General > General info Somewhat hot tub related
Are there any Laptop Geeks in the House?
Gomboman:
I would like to buy a family laptop for X-mas. It will be used mainly for surfing the net, emails. and occasional work related stuff--nothing too heavy duty. I was going to buy a laptop six months ago but never pulled the trigger. I'm glad I waited since prices have dropped and the technology has improved somewhat--what else is new.
Anyway, I'm considering the Dell XPS M1530. The selling price starts at around $1,000. The reviews seem decent. One drawback is that the resolution is only 1280 x 800. Some reviewers are expecting the resolution to be increased in the near future.
Is this a decent machine or should I look for something else for around $1,000 or less. If I do go the Dell route, is it best to purchase through Dell online or is there a better source? I would appreciate your feedback.
Here is the link to the review.
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4135&review=Dell+XPS+M1530+%28Intel+Core+2+Duo+T5250+1%2E5GHz%2C+120GB+HDD%2C+2GB+RAM%29
96SC:
Gombo, I'm far from a laptop geek (you hit the 'what' button to turn it off?) so take this for face value. We purchased a Dell laptop for our son a few months ago (I don't recall what model it was only that it has Vista and a 15 1/2" screen). The next time I talk to him I'll find out the model.
We purchased it through the website and I am pretty sure we bought it through their refurbished/remanufactured or whatever they call it, section. My wifes boss bought a remanufactured/rebuilt Dell for their office a few years ago and it worked fine for them. So from the experiences of others, you may want to look into a Dell reman/refurb computer.
The only problem we had with the computer purchase was we bought Microsoft Office 2006 through Dell, they shipped the computer with UPS and the software through DHL. The computer arrived within 2-3 days as promised the software however, took 10 days (not the 2-3 as promised) because of DHL's delivery shortcomings. Nothing that Dell did. We complained to Dell and they were very good in responding to our concerns, DHL kept giving us the ol' run around.
My 2¢.
Brewman:
Dell should be okay. Getting them thru Dell's website is probably as good a way as any- it's easy to get exactly what you want. I've purchased 2 PC's from them so far and am happy with their delivery- they were not laptops, though.
I don't buy computers off the shelf from local retailers, since they are never configured the way I want, and the employees at Best Buy, etc.... are often clueless and less than useful. Some retailers just use kiosks to order from the factory anyway, so I figure to do it myself.
My company (2500+ employees) issues both Dell and Lenovo laptops. We have a bit more trouble with the Dell's. They aren't as durable as the Lenovos.
The Lenovo (formerly IBM thinkpads) are physically built stronger and better quality cases- which I like since I'm constantly hauling mine around. They'll stand up better to physical abuse.
They're also a bit more expensive.
I prefer them to any other laptop I've used, but Dell should be okay for the use you've described.
Bonibelle:
I believe Staples is now carrying Dell products, so you may want to stop in and touch one before you decide. Sometimes I use my husband's laptop and I have to say I HATE the keyboard. So we set him up with a docking station at the desk and an LCD screen and wireless keyboard and mouse. That configuration lets you have the best of both worlds, portablity and the comfort of a desk top. You may want to shop the deals on the Dell website.
Good luck
Pathfinder:
The one issue you need to remember is most of the parts on a Dell are proprietary and can become expensive outside of warranty. I personally prefer a Toshiba or a Mac
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