Laptop shopping for work

[Black Dog]

We need to purchase 2 or 3 laptop computers for the window company and we're going back and forth on whether to go the Dell/Gateway route or Circuit City type stores. Also, Walmart advertises some pretty good prices on Acer and Toshiba models.

We need them to be powerful enough to run several window/door pricing programs, email, MS Office, etc. and have wireless capability. They would be used in the office as well as in the field and at home.

Price is an issue of course.

What would you all recommend?

 

[Black Dog]

To simplify, we're looking for the best bang for the buck. Will the cheaper $600-$800 do what we need or would we kick ourselves later for not spending more?

 

[jfsjazz]

Black Dog,

I use a local computer business for all of my personal and corporate tech needs. I went the Dell/Gateway route and the retail route years ago, usually ending up with a bunch of problems. I either had the wrong software, wrong equipment, wrong backups, etc.

With my local firm, I have professionals that interview me for my requirements, understand what I will be doing with the equipment, and then build my systems so that I also have the capacity to expand or add additional capabilities without a complete overhaul. And the best part, their final tab is always less expensive than the other options. They have built systems for my home and kids for the last five years, and are completely responsible for the sytems at my company.

I would encourage you to also investigate your local providers and if there is not one available, I'd recommend my provider without hesitation as I'm sure they are capable of dealing with you from here in Ohio.

Best of luck!!

 

[jwintosh]

i'd go with Dell,,, very good customer relations, and you can pretty much design your own.... very competivie in prices!!

jeff

 

[N2Advnture]

My wife's company buys their employees new laptops every 3 years (100k employees). The use mainly Toshiba Satellites and Dell Latitudes but in more recent years have been giving them the Latitudes because of issues with the Toshibas over the past few years.

We have two Dell Laptops of our own and I have purchased 2 Toshibas and 5 Dells for my office.

Based on performance, price and reliability - I would suggest a Dell (just replaced 3 servers and all our desktops with Dells as well).

The Latitudes are are probably your best bet/best buy for business.

Hope this helps
~Mark

 

[joshua]

If they are going to be used out in the wild you probably want to go with the dells by shopping the small business site and getting them with an extended warranty because chances are they are going to get beat around a lot.

The other option would be IBM/Lenovo machine or a Panasonic Toughbook which are more rugged than those other ones. http://www.panasonic.com/business/toughbook/toughbookhome.asp

I'll check my dell discount on some laptops for ya though and get back to you in PM or something. I might be able to get you a deal through my employee discount.

Also: It looks like otterbox makes a laptop case now. If you get one of the less rugged models you could just use a case like that to protect it on the road.

 

[caudio51]

I can ditto the Dells. I've heard good things about them

 

[derek]

heh we just phased out over (4 digit # goes here) Dells world wide. They were all D600 notebooks and gave us nothing but trouble for the past 3 years. Constant motherboard issue in, power cord connection issues, fans always stopped working and we would have over heating issues. Hard drive were failing etc etc etc. Not to mention all the Dell Optiplex 270 desktops that we phased out do to constant mother board failure. I personal will never buy a Dell or recommend one to anyone I like.

We replaced them all with Lenovo / IBM notebooks (even the desk tops became notebooks), they are great and work very well.

However since price is an issue not sure if that is the route you would want to go.

 

[RX2010]

if under a grand, go HP, get em at Best Buy

 

[Jwrussell]

Stay away from Acer, whatever you do. And if just work based, I see no reason the lower priced ones wouldn't do ya just fine. Toshiba has a sale going on and they go the Dell route on their site that lets you personalize.

I'm looking for myself and I just can't bring myself to go Dell (have a desktop). I've had no MAJOR issues, but when I first got it I had to call customer service and I hate having to talk to India. No offense to India.

The wife has a Toshiba Satellite and I like it.

 

[Kingston]

Dell servers and desktops are reliable. Their laptops stink. Poor build quality, over heating issues that usually lead to hard drive replacement.
Our 150 person company has about 100 Dell laptops, and every single one of them has had several parts replaced within the first year. Everything from the hard drive (most common), to the screen to the motherboard.
They are pretty cheap, but for my own use I wouldn't trust them.
Thinkpads are practically indestructible. They are more expensive but I belive are worth the price. My IT friend's company is a Thinkpad shop, and they have had very few problems.
Dells get you in with the price, but pretty much force you to get the extended warranty unless you want a hot paperweight.

 

[CWS]

I use Gateway. Just picked up Duo Core 2, 1.5 Meg Ram, 200 Gig storage. Bells & whistles. On sales at Best Buy $800. Bought a router deal and got the wireless router and set up for free. Its great. Figure to replace every two years.

 

[Wasch_24]

Damn, that is a screaming deal!

p.s. 1.5gig of RAM right?

 

[Jwrussell]

I use Gateway. Just picked up Duo Core 2, 1.5 Meg Ram, 200 Gig storage. Bells & whistles. On sales at Best Buy $800. Bought a router deal and got the wireless router and set up for free. Its great. Figure to replace every two years.

HOLY CRAP! Model number please!

 

[joshua]

200GB hard drive? It must be one of those laptops with full size drive inside. I wonder what the battery life on it is.

Hmm theres an HP with "200GB hard drive" but it says it has two 100GB drives inside.

 

[caudio51]

I use Gateway. Just picked up Duo Core 2, 1.5 Meg Ram, 200 Gig storage. Bells & whistles. On sales at Best Buy $800. Bought a router deal and got the wireless router and set up for free. Its great. Figure to replace every two years.

Damn, that is nice!!

 

[Jwrussell]

Think I found it, it's a 1.6GHz and I'm looking for 2GHz. May have to settle though...

 

[caudio51]

Think I found it, it's a 1.6GHz and I'm looking for 2GHz. May have to settle though...

Nah, go get the 2....you'll have it for a couple years, might as well get what you really want

 

[Jwrussell]

Yeah, I hear you Tom, but I've seen upwards of 1.8 for even less. The only problem is it's Dell and I don't want a Dell.

 

[Black Dog]

I sent one of the owners out to look at the one that Chuck got and it looks like he's upgrading to these ones LINK