Computer experts-name a good cheap laptop

[efhughes3]

I've always used Dells thru work, but I need to buy one for myself. Is one of the entry-level Dell Inspirons OK for moderate use around home? E-mail, Word, Excel, internet is about all I need to do. Maybe an occasional DVD on long flights, and my MP3 collection.

[slodave]

I strongly suggest you stay away from the Toshiba Satellite series. I do warranty repairs for Toshiba and they are the worst. Too many problems. Satellite Pros are ok. I don't see many of those come in. I just bought a Fujitsu, but it was not cheap. I don't really now much about the other brands.

Dave

[UconnTim97]

I have a Dell Inspiron 6000, pretty great laptop for the money

Under 1k

[artplumber]

And light

Averatec

Typing on one now....

[Spede]

Dell. Great workhorse and cheap.

[Eric H]

I'd agree with the Inspiron 6000 suggestion - got one 15 months ago and it's been great (I've had bad laptops like the Dell 5150) and heavily used. Mine was a bit more than $1k, though, with the highest resolution screen, extra lifetime batteries, etc. One downside is that it's a fairly heavy, fullsize laptop (which I prefer when I'm not lugging it around).

Whatever you do get something with the wide (16:9) screen - you'll never go back...

[HardDrive]

I use an Acer tablet for work. I'm a network engineer, and the thing has been on about 12 hours a day for the past 18 months. Solid.

I did have a problem with the tablet screen when I first got the machine. Acer customer service was excellent.

That being said, Dell and Toshiba are both solid choices. Don't count out Lenovo (formerly IBM).

[Won]

Averatec

[singpilot]

I travel for a living. Worst case scenario for a laptop. Have had Sony Vaio for the last 3 laptops. Covers 12 years. They go obsolete before they break. I had one be run over by a towed airplane. Destroyed everything in the bag except the computer. Is the one I am on now on Mikonos, in Greece.

Got mine with point accrued from Marriott.

[epbrown]

The best cheap laptop is a used high-end model, imo. My two favorites are the IBM Thinkpad and Sony VAIO series.

[Rick V]

I use a Gateway, got it from Circuit city. On sale around $750. Its a good sufer, with the AV stuff already installed. Ticks my wife off I have the funstuff and her expensive HP is missing a card reader! The vurtual memory could be better but I could also pry some funds out of the wallet for the plug in thingie.

[rfuerst911sc]

I bought my wife a entry level Gateway from Best Buy 3 months ago for $450.00 and by entry level I mean Celeron chip but it has 512K memory,60 gig H.D.,CD/DVD burner it's a very nice machine. I use a used Dell Lattitude that I've had for about a year now it has been rock solid.

[Halm]

Originally posted by Rick V
I use a Gateway, got it from Circuit city.

You know the difference between a Gateway and a trampoline? You take your shoes off for a trampoline.



Sorry, couldn't resist!

[84porsche]

Originally posted by singpilot
I travel for a living. Worst case scenario for a laptop. Have had Sony Vaio for the last 3 laptops. Covers 12 years. They go obsolete before they break. I had one be run over by a towed airplane. Destroyed everything in the bag except the computer. Is the one I am on now on Mikonos, in Greece.

Got mine with point accrued from Marriott.

Another VAIO supporter here. I am approaching one year with this one and not one propblem. My Dell that I had, ran way too hot, fried the motherboard one month out of warranty and their tech support is the absolute worst in the world.

[scottmandue]

I don't have a laptop but I'm thinking of getting one so I dropped in on this thread.

We have two Sony VAIO desktops here at work and I luv them.

What no apple heads out there? Oh sorry, you said cheap.

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by slodave
I strongly suggest you stay away from the Toshiba Satellite series. I do warranty repairs for Toshiba and they are the worst. Too many problems. Satellite Pros are ok. I don't see many of those come in. I just bought a Fujitsu, but it was not cheap. I don't really now much about the other brands.

Dave

Second that and add HP to the list to stay away from. The produce the best printers in the world but their laptops are terrible.

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by singpilot
I travel for a living. Worst case scenario for a laptop. Have had Sony Vaio for the last 3 laptops. Covers 12 years. They go obsolete before they break. I had one be run over by a towed airplane. Destroyed everything in the bag except the computer. Is the one I am on now on Mikonos, in Greece.

Got mine with point accrued from Marriott.

+1 Spend about 200 nights a year on the road and have a Dell laptop with me. Using a 600m right now and its lasted 3 years, so its tough.

Also like IBM laptops and have heard good things about the Sony's.

When you buy your laptop (or any other major purchase) AmEx and some Visa/MC cards will double your factory warranty for FREE. They usually have a one year warranty, and buying it with a card like this gives you two years of warranty, which is more than enough.

[dad911]

I just bought one of these, Dell Inspiron E1405 35%off, http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/sna.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~topic=dod

[wilke3169]

Typing on a Gateway that my daughter has used for 3 years of college. I have an old Gateway that is about 4 years old and trudges along but never a minute of downtime. Just bought my younger daughter a Lenovo for her freshman year. All 3 have served us well to date and were under 1000.00 when purchased

[stevepaa]

Originally posted by scottmandue
What no apple heads out there? Oh sorry, you said cheap.

Apple computers have never been cheap. Neither have Porsches.