HP or Dell (or something else?)

9mmprincess · Post by **9mmprincess** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:37 am

So... my HP laptop screen has bit the dust, less than two months after my add-on warranty expired. Which is frustrating, of course. I paid 200 something for that warranty, and it was a good one - didn't matter what happened to the puter or how it happened, even if it was my fault, they'd repair or replace. I actually had a few friends who said, when the warranty was almost up, "you should 'accidentally' drop it, and get a new one. But no, I didn't - didn't want to be dishonest like that... and two months later, it died.

To be honest tho, I think it was probably my fault... I didn't turn it off as much as I should have - even tho I used a cooling pad all the time from the moment I bought it, I'd leave it on way too much. I think maybe the screen just wore out. I don't know - how long are they supposed to last?

The point of this though, is I may be buying a new one. My bf has a Dell he bought for work, and it's got 1 more gig of RAM than mine and is a LOT faster - I mean Photoshop opens, like, almost instantaneously. But I've heard bad things about Dell. On the other hand, my HP didn't last long - but that may have been partly my fault.

So... HP or Dell? Or something else? Pls don't suggest Sony, as I had an awful experience with my old Vaio, or Macs, cos I'm a PC girl. Thanks

9mmprincess · Post by **9mmprincess** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:02 am

I'm looking at this one. Core Duo, 4 gigs ram expandable to 8....

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp ... 8045569785

Joe · Post by **Joe** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:31 am

what is the one that the screen is broke on? specs? i would be interested in purchasing.

9mmprincess · Post by **9mmprincess** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 3:56 am

It's an HP dv6000

* AMD Turion 64, dual core processor
* 2 GB DDR2 memory
* 15.4″ WXGA High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1280 x 800)
* 256MB NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) Go 7200
* 160GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
* LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
* 1.3 Megapixel Webcam with mic built into screen
* Altec Lansing speakers built in
* 3 USB ports, ExpressCard/54 Slot, Video Out, Integrated Consumer IR, 1 RJ-11, 1 RJ-45
* Windows Vista Home Premium

I haven't plugged it into an external monitor yet tho, so I'm not sure it's just the screen - I have to dig the huge-ass monitor out of the closet - will do so tomorrow.

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:04 am

9mmprincess wrote:I'm looking at this one. Core Duo, 4 gigs ram expandable to 8....

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp ... 8045569785

Nice looking system.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:29 am

9mmprincess wrote:I think maybe the screen just wore out. I don't know - how long are they supposed to last?

But I've heard bad things about Dell. On the other hand, my HP didn't last long - but that may have been partly my fault.

So... HP or Dell? Or something else? Pls don't suggest Sony,

Dells are fine...especially their "Latitude" family of laptops. I'm not fond of their Vostro line..which is their el cheapo entry level models. The Inspiron/XPS models are OK...but still more their entry level home grade models. The Latitudes are their business series laptops (as well as the much higher end Precisions).....longer warranties, better components inside...yes pricier, but will last the long haul.

Remember, with all computers...including laptops, you generally have at least 2x categories.
1- Home grade...1 year warranty. Less expensive parts used inside, generally to give an expected lifespan of approx 1 year. Hard drives with MTBF of only 250k hours, etc.
2- Business grade....3 year warranty. Higher price..yes, less bells and whistles, but better quality components. Hard drives with MTBF of usually over 600k hours, etc.

How long do laptop screens last? They can last well over 5 years even 10...a lot depends on the quality of the components uses, as well as how the laptop was handled over its lifetime, as well as luck of the draw. I have laptops out there in service that run 24x7x365 for years on end...they are never shut off. Literally..never shut off.

9mmprincess · Post by **9mmprincess** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:17 am

Thanks for your input YeOlde

So are you saying it's not necessarily because I left it on all the time? I did buy a laptop cooling pad, and I used it all the time from the moment I bought that laptop. Someone told me a long time ago that when your laptop gets hot over long periods of time, it messes it up somehow (I forget the details), so I always made a point to keep it cool.

It doesn't look like Best Buy carries the Latitude series... I need to stick with Best Buy because my boyfriend knows someone at a local store, he fixed his car a few times and saved him a lot of money and the guy owes him a BIG favor, and said if he ever needs anything from Best Buy, he can get him a good discount. So I have to pick from Best Buy's stock. I've been looking some more, and the best one seems to be the one I linked above. Sucks to hear the parts are only expected to have a year lifetime though :/

9mmprincess · Post by **9mmprincess** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:24 am

YARDofSTUF wrote:Nice looking system.

I thought so

Really like that it's expandable to 8 gigs of ram - I don't see that option in any other model.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:18 am

You should call HP anyway...sometimes they will bend if its that close to your ending of the warranty. I've seen people get lucky with Dell a few weeks or a month after warranty expires when something just dies on them. They don't want to lose a customer and if the cost of replacing your screen saves you then they will do it.

Try it, give them a call and at least ask

9mmprincess · Post by **9mmprincess** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:54 am

Yeah, I'm going to give them a call today and see what they say. I'm not expecting much, though.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:00 am

9mmprincess wrote:Thanks for your input YeOlde So are you saying it's not necessarily because I left it on all the time? I did buy a laptop cooling pad, and I used it all the time from the moment I bought that laptop. Someone told me a long time ago that when your laptop gets hot over long periods of time, it messes it up somehow (I forget the details), so I always made a point to keep it cool.

Right...in general, the life expectancy of a screen is more due to environmental conditions..quality of power (for monitors)...and general handling of laptops. Also...LCD screens vary in quality..the cheaper models will have cheaper screens..the internal parts, the screen itself.

Yes heat does affect laptops, one of the causes of generally shorter lifespans versus their desktop counterparts (along with movement..bumping about). But that usually doesn't affect the LCD screen, the heat is in the chassis itself, under the keyboard, near the hard drive, etc. Some laptops unfortunately have their heat sink fan air intake on the bottom of the chassis. So if you place it on a soft flat surface (such as your bed, or couch)...it sinks in a bit and is unable to take in cooling air...so they heat up much more. Or for those users who like to use their laptop in bed...while propped up, laptop on the tops of their legs sitting buried in the comforter...bad. Tis best to choose a laptop with the air intake on the side, or in the back. That way it's unobstructed airflow pretty much no matter how you use it.

Don't forget factory outlet stores..HP has them, my favorite..IBM/Lenovo..has them, as well as Dell. You can pickup a factory reconditioned model of higher quality, for a darned good price. That's how I've gotten my past several laptops. My current Thinkpad was nearly 3 thousand dollars brand new, I got it from a factory lease return, I honestly don't think it was even used...looked and smelled brand new, I paid something like 680 dollars for it. Still a good amount left on the warranty.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:05 am

Another note....don't forget in selecting your laptop, seek a model that has a 7,200rpm hard drive. That's one of the huge factors in the difference in performance you "feel" between laptops and their desktop counterparts. As the price drops in laptops...more towards the entry level and home grade models, you'll see them come with slower 5,400rpm drives...and the base models and ultra portables will have painfully slow 4,200rpm drives.

9mmprincess · Post by **9mmprincess** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:13 am

YeOldeStonecat wrote:Right...in general, the life expectancy of a screen is more due to environmental conditions..quality of power (for monitors)...and general handling of laptops. Also...LCD screens vary in quality..the cheaper models will have cheaper screens..the internal parts, the screen itself.

Yes heat does affect laptops, one of the causes of generally shorter lifespans versus their desktop counterparts (along with movement..bumping about). But that usually doesn't affect the LCD screen, the heat is in the chassis itself, under the keyboard, near the hard drive, etc. Some laptops unfortunately have their heat sink fan air intake on the bottom of the chassis. So if you place it on a soft flat surface (such as your bed, or couch)...it sinks in a bit and is unable to take in cooling air...so they heat up much more. Or for those users who like to use their laptop in bed...while propped up, laptop on the tops of their legs sitting buried in the comforter...bad. Tis best to choose a laptop with the air intake on the side, or in the back. That way it's unobstructed airflow pretty much no matter how you use it.

Don't forget factory outlet stores..HP has them, my favorite..IBM/Lenovo..has them, as well as Dell. You can pickup a factory reconditioned model of higher quality, for a darned good price. That's how I've gotten my past several laptops. My current Thinkpad was nearly 3 thousand dollars brand new, I got it from a factory lease return, I honestly don't think it was even used...looked and smelled brand new, I paid something like 680 dollars for it. Still a good amount left on the warranty.

Would you say that using a cooling pad under a laptop all the time from day 1 would make a big difference in how long a laptop lasts? Just curious.

Unfortunately I can't check out the outlet stores - I need to stick with Best Buy because my bf knows someone who works there and the guy owes him a big favor, so we can get a big discount - how big, I don't know yet.

About the hard drive speed - yeah, I learned that the hard way

For my new laptop I won't buy anything under 7200.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:28 am

9mmprincess wrote:Would you say that using a cooling pad under a laptop all the time from day 1 would make a big difference in how long a laptop lasts? Just curious.

Unfortunately I can't check out the outlet stores - I need to stick with Best Buy because my bf knows someone who works there and the guy owes him a big favor, so we can get a big discount - how big, I don't know yet.

If you had a laptop with an intake on the bottom...thus getting blocked if you used it on your legs while in bed or something..then yes a cooling pad would help. If you had a laptop with the intake on the side....in my opinion those cooling pads aren't necessary.

I did see your earlier mention of a friend at BestBuy giving you a big discount. But we don't know what that is (unless he's going to slip it out the back door for free)....my point is, you can get a good solid business grade laptop that would cost 2K or more brand new...for say...500 or 600 or 700 dollars.....or, you might just be getting a discount at BB on a cheaper 749 dollar brand new laptop for 600 dollars....
...so my point is..which would I rather pay 600 dollars for....a 749 value home grade computer, or a 2K value biz grade computer? No contest for me!

And when seeking a laptop with the option to go to 8 gigs of RAM you mentioned above..make sure you get a 64 bit OS, because a 32 bit OS can only utilize up to 4 gigs...it will not be capable of using any RAM above that.

9mmprincess · Post by **9mmprincess** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:47 am

YeOldeStonecat wrote:If you had a laptop with an intake on the bottom...thus getting blocked if you used it on your legs while in bed or something..then yes a cooling pad would help. If you had a laptop with the intake on the side....in my opinion those cooling pads aren't necessary.

I did see your earlier mention of a friend at BestBuy giving you a big discount. But we don't know what that is (unless he's going to slip it out the back door for free)....my point is, you can get a good solid business grade laptop that would cost 2K or more brand new...for say...500 or 600 or 700 dollars.....or, you might just be getting a discount at BB on a cheaper 749 dollar brand new laptop for 600 dollars....
...so my point is..which would I rather pay 600 dollars for....a 749 value home grade computer, or a 2K value biz grade computer? No contest for me!

And when seeking a laptop with the option to go to 8 gigs of RAM you mentioned above..make sure you get a 64 bit OS, because a 32 bit OS can only utilize up to 4 gigs...it will not be capable of using any RAM above that.

No no no, he's not slipping it out the back door - it's nothing illegal. I'm hoping for 300 dollars off or so. And yeah, I know about the OS thing

THe system I linked above has the 64 bit Vista.
I had a look at the Dell outlet site... In the Latitude series, the laptops that had the specs I want were all at least 1100 or so.... so I think it makes more sense for me to take the discount on one at Best Buy, and just get an extended warranty. And THIS time, I'll make sure it stops working before the warranty is up

Lol.. nah, when it comes down to it I probably wouldn't. It's tempting, though, especially after what just happened to me.

Gah, I really want that Dell now.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 3:56 pm

watch techbargains.com for deals and specials..coupon codes and such to save you money... also make sure you look at getting the complete care warranty much like you had on the last laptop which will cover anything besides you destroying it on purpose.

9mmprincess · Post by **9mmprincess** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:45 pm

Sava700 wrote:watch techbargains.com for deals and specials..coupon codes and such to save you money... also make sure you look at getting the complete care warranty much like you had on the last laptop which will cover anything besides you destroying it on purpose.

The destroying it on purpose thing was a joke. If I were going to do that I would have done it on the last one.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:09 pm

9mmprincess wrote:The destroying it on purpose thing was a joke. If I were going to do that I would have done it on the last one.

ohh i wasn't saying you should or did or whatever...naw I'm just saying what is and what isn't covered..I use the same word "Destroyed" around the kids at the college I work at.. and I've seen just about everything so far.

one threw his I know off a 4 story roof, another run over his, and several have run them under running water just cause warranty was getting ready to run out and they wanted a new computer. The warranty costs covered it so ohh well and isn't my place to debate on what "they said happened to it".

9mmprincess · Post by **9mmprincess** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:47 am

Sava700 wrote:ohh i wasn't saying you should or did or whatever...naw I'm just saying what is and what isn't covered..I use the same word "Destroyed" around the kids at the college I work at.. and I've seen just about everything so far.

one threw his I know off a 4 story roof, another run over his, and several have run them under running water just cause warranty was getting ready to run out and they wanted a new computer. The warranty costs covered it so ohh well and isn't my place to debate on what "they said happened to it".

Interesting... I had no idea such a thing was so widespread. It was suggested to me, and I thought about it, but in the end I couldn't do it - not sure why, it just didn't feel right. Not to say I wasn't sorely tempted. I mean... two months after the warranty runs out? I felt - and still feel - ripped off. But oh well...whaddayagonnado.

Waiting to hear back about what kind of discount I can get on the Dell at Best Buy. Cross your fingers for me, yeah? I really want this laptop

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:58 am

9mmprincess wrote:Interesting... I had no idea such a thing was so widespread. It was suggested to me, and I thought about it, but in the end I couldn't do it - not sure why, it just didn't feel right. Not to say I wasn't sorely tempted. I mean... two months after the warranty runs out? I felt - and still feel - ripped off. But oh well...whaddayagonnado.

Waiting to hear back about what kind of discount I can get on the Dell at Best Buy. Cross your fingers for me, yeah? I really want this laptop

Well look at it this way... the extra warranty costs you about 400$ more for the full coverage. If you think about it the costs of the parts and building that computer is prob way less than that so you've pretty much paid for the new computer anyway. Prices on these things have come way down in the last year.

Andrzej · Post by **Andrzej** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:45 pm

In my case ThP x200s & 8GB RAM is still the future
so RAM is 4GB (w7b-64bit & IE8b-64bits etc on hdd 200GB 7200rpm FDE)
but from 4 weeks ~20$ upg with 2GB TurboMemory
(adv as speedup prgs start & reduction of power consumption)

9mmprincess · Post by **9mmprincess** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:20 am

^ I have no idea what you just said.

Bad news - my old laptop won't even turn on anymore. I got the other monitor out and plugged it in and was going to check it out - the laptop has been turning on, it's just that the screen stays black. Well today it won't even turn on. It's odd - when I plug in the power cable, where it plugs in is a little blue light - that light comes on, but other than that, the laptop is totally dead. It won't turn on. I guess it's completely kicked the bucket

Still waiting to hear what's up with the discount. I want the puter I linked soooo badly.

ssjDoh · Post by **ssjDoh** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 1:54 am

i Really like my Dell XPS (M1710) laptop. I recommend them. Their customer support is excellent too (you get a special XPS support line). My vid card failed and the day I called, they sent a box to ship my laptop in (overnight). I sent my laptop in the next day and on that same day, they replaced the vid card and sent it back - again over night. Had my laptop and they followed up making sure I was satisfied.

9mmprincess · Post by **9mmprincess** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 4:32 am

^ That sounds pretty good

I've pretty much made up my mind that I want the XPS one, just waiting to hear back about the discount. Did you buy an extended warranty?

nightowl · Post by **nightowl** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:55 pm

IF you must get a laptop through best buy I would recomend getting one that has an INTEL CORE 2 DUAL!! Do not get the AMD processor ones. I find they are the lower end laptops and they run hotter!

I would recomend this one:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp ... 8010176167

It does have a 5400 RPM drive, however you can put a faster 7200rpm drive in it later down the road.

This toshiba is good too:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp ... 8040476937

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:30 am

nightowl wrote:IF you must get a laptop through best buy I would recomend getting one that has an INTEL CORE 2 DUAL!! Do not get the AMD processor ones. I find they are the lower end laptops and they run hotter!

I agree with this, I've noticed that laptops with the AMD based cpu/chipsets just seem to have more issues. I'm not totally against AMD stuff, I've built a few home gaming rigs using them for myself a few years ago, but based on my experience at work....laptops with AMD....stay away.

Intel CPU with Centrino chipset/Intel wireless. Love Intel wireless, and I run away from Atheros based wireless..ick.

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:19 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote: Intel CPU with Centrino chipset/Intel wireless. Love Intel wireless, and I run away from Atheros based wireless..ick.

Noted.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:24 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote: Intel CPU with Centrino chipset/Intel wireless. Love Intel wireless, and I run away from Atheros based wireless..ick.

agreed... seems like alot of Toshiba's have the Atheros wireless in them which are not very good at all. But if your going to go Intel at this point..ya gotta go dual core all the way and a good one.

nightowl · Post by **nightowl** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 12:41 am

Sava700 wrote:agreed... seems like alot of Toshiba's have the Atheros wireless in them which are not very good at all. But if your going to go Intel at this point..ya gotta go dual core all the way and a good one.

Atheros are good if your going to run linuxor wireless sniffing utilities.