I need a laptop, what kind should I get?

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Oct 13th, 2002, 11:09 AM
pnj

I need a laptop, what kind should I get?

I'm buying a laptop for my mom who is retired.

her current laptop is six years old, has a 2 gig harddrive and it has 88% of the space left.

She travels around the country with my dad in their trailer home thing.

all she uses her computer for is email.
that's it.

Because she is still running windows 95 (!) she can't update her virus software.

I would like to spend about 1000.00 bucks on this machine.
it doesn't need to be the latest and greatest but I would like something nicer than what she has now (200 mhz with 48 megs ram)

I've looked at Dell and gateway. any other suggestions?

I will also need to put an international modem in it for when she travels out of the USA

Thanks for any suggestions.
Oct 13th, 2002, 11:41 AM
duc

im not sure exactly the kind but i would definetly get a Dell. Good deals cheap and good computers:cool:
Oct 13th, 2002, 12:50 PM
pnj

dude

that's kinda what I was looking at.

the prices seem pretty good compared to compaq, hp and gateway

thanks
Oct 13th, 2002, 01:28 PM
Sastraxi

I suggest a mobile celeron with whatever graphics, and 256 mb of RAM. Make sure it has the wireless ethernet built in or on a PCMCIA card (or whatever they're using).
Oct 13th, 2002, 07:36 PM
Beacon

Compaq N3000!
Oct 13th, 2002, 08:28 PM
siyan

The Dell 2600 is about $850 USD at the moment. AND you get free shipping.

1.2Ghz Cel, 128, 20GB, 14.1" XGA, DVD

you can even get a free MP3 player with it??? :eek:

seems like a pretty good deal.

-C
Oct 13th, 2002, 08:44 PM
JungleMan

Quote:

Originally posted by Beacon
Compaq N3000!

Compaq makes AWFUL AWFUL notebooks!!! HORRIBLE!!

Don't ever buy one! :( :( :(

I would go with Dell or HP, perhaps Toshiba.
Oct 13th, 2002, 09:27 PM
MidgetsBro

Sonys are nice, I got one off eBay in really good condition. It was refurbished, but I don't give a shat cause it's 900mhz 256mb ram, DVD+CDRW, firewire, USB, onboard LAN, onboard 56k modem, 15" TFT, and I got it for $965 w/ shipping. The only problem is that it has Windows XP on it, and I can't revert back to Win2K cause Sony specifically doesn't make drivers for the network card so that people have to use their XP recovery disk... ugh.

If you want to buy mine, I'll sell it to you for $1,000 including the carrying case I bought and a mini-USB mouse that matches that I also bought. :)

Compaq anything is ****.
HP is good for laptops, not for desktops.
Dell is good for both, but I personally wouldn't buy one.
Never had a toshiba or worked with one, might be a nice buy?
Oct 13th, 2002, 10:31 PM
Pc_Madness

My Toshiba is the man. :)

Also, if shes going to be checking her email over in the states, thats gunna be a pretty high phone bill...
Oct 13th, 2002, 10:37 PM
Beacon

Quote:

Originally posted by Jungle-Man
Compaq makes AWFUL AWFUL notebooks!!! HORRIBLE!!

Don't ever buy one! :( :( :(

I would go with Dell or HP, perhaps Toshiba.

My god here we go again!

Toshiba are the best but he mentioned dell and no Toshiba can compete with a dell for Price!

Now onto the Compaq!
Compaq is the model of the laptop after the takeover by HP! HP discontinued all Desktops and Notebooks! The Compaq name will remain as a type of model name for a while in the Notebook range but the Desktops will be HP blah!
HP will use all Compaq Desktops, Notebooks, tape drives etc but they will not have the COmpaq name!

So saying HP is better than Compaq is kinda hypocritical!

And anyway Compaq in that model provide a p4 2ghz 512mb ram, 30gb hdd radeon 9000 a 15 inch screen and a 3 year warranty for $4700 Aussie!
Dell provide the same for around $5000 but they include a free carry case! oooooo

b :)
Oct 14th, 2002, 05:51 AM
JungleMan

Beacon
My mistake, if HPs are being relabeled as Compaqs, perhaps. I have had two Compaq notebooks and both of them have been absolutely horrible...ick

But on the other hand, if he's looking for price, why would he get the N3000? ;)
Oct 14th, 2002, 07:37 PM
Beacon

Because they are the cheapest with the best specs!
Oct 14th, 2002, 07:42 PM
JungleMan

Umm he said $1000...I don't know what $4700 AU is in USD but I sure can't find a p4 2ghz 512mb ram, 30gb hdd radeon 9000 a 15 inch screen laptop for $1000 USD. Maybe an XP1500 with a 14 inch screen, no name graphics, and a combo drive.
Oct 14th, 2002, 07:50 PM
Beacon

Halve it!

Now if he wants it for $1000

get rid of the 15 monitor thats $1500 US and remove the expensive 256mbram add on and you have around $1000 US!
Oct 14th, 2002, 07:56 PM
JungleMan

Umm Beaker...you have your pricing screwed up there. :confused:

256MB of RAM is not an extra $500, if you can configure that for $1000 with an R9K in it be my guest but it ain't happening :confused:
Oct 14th, 2002, 08:16 PM
siyan

Quote:

Originally posted by Jungle-Man
Umm Beaker...you have your pricing screwed up there. :confused:

256MB of RAM is not an extra $500, if you can configure that for $1000 with an R9K in it be my guest but it ain't happening :confused:

Nope....as far as I can tell that Insiron 2600 system is the best deal for under $1k USD right now.

I think it has some ATI chipset....not sure.

-C
Oct 14th, 2002, 08:17 PM
siyan

Wait NM...its Integrated Intel Graphics :D

-C
Oct 14th, 2002, 08:40 PM
Beacon

Quote:

Originally posted by Jungle-Man
Umm Beaker...you have your pricing screwed up there. :confused:

256MB of RAM is not an extra $500, if you can configure that for $1000 with an R9K in it be my guest but it ain't happening :confused:

Is to roughly for that Compaq Ram sure you can whack in kingston if ya want!
Oct 15th, 2002, 01:57 AM
aafuss

Re: I need a laptop, what kind should I get?

Quote:

Originally posted by pnj
I'm buying a laptop for my mom who is retired.

her current laptop is six years old, has a 2 gig harddrive and it has 88% of the space left.

She travels around the country with my dad in their trailer home thing.

all she uses her computer for is email.
that's it.

Because she is still running windows 95 (!) she can't update her virus software.

I would like to spend about 1000.00 bucks on this machine.
it doesn't need to be the latest and greatest but I would like something nicer than what she has now (200 mhz with 48 megs ram)

I've looked at Dell and gateway. any other suggestions?

I will also need to put an international modem in it for when she travels out of the USA

Thanks for any suggestions.

Dell-often gives you somegthing extra for uyour laptop(eg. nextra memory).
Oct 15th, 2002, 01:58 AM
aafuss

Also try IBM.
Oct 15th, 2002, 12:46 PM
pnj

Quote:

Originally posted by Pc_Madness
My Toshiba is the man. :)

Also, if shes going to be checking her email over in the states, thats gunna be a pretty high phone bill...

nope.

I know everyone thinks AOL sucks but they are the only ISP with a toll free number.....

thanks for the suggestions y'all.
Oct 15th, 2002, 09:43 PM
siyan

Quote:

Originally posted by aafuss
Also try IBM.

most IBM stuff is corporately aimed, and thus overpriced...

but the quality is very high

-C