Budget laptop needed, please help...

[chodecz]

Hi guys,

I bought a new Toshiba Satellite laptop about 5 months ago for $1,400. Now I realise it's not worth the money. The dual core cpu is crap, keyboard is failing, left speaker fails occasionally, and fingerprint reader has regular errors.

So now I just want a well built reliable laptop that can play music, play movies & dvds, TV-out, burn CDs & DVDs, and can run latest programs (nothing major.. MS Office, Nero, MS Autoroute (Streets and Trips).

I'd buy 2nd hand off eBay probably and my budget is around $680.

Is it wise to buy a laptop now, or is near-future technology going to bring prices down? A budget laptop probably won't be able to run Windows Vista, huh?

Any advice most welcome, thanks.

 

[lxskllr]

I'm a big fan of cheap laptops. Anything in the $400-$500 range. You won't get the fastest computer out there, and battery life may not be ideal, but you can't beat the price. They're almost disposable so no worries if you travel a lot with it, and it gets dropped or stolen.

Just about anything new sold today will meet your requirements, although if you really want to run Vista a $400 laptop probably won't cut it.

 

[chodecz]

Ok, thanks. Any model suggestions???

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: chodecz
Ok, thanks. Any model suggestions???

Not really, whatever is on sale at your local b&m. You see laptops for around $400 once a month or so. You may have some rebates to deal with, but they generally work out. The big b&m chains seem to have better prebuilt computer deals, but you may be able to find something online.

Acers seem to run the cheapest. I got my mother one for Xmas at Circuit City. I've been playing around with it to get it set up for her, and I really like it. I wish I had gotten myself one :laugh:.

When your dealing with the bottom end, you kind of have to take what you get, when you can get it. You probably won't find your dream computer at that price, but you'll get something completely serviceable :thumbsup:.