Looking to buy a laptop for under $2000...How does this one look?

[Parthian89]

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSH...tion-Start?ProductSKU=PCGZ1VAP1/BSTOCK

I am just about to click the buy button... But first I need your opinions.

 

[deathwalker]

You can get a lot more notebook than that for $2000...take a look at the Dell 9300...easily beats that Sony for the same money.

 

[Parthian89]

Thanks... Is this it?

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1785172,00.asp

Looks a little out of my range

 

[Parthian89]

http://us.acer.com/acerpanam/page4.do?d...aram=0&dctx1=25&ctx1=US&crc=4049069595

How about this laptop? I won't be playing any games at all on it...

 

[fbrdphreak]

Do you want to spend $2000 or is $2000 just your limit?
Tell us what you're going to use it for. Do you have a preference for screen size?
Sitting at home on the desk or out & about?

 

[Parthian89]

$2000 is the limit...don't want to spend that much however. No games whatsoever just mainly for internet, school, home(maybe library), some music and games.

Thats all...If I could get a good lappy under $1400 then that would be perfect.

 

[Parthian89]

http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16834147216

Is this one better than the Acer? I heard that Acer has a bad battery

 

[Jassi]

Get the i9300 or the 6000 or the 700m from dell after the coupon deals

 

[Mike01]

Thats all...If I could get a good lappy under $1400 then that would be perfect.

1400 is the magic number...Gateway 7426gx. Check it out at best buy. It's sometimes 1550, but will be on sale soon.

 

[deathwalker]

Ya..buy that Gateway..and you'll be using it for a Car stop. Dell has laptops well within your budget and that almost always have both advertised and non-advertised discounts on them. A quick web search will take you to places that have coupon codes that you will sometimes not find at the Dell site. You may want to check out the 600M and the 6000 models...if u look at the 6000 make sure you chose the Centrino model.

 

[Mike01]

Except for gameplay and other 3d graphics applications, Dell does not make a laptop as powerful as that Gateway...their most powerful processor is a 2.13GHz Penitum M. So if you want something that lasts, yeah...get the gateway.

I don't have benchmarks for a 2.13Ghz, but according to Passmark's Performance Test, the CPU Mark for a 2GHz Pentium M is 358.7, while the A64 3700 is 485.4. The extra .13GHz ain't gonna catch up.

That's not bad for 1400 bucks, eh?

 

[deathwalker]

Mike..I don't think "Power" is at issue here. Based upon product reliabiltiy and support I believe Dell is the clear choice...and I base that upon my 15 yrs experience in Building Custom systems, repairs and upgrades. Now...having said that I'm not infering that the sun rises and sets on Dell...give me a Custom Made Desktop any day over a Dell...however when it comes to ready made system for the average users Dell is about the best I have ever worked on. Gateway has a well earned reputation for poor quality and there customer service is the dregs. In fact if you buy a Gateway from anyother source other than Gateway (i.e. HSN/Best Buy etc.) they wont even give you support.

 

[Mike01]

Fair enough...lets discuss support.

You buy the Gateway from Best Buy for 1400, then add their 3 year PSP for 250. Anything happens to your laptop, you take it there, and they fix it. Every year, they'll give you a new battery if you complain your old one isn't 100%. If they can't fix it in three tries, you get a new laptop, no matter how minor the problem is. I have experience with their PSPs, and while they say they won't fix something you dropped down the stairs, they will...and they're quick about it.

We all talk about battery life...but the truth is, if you're a heavy battery user, your battery life will go down and down and down, untill after a couple of years you'll be lucky to get half of what you used to get. That's just simple battery chemistry. A new battery every year is nice...yes?

Poor gateway quality....the 74xx series is not made by Gateway. It's made by Arima, the same guys that make Voodoo laptops.

As for phone support, you don't go to Gateway, you go to eMachines, and they're not that bad. On my first laptop, they were willing to replace a screen with one dead pixel (I wound up just returning it). Although in all fairness, they're just as ignorant as the next phone support guys.

My favorite hobby online these days seems to be spreading word of this Gateway...I'm sorry if I sound like a broken record, but it's an amazing deal.

 

[newbiepcuser]

I never had anything but bad luck with Sony laptops. I would look at Dell, IBM, Toshiba and HP/Compaq.

No matter which brand you buy, make sure you buy the extended warranty with accidental coverage.

Its usually cheaper and better if you get the extended warranty thru the manufcature. I know Dell, Toshiba and I heard IBM does.

 

[User1001]

If you are a student don't forget about eduaction discounts.

 

[wisdomtooth]

Originally posted by: Parthian89
No games whatsoever just mainly for internet, school, home(maybe library), some music and games.

LOL, you need to make up your mind on the games dude. :laugh:

Are you a college student? If you are, check and see if your school has discount programs for laptop purchase. Some schools have good discounts, some do not. I for one saved $400 buying an IBM Thinkpad T41 last year-- Substancial savings for a great laptop.

And if you need to be mobile (walking around campus with the laptop daily for example), you want a LIGHT laptop (i.e. less than 5 pounds, including a power brick).

HTH.

 

[Ethan2099]

Originally posted by: Mike01
Fair enough...lets discuss support.

You buy the Gateway from Best Buy for 1400, then add their 3 year PSP for 250. Anything happens to your laptop, you take it there, and they fix it. Every year, they'll give you a new battery if you complain your old one isn't 100%. If they can't fix it in three tries, you get a new laptop, no matter how minor the problem is.

Pay about that same amount, and Dell will send out a tech to your house to do the repairs instead of you sending the laptop to a repair shop.

I have experience with their PSPs, and while they say they won't fix something you dropped down the stairs, they will...and they're quick about it.

did you tell them that you dropped it down the stairs?

We all talk about battery life...but the truth is, if you're a heavy battery user, your battery life will go down and down and down, untill after a couple of years you'll be lucky to get half of what you used to get. That's just simple battery chemistry. A new battery every year is nice...yes?

Things must be very different in the states. here in canada we get 1 year warranty on a laptop battery. that's it. no place will exchange your battery with a new one every year unless you buy a new one. and by no place i'm talking no place in canada. I can hardly think that it would that different in the states that they would replace it every year without some sort of "white lie" about the battery.

As for phone support, you don't go to Gateway, you go to eMachines, and they're not that bad. On my first laptop, they were willing to replace a screen with one dead pixel (I wound up just returning it). Although in all fairness, they're just as ignorant as the next phone support guys.

If you're within your first 21 days in the states, 30 days in canada Dell will replace it too.

My favorite hobby online these days seems to be spreading word of this Gateway...I'm sorry if I sound like a broken record, but it's an amazing deal.

No worries, I do the same about dell.

 

[Mike01]

Pay about that same amount, and Dell will send out a tech to your house to do the repairs instead of you sending the laptop to a repair shop.

But it's not the same. A Dell 9300 comparable to the 7426gx (except in graphics...Dells kick ass there, no question) in performance would cost about 2200 with good coupons, and the Gateway would still be faster (458 Passmark CPU rating vs. 359 (or so) for 2GHz Pentium M) at 1400.

Best Buy's 3 years PSP is 250...about the same as Dell's, but with Dell you have pay another several hundred dollars for "I dropped it down the stairs" coverage. That adds up to almost 3000 bucks for the Dell (US Dollar) and about 1650 for the Gateway.

did you tell them that you dropped it down the stairs?

Of course not! This is what they told me: "We don't care what actually happened to it, as long as there is no obvious sign of physical damage. That dent on the corner is from a non related incident, right?" to which I replied "Of course! That's been there all along!" (this was about an mp3 player)

Things must be very different in the states. here in canada we get 1 year warranty on a laptop battery. that's it. no place will exchange your battery with a new one every year unless you buy a new one. and by no place i'm talking no place in canada. I can hardly think that it would that different in the states that they would replace it every year without some sort of "white lie" about the battery.

Actually, battery coverage is right in Best Buy's service plan literature. They're very up front about it, and they even encourage you do exchange the battery yearly. Why? It's a major selling point of their service plan, and most people don't do it.

No worries, I do the same about dell.

Ain't it fun?

 

[Parthian89]

Thanks for the help guys! I ended up getting a Inspiron 6000.

Inspiron 6000
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 715 (1.50 GHz/2MB Cache/400MHz FSB), Microsoft® Windows® XP Home
15.4 inch WXGA LCD Panel
512MB DDR2 SDRAM 2 Dimms
64MB DDR ATI's MOBILITY? RADEON X300 PCI Express x16 Graphics
60GB Hard Drive
24X CD Burner/DVD Combo Drive
Intel® PRO/Wireless 2915 Internal Wireless (802.11 a/b/g, 54Mbps)
9-cell Lithium Ion Battery (80 WHr)

Cost: $1500 -$500*(coupon)= $1000 + free Dell printer

What do you think?

 

[Ethan2099]

Originally posted by: Mike01

did you tell them that you dropped it down the stairs?

Of course not! This is what they told me: "We don't care what actually happened to it, as long as there is no obvious sign of physical damage. That dent on the corner is from a non related incident, right?" to which I replied "Of course! That's been there all along!" (this was about an mp3 player)

Lol, that would be why. if you call in to dell, most of the time the person says, "my kid spilled cholate milk on the keyboard" and we're like sorry. not covered.

now if they just said that it wasn't working then it would be pretty easy to setup the dispatch for us to send out a tech to replace the motherboard, or something.

If dell has anything going for them it's the level of diagnostics built into the machine. if the thing don't post there's a list of diagnostic codes that tell us where the problem's located. that way we just have to ask the customer what lights blink how, and we fix the part it coresponds to.

 

[Mike01]

Thanks for the help guys! I ended up getting a Inspiron 6000.

On second thought...for a thousand dollars, that's a fantastic machine.

 

[Parthian89]

That Inspiron fits my needs perfectly... How heavy would that laptop be? The Inspiron is only about 6.5 pounds.

 

[railer]

Isn't that Gateway a bit of a tank?
Seems like an OK deal, but if when I checked it at BB, it was like $1550, plus TAX, which brings it up to almost $1700.


For $1077 shipped (not counting 3% FW cashback, and the $50 I should get for calling them back up and asking for my student discount under threat of return) you can get:
Inspiron 9300:
17" UXGA screen
1 GB RAM
1.86 ghz PM
CDRW/DVD ROM
60 gig 7200 RPM drive
256 meg 6800
extra battery

It was a refurb, but same warranty and Dell refurbs are typically like new condition, if not brand new.

Wanna post some 3dmarks of that Gateway vs the 9300 Mike?

I'll even pretend the Dell wasn't $700 cheaper.

j/k...the gateway looks nice....but best bang for your buck I think the 9300 has it beat.

 

[Mike01]

It's only 1lb heavier than the Inspiron 6000. That might be an issue for some people.

That refurb Dell is definitely the best deal around...no argument from me. For a thousand bucks, that's a hell of a deal.

Wanna post some 3dmarks of that Gateway vs the 9300 Mike?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know the 6800 is in a different league...but not everyone plays first person shooters. For instance, the 9550 on stock clock plays Stronghold 2 superbly at the highest antialiasing and aniso filtering settings. What non FPS gamer could ask for anything more?

I'll even pretend the Dell wasn't $700 cheaper.

Would you like to know the price of a refurbed 7426gx? (er..I hope you don't, 'cause they're probably not available yet!)

j/k...the gateway looks nice....but best bang for your buck I think the 9300 has it beat.

The 9300 has it beat in terms of 3d graphics (with the 6800 only)...no doubt about that. But in all other respects, the most powerful 9300 will be sucking wind trying to keep up with that Athlon 64 3700, and you'll pay a hell of a lot more money for it.

When I was shopping for a laptop, I found the 6800 go very tempting, even though I don't really play games on laptops very often (you know how it is...gotta have it, gotta have it!). What stopped me, besides fear of mail order dead pixels, was the fact that when I customized it to be comparable to the Gateway in all other respects, it came out to about 2100 - 2500 depending on which coupons were active and what I was willing to skimp on.

And, at the end of the day, it would still be slower in everything I use a laptop for (everything but 3D games, that is). I couldn't see myself paying 700-1100 dollars more for a slower, larger, heavier laptop just so I could score high in AquaMark3.

btw...it will be on sale very soon...for either 1399 or less (rebates). I bought it for 1550, then a week later it was 1399, then a week later back to 1550.

 

[Chode Messiah]

u know, u couldve got an IBM thats an inch thick, has a 9 hour battery life, and weighs under 4lbs for the same price.