Buying a laptop

[drewins]

Just after a bit of advice on where to buy a laptop. I know what i'm looking for but am not sure whether to buy one from somewhere like JB hi fi or a dedicated computer shop. JB's are cheap but if you have problems you cant exactly just take it in there and get help. Thinking of getting one from A & R only because if there's something I cant figure out i can ust go in and get help. Is this the case?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[stocky]

i would be checking out the dell website. theyre cheap, have heaps of specials and awesome customer service

[randomhero365]

DELL DELL DELL.
best laptops i reckon.
I have one, never let me down.
get the inspiron 1525.
very good.

the fact that you have to wait a week or two for postage may put you off a little bit, but it is most definately worth the wait, dell wont let you down.

[Tom_1569]

Id only ever buy Toshiba or Dell.
Dell are very good value for money, great service, and spare parts arnt that expensive compared to other companies.
Toshiba are just very solid laptops and superior quality over other brands, but do cost abit more.

[FstStig]

Ok number one... Dells are crap. Purely for the fact that they just for some odd reason just crash. Not sure on their Laptops, but their desktops suck big time. Every computer shop and home based networking company i have worked for, have always said we will never sell a Dell to our Clients or customers. We only ever had Clients at my last job with networking. We always brought in HP systems. HP are a great brand of computer and will not let you down. If you buy a Compaq, you maze well be buying a HP as Compaq are made by HP. Toshiba Satellites are a very good laptop... However just be careful if you go for the Toshiba Satellites M205, as they have been known to have some over heating issues.

[stocky]

maybe the shops never sold dell to customers, because up until recently, dell only sold from their website? my dell has none of the problems you speak of, and their customer service had been brilliant with me.

[Haydz]

i bought my past 2 asus laptops from jb hi fi. and both have not had any problems.


but in saying that i know my way around computer pretty well so if your a bit of a noob when it comes to computers and think you may need the help.

it could be worth buying it from a pc store although most will still have a look at your computer for cheap

[randomhero365]

i second that for dell.
excellent in all areas

[dufus]

Ok number one... Dells are crap. Purely for the fact that they just for some odd reason just crash. Not sure on their Laptops, but their desktops suck big time. Every computer shop and home based networking company i have worked for, have always said we will never sell a Dell to our Clients or customers. We only ever had Clients at my last job with networking. We always brought in HP systems. HP are a great brand of computer and will not let you down. If you buy a Compaq, you maze well be buying a HP as Compaq are made by HP. Toshiba Satellites are a very good laptop... However just be careful if you go for the Toshiba Satellites M205, as they have been known to have some over heating issues.

Dells Crash, my XPS M1530 has never crashed in the year that I have had it, nore have I had any other problems. I would recommend Dell over any other manufacturer on the market.

[randomhero365]

Dells Crash, my XPS M1530 has never crashed in the year that I have had it, nore have I had any other problems. I would recommend Dell over any other manufacturer on the market.

I second that.

[vy_storm]

Ditto for the Dell XPS M1530, but its coming to end of life now with the Studio XPS just being released. Even better when you can salary sacrifice thru work and only end up paying $1200 for it Have had it for 6 months now and can hardly fault it.

Have had several Toshies over the years ranging from satellites to tecras. They have all been hit and miss with the majority suffering from hinge snap/floppy lid syndrome. I think I'll steer clear of them these days, but that's just personal opinion.

Oh and avoid Acer!

[tommo82]

Ok number one... Dells are crap. Purely for the fact that they just for some odd reason just crash.

Thanks for that technical explanation.

Not sure on their Laptops, but their desktops suck big time. Every computer shop and home based networking company i have worked for, have always said we will never sell a Dell to our Clients or customers.

That's because your corner computer shop and 1 man band networking company are of no value to Dell. Dell don't want to maintain small-time sales channels which might move 1 PC per month.

Dell's model is to sell direct to consumers (although they have dabbled in channel sales e.g. david jones style brands, not wally's corner computer shop).

Back in the real world, an extremely large proportion of large corporates use Dell machines. They're good quality, cheap, support is reasonable and they are eager to "own" the business segment.

HP are very worried - believe me.

We only ever had Clients at my last job with networking. We always brought in HP systems. HP are a great brand of computer and will not let you down. If you buy a Compaq, you maze well be buying a HP as Compaq are made by HP.

Compaq is gone. Their products (like Ipaq, etc) were re-branded as HP. You won't see their name on products now.

[FstStig]

maybe the shops never sold dell to customers, because up until recently, dell only sold from their website? my dell has none of the problems you speak of, and their customer service had been brilliant with me.

Not with my last Job. We always ordered in the computers for the Customer unless they wanted a DYI one done.

i bought my past 2 asus laptops from jb hi fi. and both have not had any problems.


but in saying that i know my way around computer pretty well so if your a bit of a noob when it comes to computers and think you may need the help.

it could be worth buying it from a pc store although most will still have a look at your computer for cheap

Great Advice there!

Asus is a great brand of laptop. If i was you i would be looking into getting an Asus more then anything and try and get one through a computer shop, but beware they will most liking try and sell you off on "Their" warranty if they have warranty in play... Some computer shops do, some Don't.

[stocky]

yeah at my last job, every computer was dell. every monitor, desktop, keyboard, mouse, etc. had no real problems with them

[FstStig]

Thanks for that technical explanation.

No worries thanks for the Douche Bag reply

Compaq is gone.

Bullshit.... I was working in Retravision Just last December and we still had Compaq computers (Laptops and desktops) coming in.

Most people buy a Dell because they don't know any better. They buy a Dell because they are advertised on TV and are cheap as Chips. People may only get 2 years outta them though before something seriously goes wrong with it and just shuts down on them. The last one i was working with had a CPU Socket blow up.

[dufus]

Most people buy a Dell because they don't know any better. They buy a Dell because they are advertised on TV and are cheap as Chips. People may only get 2 years outta them though before something seriously goes wrong with it and just shuts down on them. The last one i was working with had a CPU Socket blow up.

Funny that, I have a dell laptop that's still going strong after 5 years. Care to back this statement up or are you shitty because you paid more for what you could have got cheaper from dell or something like that?

[tommo82]

Too funny. I presume you work in the IT industry then - your knowledge is excellent!

[randomhero365]

people buy a Dell because they don't know any better. They buy a Dell because they are advertised on TV and are cheap as Chips. People may only get 2 years outta them though before something seriously goes wrong with it and just shuts down on them. The last one i was working with had a CPU Socket blow up.

First, I know quite well what I should and shouldn't buy.
There's also the factor of how people treat the laptop?
droping it, letting it overheat etc. etc.

laptops are far more fragile than the desktop PC's obviously.
And my Dell has been going strong for near on 2 years now.
Not slowing down, no memo loss, it basically all depends on how u treat ur sh*t.
Do a burnout in a car, the rubber don't last as long, same principle, different item, slightly different meaning as laptops obviously don't have wheels.

[vy_storm]

we buy dell's mainly at work as they are much more customisable than your average off the shelf toshiba and also the ability to roll back to xp if required.

[tommo82]

No worries thanks for the Douche Bag reply

So you've got to resort to personal insults now because someone has challenged you? How mature.

They buy a Dell because they are advertised on TV and are cheap as Chips.

And? That's called marketing - another thing Dell do well. If all Dell machines were lemons, people would know about it. They're not, so they keep selling.

People may only get 2 years outta them though before something seriously goes wrong with it and just shuts down on them. The last one i was working with had a CPU Socket blow up.

A CPU socket "blow up" ? Apart from not being possible (the socket is simply a connector), Dell would not experience a component failure rate dissimilar to other manufacturers. There are only certain manufacturers for various parts (e.g. 2 dominant CPU vendors, a small number of CD drive vendors, etc).

All computer manufacturers buy virtually the same parts. Personally, I've had 4 years out of my home desktop. I've purchased over 70 Dell enterprise servers and not one of them has had a catastrophic failure that you speak of.

Failures like hard disks and power supplies are extremely rare, but they do happen. That's life. It's not Dell specific.

Clearly your experience at Retravision has served you well and made you an arm-chair expert on the subject matter. Perhaps you were taught that Dell were bad because Retra didn't have them for sale? We'll never know.

[FstStig]

Funny that, I have a dell laptop that's still going strong after 5 years. Care to back this statement up or are you shitty because you paid more for what you could have got cheaper from dell or something like that?

HAHAHAHHAA Yeah right i didn't pay more for my Acer then a crappy Dell. I know better then that.

Too funny. I presume you work in the IT industry then - your knowledge is excellent!

Mate my Knowledge is probably better then what your old witted head will ever be. So unless you have something more constructive to say... **** Off!

[tommo82]

I have got something more constructive to say - that's why I edited my post.

Enjoy.


P.s: You've obviously got some sort of aggression issue. Calm down. It's an internet forum.

[FstStig]

A CPU socket "blow up" ? Apart from not being possible

Next thing your going to tell me that the only reason a BSOD Comes up is due to the Graphics Card. If a CPU Socket stops working it means its Dead, Blowen up. NO LONGER WORKS. So yes it is Possible because it has happened before.

[tommo82]

Next thing your going to tell me that the only reason a BSOD Comes up is due to the Graphics Card. If a CPU Socket stops working it means its Dead, Blowen up. NO LONGER WORKS. So yes it is Possible because it has happened before.

Sorry, "blow up" has a different meaning in Australia.

My mistake.

Back on topic: 'CPU sockets' don't just stop working. They are passive components and simply connect the semiconductor to the board. Either the CPU stops working (due to heat, or some other failure mode), or something else on the motherboard has. You'll learn this as you do more work with electrical systems.

My mistake.

PS: Blown is only a one syllable word.

[FstStig]

P.s: You've obviously got some sort of aggression issue. Calm down. It's an internet forum.

Nope i just don't let people push me around or be a complete wanker in my responses. Be a complete wanker to me in the first place and I'll bite ya ****ing head off.

There are a lot better ways in replying to things then the way you did. That's why i came back at you the way you did. You could of said

Care to explain that a bit better for us?