Need laptop suggestions

[Nancy]

I am looking for a new laptop and would love your suggestions, pros and cons. I currently have a Dell XPS 15z and don't like it for many reasons. I don't play games or do video editting, I use it for emails, websurfing, downloading photos, and most of all to go on this board

 

[InsaneCdn]

I've run just about every brand their is... and don't have a favorite.
The fact that every keyboard is different drives me insane, though - qwerty is standard, but the other buttons are not (pg up/pg down, home/end, etc.)

DO get the biggest screen you can - or the biggest you can cart around, if you do much of that.

 

[Nancy]

It's interesting you say that about the screen size because mine is 15" now and I don't need anything larger. There was a time when I thought I wanted as large as I could afford but now I woud rather have portability so I can sit in front of the tv with it on my lap and be comfortable. Also the lighter the better.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Nancy, I'm a tech head.
I have so many windows open that nobody else in the house can even stand to watch over my shoulder...
So... yes, I need max landscape.
But mine doens't get toted around much.

If you want to make it lighter... get the DVD drive as an external - plug in when you need it, which is probably rare.

 

[rejectedmom]

Nancy I do not know what your budget is but honestly I have had many computers over the years and my first was an APPLE and I loved it but then went easy child (windows) and I hate them. I shut off the windows updates but window overrides me anyway and then the computer doesn't work properly. I find myself restoring the system a couple times a month as a result. I would just get a small APPLE if your budget allows for it. I am saving up to get back into one but due to my graphics needs (art photography) it will cost me a small fortune because I will need all new professional level software. I wish I never switched. -RM

 

[DammitJanet]

Nancy, try a notebook instead of a laptop. I have a MSI notebook and I love it. However right now they have some HP notebooks out there for about $300 + with rebates at one of the Office depot or Office Supply stores. Not sure which one it is. Saw it on TV just the other night. I do have a 17 inch screen and that is as small as I am willing to go. As far as Im concerned its perfect. I still have a desktop in the living room and I have an external hard drive so I can back up files. eventually I may turn the desktop into a media player for my tv...not sure. For now, I just have it there as my back up computer.

 

[Nancy]

Thanks for the input. My easy child has a macbook, sorry I hate it. You either love or happy macbooks, she loves it and will never go back, I have it and like windows so much better.

I have a mini ipad so I don't want a notebook, i want a normal laptop, small enough to carry around but big enough to have a dvd drive within, don't want anything external. I've seen some at costco that I would consider, HP and Asis. I have always had Dell but honestly this XPS has many design flaws and I'm very disappointed in their recent models. I love their service but I have had them replace the chrome strip around the base five times now because it is cheap plastic and breaks, and I hate their keyboard, and you can't replace the battery yourself the entire guts have to be taken out.

 

[donna723]

I have two HP laptops and I really like them. My old desktop was a Dell and I had a lot of problems with it. I decided to go with the HP because we used them a lot at work and they seemed to be very reliable. I have the big 17-1/2 inch screen on the one I mainly use and it's really not that heavy. It's on my lap almost constantly and it's not that bad at all. I don't play games, I mostly use it for surfing, listening to music, and storing and editing my pictures and it's great for that. I have another little 15 inch HP laptop that my son uses and no problems with that one either. It took me a long time to get used to using this laptop because the keyboard was so different from the desktop I used at work. But now that I'm used to this one, it bothers me to try to use the one my son uses. It works fine but the keyboard is smaller, the touch pad is different, and a lot of the keys are in different places on the keyboard. It's all in what you get used to.

 

[rejectedmom]

I get that it is not your cuppa. Try an Asus ( I spelt this wrong initially and edited it for you LOL) easy child then, they have the same motherboard as many of the higher priced PCs but cost is cheaper. They actualy started out as only a motherboard manufacturer but then decided to make their own easy child. Best Buy carries them. -RM

 

[DammitJanet]

My notebook has a dvd read write. It is for all intents and purposes a laptop. Looks exactly like one.

 

[Nancy]

Thanks RM, glad you knew what I meant.

Here's another question, I have always bought my computer online from Dell. Has anyone had any problems buying through Costco or best buy? I am very hesitant to use best buy because of the horror stories with their repair center and nit honoring warranties and their awful prices,for contracts not to mention that they are closing stores left and right.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

I'm a mac girl through and through! I have a personal macbook at home and a big apple tower at work. But, I also use an HP Pavilion g6 laptop for all my accounting at work because Quickbooks doesn't work well with Mac. Bonehead got it for me last fall and so far, so good. My son is all about easy child's (most geeks are) and he has a laptop that he is very pleased with - it's a Sony. Both laptops were bought at Best Buy. My biggest issue with the windows based programming is the lag time. easy child's are sooooo much slower than macs. The new windows update does help a little though. But it is definitely a personal preference!

Sharon

 

[AnnieO]

I have a Dell Inspiron that I adore, have had it for over 3 years. husband has an HP - he hates Dell. My old desktop had an ASUS motherboard and random other stuff (I built it myself).

All of that said - go to TigerDirect.com and check out their deals. husband's HP is a refurb and they replaced the first one when it rattled. Nothing went wrong, it just rattled so they sent him another refurb and an RMA label for the rattly one. But basically he can't tell the difference between it and a brand new one he looked at.

 

[Signorina]

I was just about to suggest you go thru Best Buy...

That said, I have had very good luck with them (I totally just jinxed myself!) - DS's college tv died just a few weeks before his warranty ran out (regular 1 year manufacturer's) and they replaced it with a better/bigger model since they no longer stocked the 19"

Last year, my laptop died the very day I was told I needed a CAT scan to rule out a brain membrane puncture and if the CAT scan showed an active cerebral fluid leak, I would be prepped for surgery that same day. Of course, the first thing I did when I got home was turn on my laptop to google "brain fluid leak" only to find out my laptop was kaput. So in addition to worrying about my noggin, I was worried about needing immediate brain surgery and then having NOTHING TO DO (without a computer) while I recuperated.

I went on the to Best Buy site, went on the the clearance section of the site, started looking at laptops, filtered them by price (under $500), then sorted by review, added the ones with the top reviews (5 maybe?) to the "compare" list and then chose the one with the best reviews, lightest weight, and best processor/memory etc. that was in stock and ready to be shipped. 2 days later, I had a 4-1/2 star (review), Gateway 15.6" Laptop, 6GB, with a numeric pad (a necessity for me) weighing 5.5 lbs at my doorstep for $479.00.. .I was thrilled and still am very happy with it. And I didn't need brain surgery. So, it was a good but expensive few days!!

I find that reviews rarely lead me wrong. Again, I didn't look at any laptop over $500.

 

[susiestar]

I just bought a new laptop for husband at Sam's before Xmas. The one they had for two ninety nine was better equipped and came with better software than many we saw at BestBuy and other stores that started at five hundred. I don't know if they have any more, but I do know that I will NEVER trust Best Buy again. I had a manager there attempt to block me into their computer section to do a bait and switch (well, we can't sell this one, and the price we told you it was for was wrong (that they put in writing for an entire package and not just the laptop) but we havee this other one. I said No, not interested, started to leave the area and she stepped into my way. She kept doing this, and signaled for someone to move a ladder to the only other way out of the dept. When I said something to several toher people, it seems this has been something BB has been doing all over our state. father in law was in there after his knee surgery and they almost tripped him to get him to stop and see something. That something was an alternative to an on sale item that they didn't have in stock 'yet'. It was two days into the sale, and the item hadn't arrived but for a few hundred bucks more, well, he could have this, and he just HAD to stay because they blocked him in until they set up some computer for him to see.

It makes me very, very wary of them. I wonder how they are training staff, and won't go back because it is just skeevy, in my opinion.

 

[AnnieO]

Wow, Susie... Our BB has never tried this!!! I had one computer guy actually show me something better than what I was looking at - for a lower price! They've been good to us... Although I do think most of their prices are too high anyway.

 

[rejectedmom]

Only good experiences with BB here too. My computer went up two days before warranty was up. I required a new motherboard but I wanted my tech sister in law to get my sensitive files of it like tax and medical stuff first. So they wrote up my work order dated that day and told me to bring it back when the files were removed. I brought it back four days later and they fixed it no cost to me. That was about 4 years ago. -RM

 

[Nancy]

Good to know, I shop at BB often just bought difficult child a flat screen tv for christmas there and she loves it. I've always had good service there, just a little concerned about their computer service since I'm use to Dell coming to my house. Thanks for the info Sig, that's what I usually do when I'm looking for something, I like their reviews, they are usually very accurate.

 

[susiestar]

I am relieved to hear this is a problem in my area only. It wasn't the first bad customer service, mostly I get annoyed because if they are not busy they won't leave you alone to look at anything, and if they are, well, it is several minutes before they even acknowledge your existence with a smile and/or nod or "I'll be with you in just a moment." type comment. But that isnt' the level of this latest koi. Until this holiday season, I was a big BB fan. They do some amazing clearance deals esp.