Arrrrggggghhhhhhh

[JohnDB]

OK,
So we have purchased 3 different laptops from Best buy and had lemons three times in a row now.

What's up with that?
The hassles of returning it and getting another one...and the warranty and geek squad protection.

My wife just wants a laptop so she can write her book and not have her job take it away. (The book...we don't care about their laptop)
So I told her to get a laptop for herself.

We got her sister one at Christmas. Then another one because the first one had a major software problem. Now that one is having issues again. But hopefully they will get it resolved.

We just got the new laptop in the mail today and the thing charged for like 5 minutes and quit....so we turned it on and it is slowly dying and won't charge or recognize that it is plugged in.
Arrrrggggghhhhhhh.

So
Where can we buy a low end laptop that actually works?

 

[Michael74]

I bought an HP Chromebook from Amazon that works well. Chromebooks are more limited than Windows or Linux boxes though. They store things you write on the web, instead of in the computer.

I have been using it to listen to sermons. Works well for that, but it doesn't store many sermons. Mostly just download new sermons as needed on Chromebook. By contrast, my Dell desktop is capable of storing thousands of sermons on its capacious disk.

I like to buy stuff that is a best seller on Amazon, and rated well by purchasers. Amazon recommended items usually are pretty good too. Don't buy anything with a crummy rating. Amazon has Windows laptops for sale too, if they better suit your application.

 

[Papa Zoom]

I buy from Dell I like them.

 

[Knotical]

I buy most, if not all, my major electronics from either newegg, or costco. Costco has an amazing return policy, and newegg usually has pretty good prices on components.

 

[for_his_glory]

I've had Dell and HP laptops I bought at Walmart that I have never had a problem with. I'm not real big on off brands. Amazon is another good place to shop as I have bought many things from them and had no problems. They do have a great return policy.

 

[stovebolts]

As an ex HP employee, I've always been partial to them. The corporate laptops are much better than what you get at Best Buy, but the last three HP's I've purchased for home use are still functioning great.

What kind did you buy?

 

[stovebolts]

I buy most, if not all, my major electronics from either newegg, or costco. Costco has an amazing return policy, and newegg usually has pretty good prices on components.

And Costco prices itself for quality. Your not going to get a junker.

 

[stovebolts]

I buy from Dell I like them.

Yeah, and they keep you warm when the battery ignights lol!

 

[JohnDB]

Well we dumped that HP laptop off at "BestBuy" and got the money back. I took her by a used computer store...she wasn't feeling it.
Arrrrggggghhhhhhh.

As I'm sitting here she is looking at laptops on Amazon prime. (Thank You Jesus)

I just want her to start writing novels. She is very very talented at writing. I believe that she is talented enough to actually get paid for her writing.

StoveBolts
I've had several HPs. My father knew Mr Packard and Mr Hewlett by sight and they actually knew who he was. (Racecar solutions to electronics problem...it's a story) because my father worked in Palo Alto CA.

Lately the HP laptops and desktops have been losing quality. Their printers used to be the best if you could get them to print. (Software compatibility problems)
And yes... business model laptops are much sturdier than consumer grade

 

[Tessa]

I have only ever had HP and have always been happy with them.
Haven't got one at the moment.

 

[stovebolts]

Well we dumped that HP laptop off at "BestBuy" and got the money back. I took her by a used computer store...she wasn't feeling it.
Arrrrggggghhhhhhh.

As I'm sitting here she is looking at laptops on Amazon prime. (Thank You Jesus)

I just want her to start writing novels. She is very very talented at writing. I believe that she is talented enough to actually get paid for her writing.

StoveBolts
I've had several HPs. My father knew Mr Packard and Mr Hewlett by sight and they actually knew who he was. (Racecar solutions to electronics problem...it's a story) because my father worked in Palo Alto CA.

Lately the HP laptops and desktops have been losing quality. Their printers used to be the best if you could get them to print. (Software compatibility problems)
And yes... business model laptops are much sturdier than consumer grade

Ha, did I say ex employee haha? Their stock is tanking and their personal line has always been right on that line.

What your going through is frustrating... what a pain!

 

[JohnDB]

I have only ever had HP and have always been happy with them.
Haven't got one at the moment.

For decades they were the best...
Before consumer desktops they were the "big boy" toys reserved for those super serious about computing. (They were made domestically at the time)

Today I think that they actually still manufacture printers. Everything else is made elsewhere and not by them...third party assembly and 4th party parts. It's just a brand name slapped on them these days.

They might make something domestically...but it's probably not anything that you or I would use. (They even stopped servicing their gas chromatigraphs)

Dell is still made domestically from third party parts but they have a design issue with their power ports. (They wear out really fast and cost too much to replace)

We got a Lenovo laptop that actually has been doing really well. It feels weird to me to use but hey...the thing really works well.

Ideally one day I'd like to build a desktop suitable for gaming. It would take a couple G's to build with 4 graphics cards and 4 monitors, high end processor, SSD and loaded with RAM...and a frost free refrigerator/freezer to store it in.
I would have to get one of those glowing keyboards to use as well as a trackball.

And then I nor my wife play a single game on it. LOL

 

[Knotical]

I have an acer laptop that has served pretty well.

The best thing to do is compare models on some consumer websites before buying.

 

[JohnDB]

Ha, did I say ex employee haha? Their stock is tanking and their personal line has always been right on that line.

What your going through is frustrating... what a pain!

What is really frustrating is that we got a refurbished commercial grade unit instead of a consumer grade. The "refurbishers" simply didn't do their jobs. The power port was shot on this one. We didn't count on the fingerprint scanner to work...or even want it to.
Just wanted one for her to type her book on. She's an "artist" when it comes to writing. So when I say that I'm glad she is researching another source for a laptop...it's really an understatement.

It used to require special notebooks and a particular pen for her to write. Then she would type it out in an outline and then flesh it out more.

I'm not quite as bad at work about having good tools but I whine like a mule about it.

 

[Tessa]

For decades they were the best...
Before consumer desktops they were the "big boy" toys reserved for those super serious about computing. (They were made domestically at the time)

Today I think that they actually still manufacture printers. Everything else is made elsewhere and not by them...third party assembly and 4th party parts. It's just a brand name slapped on them these days.

They might make something domestically...but it's probably not anything that you or I would use. (They even stopped servicing their gas chromatigraphs)

Dell is still made domestically from third party parts but they have a design issue with their power ports. (They wear out really fast and cost too much to replace)

We got a Lenovo laptop that actually has been doing really well. It feels weird to me to use but hey...the thing really works well.

Ideally one day I'd like to build a desktop suitable for gaming. It would take a couple G's to build with 4 graphics cards and 4 monitors, high end processor, SSD and loaded with RAM...and a frost free refrigerator/freezer to store it in.
I would have to get one of those glowing keyboards to use as well as a trackball.

And then I nor my wife play a single game on it. LOL

Building your own that's a wow! I have a friend who built his on a tv set
Don't know how but he loves it. Said it never let him down.
Sounds much too complicated for me. Let us know if you do it John.
I want to get one for the same reason as your wife. To write on. But I might get a typewriter and just photo copy the originals.

 

[Michael74]

Consumer Reports says Apple is the most reliable laptop, followed by Samsung. 16% of Samsung laptops break within 2 years. Better than the rest of the Windows computers. Apple is 10%.

 

[ezra]

lap tops are almost same as disposable . we like to buy from dell i use a desk top have had good runs with them.. my wife had a alp top done good for long time.. last one i bough went ----------- called dell send it back they argued we had a post office box address.. duhh we live on a rural route so our address is rr box ***** a computer gps will not recognize it.. so we bought her a tablet

 

[Michael74]

My Dell desktops tend to last a long time.

 

[ezra]

My Dell desktops tend to last a long time.

i wouldnt have any thing else. our son built him one then had gut it rebuild it again got to hot he had replace thermal cooler failed put heat paste on it..

 

[JohnDB]

She ordered a latitude