[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Eric,

I'll agree with you! Most people really just need a basic computer and want bells and whistles. But some brands DO work better out of the box than others, Apple being one of the better ones for simplicity of use.

I wanted a MAC but could not afford it. MAC could do the job but was much more money. The next question comes in as what can I get by with and what are the strongest platforms.

I know people who get years out of their HPs, I was not one of them. I have seen too many of that platform fail. Please do not drop it! It can happen in a heartbeat while you are working with it on your lap and reach over for something....

There were some specific specifications to maintain (cannot use AMD chipset for a couple of medical programs, needed heavy lifting capabilities on some programs) so those specifics alone drive up the price for the computer outside the realm of basic.

My search came back to Toshiba, Dell, Sony and the Dell was MUCH cheaper (buying refurbished on a huge discount sale). All three lines sell refurbished over the net, you just have to search them out. And all three lines have computers for real cheap ;-)