Buying a cheap new laptop

[ark42]

I've never had a laptop, but always build my desktops from parts. I want to get a laptop but not spend a ton.
There is a deal on Gateway's page http://www.gateway.com/index.shtml for $899 that seems good. 2.53GHz, 512M, 15", 802.11b/g, 10/100, plus an extra $65 for a carrying case.
I also saw the Walmart link http://www.walmart.com/catalog...gsp?product_id=3163026 for $598 thats a 1600+, 14", 128M, 801.11b, no case? 4 cell battery?

The first real feature I'm worried about is RAM, and I'm sure I can order a 512M SODIMM from newegg for around $50 if I get the Walmart one.

Other then that, does anybody know what kind of parts either of these machines come with? Are the HDDs going to die because they are a junky brand? Anybody know where I could get a better battery (8 or maybe 12 cell) for the Walmart one, and a case too?

 

[Mday]

walmart has one that's like $100 more that's much better, check out the hot deals forum.

 

[ark42]

Well what I really want to know is if anybody else has purchased any of these low-cost laptops and knows if they are really bad quality or not. I saw a post in Hot Deals about the Walmart one saying that it didn't even have a Li-ion battery and it only lasts a hour at the most.
How long does the battery last in that Gateway, if anybody knows? I'm hoping for something that might last around 4 hours maybe, is that too long to ask for? Do the Intel chips have lower power requirements and thus last longer on the battery then Athlon chips? I usually have Athlons in my desktops, but if it makes a difference for battery life, I want whatever lasts longer.
I'm also worried about the HDD since I hear a lot of people with drives gone bad for no reason.
I'm trying to save money, but I don't want to pay for a pile of junk, so if I have to pay a little more for some quality, I will, but not too much.

 

[Dogmeat]

I'm also looking at the Walmart one except the $698 version. It has an 8 cell battery (it's supposed to last 80min), has 256 mb memory, and a couple of other things over the $598 version (ECS brand)

For $60 you get an extra 256 mb module and the extended warantee is cheep compared to other major brands.

As I don't intend to use it for anything but word processing and internet search figure how bad can it be. With the ext. warantee if it dies - they fix it. If it's total crap - at leat its only $700.

My last one was a Toshiba, lasted 1 month past the warantee, the MB died and its $700 to replace it (does not include installation costs). I paid $2200 for it new. So I figure I could have three of these instead, and have the wireless which the Toshiba didn't have.

I've had 14" LCD's before and their not that bad.

If anyone has had experience with ECS computers before, I'd like your opinions on them. I am keeping in mind that they probably are not the best built units out there.

The other things in the #698 model are an 1800 XP processor and the DVD/CD-RW drive