Laptops, laptops, laptops

[the Crazed]

Does anyone know of a good website to compare prices for laptops?  It's been awhile since I last got a new system so I'm out of the loop and my girlfriend is looking for something cheap.  I hate rushing into buying anything computational so I made her wait for me to get some feedback.  She's only looking to spend ~600 bucks...

Any recommendations? 

[jägermonsta]

A notebook not for gaming I am going to assume...

Lenovo Thinkpads all the way in my opinion. Haven't heard anyone I know personaly that owns a Thinkpad (IBM or Lenovo) complain about it. My friend's Thinkpad fell out of it's carrying case while riding his motorcycle at 40mph. It worked perfectly fine afterwards. What laptop is durable enough to live through that???

Spec's for $600 and under...

ThinkPad T30 or T40

Pentium 4 Mobile 1.8ghz-2.0ghz
512MB DDR Memory
40GB hard drive (At the least)
Screen Size 14.1" (For under $600 you won't get much better then that)

Downsides...

For a laptop under $600 you most likely won't find built in wireless. You can purchase a adapter for $40-$50.
Thinkpad Laptops don't have very great video memory. If the laptop is going to be used for gaming, you'd better stick with some OLD games. (Like quake2...) Also, you will most likely run into a refurbished laptop. Meaning it was sent back for what ever reason. They get cleaned, fixed if needed and become brand new again (Thus why they are cheaper, like a used car). I haven't had problems with refurbushed items purchased in the past. They tend to be under a 3-month warranty. Longer warranties can be purcashed if desired.

Decent site...

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?MfrId=2196&CatId=17

If you want a laptop with better specs (graphics / built-in wireless) check ebay. But that's a gamble.

Good luck!

[[BTF] Reflex]

e-bay?

-or

newegg is about the most diverse hardware site out there I think

and while I was posting..  what he said   much more informed 

[the Crazed]

thank you, guys 

[BadBrent]

If you wait a few months Asus/Asustek will release a new brand of laptops designed for computer hobbyists...so you can build your own laptop just the way you want it 

[Punk_FAS]

Go to www.fatwallet.com or www.slickdeals.net, every weekend (nearly) there's a nice Intel CoreDuo (dual core) laptop for sale for sometimes as low as $500, usually with 512+ RAM, always wireless, 80GB+ HD space, and often the 15.4" widescreen displays.  Some excellent deals on those websites.

Once you go to those sites, navigate your way to their forums section, then hot deals (should take like two clicks at most).

Here, links for ya FatWallet Hot Deals Forum

Slickdeals.net Forums click Hot Deals section here, or wherever else you want to read.

[applejacks]

yea i agree with punk
just use slickdeals and look for dell deals.
i got a co-worker a dual core 17in widescreen 60gb hd 1gb ram laptop for 599 shipped.  you just have to wait for dell end of quarter sales where they usually mark things 50-60% off. When they do the sales with the coupons marked you have to ack fast. since usually its 2,000 laptops or a certain item at that price. and they usually sell out with in hours. Alot of resellers buy them and resell on ebay for profit.

Good luck

[jägermonsta]

Dell? 

[applejacks]

for a laptop they are not bad

[Punk_FAS]

Yeah, Laptop's aren't generally varied enough, with the internal components, to be that vastly different (compared to a desktop anyway).  Dell laptops should be quite good.

[jägermonsta]

Not really. HP's laptops are far better then Dell's and Lenovo owns em all imo. I say this from my experiences working IT at two different companies that has inventory of those three brands.

[ReCycled]

The place I used to work at had Dell laptops as their brand of choice. I used a few models over the years. They had a habit of going into hibernate while you were working, for no particular reason. Also if you picked it up a certain way it would crash - the motherboard would flex I guess. And battery life was shit. I'm typing this on a re-furbished IBM ThinkPad that I bought and its rock solid.

Here's another one you could have for your birthday:

 

[jägermonsta]

lol blue screen of death on a cake ;d