Laptop deals <$500

[mikeford]

Shopping for a cheap laptop, and noticed a few good deals under $500;

HP compaq has a promo for $100 mir and $200 instant discount, makes a decent $399 system with $49 shipping.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopp...y=notebooks/compaq_presario&catLevel=1

I'm also looking at the Dell B130 that was $499 shipped the other day as part of the 10 day sale.

 

[Injury]

Will pass on the HP/Compaq computers.

Thanks, though.

 

[allisolm]

CompUSA has this one for $399.99, available in-store only with one $250 erebate:

Aspire 3624WXCi Notebook
Intel Celeron M Processor 380, 1.6GHz, 512MB RAM, 40GB Hard Drive, 14.1-inch WXGA TFT Display, 8X DVD / 24X24X24 CD-RW Combo Drive, Windows XP Home, wireless .b/.g

Link

 

[allisolm]

Office Depot has the following for $499.99 after $150 OD MIR 7/09-7/15:

Toshiba Satellite Model M105-S1021 SKU 181452
Celeron M 410
80 GB drive
512MB memory
CD-RW/DVD-ROM
integrated wireless
14.1-inch TruBrite display

 

[azoomee]

Originally posted by: Injury
Will pass on the HP/Compaq computers.

Thanks, though.

What's wrong with the Compaqs?

 

[AnyMal]

Originally posted by: azoomee

Originally posted by: Injury
Will pass on the HP/Compaq computers.

Thanks, though.

What's wrong with the Compaqs?

Nothing's wrong with them per se. These Compaqs are comparable to low-end Toshiba (like M105 mentioned above) and Dell B-series. If you're willing to put up with a hefty weight (6lbs +) and mediocre battery life, then go for it. I'd spend few dollars more and get Acer laptop instead. It's much better built, slimmer, and lighter, and looks better too. If you have Office Depots in your area you may want to stop by and see if they still have laptops on clearance. I picked up a loaded Toshiba M55 Centrino laptop for $449.99 OTD last week. They also had Gateway with Athlon 64 3200+ for $599.00

 

[cmv]

Originally posted by: AnyMal

Originally posted by: azoomee

Originally posted by: Injury
Will pass on the HP/Compaq computers.

Thanks, though.

What's wrong with the Compaqs?

Nothing's wrong with them per se. These Compaqs are comparable to low-end Toshiba (like M105 mentioned above) and Dell B-series. If you're willing to put up with a hefty weight (6lbs +) and mediocre battery life, then go for it. I'd spend few dollars more and get Acer laptop instead. It's much better built, slimmer, and lighter, and looks better too. If you have Office Depots in your area you may want to stop by and see if they still have laptops on clearance. I picked up a loaded Toshiba M55 Centrino laptop for $449.99 OTD last week. They also had Gateway with Athlon 64 3200+ for $599.00

The V2000 series is a bit lighter and has great battery life (more so with the Intel chips than the AMD I believe but go check NotebookReview.com). With an Intel CPU and the larger battery (for another $29 or $39) and the battery life is extremely good.

HP/Compaq has a student/education site and the V2000Z (AMD) is $357.99 after rebate in default configuration. The site is here:

http://www.hpshopping.com/education

edit:
Unfortunately, it doesn't include some basics like wireless (another $25, $44 for bluetooth & wireless) and only has 256 MB of RAM. Of course, buying that from NewEgg or another 3rd party will save a ton. The hard drive is a 4200 rpm model. The screen can be upgraded to brightview for $25. The 12 cell battery is $39 more. The minimum to get an AMD Turion is a disappointingly high $95. The Turion will have better battery life than the Semprons but apparently they aren't too bad.

I can't find the V2000T on their site which is the infamous $400 price mistake from a week ago at OD. The V2000T, if available for a decent price, would be a great little system but it is probably going to be in the $800-$1000 range.

Update: Found the DV2000T and the base is $750 after $50 rebate and it has free shipping.

I need a laptop before the Fall semester starts and I'm waiting for a hot deal (I couldn't get the OD DV2000T deal -- that would have been excellent). If I can't get anything and I'm hurting I'll probably go with the cheapest Compaq with wireless and use that until a good deal comes along on a nice system.

 

[tommytran]

I'd rather wait for another brand. HP usually has problem with heat/heatsink. Thanks.

 

[mikeford]

Averatec was looking pretty good to me while shopping in Micro Center, but no real deals on anything, just refurbs or used in the $500 range.

Acer just doesn't scream quality to me, Dell I have some comfidence in, but the 1 week build delay before shipping has me concerned with both Dell and HP.

I think I may check out the clearance stuff at some B&M today, pay tax, but in my hands now.

 

[jjmIII]

Very happy with my Compaq V5119US model laptop. :beer:

 

[GrJohnso]

Quite pleased with my Compaq nc6000. It has treated me well enough for 1.5 years at least.. Works for work... Home PC used for gaming... Only issues we run into here at work with the machines are from a bad batch of OEM HD drives purchased a year or so ago... The HP/Compaq made stuff has been solid...

Anyway, nice pricing with the discounts..

 

[mikeford]

Made the rounds of local B&M stores, Frys special $399 !YUCK! CQ brand 1.2 ghz VIA, looked "ok" but no wifi and no expansion slot for cards. Office Depot has a Toshiba for $499 that I am thinking on, but Dell still looks the best (two touchpoint users in the family).

 

[Samus]

Originally posted by: AnyMal

Originally posted by: azoomee

Originally posted by: Injury
Will pass on the HP/Compaq computers.

Thanks, though.

What's wrong with the Compaqs?

Nothing's wrong with them per se. These Compaqs are comparable to low-end Toshiba (like M105 mentioned above) and Dell B-series. If you're willing to put up with a hefty weight (6lbs +) and mediocre battery life, then go for it. I'd spend few dollars more and get Acer laptop instead. It's much better built, slimmer, and lighter, and looks better too. If you have Office Depots in your area you may want to stop by and see if they still have laptops on clearance. I picked up a loaded Toshiba M55 Centrino laptop for $449.99 OTD last week. They also had Gateway with Athlon 64 3200+ for $599.00

Actually Compaq, HP and eMachines are ranked 1, 2, and 3 in Consumer Reports reliability survey, and Dell, Acer, Toshiba are 4, 5, 8 (last)

Toshiba recently received an F from the BBB I believe. A friend at Best Buy doesn't stop yapping about how many are returned because of power problems, blown inverters and issues with keyboards. Apperantly, their computers lately are utter ******.

 

[Samus]

Originally posted by: mikeford
Averatec was looking pretty good to me while shopping in Micro Center, but no real deals on anything, just refurbs or used in the $500 range.

Acer just doesn't scream quality to me, Dell I have some comfidence in, but the 1 week build delay before shipping has me concerned with both Dell and HP.

I think I may check out the clearance stuff at some B&M today, pay tax, but in my hands now.

Averatec's are nice notebooks, I wish they didn't have goofy keyboards

 

[Golgatha]

Originally posted by: Samus

Originally posted by: AnyMal

Originally posted by: azoomee

Originally posted by: Injury
Will pass on the HP/Compaq computers.

Thanks, though.

What's wrong with the Compaqs?

Nothing's wrong with them per se. These Compaqs are comparable to low-end Toshiba (like M105 mentioned above) and Dell B-series. If you're willing to put up with a hefty weight (6lbs +) and mediocre battery life, then go for it. I'd spend few dollars more and get Acer laptop instead. It's much better built, slimmer, and lighter, and looks better too. If you have Office Depots in your area you may want to stop by and see if they still have laptops on clearance. I picked up a loaded Toshiba M55 Centrino laptop for $449.99 OTD last week. They also had Gateway with Athlon 64 3200+ for $599.00

Actually Compaq, HP and eMachines are ranked 1, 2, and 3 in Consumer Reports reliability survey, and Dell, Acer, Toshiba are 4, 5, 8 (last)

Toshiba recently received an F from the BBB I believe. A friend at Best Buy doesn't stop yapping about how many are returned because of power problems, blown inverters and issues with keyboards. Apperantly, their computers lately are utter ******.

Loving my Compaq M2305 series. Upgraded the snot out of it, but can't complain for $499 after MIRs with free router and Epson all-in-one printer/copier/scanner after MIRs. Bought this on Black Friday 2005. Still is quite a formidable machine. Sempron 2800+ (Venice core with 256k), 1GB RAM, wireless, and upgraded to 7200rpm HD and DVD burner. It is quite a quality machine and actually comes with a real OS installation disc.

 

[kof]

I hit the HP website yesterday to configure a notebook, comparing it to a low end Dell, and one of the things i was impressed by was that they were only charging $58 to upgrade to XP Pro, vs Dell wanting $150.

 

[GreenGhost]

Although I hated my work's Averatec in the beginning, in part because it came from Walmart, where I'd get dog food, not computers, it proved to be very sturdy and reliable. Almost two-years without a hitch. It was simply the wrong computer for me (too slow for my needs), too small to be comfortable.

 

[BigLar]

Originally posted by: tommytran
I'd rather wait for another brand. HP usually has problem with heat/heatsink. Thanks.

U betcha. My daughter's Compaq had one fan replacement under warranty and still overheated to the point of shutdown. I've officially declared it a POS and replaced it with a Dell laptop from the ten day sale. So far, so good.

Now what to do with the corpse. Rebuild with used parts? Strip any useful parts? See if 208VAC, 3-phase input helps it see the error of its ways??? (Hmm...that might be kinda fun...)

 

[tbogstad]

http://www.compusa.com/products/product...ode=337479&Pn=Aspire_3624WXCi_Notebook

this was quite abit hotter last week, i got one and it came with a free cannon photo printer and free laptop bag, and free wirelss USB mouse, all total about $150.00 worth of free stuff after rebates, and most of the rebates are Erebates , which took me about 2 minutes to apply for at compusa erebates site, and i only have to do 2 manufacturer rebates for the Cannon printer for $20.00 and $50.00.

 

[azoomee]

Originally posted by: tbogstad
http://www.compusa.com/products/product...ode=337479&Pn=Aspire_3624WXCi_Notebook

this was quite abit hotter last week, i got one and it came with a free cannon photo printer and free laptop bag, and free wirelss USB mouse, all total about $150.00 worth of free stuff after rebates, and most of the rebates are Erebates , which took me about 2 minutes to apply for at compusa erebates site, and i only have to do 2 manufacturer rebates for the Cannon printer for $20.00 and $50.00.

Nice deal -- any idea how long the battery lasts?

 

[mikeford]

Many of the nicer looking cheap laptops have very short battery life, like 1 to 2 hours. Most people don't mind and just plug in whereever they go.

 

[mikeford]

Originally posted by: BigLar

Originally posted by: tommytran
I'd rather wait for another brand. HP usually has problem with heat/heatsink. Thanks.

U betcha. My daughter's Compaq had one fan replacement under warranty and still overheated to the point of shutdown. I've officially declared it a POS and replaced it with a Dell laptop from the ten day sale. So far, so good.

Now what to do with the corpse. Rebuild with used parts? Strip any useful parts? See if 208VAC, 3-phase input helps it see the error of its ways??? (Hmm...that might be kinda fun...)

Make compaq fix it right, or look into lower heat cpu options.

 

[Mygly]

Originally posted by: azoomee

Originally posted by: tbogstad
http://www.compusa.com/products/product...ode=337479&Pn=Aspire_3624WXCi_Notebook

this was quite abit hotter last week, i got one and it came with a free cannon photo printer and free laptop bag, and free wirelss USB mouse, all total about $150.00 worth of free stuff after rebates, and most of the rebates are Erebates , which took me about 2 minutes to apply for at compusa erebates site, and i only have to do 2 manufacturer rebates for the Cannon printer for $20.00 and $50.00.

Nice deal -- any idea how long the battery lasts?

"Battery Life (average): up to 2.5 Hours" <- quote from compusa site.

 

[mikeford]

Battery life seems the weakest link on the cheapo laptops, I would say 2 hrs with a big does of YMMV.

 

[cstring]

Just upgrade to the 12cell for $39 more.