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New Latop for the family

Started by Berkut, March 21, 2010, 10:07:09 AM

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Berkut

I am considering buying a new laptop. This would be a second PC for the house, replacing my work PC that is pretty old and slow, and probably should not be being used for home stuff anyway.

I want something:

  • cheap - I have a pretty high end desktop PC already, so don't need something super awesome
  • Decent sized screen - I want at least 16", 17 if possible
  • Reliable. Not interest in fucking with this, I want it to work with minimum fussing from me.
  • Did I mention cheap?
I don't want to spend more than $750 or so.

What I really want to know is, where do people who know laptops shop for them? I imagine I can go down to Best Buy and get something that meets my criteria, but I wouldn't buy any other electronics at BB (simply because you can almost always get the same item elsewhere at a lower cost), so why should I buy a laptop there? Thing is, I don't reallly know where to go to get one.
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Berkut

And no, I don't want a Mac. Of any kind.
"If you think this has a happy ending, then you haven't been paying attention."

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Baron von Schtinkenbutt

If I'm buying new I either get it from Newegg or Amazon, or through HP via the employee discount program.

Caliga

Also don't forget TigerDirect, Berkie.  I got Princesca a great laptop from there last summer.
0 Ed Anger Disapproval Points

Barrister

Quote from: Berkut on March 21, 2010, 10:07:29 AM
And no, I don't want a Mac. Of any kind.

It depends of course on what you want to do with it, but perhaps you should consider an iPad.  It's pretty much designed to be a second computer around the home...

:)
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

Grey Fox

Get a Dell.

A 17 inches screen will probably run you over your budget. You don't need it anyway. People are usually very close to their laptop screen.
Colonel Caliga is Awesome.

Baron von Schtinkenbutt

Quote from: Grey Fox on March 21, 2010, 02:27:57 PM
Get a Dell.

A 17 inches screen will probably run you over your budget. You don't need it anyway. People are usually very close to their laptop screen.

This is way under his budget.

Grey Fox

Colonel Caliga is Awesome.

Ed Anger

Quote from: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on March 21, 2010, 10:18:36 AM
or through HP via the employee discount program.

I've been pleased with a 400 buck dual core Compaq/HP laptop I gots last Christmas. Other than the make your own recovery disc bullshit.
Stay Alive...Let the Man Drive

garbon

Quote from: Barrister on March 21, 2010, 01:25:26 PM
It depends of course on what you want to do with it, but perhaps you should consider an iPad.  It's pretty much designed not to be a... computer...

:)

Fixed!
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I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

Ed Anger

The march Newegg newsletter had a Leverno 399 dollar laptop Berkie.
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derspiess

Microcenter has a crappy emachines laptop for $299.  Might get that for the wife for Mothers Day.  It has a low, low end AMD processor, but it runs Win7 and would probably fit all her needs fine.  I would just get her a netbook, but I don't think she'd adjust very well to the reduced screen size.
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

Barrister

Holy crap - you just made me realize I need to start doing something for my wife on mother's day. :o
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

Grey Fox

No you don't. That your kids responsability.
Colonel Caliga is Awesome.

Barrister

Quote from: Grey Fox on March 25, 2010, 01:25:03 PM
No you don't. That your kids responsability.

When my kid is old enough, yes.

But until then it falls on me.

I know that's hardly some great revelation - but it just ahdn't even occurred to me until now.
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.