>>> Official Black Friday 2009 LAPTOP & NETBOOK Discussion Thread <<<

[Brad]

As always, we have several dedicated threads for the hotter items each Black Friday. Please try to keep all discussion related to these items in their official threads. Other threads posted will likely be merged into this main thread.

 

This first post will also be used for important links, info, tips, etc... as we get closer to Black Friday.

[Deal Grabber]

I actually am on the hunt for 2 laptops this year for my kiddos.They have desktops but i guess they arent cool anymore.Im leaning toward those little ones ive seen like the Dell minis or others alike.Any input on these type.Its just for surfing the web nothing more.

[lincolndog]

I am also in need for a great priced lap top. 15 year old wants for simple gaming and of cource facebook.

[Gporter34]

I am also needing two laptops this year. DDs 17, and 15 are wanting them for Christmas. They will mainly use these for Facebook, Myspace, and such, as they will be getting better ones when they graduate and they have laptops provided by the school for schoolwork while they are still in high school.

[KaS]

I am hoping to get a great deal on a netbook this black friday for my daughter (8). They are already pretty cheap, so I'm guessing there won't be any big deals for this year.

[Fgc-chevy]

I am looking for 2 laptops this year. I dont know if i should jump on the office depot laptop for $449 after rebate. Every laptop i have seen with these features is around $600 and up. Should i wait or pull the trigger? TIA

[jenna8110]

If they just need it for the internet then a netbook would be fine. Just remember there is no CD/DVD slot for programs or movies. You can buy an external one but now your getting up almost as expensive as a laptop. I think you should wait. BF will undoubtedly bring laptop deals and most likely netbook deals because they are so hot right now. And if you don't get one for BF they will probably have sales closer to Christmas!

[LoneStarMama]

Don't get a DELL. My husband says they are crap and he hasn't had a good experience with them.

[mgmckny]

Don't get a DELL. My husband says they are crap and he hasn't had a good experience with them.

We have 2 dells and have had wonderful luck with them.

[yuyi64]

Don't get a DELL. My husband says they are crap and he hasn't had a good experience with them.

Your husband needs to stop making such generalizations based on his opinion. I own seven Dell computers ranging in age from eight years to less than a year old. All are still operational and used daily by different family members, and all have been problem-free since day one. When it comes to computer reliability and longevity I find that the USER is a much greater determining factor than the manufacturer.

[LoneStarMama]

Your husband needs to stop making such generalizations based on his opinion. I own seven Dell computers ranging in age from eight years to less than a year old. All are still operational and used daily by different family members, and all have been problem-free since day one. When it comes to computer reliability and longevity I find that the USER is a much greater determining factor than the manufacturer.

His company got rid of Dell for their laptops and switched to HP, and statistically, they owned tens of thousands.

[mgmckny]

His company got rid of Dell for their laptops and switched to HP, and statistically, they owned tens of thousands.

My company uses Dells now and there are more than 6000 in current use. They are linked so the issues would come from server failures more than the individual units. The only time ours were completely down was during Tropical Storm Fay and that was the electric companies issue, not the computers...

[len_mullen]

Listen kids, none of the major computer companies manufacture laptops. Acer is an exception and they make Gateways and eMachines too. They happen to be a Tiawanese company -- that's where laptops are made. At one time, Dell and Quantex laptops were identical except for the name tag and the software build -- and the price.

 

For each distributor, there are high end and low end machines and a bunch of stuff in between. High end machines from one company have more in common with high end machines from another company than they do with low end machines from the same company.

 

Furthermore, choosing a laptop/notebook is completely different than choosing a desktop. It's much more complex. This is because every laptop purchase is a compromise. Cost, size, performance, and battery life all play against each another. If you rely on another's opinion, you will probably find yourself among the 40% or so of laptop buyers experiencing remorse.

 

I suggest that you begin by making a list of all the things you want to do with a laptop, identifying the software that will perform those tasks to your satisfaction, and setting a budget. Make a list of all the laptops that will make you happy. Go out into stores and touch each one. Eliminate all the ones that are too pokey or have a funky form, or you just don't like.

 

Take your short list to google. See what other people think, read reviews, and note prices -- including past promotions. Keep this list near your computer. When a good deal comes up on one of these grab it.

 

You will be a happy lappy pappy!

Edited September 18, 2009 by len_mullen

[jamlei]

Listen kids, none of the major computer companies manufacture laptops. Acer is an exception and they make Gateways and eMachines too. They happen to be a Tiawanese company -- that's where laptops are made. At one time, Dell and Quantex laptops were identical except for the name tag and the software build -- and the price.

 

For each distributor, there are high end and low end machines and a bunch of stuff in between. High end machines from one company have more in common with high end machines from another company than they do with low end machines from the same company.

 

Furthermore, choosing a laptop/notebook is completely different than choosing a desktop. It's much more complex. This is because every laptop purchase is a compromise. Cost, size, performance, and battery life all play against each another. If you rely on another's opinion, you will probably find yourself among the 40% or so of laptop buyers experiencing remorse.

 

I suggest that you begin by making a list of all the things you want to do with a laptop, identifying the software that will perform those tasks to your satisfaction, and setting a budget. Make a list of all the laptops that will make you happy. Go out into stores and touch each one. Eliminate all the ones that are too pokey or have a funky form, or you just don't like.

 

Take your short list to google. See what other people think, read reviews, and note prices -- including past promotions. Keep this list near your computer. When a good deal comes up on one of these grab it.

 

You will be a happy lappy pappy!

 

Great Advice!!

[yuyi64]

His company got rid of Dell for their laptops and switched to HP, and statistically, they owned tens of thousands.

Meaningless for a couple of reasons. The decision to switch "tens of thousands" was more than likely a financial decision, and secondly, any company that has that many computers most likely also has "tens of thousands" of users that screw up their computers due to either risky computing behavior or lack of expert computer knowledge. HP is no improvement over Dell.

[mgmckny]

Listen kids, none of the major computer companies manufacture laptops. Acer is an exception and they make Gateways and eMachines too. They happen to be a Tiawanese company -- that's where laptops are made. At one time, Dell and Quantex laptops were identical except for the name tag and the software build -- and the price.

 

For each distributor, there are high end and low end machines and a bunch of stuff in between. High end machines from one company have more in common with high end machines from another company than they do with low end machines from the same company.

 

Furthermore, choosing a laptop/notebook is completely different than choosing a desktop. It's much more complex. This is because every laptop purchase is a compromise. Cost, size, performance, and battery life all play against each another. If you rely on another's opinion, you will probably find yourself among the 40% or so of laptop buyers experiencing remorse.

 

I suggest that you begin by making a list of all the things you want to do with a laptop, identifying the software that will perform those tasks to your satisfaction, and setting a budget. Make a list of all the laptops that will make you happy. Go out into stores and touch each one. Eliminate all the ones that are too pokey or have a funky form, or you just don't like.

 

Take your short list to google. See what other people think, read reviews, and note prices -- including past promotions. Keep this list near your computer. When a good deal comes up on one of these grab it.

 

You will be a happy lappy pappy!

I agree. But don't eliminate one due to a Brand name if it has what you are looking for. Most issues are human error issues rather than the brand. My dh can screw any of them up...

[LoneStarMama]

Meaningless for a couple of reasons. The decision to switch "tens of thousands" was more than likely a financial decision, and secondly, any company that has that many computers most likely also has "tens of thousands" of users that screw up their computers due to either risky computing behavior or lack of expert computer knowledge. HP is no improvement over Dell.

The point is, he is making generalizations, not based on "personal experience" with 7 computers, but based on objective data from a sample space of tens of thousands of computers. Yes, such a decision is also motivated by cost and reliability factors. And with so many computers, yes they have figures on support calls, trouble tickets, number of RMAs, etc. Since the user base did not change between the use of HPs and Dells (they didn't fire all employees and hire a whole new set who are just gentler with PCs), it provides an excellent set of data to draw conclusions about laptop reliability between the two manufacturers.

[yuyi64]

The point is, he is making generalizations, not based on "personal experience" with 7 computers, but based on objective data from a sample space of tens of thousands of computers. Yes, such a decision is also motivated by cost and reliability factors. And with so many computers, yes they have figures on support calls, trouble tickets, number of RMAs, etc. Since the user base did not change between the use of HPs and Dells (they didn't fire all employees and hire a whole new set who are just gentler with PCs), it provides an excellent set of data to draw conclusions about laptop reliability between the two manufacturers.

Wait until all those employees have had enough time to screw up their new HP computers and then we'll see if the empirical data supports your husband's generalization. As someone who has to deal with corporate user computer screwups on a daily basis and has had to repair computers from all the major manufacturers, I can tell you that his generalization doesn't hold water.

[len_mullen]

Wait until all those employees have had enough time to screw up their new HP computers and then we'll see if the empirical data supports your husband's generalization. As someone who has to deal with corporate user computer screwups on a daily basis and has had to repair computers from all the major manufacturers, I can tell you that his generalization doesn't hold water.

This is way off topic and not particularly germane to BF. There is definately empirical data that suggests Dell makes terrible computers (we did not extend the replacement cycle to four years because mtbf was 2.65 years for all Dell computers across the company). I've personally had two Dell 610 laptops fail in my camper due to moisture (I have three IBM 600Es that have been camping for six years).

 

BUT a lot of that is part of getting these things to $300. Buy at that price and put the extended warranty money in a bank account. Your kid is going to drop, lost, or otherwise abuse the laptop. Spend as little as you need to and get a new one when that happens.

[lovebears65]

I know so many people who want on Depending on DH has a job or not if I go out this year. He went on an interview that looks good so grossing my fingers he has a job before his severence pay runs out

[yuyi64]

There is definately empirical data that suggests Dell makes terrible computers

I would like to see such data if you access to it. Even if I ignore both my personal and work experience in IT resolving trouble tickets from all the major brands, objective third party information doesn't support your assertion. As a matter of fact, the latest PC magazine Reliability Survey published just earlier this year shows just the opposite. When all notebooks are taken into account, Dell ranks ahead of HP, and LoneStarMama's beloved HP was rated as being "Significantly worse than average". When only business notebooks were taken into account, Dell still ranked ahead of HP in terms of reliability. If you don't believe any of this you're more than welcomed to visit PC Mag's website and view the results for yourself. In case people reading this thread want to know, the top four brands in terms of reliability were Apple, Asus, Sony, and Lenovo. HP ranked at the bottom or next to last in every notebook category. Having said all this, I will repeat what I said earlier about the individual user being a greater determining factor than brand when it comes to reliability. The overwhelming majority of trouble tickets that are opened by our corporate users and my team and I have to resolve turn out to have been caused by operator error, not hardware or software. And in case anyone thinks I'm just sticking up for Dell, I will tell you that in addition to my Dell computers I also own several Lenovo Thinkpads and Acer Extensas. Every single one regardless of brand has been trouble-free since the day I bought them, proving at least to me that preventive maintenance and careful operation are more important than brand.

[len_mullen]

I couldn't share the data since it was part of a contract negotiation. It wasn't specific to laptops, either -- it was all computers. We just happen to be a Dell shop.

 

Trouble tickets are not a good indicator of reliability. All that matters is hardware MTBF -- which is closely guarded for PC manufacturers.

 

I also don't like that Dells are extremely closed systems -- proprietary parts and connectors make repairs/upgrades difficult/expensive. Mostly applies to desktops, though.

 

I don't know what's going on at HP. I had to strap big honkin' coolers onto the CPUs of my a6112n Pavillions so they would not crash playing games or encoding video. A similarly equipped eMachine runs much cooler. The difference between the two machines is engineering -- HP put the card slots between the cpu and the power supply disrupting air flow once you install a video card.

 

My personal laptop is an Acer 5516. It cost me $240 and I use it to edit and encode video, maintain my web site, surf the internet, and watch movies. I haven't had it long enough to claim it is reliable, but it was cheap and so far, so good. I really like that is runs cool. In the long run, this should correlate to reliability.

 

Still, I don't recommend this to people. Each shopper has to work out the best combination of price, performance, form, and portability.

[wx4svr]

I say forget Windows... go Apple!!! :) Can't go wrong with a Mac! Love them! They are all I use.

[jenna8110]

I say forget Windows... go Apple!!! :) Can't go wrong with a Mac! Love them! They are all I use.

I also love Macs but they are just too expensive.

 

Show me a MacBook for $200-$300 on BF and I'll but two!

[maisey1231]

WARNING TO ALL IN SEARCH OF BF LAPTOP DEALS--

 

STAY AWAY FROM ACER COMPUTERS!

 

I have an Acer Laptop, and I went through three of them before the one I currently have, and something went wrong with each of them before the 15 day Wal-Mart return time was up. At 3 months, my current laptop broke in the area where you plug the power cord in. Acer complained about fixing it, wanted me to spend $40 to ship it to them and another $75+ for the labor to fix it- parts are covered under warranty but not labor. I threw an all out fit and finally they agreed to do it free and sent me a post paid label to send it in.

 

Then I had it another 3 months when the same thing happened again, and Acer refused to fix it again- saying it had to be something I was doing- even though the laptop never left my desk, and I was always super careful with it. I had a local technician fix it for less than what it would have cost me to mail it to Acer, and that part at least has not messed up since. That was more than a year ago.

 

But then, pixels in the screen starting going out, and the screen began "jumping" the way old tvs did with bad horizontal or vertical holds. Again, a local tech fixed it...

 

BUT SOOOOO many problems for one little laptop that is now barely two years old!

 

I will never buy an Acer anything again, no matter HOW cheap they are- you get what you pay for!

[len_mullen]

Tough run of luck maisey, but Acer laptops have a *very* low repair rate per PC Magazine. 0% repair rate at my house

[mrscrafty]

0% repair rate at my house

0% at our house too. My daughter (17) has had her laptop for over a year now.

 

Maisey,

Sorry to hear you have had such a run of bad luck with them.

[yuyi64]

WARNING TO ALL IN SEARCH OF BF LAPTOP DEALS--

 

STAY AWAY FROM ACER COMPUTERS!

 

I have an Acer Laptop, and I went through three of them before the one I currently have, and something went wrong with each of them before the 15 day Wal-Mart return time was up. At 3 months, my current laptop broke in the area where you plug the power cord in. Acer complained about fixing it, wanted me to spend $40 to ship it to them and another $75+ for the labor to fix it- parts are covered under warranty but not labor. I threw an all out fit and finally they agreed to do it free and sent me a post paid label to send it in.

 

Then I had it another 3 months when the same thing happened again, and Acer refused to fix it again- saying it had to be something I was doing- even though the laptop never left my desk, and I was always super careful with it. I had a local technician fix it for less than what it would have cost me to mail it to Acer, and that part at least has not messed up since. That was more than a year ago.

 

But then, pixels in the screen starting going out, and the screen began "jumping" the way old tvs did with bad horizontal or vertical holds. Again, a local tech fixed it...

 

BUT SOOOOO many problems for one little laptop that is now barely two years old!

 

I will never buy an Acer anything again, no matter HOW cheap they are- you get what you pay for!

Sorry to hear about your problems with the power port, perhaps you just got a lemon. I have two Acers that are a little over a year old and I've had zero problems with them. I also bought my daughter one last year for Christmas and it has been problem-free as well.

[jenna8110]

This could mean a lot of Windows Vista machines with free upgrades for BF!

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/107925/a-windows-to-help-you-forget?mod=career-worklife_balance

[mgmckny]

I know some of you don't like Dell computers, but if you are thinking Dell and don't mind refurbed, there is a coupon code that I got from Twitter KFNLHZJ1NSGP2V that expires 10/13/2009 or after 1500 I think redemptions, limit 2. I just ordered 2 of the Inspiron 1440's for my sons.

 

15% off any Dell Outlet Inspiron™ laptop. Enter code at checkout: KFNLHZJ1NSGP2V