Inexpensive Laptop for Son

[jcampi]

We are planning to shop for an inexpensive laptop for our son for Christmas. My mother is planning to buy it. I want to spend ABOUT $500 to $600 if possible. I want a Windows laptop (hopefully with Vista) and it must have an intel CPU. The size of the screen isn't important, but it should be portable and not a heavy weight. My son is in his last year of highschool and wants the laptop for home/school. Hopefully, he can use the same laptop at college next year. So far the best laptop I've seen is a Toshiba with an intel dual core for about $650. The Toshiba has a 14" screen and is light weight. Sony would be great, but I don't believe they make a cheaper priced laptop. Any advice???

[Dan18960]

John,

You should start seeing some sells after Oct 31 - seems Christmas gets earlier every year.

As for Vista - you apparently have NOT been keeping up with your ZDnet reading :eek: ! Vista is NOT scheduled to be released until AFTER Christmas. You should get a Vista ready computer since they are all coming off the assembly line that way now.

BUT that brings up another question - WHY are you so anxious to get a NEW operating system from Microsoft? ? ? ? I got burned with Windows 3.0 and Windows 95. I have never trusted Microsoft since. That is one of the reasons I never had to worry about ME. I don't wait at the brick-n-mortar at midnight for M$'s release of any operating system.

XP Home should be just fine for your child's experience and when Vista sp1, RC1, b, se, or whatever Microsoft decides to name the second release.

AND which VERSION of Vista are you going to want installed? Right now there are FIVE (5) versions!

So are you going to get Vista Home Basic or Vista Home Premium? Do you know what the difference is between Basic and Premium? What if you get Basic and find you have to have Premium - IS THERE an upgrade path?

The problem you will have right now is Microsoft has NOT released any details on these 5 versions for anyone to make a choice. And you have seen the postings here that some software doesn't run with Vista. What about legacy games - are they going to run? Anti Spyware programs are having a problem - remember Microsoft wants to PROTECT you now.

Like I said - I would wait until the dust settles and everyone knows what the final product is going to be before being a first edition testor.

Ok that is my .02 cents - flame suit on:flame:

[mylanta]

John Look at HP, they are the best right now. Toshiba which at one time was the best in laptops, is now at the top of classic service problems and I recommend them to no one.

[PeteF]

John Look at HP, they are the best right now. Toshiba which at one time was the best in laptops, is now at the top of classic service problems and I recommend them to no one.

Rich, at what point (year or model or whatever) would you say
that Toshiba went wrong? I'm asking for the purpose of purchasing
used Toshiba laptops. ---pete---

[Dan18960]

Pete,

Rich is referring to the service issues. Their notebooks are fine UNTIL you need service. Takes forever to get parts even from the grey market. You have to send it back to their service departments which makes for a long delay.

HP is really on top of their game with the notebooks.

(AND if Rich is using it - it has to be good:) I heard that from a commercial :cool: )

[PeteF]

Pete,

Rich is referring to the service issues. Their notebooks are fine UNTIL you need service. Takes forever to get parts even from the grey market.

Ok, that explains it much better.
Thanks Dan, for clearing that up.

I was always under the impression that Toshiba makes the best quality
Laptop PC. I assume that is still true, but since their customer/repair
service has now degraded it's no longer the top brand to buy.
After all, when we buy a computer we need to look at the entire
package that includes the hardware, software, and customer/repair
service.

---pete---

[jcampi]

Rich, I did see a Compaq laptop in the Best Buy ad today for only $479. It comes with an intel M processor, which is acceptable with me. I think I'll wait for Christmas sales, but this sounds like a good laptop at a great price.

[mylanta]

Compaq and HP are one and the same these days with Compaq being the promotional end allowing HP to not "muddy" the HP name with some unusual propmtions.
Hey Dan, there was actually a major controller issue on Toshiba's 2 years ago that really plagued them and they struggled to solve that took them to the bottom of the list with Notebooks. And their service bites really badly!

[writeco]

I have usually found that local computer dealers will match what you can configure and purchase on the web.

[Dan18960]

John,

I just got my daily ZDnet news email and you might want to subscribe. Seems back in May / June M$ held a conference for developers to come up with apps for Vista compliance. Microsoft bragged that they had 1,000 companies ready to make the apps for Vista available upon release.

Well, it seems that with Microsoft's continual delays and unable to complete their testing and developing - the 1,000 companies has dwindled down to a hand full that will have apps available at release time and few are "concerned" about having apps out before the "sp1" media release.

I "think" this would be a VERY important point in migrating over to Vista anytime soon.

Doug - don't shoot me, I am only the messenger.

I would link to the story but I have found that these articles are not url friendly after more than a week or two.

[jcampi]

After looking at some Compaq and HP laptops I certainly do prefer HP models. They offer a nice slim design and good specs. at a good price.

[jcampi]

I know Rich M. doesn't like Toshiba laptops, but I may have to look at one. I'm putting off seriously looking at laptops for my son until it gets closer to Christmas. One of the sales papers had a super deal on a Toshiba laptop this past weekend. The laptop is a Intel dual core and is priced at only $599! I might be willing to risk the poor repair record given the specs. and price. I can't find any dual core laptop anywhere less than about $750 to $800. What exactly is it about Toshiba laptops in particular that you have issues with, Rich? They used to be one of the best companies for laptops years ago.

[mylanta]

John they were the best years ago...so many problmes these days sned Smokey(Adam) a PM as he was a big believer in them until he had a nightmare that was industry wide.

[jcampi]

I just can't touch the price of the Toshiba at $599. There are some Gateway laptops for about $700 that also include a Intel Dual Core. How is Gateway rated? I also looked up Toshiba in Consumers Reports and they get a fairly good rating.

[mylanta]

RBL loves Gateway laptops. Personally I thought they sucked also.
I think the graphics are awful and they seem overly slow to me for what is in them.