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Thread: Best Laptops under $1,000

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    Default Best Laptops under $1,000

    My baby is 7 years old and has shorts in her system and two keys missing but I've kept her because she's gone all over the country with me. But now the time has come to replace her with a snazzier glitch free model. I got a Dell because that was a great brand in 2005 but now I'd like to know what's the most reliable brand out there now. Great customer support. Amazing sound since I LOVE to play jazz and dance music on it. What say you savvy SWers?
    “What a caterpillar calls the end of the world we call a butterfly.” - ECKHART TOLLE

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    Lenovo makes the one of the best laptop with great tech support. Under warranty you can get your laptop repaired on site if it's possible. It is highly recommend by a top computer tech expert. I would get one with SSD hard drive. These hard drive are less likely to fail since there's no moving parts. The older hard drives have spinning platters with heads. Eventually you can have problems. It is pretty common on laptops having to replace the hard drive when it's not SSD.

    IdeaPad U300s Laptop - 10802AU - Graphite Gray


    https://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/...A2&action=init

    A laptop soundcard would be better for you, however laptop is $999 so it's over your budget.

    http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blast.../dp/B0007SXHO6
    Evil is always devising more corrosive misery through man's restless need to exact revenge out of his hate. Ralph Steadman

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    I have had great success with Toshiba and will not knowingly buy another HP product.

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    I'm also a Toshiba fan.
    Just a few months ago I picked up a Satellite L775 with a 17.3" screen, 2nd Gen i3 processor (Intel), 8GB DDR3 RAM, and a 640GB hard drive. It was on sale under $600.
    Check out BestBuy for good prices as they purchase in such bulk, they are not only priced low but they put them on sale often; however, don't buy their in-house warranty (major rip-off). I buy all my electronics warranties online through SquareTrade. They have great customer reviews and are always rated among the highest by several tech sites (Wired, CNET, PC World, etc.).
    Happy hunting!
    When life gives you lemons, make lemonade... then find someone whose life gave them vodka, and have a party.

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    Good looking out, guys! I have a Best Buy up the street and I was chatting with the Geek Squad guy about Windows 7. I wanted to get my laptop loaded with XP because if it ain't broke--why fix it? But he worked hard to convince me that I should go with the new Windows because it doesn't have the glitches of the last OS.

    Any other suggestions?
    “What a caterpillar calls the end of the world we call a butterfly.” - ECKHART TOLLE

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    My honest suggestion? Save your money, and buy a mac. I did it last year and never looked back. It was the best decision I ever made. I don't know how I lived with a PC.

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    ^^^Mac is a pc! What's the difference you've seen?
    “What a caterpillar calls the end of the world we call a butterfly.” - ECKHART TOLLE

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    Big XP fan here and still run it on one of my machines. On the other hand, one of my other computers is windows 7 and it is a hell of an operating system. I would strongly suggest it over XP. You aren’t going to get a comparable MAC for under $1000. Finally, I cant believe I am saying this, but I would check out Walmart's website. They have some deal that when you buy your computer you can buy a coupon for windows 8 for $15 and get it when it comes out. I cant speak for windows 8 (the rule of thumb is that every other version of windows sucks but I hear good things about it). That is a deal and you can always go back to 7 if it pulls a Vista on you.

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    Hmmm good idea etru. I'll have to compare what Best Buy is offering vs what Walmart is offering.

    I'll check out the Asus too. I hadn't even heard of them until now.
    “What a caterpillar calls the end of the world we call a butterfly.” - ECKHART TOLLE

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    There's a similar thread in Cam. Conn. about laptops, I found it helpful

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    How much longer do you think you can wait, if you haven't bought one already? Windows 8 is coming out in October. Do you definitely want a laptop? Have you considered a tablet?

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    It always depends on what you want to use it for. If it's for simple web browsing, don't go too wild!

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    Quote Originally Posted by eagle2 View Post
    How much longer do you think you can wait, if you haven't bought one already? Windows 8 is coming out in October. Do you definitely want a laptop? Have you considered a tablet?
    I can wait until the October launch! Thanks for the heads up. I want it for browsing but I record on it too.
    “What a caterpillar calls the end of the world we call a butterfly.” - ECKHART TOLLE

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    Get a gently used laptop (Tosh or Lenovo)--make sure it's at least a dual-core--and load it with Linux. (If you're new to Linux, try Mint with the Cinnamon desktop manager.) You'll save a ton o' money.

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    Quote Originally Posted by PenAndInk9 View Post
    Get a gently used laptop (Tosh or Lenovo)--make sure it's at least a dual-core--and load it with Linux. (If you're new to Linux, try Mint with the Cinnamon desktop manager.) You'll save a ton o' money.
    Ok, that post is making me hungry. I think I want a mojito now!
    “What a caterpillar calls the end of the world we call a butterfly.” - ECKHART TOLLE

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    Quote Originally Posted by Optimist View Post
    My baby is 7 years old and has shorts in her system and two keys missing but I've kept her because she's gone all over the country with me. But now the time has come to replace her with a snazzier glitch free model. I got a Dell because that was a great brand in 2005 but now I'd like to know what's the most reliable brand out there now. Great customer support. Amazing sound since I LOVE to play jazz and dance music on it. What say you savvy SWers?
    Whatever you buy, don't buy the cheapest. Lenovo is a great name, and I admit that I LUV me the pointing stick. Its not for everyone. I'm excited about a new Thinkpad X1 Carbon that they are about to start shipping, though it might be more than you want to spend. My last dell is still going strong after 5.5 years. My two Apple MBPs are going strong. I run windows and mac os on both of them, but I need to for my iPhone apps that I write and train on. The Macbook Air is really good as well. Its small, lightweight, and battery efficient. If you don't need Mac, then you can save a few shillings by not going there, though, the hardware is a little more solid and durable.

    If you can hold out about 3 months longer, there will be bunch of new PC systems. Microsoft is coming out with Windows8. To tie into it, Intel and the hardware manufacturers will be releasing new hardware that is designed for this operating system. Just about everything will be touch based in W8 and these new laptops.
    Have we not heard the chimes at midnight?

    Once more, unto the breach, dear friends.

    If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?

    -- Its always amazed me how no one learns the lines from Shakespeare. I guess it is true that people don't learn history's lessons until something become's their history.

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    Quote Originally Posted by JoeUnCool View Post
    Lenovo is a great name, and I admit that I LUV me the pointing stick. Its not for everyone. I'm excited about a new Thinkpad X1 Carbon that they are about to start shipping, though it might be more than you want to spend.
    The only Lenovo's with the pointing stick and (some of) the old IBM ruggedization are the Thinkpads. Lenovo also has retail and consumer lines that are no better than the other throwaways. I have an X1 for work and will probably get the carbon, and have owned at least a dozen Thinkpads over the years, but they are not for everyone.

    Anyway I wouldn't get too hung up on the brand of laptop, or brand of most consumer electronics for that matter these days. There's 3 or 4 huge contract manufacturers in Taiwan / China that actually supply the units, and most companies have outsourced support for consumer models too. First decide if you want an ultra portable or regular laptop. Ultra portables are smaller, lighter, thinner, have fast solid state disk, but they are also generally have a less a powerful processor (that uses less power), solid state disk are relatively small in capacity, and they don't have internal optical drives. Regular laptops have been a race to the bottom the past few years with declining sales...it's basically a crap shoot trying to pick a decent one.

    Oh yeah and Windows 8, I wouldn't consider it a deal breaker. The verdict is still out on whether it will be a Windows revolution for the average user or catastrophic flop. Many companies are offering free or heavily discounted upgrades to Windows 8 on units purchased now anyway. Personally, I would want Windows 7 as insurance.

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    Quote Originally Posted by PenAndInk9 View Post
    Get a gently used laptop (Tosh or Lenovo)--make sure it's at least a dual-core--and load it with Linux. (If you're new to Linux, try Mint with the Cinnamon desktop manager.) You'll save a ton o' money.

    Good advice however I don't know how stable mint linux is compared to ubuntu. I know mint linux is based on ubuntu. I know ubuntu is pretty buggy. You might to install wubi. Wubi allows a user to use linux and windows on the same hard drive. Windows xp is suppose to be supported until 2014, not much time left so if you're going windows route windows 7 is the way to go. Do stay away from windows 8 it's a nightmare I'm told.
    Evil is always devising more corrosive misery through man's restless need to exact revenge out of his hate. Ralph Steadman

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    I'm not trying to start a holy war regarding computer operating systems, but suggesting Linux to someone that does not have the requisite computer skills to make that work is not the best idea. Linux doesn't run the vast majority of Windows applications well, yes I've been through the Wine and emulation/simulation game and it is horrible. Getting Linux to work has historically been frought with pain and agony. Pain and agony equates to time and money to get things to work, which typically makes Linux a much more expensive option. Members of this forum will typically want to run Word/Office/Excel along with purchasable applications that just work. Windows is on 90% of PCs out there. That's what 90+% of the members of this forum need. If you are in the 10% that can do this, then more power to you, run Linux, go nuts with it. :-)
    Have we not heard the chimes at midnight?

    Once more, unto the breach, dear friends.

    If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?

    -- Its always amazed me how no one learns the lines from Shakespeare. I guess it is true that people don't learn history's lessons until something become's their history.

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    No OS war. I've been on Linux (many flavors) and far prefer it, both the freedom and the lower cost. So I'll leave it there. If you're at all curious about switching to Open Source, shoot me a note.

    Ah, one thing. Recommending someone install wubi (I've done this, plenty) is wrong. Better to burn an CD-ROM or an SD drive and boot from that. That way you're not messing with your hard drive AT ALL.

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    Microsoft is coming out with a combination tablet/laptop. It has a detachable keyboard.

    http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en/us/default.aspx

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    Default Re: Best Laptops under $1,000

    Ok cool. As long as we all realize no one is trying to start a holy war, we're all good.
    Have we not heard the chimes at midnight?

    Once more, unto the breach, dear friends.

    If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?

    -- Its always amazed me how no one learns the lines from Shakespeare. I guess it is true that people don't learn history's lessons until something become's their history.

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