|
|
|
#1
|
||||
|
||||
Laptop - 1. low-mid priced one & 2. wholesale used?
Looking to get a laptop for home. My freind has a 1 gig celeron, 256 ram, 15 in screen toshiba he picked up new last years for about $900. SO I figure you gotta be able to pick something up like that cheaper now.
Any idea what online source to get something like that? Thought of buying 5-6 of them if I could get a wholesale lot, to be able to resell. Any sources online for these? My main thing is just picking one up for myself. I mainly surf and use MS Office... oh and it would have to have dvd and cdrw. thanks
__________________
1995 E320 smoke silver / parchment |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
The best source I have found, and it has saved me thousands, is Delloutlet.com. Essentially, if you return a laptop in the first 30 days and they give you a new one, they take the old one and run it down a refurb line at a factory in Austin, and the refurbs are posted on the web site at that address as they come off the line . They give you the same warranty as new, and they really go thru those guys. You don't get a choice in options they way you do when your order new, but you can get up to a 50% discount on a laptop. The catch is that people all over the world are on the page at the same time, so you got to know exactly what you are looking for before you go on it, what a new one costs, and snap it up instantly when you see it. The hot ones go in about 15 minutes. A year and a half ago I got a 2 gig/256Ram 40 gig HD, loaded to the max SmartStep with the hard to find 15" XVGA screen for $800 bucks - at that time it was going for 2 grand new. I have had zero problems with it, and it gets some pretty stiff treatment.
By the way. toshiba sucks big fat rocks. Your friend will regret it. Dell doesn't give much for wholesale breaks, 1% and you have to set up an account. You got to buy a thousand of then to get a good break. You won't find it much different at other companies. Last edited by KirkVining; 07-27-2004 at 02:50 PM. |
#3
|
||||
|
||||
I'll check that out. thanks for the heads up on toshiba.
|
#4
|
||||
|
||||
Quality wise its pretty much dell, HP, and Gateway. Sony, Fijutsi and Toshiba suck. Apples are fantastic, yet very pricey.
|
#5
|
||||
|
||||
__________________
Rick Miley 2014 Tesla Model S 2018 Tesla Model 3 2017 Nissan LEAF Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro Chain Elongation References |
#6
|
||||
|
||||
When you work contract programming you get a pretty good idea of what not to buy by talking to the in-house guys who work for the Fortune 500 IT shops. They buy laptops a hundred at a time. The sales guys all wanted Sonys because they are super sleek and light, but for every hundred, they were sending 30 back and in the end they all died in year or so. The Dells are heavy laptops, but they are worth the exercise - hardly any of them go back - heck I got an 486 I still use, must be 10 years old. HP is about the same, but they seem to have more software problems, which are just phone call issues. I don't know much about the latest Gateways, the big companies are afraid they will go bankrupt so they aren't buying them.
The Apples are the best. They have the sleekness and the high quality, but man, a low end one will cost 3,000 bucks. You can pop 10 grand into one if you really soup one up. Sort of the AMG of the laptop world. Major executive status symbol now. |
#7
|
||||
|
||||
Damn, Dell had the refurbs from just under $700, and what I am entertaining just at about $700 after a rebate they got.. 2.x inspirion, 14" screen (not sure if too small, wanted 15), dvd, 40 gig hd, cdrw. Have to get clarification on the warranty, I did not see specific refurb warranty.
Not worth going any small internet place or ebay... for that price. thanks Now have to decide if I really need it, or just want it, LOL...
__________________
1995 E320 smoke silver / parchment |
#8
|
||||
|
||||
The warranty is usually same as new ones. A 15" screen makes a big difference.
|
#9
|
||||
|
||||
Kirk, I gotta disagree with you on the Apple point...
You can get a low end (but still fast) G4 12" iBook for $1100. You can get a high end (but still small) 12" G4 Powerbook for $1600. For $3000 you could get a loaded 17"er... more than anyone on this earth needs. Go to ebay and you can pick up slightly used or NIB laptops for 15-30% off. I have a 12" G4 powerbook and an iPod mini. Together they have changed my life. Hands down the highest quality computer and software package you can buy. I thought I could never switch, I kept telling myself I had too much "invested" in PCs ... I was wrong. Take the leap. (And with VirtualPC, I can still run all my Windows only software!)
__________________
Cassidy 1982 MB 300DT - Running Great @ 104K! 1972 MB 220D - RIP @ ~200K (Dropped prechamber) 1992 MB 190E 2.6 - SOLD @ 145K |
#10
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/71401/wo/bP2ICUZcrnEx3k5Ij742AcsGRNo/3.0.9.1.0.6.3 Eat your heart out! Last edited by KirkVining; 07-28-2004 at 02:21 PM. |
#11
|
||||
|
||||
Upon closer examination, I see that $1999 of your "laptop" price is for a 23" external flat panel display. I think that's a little misleading.
And another thing, I've looked at the 17" notebooks and wouldn't want to carry one very far or very often.
__________________
Rick Miley 2014 Tesla Model S 2018 Tesla Model 3 2017 Nissan LEAF Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro Chain Elongation References |
#12
|
|||
|
|||
Toshiba's are awful
__________________
W126 1983 300SD 286,000 miles and ticking Baby blue exterior Grey MB tex Recent work: Replaced air cleaner mounting brackets and heat shields Replaced alternator, fan and power steering belts Replaced positive battery terminal Replaced negative battery terminal and cord New Duralast Battery My car needs work. |
#13
|
||||
|
||||
Quote Rick Miley
: I think that's a little misleading. :And another thing, I've looked at the 17" notebooks and wouldn't want to carry one very far or very often Quote me: "You can pop 10 grand into one if you really soup one up" The flat panel display is part of an typical sales or scientific presentation package for a typical high-end Apple G4 laptop. That's what most people in the high-end laptop market are doing. You could easily pop another 2 grand worth of gadgets on if you want. If your a CEO making 29 mil a year, having one of those around the office to make your point is kind of handy. I'm talking spending 10 grand to run with the big dogs. The one I am showing is a 15" display (sidebar specs, bottom). I personally wouldn't have one any smaller than that, unless I wanted one small for a purpose. I've seen the 12" G4s over at Frys. They are priced about right at under 2 g's but I wouldn't classify those as the high end Apples used for heavy-duty graphical and scientific work, which more aptly describes the PowerPC G4. I guess I find it an apple-to-orange comparision to compare a 12" display apple to a 15" display dell. If you compare a 15" to 15", the Apples are going to run you about $3,000. But any Apple is a good choice over PC laptops so I would certainly consider the 12" over a 15" if size didn't matter. It really depends on whether the laptop is for personal use or if you need one people can gather round. Last edited by KirkVining; 07-28-2004 at 03:39 PM. |
#14
|
||||
|
||||
The 12" powerbook is just as much machine as the 15" and 17" models. Same logic board, same processor line, same system bus speed, same agp and IDE, etc, etc.
There are four main differences, besides the screen size among the different powerbooks: -12" does not have a backlit keyboard -12" has one less firewire port, one less USB2 port, and no S-Video out (has DVI though) -12" has a DIFFERENT 64mb graphics accelerator card, the nVidia Go, and the 15" and 17" models have a 64mb ATi mobility. -The 12" is 1.33ghz, and the 15" and 17" are available up to 1.5ghz The 12" is a very portable work horse capable of running the same demanding multimedia, science and design apps that the larger powerbooks and towers run. Saying that it is inferior because it is smaller is pretty goofy thinking. And as long as you don't want a super drive (CD and DVD writer/player) you can get a combo drive (DVD play, CD read/writer) 15" for $2000 or 12" for $1600. Throw in a display and wireless keyboard/mouse for home/office, and a ram upgrade, you are still out the door for clear under $3000. And for the starter of this thread, he would only need an iBook for what he is doing. I think a 14" iBook would be perfect for him.
__________________
Cassidy 1982 MB 300DT - Running Great @ 104K! 1972 MB 220D - RIP @ ~200K (Dropped prechamber) 1992 MB 190E 2.6 - SOLD @ 145K |
#15
|
||||
|
||||
OK! OK! I love it! Even if I have to squint!
|
Bookmarks |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|