Laptops?

[missmara13]

I'm planning on buying myself a laptop sometime in September (my birthday present to myself!), and I know some of you have laptops, so...

Any advice? Any brands to avoid at all costs? Any must have accesories? Conversely, any accesories that aren't worth it? Like the cooling stand things, they seem like a good idea... are they worth the money?

It would primarily be for writing, but I also need web access (so wireless compatible is a must), and I'd prefer to able to have my music on it, and be able to do graphics work on it, too.

Anyway, any advice? Right now, I'm looking at maybe personalizing one at Dell.com so I get what I want and not a bunch of stuff I don't want or need... I'm primarily looking at an Inspiron 15 right now... I also may buy one from walmart... I haven't decided one hundred percent yet...

Comments

[jujuberry136.livejournal.com]

I have a mac and I love it. It's a bit more pricey than most PCs but they're very stable (I've never had a problem with crashing or viruses).

As for what you need, hmmm. You'll definitely need a stand of some sort. Mine rotates and has the ability to adjust the height (which allows the heat to dissipate and keeps the laptop quite). I use this one: http://www.macnn.com/reviews/coolpad-and-podiumpad.html

Which can also work for a PC.

I don't bother with a mouse, but you might want to think about a wireless one if you absolutely need one. They're pretty cheap now and a heck of a lot more convenient to carry around.

You'll need some sort of case/protector. I use a soft case (inside is neoprene) which I picked up at a local Marshalls for $15. There are also hard cases that can fit around your computer and come in all sorts of cool colors.

Other than a bag which will fit the computer, the power cord, and the stand- you should be good!

Let us know what you decide on. I choose a bigger model because I watch quite a bit of television and movies on my laptop. But if you're only planning on using this for internet and some writing, you can probably go smaller.

[jujuberry136.livejournal.com]

P.S- If you're jonesing for a PC, I've heard good things about Lenovo and Acer. When I was in college, all the kids who had Dell laptops ended up replacing them after about 1-2 years. It's anecdotal but they all said the computers just didn't compare to the quality of their desktops.

[zbyszko.livejournal.com]

I, too, have a Mac. I also have a PC laptop that I bought a few years ago as a backup but Windows drives me nuts compared to the ease of the Mac OS. Mine is a black Macbook that I bought last January- it was last year's model so I got a good deal on it.

[shoesequallife.livejournal.com]

Do not get a Dell! They are just not worth the trouble they give you. HP are also about as reliable as Dell.

I use my laptop pretty much 24/7 I had an Asus laptop that is still going good for nearly 4 years. I now have a Sony Vaio they are a little pricey but i have no complaints nearly a year on.

Advice on what you should do when getting a laptop alot of Research before you go off and buy one also researching them should also give you an idea of what you may actually want.

[jujuberry136.livejournal.com]

And yet another comment. When you're ready to comparison shop, use http://www.cnet.com/ for reviews. It's a tech site with reviews. It's too big to get a starting point from, but once you have a couple models that you're trying to decide between, it's useful.

Also, Consumer Reports did an issue on laptops and notebooks within the past six months. They review a heck of a lot of models. Can't quite remember when it came out, but definitely within the past 6 months. It might be a good place to start :D

[finlee.livejournal.com]

I recently got a laptop but it doesn't have anything extra special. I originally got a Dell but returned it within 24 hours because it kept freezing. I did have trouble with my second Dell desktop, though my first Dell was fine.

I ended up with an HP pavilion dv5 ("entertainment notebook pc). It has a webcam which is great since I've been using Skype. It has a bunch of other things that I'm clueless about. I do love it! And it's bronze.

I got mine from Best Buy.

[katwoman76.livejournal.com]

I read a lot of complaints from others about DELL,
but I for one have a Dell Inspiron 1520 (got it a year ago) and am totally happy with it. No complaints at all. It's already my second DELL notebook. The one before I had for 6 years or so and never had any trouble.

[inlikerain.livejournal.com]

My brother does comp stuff for a living and he hates hates hates dell comps so I stirred clear when I was shopping.

When I got my laptop he recommended either HP or Asus (another friend also said Asus). I went with Asus, they just started making actual comps recently but have been making computer parts (ala motherboards) for years.

[inlikerain.livejournal.com]

My laptop's been great. I've only had it a couple of months but I love it.

My desktop is an HP which I've had about 8 months and it's been a great comp.

[karen7375.livejournal.com]

I have the Dell Inspiron 1525 for a year now. Which replaced the 1501 that I bought 2 years ago which ended up having one of those battery recalls that cause the computer to overheat and eventually just burn out all the components. So I called Dell, told them what was going on, fully expecting them just to send someone out to fix, or ask me to mail it in for fixing. NOPE! Their customer service rocks and they just sent me whatever their current most compatible laptop was to replace it. Just for that, I stick with the Dell. I haven't had any serious problems with the 1525.

Note about Dell Customer Service though. Its a waste of your time to actually call them. I use their online live chat. This way I can always understand them, they can understand me and they always e-mail you a copy of the conversation transcript for future referencing. In my book, that means a lot.

[ihearttwojacks.livejournal.com]

I recently got a toshiba satellite E105-s1402. I haven't had a single problem, it has a long lasting battery (up to 6 hours in my experience), and a back lit keyboard. For me, the key board was essential because i need to type in the dark when my sister/roommate is asleep, and i like being able to see the keys better in general. My sister has had a toshiba for 5 years and her only real problem was the battery coming loose (because she carried it from the battery like a handle). My other sister also just got a new model toshiba, different from mine, that she likes very much. The satellite has a faster processor and more space on the harddrive, but all of them have built in wireless capabilities.

I've heard good things about asus, but have no experience with them, just don't go dell. A friend of mine customized a dell, and she had to send it back 3 times because they kept giving her the wrong things and leaving out things she paid for. The customer service was good, they told her who to contact and how to get her shipping reimbursed, but the hassle wasn't worth it.