Looking For A Laptop W. These Specs/Stratiges For Laptop Deals In Comming Months?

[DumbPoet]

I'm looking for a laptop in the $500-700 range and after several hours of research I'm fairly knowledgeable about what I can ask for right now in the price range. Heres what I want:

 

Dual-Core 1.5mhz+ (preferably 2 mhz if possible)

14.5-15.5'' screen

3Gb RAM - This is a MUST, because I know I can get it in this price range when the computer is a deal

150 GB+ Hard Drive

CD/DVD Burner

WiFi

3+ USB Ports

VGA Output (for monitor attachment)

 

Other aspects are negotiable, all of the above are essential.

Office Depot has a couple of laptops that fit this description, I'm going to go see them on Wednesday but I wanted to see if there were any competitive deals out there.

 

Also, what is the best way to stay up to date on Laptop deals? I haven't struck upon any golden way of doing this...

It seems that the information is very spread out.

 

And are there any strategies, like a specific time in the next couple of months (other than BF ) or some negotiating strategy for getting a lower price on a laptop?

[DumbPoet]

I'm new to this forum, is there a way to edit posts?

 

Any how, here is the laptop I'm trying to top:

 

Toshiba Satellite A2050-S5855 Widescreen:

 

15.4"" TruBrite LCD Screen

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5550 1.83GHz

3GB PC2-5300 DDR2 memory

160 GB SATA hard drive

WiFi

1 VGA Port

4 USB 2.0, 1 Firewire, 1 S-video

Built-in Webcam & Microphone

5.92 lbs

 

Preferably with an 18-month no-interest financing deal..

[RossMAN]

Also, what is the best way to stay up to date on Laptop deals? I haven't struck upon any golden way of doing this...

It seems that the information is very spread out.

 

You're right, the information is very spread out.

 

I would recommend signing up for the Daily Deal Update.

 

Have you considered a Dell Inspiron or Vostro laptop?

[biomajor]

Welcome back Ross! Excellent advice as always

[ZeroGravity108]

http://www.notebookreview.com/deals/

[ZeroGravity108]

Also, the HP's at Best Buy, Circuit City, etc... all have decent/good specs for the price. I'm on the market for a laptop myself and it seems like HP and Dell have the best deals.

[DumbPoet]

I looked at the Inspiron's, the deals aren't really good on them until you start toping 1k.

I'll check out the other make that you mentioned.

 

I do get a weekly update thing, thought it seems to come intermittently, I sign up for the Daily Deals thing, thanks.

 

tp://www.notebookreview.com/deals/ - This site is awesome, if only they had an RSS feed for that page.

This site has an Inspiron deal that is very tempting.

[jamesave]

You may want to consider an HP as well.

 

<- new owner of HP9810us for $699 AR (17" and athlon though)

[DumbPoet]

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=DNDWPT3&s=dhs

 

I keep getting RL advice that all of these deals that I am seeing now are leading up to the "crest of the wave" which happens around July 4th.

 

Does anyone have thoughts on this? There are lots of very good deals right now, are they only going to get better? Are they going to stay the same? Is the peak sooner or later? Is all of this completely unpredictable?

 

Also, I know that BF deals often leak (a) week(s) in advance... and I have a feeling that this forum has a policy against leaks other than those associated with BF, or something to that effect. But do sales leak on a regular basis on the web? I'm not asking -where- they leak, but rather if I search in the right way will I find such a thing? so far has been fruitless.

[Gloey]

You're right, the information is very spread out.

 

I would recommend signing up for the Daily Deal Update.

 

Have you considered a Dell Inspiron or Vostro laptop?

Man, it was worth coming to this thread just to say hi to Ross!