Used Laptops

**JBMCW2010** · 03-20-08, 12:32 AM

I am looking to buy a laptop during or at the end of this summer. I was hoping to find a good cheap one, I have been watching DellOutlet for used ones. Anyone else know of a good place. Does Gateway/HP/anyone else in the laptop biz have any sort of a site like Dell's. To be honest I have not looked that hard.

Also does anyone have any sort of preference to who they'd buy a laptop from? I know that Dell does good with their monitor warrenties and such. Anyone have experience with any other laptop companies?

Finally my price range will be $550 and no more than $700.

Thanks for any help you may have. I am hoping to be able to get minimal gaming in if any. Gaming is a plus. I am looking at Laptops w/vid cards to have that be possible.

The purpose of having a Laptop and a Desktop is the same many people have. They move about and are not always able to be home at the computer. In my case is, I'd like to leave my desktop at school while I go home to visit my mother or go somewhere you know?

**Arreo** · 03-20-08, 12:43 AM

HP's Business line of laptops have serious overheating problems. These issues stem form an overpowered graphics chipset (not a card) with no form of cooling (active or passive).

**DJ Ms. White** · 03-20-08, 12:52 AM

Dell is good, but make sure to read the fine print that goes with the warranty.

**JBMCW2010** · 03-20-08, 01:09 AM

well, from my searching tonight I have found that Dell would be the only one any where near the price range that I am shooting for with the reasonable specs I am hoping for unless I am completely blind. HP and gateway have really expensive laptops that dell offers at cheaper prices. Didn't find any thing as to their used stuff though through their sites. Ho hum. Well the search will continue throughout the spring and into the summer then.

**RottnJP** · 03-20-08, 07:42 AM

Take a look at the Toshiba laptops at Circuit City. They are typically a very solid value when you buy on sale or a rebate. Decent quality product, and I've actually had significantly fewer driver/software problems with my Toshibas than my Dells. Best Buy has them too, but I try to steer clear of there- The call it "Best Buy" for a reason- service ain't their top priority.

**Tractorpull** · 03-20-08, 01:41 PM

Get the Asus EEE Pc

**JBMCW2010** · 03-21-08, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by Tractorpull

Get the Asus EEE Pc

I am looking for something a little more. 4 GB HDD is not sufficent to really do much of anything with. I have seen those before the are neat. But not what I am looking for.

**RottnJP** · 03-22-08, 07:38 AM

You need to decide if you're o.k. with a 15.4" screen, or you need 17" You can get a 17" screen in a sub-$750 notebook, but you won't have many options. 15.4" is fine in my opinion, and will open up your options a lot.

You definitely want at least 2 gigs of RAM, and in that price range you're going to have to settle for integrated video, so it won't be a gaming machine. (My wife's laptop with integrated video 3DMark's out at 258. I LOL'ed)

But here's a decent one, as an example:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Toshi...oductDetail.do

Also, if you have any large companies in your area, you might check and see if they have surplus IT equipment available to the general public. My company has a surplus store. I normally would say you're better-off getting inexpensive new stuff than someone else's used and potentially abused cast-off. But a big company will have maintained their stuff, and it'll have been truly wiped clean before being sold. In our case, you can get a P4 laptop for like $150 bucks. You also want to ask if it includes an OS or not. Resale with OS installed may not be permitted by a company's licensing agreement, and might be an unexpected surprise if you don't think to ask. So, it won't be a mobile powerhouse, but if you just need it for web browsing, school stuff, or general office type stuff, it's a pretty good deal.

**JBMCW2010** · 03-27-08, 11:54 AM

Well I need it for general office type stuff. It'd be great though if it had a bit more balls to play around with.

I have been watching Delloutlet and for the Sub $700 there are a few 15.4" Core 2 Duo 2.0s that come through with Vid cards.

**JBMCW2010** · 03-27-08, 11:57 AM

$509.00
Inspiron 1501

AMD Athlon 64 Dual Core - 1900

Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium

15.4

160 GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)

2000

DVD/RW

ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 256MB HyperMemory

Decent? I have no ideas about AMDs so...