lot of laptops in my hands
trust me on the 5000 serie

blueheaven · Post by **blueheaven** » Wed May 31, 2006 8:24 am

HP dv1000t series - Very customizable, and very affordable. I've never had problems with HP computers.

http://www.powernotebooks.com/ - These guys do great work. I recommend the Sager NP5420. You can fit everything into it for around $1200. I bought my laptop from them four years ago and only had one problem with it(RAM chip died), which they fixed quickly at no cost.

Not Sir Phobos · Post by **Not Sir Phobos** » Wed May 31, 2006 9:18 am

If you get a dell...DO NOT FINANCE IT. Dell financial is a horrible business. They have absolutely no clue what is happening in their own department. We financed a laptop from them and they tried to send us to collections EVERY MONTH, I am not exaggerating. We were literally a month ahead on our payments at ALL TIMES and every month they'd send us another collection notice. Every time we called the current operatior would say how dumb the last operator was and then not do anything to help us either! Hell they even tried to send us to collections once on the fees they didn't collect from the previous month's erroneous collection notice!

We said enough is enough and paid the entire thing off completely! Just to be sent a collection notice for .37 cents that we missed three months later.

Dell makes an ok computer but DO NOT deal with dell financial. Pay the thing in full up front!

Elfstalker · Post by **Elfstalker** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 4:48 pm

Thanks everyone, I have plenty food for thought!

I plan on buying outright, so no financing for me. I'm not keen on financing stuff anyway, except my student loan that I just got.