laptop recommendations

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knowltoh

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Alpena, MI 49707
I am hoping some of you are knowledgable on laptop computers. The more I look, the more confused I become. I have little faith in the recommendations of most salespeople in the stores.

I want to get a laptop with a about a 15" screen that I can use to check email and access the internet (IAP) from wifi. I spend winter months in Florida and do not have the internet in my home.

Any recommendations appreciated.
 
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Overall... For just web & email most options are pretty good... There can be issues with any machine, but overall the decent names are pretty solid.. like this one for $400:

http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-15/fs (the economy one... )

Just one warning... if you need longer battery life, the cheaper model skimps on the battery.
 
I'm a computer consultant in real-life. I have all Acers at this point. I have also been putting them into client sites. they are reliable, inexpensive, and easy to use.

I've been consulting since 1980, and Acer has been around almost that long! I have no connection with the company, I just like to put systems into my client sites that won't cause me maintenance problems down the road and so far, the Acers have been doing fine. The oldest are about five years old at this point.

Sharon
 
Most laptops, like most lathes are simply assembled in china to specs set up by the company who's name goes on it. They are usually mostly identical in performance within a given pricepoint as far as speed storage and features. The main differences are in mechanical reliability, and how much extra crap they stuff into the software to slow it down and keep you from doing what you want to do with it. Laptops have for the most part become like dvd players, IE disposable. By the time the warranty is out after a year it will probably cost more to repair any serious failure on a given laptop than a superior replacement machine will cost by that point.

I suggest that people buy whatever the cheapest machine is that does what they want, and spend the money they save on a good reliable way to store their data, pictures, music, ect. If you have your personal files backed up, and the access codes for any programs you actually purchased written down, you can have a new laptop up and running faster and probably cheaper than getting a old one repaired after a serious failure. Personally, I always wipe any oem software off the hard drive of any computer I build or work on, and go back with a fresh copy of the original windows software, and then add on any programs I need rather than use the bloatware kludges that most software manufacturers foist off on their systems. YMMV of course.
 
My wife found my Toshiba (Satellite) on sale at Best Buys for under $400. I love the the camera (for Skype) and the DVD player/burner for cutting my own DVD's. It's been a great little unit.
 
If all you are doing is surfing the web and getting email , almost any laptop will do what you want . You don't need the fastest machine and any graphics hardware that the machine comes with will be fine . If you are going to do anything that is more graphics intensive then a faster machine and a better graphics processor will be needed .
WIFI might be a problem though . You will need something to connect you to the internet . WIFI uses your current internet connection through a WIFI router or access point to give you access to the network . You say you have no internet access in your house so you will need either a modem and use dialup to access the net or you will need a wireless card (using cell phone networks) that will connect you to the internet . These cards are available for around $100 and the service will cost you about $70 a month (around here) and not all have unlimited usage so you will pay extra depending on the amount of usage .
 
Cable

What you need to do is sit down and talk to someone who does that sort of thing all the time. The actual computer you need is probably a very low end but who knows what features you might need for the application.

There are some good review sites where you can get info on reliability, price, features and comparisons.

I've always been of the opinion that the technology is changing so fast primarily to make things obsolete before they're even broke in.
 
I've been managing "big iron" & a lot of users for about 7 years.
I've been pleased with Dell Inspirons.
However, for a little more, a Lenovo business-class machine is still a ThinkPad.
That's a great machine.
 
The wife took the Dell i was using and I ended up with this Acer laptop. Both are great but both have the same problem. The letters on the keyboard keep moving around.
 
Staples has a HP model G72-250 for $549 starting tomorrow. Any opinions on that? I also want to look at the Acers. I appreciate the replies!
 
HP

Generally speaking HP products are very good, I'm an IBM guy but have owned a few HP printers and they were always pretty decent units. HP has gotten awfully big though, they now are the largest computer company (IBM is still more profitable though)...but should stll be a good provider.
 
In my experience, hp and compac are the low end of the mechanical durability scale for laptops. If you are going to put it on a desk and occasionally take it on a trip, you should be fine. If you have kids, or plan to haul it to work every day, or put it by the couch and open and close it a dozen times a day, you might be ahead to keep looking for an acer or a toshiba or a dell in your price range. For the six bills that one will cost after taxes, you could get a comparable dell online, and be less worried that the keys will pop off or the hinges get loose or something like that. Whatever you get I strongly recommend that right before the warranty goes out, you send it in and get the hinges and flex cable replaced. This is the most common failure in laptops and a work request for "loose hinges and intermittent video glitches when the monitor moves" will get them replaced without question.
 
knowltoh said:
Staples has a HP model G72-250 for $549 starting tomorrow. Any opinions on that? I also want to look at the Acers. I appreciate the replies!
Click to expand...

Not too bad looking a machine for that amount of $$... at 17" it will be a monster (sizewise), but specs look pretty good overall.
 
If time is not an issue, check some local stores for sales ie, I was in radio shack the other day for a item and noticed they had several IBM laptops for $299. They were new and very nice systems.

One real piece of free advise, do not buy any extended warranty from any store. They are not worth the paper used to print them. They are pure profit for the stores and the sales clerk are hard pressed to push them on customers.
 
Herb,
You have received lots of good advice--here is my 2 cents worth . I have used many makes and all do the job...especially for e-mail & web browsing--some are faster. lighter and some seem to need little repairs. (Dell, Acer are good for me-- HP has expensive proprietary parts)

One consideration is the way you will interact with the computer--i.e., Windows or Apple OS. I used Windows for many years -- My 5+ Dell laptops were very good--especially if you get the "Lattitude" model and the in-your-home repair option"--i.e, don't have to mail your computer and all your data to a repair depot.

I switched to an Apple (MacBook Pro) 2 1/2 years ago and I found, for me, it was a superior computer (easy to use, great screen, few viruses, etc. (Note: Apple is more expensive than typical equivalent Windows versions)

If all you REALLY want to do is e-mail, and surf the web with a good screen, then check out an Apple IPad with Wifi and 3G (for Internet via cell phone like link--here it is about $30 per month.
It is an option I am considering for my travels (Maui each year) --but it has some limitations such as no hard drive.

Finally, if you are only going to use e-mail and browse the web a $300 Acer or other NETBOOK may well meet your needs--back it up and recyle if it fails (unlikely)

good luck--whatever you choose it should handle e-mail & web browsing well.

Cheers,
Terry
(Fredericton, NB Canada)
 
If you can afford it (around $3k), I *love* the MacBook Pro. I have the last Core2 Duo based one and it's outstanding. The new i7 based ones are mind blowing.

But it's way more than the hardware inside is worth. Luckily I work for a mega-church that loves spending money on IT!
 
I think I have it narrowed down to two. The Acer AS5334-2598 for $349 or the HP G72-250US for $549. I never think I will use all the capability, but seems like I might be sorry if I go to cheaply. Does "you get what you pay for" apply to laptops? The larger screen is vey appealing.
 
knowltoh said:
I think I have it narrowed down to two. The Acer AS5334-2598 for $349 or the HP G72-250US for $549. I never think I will use all the capability, but seems like I might be sorry if I go to cheaply. Does "you get what you pay for" apply to laptops? The larger screen is vey appealing.
Click to expand...

Biggest differences is processor and screen size... other small difference including a extra gig of ram.

Depends what you really want... the screen is the main reason for the $$, but the processor is a factor too.
 
Well, everybody is different, but I actually have both a 17" (m6400) and a 15" (inspiron 1545) and the m6400 seldom leaves the docking station. It weighs a ton, the charger is twice as heavy, and the battery life is abysmal. It's nice and fast, and the ultra hi res screen is great for big cad files, but for sitting on the couch and checking posts on IAP I almost always reach for the inspiron, or occasionally my old d630 14" if the kids have something to do on the 15. YMMV of course.
 
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