I want a laptop... Any suggestions on brand?

[MiniMandaRuth]

I really really really want a laptop for my writing and some internet usage. Most of my friends have one, and they all love it. It also works out good for the parents, as the kids now don't hog the computers.

I would like to try and save up for one myself with babysitting money and other funds... But I have no idea where to start? What brand is the most stable? What has the coolest gizmos? What is the most for the money?

Thanks.

[Initech]

1. Just dont get Dell.

I had a Dell for a long time and that thing broke down more times than my mom's car.

[MiniMandaRuth]

8. My friend had a dell that her dad gave her...

And it crash within three weeks. They never went back.

But I was on my other friends dell last night, and it was running very smoothly.

[jobycom]

19. I've had good luck with Dell

Well, not me personally, but at my work. Both desktops and laptops.

[WindRavenX]

2. get a mac

:hi:

[MiniMandaRuth]

5. Ehehe....

Macs hate me like DU hates brazillion.....

We love eachother sometimes, and other times we want to stab eachother's eyes out....

[dpbrown]

50. Macs run Windows, No Windows computer runs Mac OS

Get the best of all worlds by getting a Mac.

[ghostsofgiants]

3. Toshiba usually comes highly recommended.

The new Macbooks look pretty nice too.

[MiniMandaRuth]

7. Two votes for Toshiba....

Mac.... *eyetwitch*

[Madrone]

39. I vote for Toshiba AND Mac!

Now both your eyes should be twitchin'. ... ;)

Seriously - first laptop ever was a huge honkin 17" Toshiba. I got it 1.5 years ago. LOOOOOOOOOVE it. Mostly. HATE it when I have to haul it around. It seriously weights 10 lbs! But I really love it. It's beautiful, reliable, and durable.

Now - a week ago this past Friday I received my first EVER Mac in the mail. A brand new MacBook Pro. It's beyouuuuuuteeeeeeful! I LOVE it. Totally turning into a Mac geek now. AND - the new ones you can install Windows on, so you could dual boot.

[seemunkee]

43. My wife and son both have Toshibas. I would recommend them

They've worked very well. We use IBM in our office and have had no problems.

[Haole Girl]

4. IBM is junk

I like my Toshiba, but it is a bit heavy to actually be on my lap! Oh, and, I'm really glad I got the extended warranty, because I think I killed the hard drive when I did use it on my lap because it over-heated. But, Toshiba replaced the hard drive and mailed it back to me almost immediately upon receipt...I've been really pretty happy with it- especially compared to the IBM laptop (which died and could never be resurrected!).

[MiniMandaRuth]

6. I don't care how heavy it is....

I'm fine... just as long as it is there.

How much does warranty cost/how long does it last?

[Haole Girl]

9. The warranty was about $300. two years ago.

And, the warranty lasts 3 years. The hard drive went out after 2 years exactly. Just be sure you don't overheat it, if you get one!

[LSK]

48. i always thought it was the other way around

IBMs have been holding up good for me over the year.

[In_The_Wind]

10. I just bought my second Dell.

It gets a little tricky to use in bed as the Dell seems to overheat easily.

[MiniMandaRuth]

21. Hmmmm.....

Overheating seems to be a problem....

Maybe I should get a newer one, if I do go with a dell or Toshiba.

[In_The_Wind]

30. When I'm holding it on my knees I can feel the heat before it slows down.

If I use it on a bed tray so that it has air under it there doesn't seem to be a problem.

[GoneOffShore]

11. Macintosh

If you're strapped for cash, get a reconditioned iBook or G4 Powerbook. I know that Mac has come out with the Intel chip machines but they are going to run you over 2.5k. If you go to Small Dog Electronics. http://www.smalldog.com/ you'll be able to get an as good as new laptop. As long as the OS is up to date you'll do fine. They come loaded with a lot of software, Safari, Mail, Address Book, iTunes, iPhoto, Preview, Text Edit Calendar plus the Widgets and some other stuff depending on some odd factors. My new Powerbook (almost 3 years old now) came with Quickbooks, OmniGraffle, OmniOutliner, Graphic Converter, plus a demo copy of Microsoft Office. You can probably get the educational version of Office fairly cheaply.

Make sure you get an Airport Extreme card and Bluetooh. That way you can use wireless networks.

The OS is Unix based and is rock solid. And you won't have to worry too much about viruses, especially if you use Firefox as your browser.

Lots of games available for Macs.

[MiniMandaRuth]

22. Apple is in the lead....

Maybe I will go with an apple. After all, they are stable... when they want to be! :)

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

12. Apple.

Once you go Mac you never go back. The new MacBooks look really cool (the new iBook basically). Built in webcams and everything.

[MiniMandaRuth]

24. Sweet.

Macs are lookin' good.

[yvr girl]

13. I have a Toshiba and it's been great

Mine is 5 years old and still working fine. I've never had to get it serviced. I put it on a tray to use it (one with folding legs) it helps prevent overheating.

[MiniMandaRuth]

25. Overheating seems to be the problem.

Instead of a tray, would a large, hardcover book on my lap or maybe a drawing tablet help?

[yvr girl]

35. Any hard surface will do

laps and pillows are bad

[Placebo]

14. Might I suggest getting an Apple?

Apple just released a new notebook called the MacBook.

Go here if you want to take a look at it.

Not only does it have a rock solid operating system, Mac OS X, that is super easy to use and virus-free, but it has great technical specs!

It's light, at only 5 pounds, but packs a great 13-inch widescreen LCD.

It's packs an Intel Core Duo processor, which is lightening fast. It's called "Duo" because it's essentially two processors in one. It's the absolutely best processor on the market today for use in notebooks. It's low-power but incredibly powerful!

The MacBook comes with a remote and program called "Front Row" which lets you manage almost all of your media on the MacBook from a distance. Use the remote to browse through your music, watch DVDs, you name it.

Ever want to keep in touch with relatives and loved ones from far away? The MacBook has a camera built into the screen for live video conferencing! All of which comes standard on the MacBook.

Most importantly, however, the MacBook comes standard with some of the best software available. Apple's award-winning and powerful media software is grouped together as a suite called "iLife". It's got applications for managing your photos, music, editing and burning home movies to DVD, even an application called "GarageBand" for creating your OWN music! All standard.

One of the joys of having a portable is not being tied to a desk, and the MacBook has you covered there with wireless internet and Bluetooth connectivity right out of the box.

Have any programs that you just can't live without that are PC-only? Now that Apple notebooks are powered by Intel processors you can actually boot the Windows OS right on your Mac! With a handy feature called "Boot Camp" you install Windows XP onto your Mac, and then be given a choice at start up whether or not you want to boot into the Apple OS or Windows!

Reliability of Apple notebooks is legendary, and if you do have a problem, unlike most computer manufacturers who outsource their tech support to India or who knows where, when you call Apple you talk to real people in America.

Now has never been a better time to purchase an Apple notebook, I hope you'll consider it! :)

[Taverner]

15. Depends. What's more important to you? Service or Bang for buck?

If bang for buck is more important - Dell isn't bad

If you will be calling Tech Support alot, Apple is your brand.

[GoneOffShore]

16. Since I bought my Powerbook

I've called Tech support 2 times in under 3 years. Mostly been able to find out the answers on the Apple Discussion boards.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

17. Actually, I think you get more bang for the buck with an Apple

Their prices are dropping and they last longer.

[Taverner]

42. Personally I think Macs are all style no substance

They are still way more pricey than their Dell counterpart...and honestly, would you still use the PowerBook G3 you had in 2000? Computers are disposable equipment - even if your computer lasts longer than 3 years do you really want to use it then?

[GoneOffShore]

52. My G4 powerbook is still going

And shows little sign of stopping.

Crunches numbers, edits photos, edits movies, plays my music and lets me post on du. I'm not a gamer, so I don't have that worry.

One thing I DO know about my Mac is that I've never been bothered with worms, trojan horses or viruses. (Exception and disclaimer - when I had Microsoft Word on my iMac I ended up with a Word Macro virus attachment. Never affected my machine.)

I've kept the OS up to date, and the hardware is still working beautifully. Of course, I was using a Mac Classic II in the office as a print server until last year. Then it died, but it was over 12 years old. RIP Snake Machine (that was the hard drive name).

So, yes I suppose if you don't keep your stuff very long you'll chuck it. But then I keep my cars for at least 10 years.

Learned from my dad who lived in the same house from 1914 until 1999 when he died. If it's a good tool and it works you don't throw it away.

[Art_from_Ark]

64. I've got a clamshell iBook that I still use

I love the keyboard-- the best feel of any laptop keyboard I've ever used.

[MiniMandaRuth]

26. I would like to get a laptop before highschool (Next year)

And I am willing to babysit and do odd jobs for money... So bang for the buck is very important.

[LeftyMom]

47. Whatever you get

Get the extra warranty. Laptops have pricey parts, they take more abuse when they get toted about and you can't just get a geeky friend to fix them like you usually can with a desktop.

Oh, and I got my lappie back from Sony today. It's great again. :D

[baby_bear]

18. Compaq Presario

It's great. I have heard nasty things about Dell and Toshiba, especially in terms
of all the help that's needed. My friend ended up taking his Dell back and insisting
on a refund. My friend with a Toshiba is totally disastisfied. Bad tech help.

I love my CP. I've had it for two years and it's great.

It's a little big if you travel a lot, but I think you said that wasn't a problem.

b_b

[MiniMandaRuth]

27. Yeah.

After carrying around an alto sax, size is no problemo.

I've never heard of this brand. How stable is the system?

[baby_bear]

59. I rarely have problems

If I do, they seem to be related to the fact that I have a dial-up and slow slow slow
access to the Internet.

Good computer.

Just don't spill any liquids on the keyboard. Yikes

b_b

[Hissyspit]

20. Apple.

I have a Dell Inspiron & it is fine, but I wish I'd gone w/ a Mac.

[MiniMandaRuth]

28. Apple is way ahead...

It looks like an apple or dell, now.

[LeftyMom]

23. Mixed reviews on my sony

I got a fabulous price on it, it's got a ton of features and a really big screen (15.4" widescreen) I really like using it, but something in it died and it wouldn't turn on- I took it in for service and Sony got it fixed and in the mail back to me really fast, which is a nice plus. On the other hand the service guy at Best Buy has the exact same model and he says he's never seen anybody else have trouble with it, so I think mine may have been a freak occurance- if that's really the case I would definitely recommend a Sony. At least I can tell you for sure that thier service is fast. :)

[MiniMandaRuth]

29. Well, they do make the PS2...

And people seem to have good with that.

Sony is now in consideration.

[speedoo]

34. My Dell Inspiron has been great.

Got a good deal on it. It's a wonderful machine with the built in wireless, which is a must-have, IMO. The hard drive died and Dell replaced it under warranty.

Theur customer service has been very good for me.

In short, if you are looking for getting the best value, I would highly recommend looking for a deal on a Dell.

[MiniMandaRuth]

31. Dell, Apple, and Sony....

Those seem to be ahead of everything else.

Shameless kick.

[Downtown Hound]

32. I've had my Mac powerbook G4 for over three years now

Never had to take it in once to get it fixed. Never had a serious problem with it. I could count on two hands the number of times that I've had to restart it because it gets bogged down. In three years that's pretty good. It's still fast, it still looks good, and it keeps churning away. Don't have to worry about viruses or anything. The thing is a virtual workhorse.

In my opinion, you'd be crazy not to get a mac. I still can't figure out why people torture themselves with PC's.

[MiniMandaRuth]

33. My parents have a mac

which is what I'm using now. My mac and I have a famous love-hate relationship. I love it, it loves me.... I hate it, it hates me.

[GoneOffShore]

45. Have you tried talking nicely to it?

:grin:

Seriously, what kind of problems do you have?

Which Mac is it? And what version of the OS are you using? Some of the earlier versions of OSX had some issues, but they've mostly been ironed out.

[Nicole]

36. Mac n/t

[ZombieNixon]

37. Dell = crap

I'm sorry, but I've seen nothing but grief from my friends with Dell laptops.

Get a Mac. Personally, I've ben itching to get my hands on one of the new MacBooks...but *sniff* poor college stud...ent.

[Omphaloskepsis]

38. Macbook....

Durable and just fucking awesome. Apple needs your money.

[Book Lover]

40. Macs are delicate little flowers

which is bad for an expensive portable device. Get yourself a used Toughbook.

[KitchenWitch]

41. I love my Sony Vaio!

[LynneSin]

44. I'll second you on that - great company and it's "Blue"

meaning that more Sony money goes to democrats than republican

[GirlinContempt]

60. They can give more money anywhere they want

because they love proprietary crap :P

[LSK]

46. buy a used IBM Thinkpad from Ebay or ibm.com

Save some money by buying refurbished and also IBM thinkpads are rock solid and have lots of parts and support out there.

Im typing this on a used IBM Thinkpad I bought 3 years ago. Still going strong with daily use.

[JCMach1]

51. Thinkpad is great!!! Writing this on mine

:)

[wildhorses]

49. Apple

next one I get will be Apple, own a Dell now...
just my 2 pennies

[Dangerously Amused]

53. Apple! Apple! Apple! Apple! Apple!

:bounce:


I've used both for years, PCs at work (and helping my Mom with her old one) and Apple at home. Apple wins hands down. Every time.

I still have all my old Apples, and they all still work. I did have a one PC at home when between Apples for a while, and hated it... simple things took extra steps and it was not very intuitive at all, IMHO.

My Mom just recently switched from her PC to a Mac mini, and she is in looooooovvve. She will never go back to a PC now.


:7

[Sgent]

54. IMHO

you have three options. I recommend Mac for most people.

If you don't want a Mac (although I can't think of why), HP & IBM have the best laptops out there today.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

55. I've had really good luck with my Gateway

I used to have a Toshiba Satellite and had the abovementioned overheating and shutting off problem. I'm sure my Gateway is crammed full of cat hair, but it's a faithful friend and has never given me a lick of trouble!

[politicat]

56. Macbook.

For the money, it's the best thing you can get. It will run windows, linux and OS X, and if you are careful with it, it will last you through your first year of college.

They aren't cheap, but they're worth the price.

(Says I, writing this from a 4 year old Mac Powerbook G4 that is still going strong, even if the E key is worn completely flat...)

Macs are tough to kill and you don't have to be an MCSE to keep the viruses off.

[chaska]

57. I just bought an Apple iBook and love it.

Highly recommended. you can get a refurb (the apple store online) for about $1100 I think. But please note that you won't be able to access the internet anywhere you go. You'd have to go the hotspot route. If you wanted to have access anywhere you'd need the big slot in the side of the unit. The iBook doesn't have this, but the Powerbook does.

[Bossy Monkey]

58. I am very fond of my Sony Vaio; I got it factory rebuilt at uBid

though you could probably get the same thing at the same price at Best Buy, or something better built for you at a local computer shop (or so everyone tells me).

[SoCalDemGrrl]

61. Apple.. avoid Dell like the plague..

[GirlinContempt]

62. I've worked for some of the big names

My suggestion is go local.
If for whatever reason you don't want to, go toshiba. Best premade laptops I serviced. Worst was Sony, with HP/Compaq a close 2nd worst.

[emmajane67]

63. MAC MAC MAC MAC

I just got a second hand ibook (four months old with 8 months warranty left) for £480. It has upgraded hard drive and an airport wireless connection which connects just about anywhere there is a signal.
Love it, love it, love it.