[Jahn]

Budget - under $1250. Because $250 has to go towards the service plan. The wife needs to buy a laptop for work by tonight. She'd like a screen 15" and up, and at least have broadband/dvd burning capability (i think all of them have that.) What do you think? No time to get a Dell, etc - her company said "get it from Best Buy and we'll reimburse you $1500, we'll put you to work tomorrow with the comp." That's the word from up top.

 

[Jahn]

How about this one?

 

[viator122]

Back away slowly from the Gateway. Don't make any sudden moves or loud noises. They can smell fear. Just stay calm and back away.

 

[Jahn]

well i was looking at the sony at it cost 200 bucks more, with less gigs in the HD and such...\


Maybe a Toshiba? My old one was built like a tank.

 

[socrates63]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn Because $250 has to go towards the service plan.

Some credit card companies, I believe American Express is one of them, offer extended warranty automatically if you use their card for the purchase.

$250 seems a bit much -- that's 20% of the cost of the laptop. By the time the laptop starts breaking down from wear and tear in a few years, you probably should get a new one rather than patching the old one (my mistake with my Toshiba).

 

[viator122]

Is this going to be something the company is giving to your wife for personal and business use? Or will this be owned by the company? If it will be owned by the company, I'd say stay away from the Gateway, but get as close to $1500 total as you can. If it's for personal use, I'd just look at as $1500 towards a really nice laptop, IOW, get what you want even if it costs more than $1500.

 

[Jahn]

and of course my wife goes out and buys the gateway, my first suggestion, before i finish my homework. bah. well it's for work anyhow so if it breaks it breaks!

 

[Kirosia]

All I can say is don't get a HP/compaq from BB . . . my cousin bought one, and there's hardware failures up the arse . . . and their "technical experts" (both BB and HP) are complete idiots (IME). They don't listen to you and weeks of time ends up wasted because of it. Also HP has sent my cousin a new laptop but it also has the same serious problems . . . repeatedly.

 

[Jahn]

LOL even better then. because my wife just called to say that they were out of the gateway (totally not true, online and when i called 5 min ago they said they had it in stock) so without calling me she bought whatever the store guy told her to get - a HP! half the memory (512) and slower processor (2Gig Athelon 6) etc etc - just 100 bucks cheaper than the gateway. and they got her to buy a wireless mouse and Microsoft Office too, and she left the comp there so BB could install it for her. man they worked her over, that damn bait and switch - they probably had too many crappy HPs in stock after a slow going back to school month so they unloaded stock on my wife. dammit. oh well, she'll have to work with it, not me.

edit- she called to say that they made her buy norton antivirus and that insurance too. "they told me i needed it." argh.

 

[TheChemist]

Ouch. Should've gone with her. =|

 

[RYCeT]

Yeah I feel you man, I've accompanied my novice friends once to buy a laptop @ bestbuy. Wasting my 45 mins and that's spend to say no, no and no.

 

[grandenigma1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn LOL even better then. because my wife just called to say that they were out of the gateway (totally not true, online and when i called 5 min ago they said they had it in stock) so without calling me she bought whatever the store guy told her to get - a HP! half the memory (512) and slower processor (2Gig Athelon 6) etc etc - just 100 bucks cheaper than the gateway. and they got her to buy a wireless mouse and Microsoft Office too, and she left the comp there so BB could install it for her. man they worked her over, that damn bait and switch - they probably had too many crappy HPs in stock after a slow going back to school month so they unloaded stock on my wife. dammit. oh well, she'll have to work with it, not me. edit- she called to say that they made her buy norton antivirus and that insurance too. "they told me i needed it." argh.

Jahn... thats what you get for letting the lady do a mans job, atleast you can return it

...would you trust her buying you an amp or headphones? she would surely walk home with a boostaroo and triports.

just kidding my lady friend has an HP and it is not the most horrible thing... two years of school so far and no problems...

 

[MrSlacker]

i see same thing happening in BB every time im there. ppl buy Sony comps w/ **** laod of useless ****.... may be u can return the insurance?

 

[Kirosia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrSlacker ippl buy Sony comps w/ **** laod of useless ****.... may be u can return the insurance?

Forgot about sony. Jahn, just be glad she didn't get a vaio, the HP is the lesser of two evils. (in a way) The sonies are highly overpriced, heavy, and the "extras" (i.e. spare battery) cost an arseload. They do have looks though . . . and any computer you can use as a defensive weapon can't be that bad.

kidding, I don't trust the build quality either, mine fell apart after falling off my desk a few times. I mean fell apart, literally.

 

[Jahn]

Yeah, I washed my hands of the whole affair. We'll just take a wait and see approach hehe.