# What brand of laptop is best



## bengal85 (Apr 26, 2009)

I am going to be purchasing a laptop for College here in a few weeks and I wondered what is best out of the brands I have in my mind? They are 

Acer 
Dell 
Hp 
Compaq 
toshiba (Only if they had a sweet deal would I go with this I think)

any opinions or suggestion would be helpful


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## bengal85 (Apr 26, 2009)

any one


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## Andy- (Apr 26, 2009)

Acer probably, quick and stylish.

But if you really want to get a nice notebook, Vaio.


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## Gareth (Apr 26, 2009)

My favourite brand of laptop is Dell business series (Vostro/Latitude etc). Because they look professional, dead reliable and unlike many, are designed for transport.

My Dad flies between the UK and USA every 2 weeks for the past few years, with flights in between to places such as Canada, Brussels, France etc and his Latitude D630, which is 2 years old, has not failed/broke once.


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## Andy- (Apr 26, 2009)

> My Dad flies between the UK and USA every 2 weeks for the past few years, with flights in between to places such as Canada, Brussels, France etc and his Latitude D630, *which is 2 years old, has not failed/broke once.*



If you take care of your notebook - Secure it, not a lot of downloads, clean, update it -, it won't really matter what manufacturer your notebook belongs to, just depends on how you use it, and it's components.


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## Gareth (Apr 26, 2009)

I don't mean the software end, I mean the physical hardware and strength, as when you travel, the laptop sure does get thrown around.


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## Andy- (Apr 26, 2009)

Ah, well, any notebook that breaks at sudden impact( minor impact ) shouldn't really be bought.

But, it is true tho, I had a Dell notebook a couple of years ago, didn't fail me once.


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## PabloTeK (Apr 26, 2009)

My HP is a pile to be honest, nasty plastics, screen flex (caused damage to the screen as a result), it's oddly slow and the HDD squeals at me for no reason. Plus lets not forget the 45 mins battery life, down from 1h 45! I'd go for the Dell.


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## funkysnair (Apr 26, 2009)

asus has done me good up to now


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## Aastii (Apr 26, 2009)

I have 2 laptops in my house, one of which is advent, the other is packard bell. The packard bell one doesn't move ever but is 2 years old and the screen has gone, got lines going down it, the advent hoever i am surprised at. It has, quite litteraly, been dropped, thrown around, basically had the crap beaten out of it and still works a dream!! Only ever had one problem but that was software related that was easily fixed by rolling back, but they are a good make.

From the list you have got, Dell would be good for reliability, robustness and looks, Toshiba are good for the same reasons, however are not quite so tough from experience


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## Andy- (Apr 26, 2009)

Also, as a notice:
Do not get HP, my mom had an HP notebook, a minor fall broke the screen holders (metal) into half, and now the screen is only linked to the notebook by a wire.

I know a couple of friends (about 6) with HP notebooks who had the same accident.


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## Hugh9191 (Apr 26, 2009)

I have a Dell Latitude C840 (which is 7 years old) as my main laptop. I don't need much more for a laptop as my desktop fulfils most of my needs but I have to say, it's an excellent machine!

It runs quickly, is upgraded easily and built like a tank (albeit at the expense of portability). It is massive (fat and heavy) but I love it!

My Dell is a fantastic machine and if they still build them like they did 7 years ago then it will last you a long time!


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## Aastii (Apr 26, 2009)

Andy- said:


> Also, as a notice:
> Do not get HP, my mom had an HP notebook, a minor fall broke the screen holders (metal) into half, and now the screen is only linked to the notebook by a wire.
> 
> I know a couple of friends (about 6) with HP notebooks who had the same accident.



If you want to fix that you can ghetto fix with new screws or a couple of cable ties, it will keep the screen up and hopefully lengthen the life at the very least, even if it doesn't look the bast


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## Andy- (Apr 27, 2009)

> If you want to fix that you can ghetto fix with new screws or a couple of cable ties, it will keep the screen up and hopefully lengthen the life at the very least, even if it doesn't look the bast



She got the right metal piece from Ebay, just need to find a left one.

It's really easy to fix, but easier to break.


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## tlarkin (Apr 27, 2009)

Well, my favorite laptop is the Macbook Pro, but not everyone wants a Mac.

If I were to get a PC laptop again I would get one of the following:

Asus
Lenovo
HP Business Class (not their consumer end machines)

All other laptops are so/so and I think Dells suck.


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## bengal85 (Apr 27, 2009)

sounds like I should go asus or Viao then any one else have anything to add


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## dznutz (Apr 28, 2009)

like pc's laptops are made from components from everywhere.  and not all brands put together their stuff


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## laznz1 (Apr 28, 2009)

Dell or HP or Even a ASUS a fairly decent


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## gamblingman (Apr 28, 2009)

*New Laptop*

_Yea a new computer, that is always fun._

I read your question, and the replies. I bet your having a hard time deciding what kind to buy based on the replies as everyone is puttin in their own two cents. 

The first thing I thought was, What do you like to do with it?

Are you the type that will carry it all over campus, to classes, to the pool hall for musci, to to gf/bf 's home, play games, or will it sit on the table never moving and only used for school stuff and email?

What kind of life do you like to live? wild and adventurous? Do you go through a lot of cell phones every year ( like more than 3)? Are you more of a homebody? Will other people be using it too? 

Do you like shiny stuff and thin or do you not care much about aesthetics?

Will you be typing a lot of word-papers and excel-type of documents?

how much money are you really willing to spend? (for instance I spent $3000 on mine, my gf spent $900 on hers)

Do you go to Starbucks a lot? Will you carry it around a lot? 

Is it really rainy where you are? It there the potential for it getting wet often? Is it really dusty there?

How much can you carry, weight wise and still be comfortable? 

Try simulating with bags of flour if your not sure. 10 pounds may not seem like much now but after you climb some stairs and walk all over town it might be killing you.

Do you mind buying online or do you prefer department stores or a local computer store?

How long does it need to last; 2 years? 10 years?

Do you want service plans or are you ok on your own?

Do you like package deals or would you prefer to buy everything separate?

Its a lot of questions, I know. but these should help you to narrow your search. These are the same kind of questions I asked myself when i buy computers.


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## speedyink (Apr 28, 2009)

I can vouch for Dell and Asus myself.  My Dell has worked great for 2 years, still pretty much like the day I bought it with a few minor scratches and scuffs.  Also easily upgraded to pretty much current day specs (added more ram and bigger hdd).  I haven't had my Asus EEE for as long (5 months) but it's held up well.  I dunno about Asus' notebooks though, as my friends fairly recent one is kind of falling apart, with some plastic bits falling off and overheating problems.  I think thats a more common thing with gaming notebooks though.


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## A Cheese Danish (Apr 29, 2009)

Lenovo is what I currently own. They are used mainly for business purposes but I still manage to game on it 
Also, Asus, some HP's, and Dell's are also good.
The higher end Acer's are pretty top notch as well.


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## oscaryu1 (Apr 29, 2009)

Compaq FTL. Had to send it in 6 times to solve uno problemo.


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## Machin3 (Apr 29, 2009)

Acer. I have one and I like its features.


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## brunoxyz (May 1, 2009)

I got an Acer laptop recently with lots of features and it's fast. I have had it for 3 months now and I'm extremely happy with it. 
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4219298&CatId=17

from personal experience I hate HP and Compaq, too much bloatware, and parts are not good quality for compaq.

I hate Dell but they never break and work fine,,  so should consider those too.

Lenovo and toshiba seem atractive to me but I haven't had one.


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## bomberboysk (May 1, 2009)

Dont know if anyone has meentioned this yet, but if you go with an asus they throw in a one year accidental damage warranty for free that includes fire/water/drops/spills etc. Plus for the money you get alot of good specs for the price.


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## tlarkin (May 1, 2009)

bomberboysk said:


> Dont know if anyone has meentioned this yet, but if you go with an asus they throw in a one year accidental damage warranty for free that includes fire/water/drops/spills etc. Plus for the money you get alot of good specs for the price.



I was unaware of the accidental damage warranty, that is interesting you have any links on that?


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## bomberboysk (May 1, 2009)

tlarkin said:


> I was unaware of the accidental damage warranty, that is interesting you have any links on that?



just go to their website, or go to the newegg warranty page. All notebooks(eg- NOT netbooks, except for the N10 as its made by the asus notebook division vs eee division) are covered under 2 year standard warranty, and one year accidental damage.


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## Euklid (May 1, 2009)

If I was buying another notebook (which I probably will never do again),
it will be an Apple Macbook Pro.

Apple is coming out with laptop batteries that last up to 4x as long
(4 years - as opposed to standard 1 year). 

Another reason is cheap cases and poor design. I bought a Dell and had 
nasty-looking stains from my palms around the keyboard within 1 month. 
I contacted Dell, they wouldn't replace this defect. Similar happened to
Apple, and Apple recalled all those effected laptops.

Another reason is Mac OS X. When there is a new version, you can 
get a family bundle to install on up to 5 computers for ~$125.

And another reason - heating. My Dell got extremely hot very
quickly. It was uncomfortable to use the keyboard because all the heat
went to my hands. I'm not sure how much heat effects Apple laptops,
but I would guess they have better design.


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## dannaswolcott (May 1, 2009)

Toshiba, Gateway, HP/Compaq are great laptops. I love my Toshiba, Very reliable, fast and strong. I have dropped it one time and not a scratch or anything. Very reliable. Highly recommend it. Yah they are $$ but they are worth it.


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## Chris PCX (May 2, 2009)

Most laptops are pretty much the same.  We repair laptops everyday in our shop.  The most popular brand we see in here for service is the Sony Vaio.  So I would stay away from Sony.  Dell seems to be good and runs fast since they don't install a lot of free software, plus they offer a 3 year guarantee.  Always make sure you have a long guarantee when you buy a laptop.


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## bomberboysk (May 2, 2009)

Chris PCX said:


> Most laptops are pretty much the same.  We repair laptops everyday in our shop.  The most popular brand we see in here for service is the Sony Vaio.  So I would stay away from Sony.  Dell seems to be good and runs fast since they don't install a lot of free software, plus they offer a 3 year guarantee.  Always make sure you have a long guarantee when you buy a laptop.



Dell only includes a one year warranty on their notebooks, you have to pay to get a longer warranty. And as far as dont install alot of free stuff...lol, dell for one disables the vista sidebar and puts their own branded rocketdock onto computers. Plus all other sorts of trialware...


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## Hugh9191 (May 2, 2009)

HP seem to be the worst at installing bloatware on their PCs. They put loads of crap you don't want there. Dell seem to but some on but not as much as HP. The HP laptops seem to be nice on the hardware side of things though.

I don't think there's one brand who make nicer laptops than the others, I think that they all make some bad and some good laptops.


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## dannaswolcott (May 2, 2009)

Hugh9191 said:


> I don't think there's one brand who make nicer laptops than the others, I think that they all make some bad and some good laptops.



I totally agree.


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## Gareth (May 2, 2009)

Hugh9191 said:


> HP seem to be the worst at installing bloatware on their PCs. They put loads of crap you don't want there. Dell seem to but some on but not as much as HP. The HP laptops seem to be nice on the hardware side of things though.



The Dell business series does not have bloatware on at all, just a clean install of Vista


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## bengal85 (May 4, 2009)

Gareth said:


> The Dell business series does not have bloatware on at all, just a clean install of Vista



Ok so there is the Dell Business series and the Dell studio series whats the difference between them?


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## wardhanster (May 6, 2009)

well each people will have there own review abt the laptop companies and models ... the names that u suggested are all best.... but personaly speaking go for a Hp or Dell (dell offers customization option). so choice is yours.
what i use is HCL i prefer Hcl over hp.... for many issues like pricing and design.... hp pavilion laptops has an issue of heating due to their exhaust location.... placed unthoughtfully. And some times i think its a lil bit overpriced... well for Hcls u can have a hp compitable system at 40-45k (INR) max...
check out avaiblity of laptops around your area ....


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## tlarkin (May 6, 2009)

Just to correct the misinformation here on Asus laptop warranty, I actually had time to check it.  They do not cover accidental damage and the standard warranty is 1 full year, extended warranties last 2 or 3 years depending on what extension you purchase.

source:  http://support.asus.com/repair/repair.aspx?no=329&SLanguage=en-us


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## bengal85 (May 8, 2009)

Yeah I could probably get a longer lasting warranty from another company though I think Dell's standard waranty is 2 years and extended id like 4 (not sure though)


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## tlarkin (May 8, 2009)

bengal85 said:


> Yeah I could probably get a longer lasting warranty from another company though I think Dell's standard waranty is 2 years and extended id like 4 (not sure though)



I was a warranty service tech for years.  I can tell you no one that I know of has more than 1 year warranty and covers screen or accidental damages.  The only exception would be business class machines do carry longer warranties at times.


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## bomberboysk (May 8, 2009)

tlarkin said:


> I was a warranty service tech for years.  I can tell you no one that I know of has more than 1 year warranty and covers screen or accidental damages.  The only exception would be business class machines do carry longer warranties at times.



Read it, that is for barebones notebooks.Also, amny manufactureres are starting to include a two year warranty on some of their notebooks.(I know gateway offers a free 2 year warranty on some of their more costly notebooks)

A quick google of "asus free accidental damage" comes up with this:
http://www.notebooks.com/2007/09/14...ear-accidental-damage-warranty-for-notebooks/



> The new ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty covers any and all accidental damage to your ASUS notebook, as long as it’s purchased after September 10, 2007. This includes spills, drops, cracked displays and any other abuse that results in a busted system.


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## tlarkin (May 8, 2009)

bomberboysk said:


> Read it, that is for barebones notebooks.Also, amny manufactureres are starting to include a two year warranty on some of their notebooks.(I know gateway offers a free 2 year warranty on some of their more costly notebooks)
> 
> A quick google of "asus free accidental damage" comes up with this:
> http://www.notebooks.com/2007/09/14...ear-accidental-damage-warranty-for-notebooks/



that article is over 2 years old and I can't find that anywhere on Asus's official website, let me do some google fu here...

I found it, good old site switch with google searching



> ** For notebooks purchased on or after Sept. 10, 2007. The ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty covers “ASUS” brand notebooks only, and does NOT extend to: “Built on ASUS,” “ASMobile,” “Powered by ASUS,” the Eee PC, or some other models. These retailers are currently among the companies that do NOT participate in the ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty: Best Buy, MicroCenter, and The Source by CircuitCity in Canada. Limited of one claim per notebook for Accidental Damage Warranty. *ASUS reserves the right to discontinue this program and to modify the terms and conditions thereof at any time. ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty Program starts from the date of your ASUS notebook purchase, when all the requirements are met.*



You also must register with in 60 days of purchase or it doesn't count, they can also refuse it or decline it and abolish it at any time for any reason.

There are also companies that do not participate in the warranty program either.  

Sounds like a lot of ifs to me, but I guess it is valid.  I would contact Asus though before relying on it.

http://adw.asus.com/content/adp/default.aspx


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## bomberboysk (May 8, 2009)

Also, looks like as of now the accidental damage is included with the eee line as well as the notebook line.


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## tlarkin (May 8, 2009)

bomberboysk said:


> Also, looks like as of now the accidental damage is included with the eee line as well as the notebook line.



There is also a clause that some accidental damage is not covered, but I wonder how they would determine that.  Most likely if you admit to something over the phone.  So all you need to do is just play dumb, oh I don't know what happened it just stopped working.


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## bomberboysk (May 8, 2009)

tlarkin said:


> There is also a clause that some accidental damage is not covered, but I wonder how they would determine that.  Most likely if you admit to something over the phone.  So all you need to do is just play dumb, oh I don't know what happened it just stopped working.



Yeah, it states that scratches/wear & tear arent covered but drops, spills, etc are. Still... for it to be included for free plus a 2 year warranty(even on the lowest end $600 asus notebook it has a 2 yr warranty), asus stands behind the product they sell.


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## tlarkin (May 8, 2009)

bomberboysk said:


> Yeah, it states that scratches/wear & tear arent covered but drops, spills, etc are. Still... for it to be included for free plus a 2 year warranty(even on the lowest end $600 asus notebook it has a 2 yr warranty), asus stands behind the product they sell.



It also says intentional and acts of god are not covered.  So if you punch it on purpose or it gets hit by lightning you better lie about it to keep it covered.


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## bomberboysk (May 8, 2009)

tlarkin said:


> It also says intentional and acts of god are not covered.  So if you punch it on purpose or it gets hit by lightning you better lie about it to keep it covered.



Yeah, punching is a bad thing...(A friend of mine has gone through 3 monitors from getting so angry he punched it and cracked the lcd, and then he also went through one case by getting so angry he punched it and broke the plexi, and supposedly he threw a stick of laptop ram at one of my friends and broke it lol) Lighting on the other hand... use a surge protector people, even if its just one of those ones that just go onto the end of your cord that walmart sells(only for travel purposes of course, when actually at home use a real surge protector..)


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## LM79 (May 11, 2009)

Toshiba Satellite A300.
Piano gloss black, looks the sh;t.
Running vista @ 1.83ghz and 3Gb memory.
Going very well - used as a daily wireless surfer.
Good batt life.
Didn't come with much bloatware actually. =)
However, not sure how to use Bluetooth ****


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## 1shado1 (May 12, 2009)

LM79 said:


> Toshiba Satellite A300.
> Piano gloss black, looks the sh;t.



The only downside to that is seeing fingerprints EVERYWHERE.


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## Euklid (May 12, 2009)

bomberboysk said:


> Yeah, punching is a bad thing...(A friend of mine has gone through 3 monitors from getting so angry he punched it and cracked the lcd, and then he also went through one case by getting so angry he punched it and broke the plexi, and supposedly he threw a stick of laptop ram at one of my friends and broke it lol) Lighting on the other hand... use a surge protector people, even if its just one of those ones that just go onto the end of your cord that walmart sells(only for travel purposes of course, when actually at home use a real surge protector..)



Isn't that the purpose of a fuse box in the home?


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## bengal85 (May 12, 2009)

LM79 said:


> Toshiba Satellite A300.
> Piano gloss black, looks the sh;t.
> Running vista @ 1.83ghz and 3Gb memory.
> Going very well - used as a daily wireless surfer.
> ...



What why toshiba though do they really make a good comp


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## bengal85 (May 19, 2009)

So I have to appologize to LM79 I looked into toshiba and they actually make a good laptop. so I say Good advice.


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## dannaswolcott (May 20, 2009)

bengal85 said:


> So I have to appologize to LM79 I looked into toshiba and they actually make a good laptop. so I say Good advice.



I agree. I have had many toshiba laptops in the past and I still have em. The oldest one is about 15 years old. Strong and works great still. I love em, They are worth the $$. They last a long time, Good support, and if you drop them they stay together they dont crack. They are built strong... Recommended 100%


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## bengal85 (May 21, 2009)

yeah I now that my friends dad has one and I noticed that they are built really well


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## koncling (May 22, 2009)

Toshiba and fujitsu.....

best ever in my opinion


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## bengal85 (May 22, 2009)

well what do you prefer more out of those two I would tend to lean toward Toshiba


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## voyagerfan99 (May 24, 2009)

I'm all for the commercial grade Dell's [Latitude/Vostro] and HP's [NC6220's are nice].


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## bengal85 (May 28, 2009)

Yeah me to I think they have some really nice qualities about them but yet the better stuff is bad either


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## barney.stinson (May 28, 2009)

Toshiba and Dell


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## 1shado1 (May 28, 2009)

bengal85 said:


> Yeah me to I think they have some really nice qualities about them but yet the better stuff is bad either



What?


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## Volt (May 29, 2009)

I second Asus. If you don't need the CD drive, an EEE PC is a phenomenal choice. I'm typing on a 1000HE right now, and it's pretty much as fast as your internet connection, and has a battery that lasts roughly 7 hours. If you need something a little meatier, it's definitely worth at least glancing at some of their larger models.


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## bengal85 (May 30, 2009)

yeah for what i do I need a CD drive though but yeah I am thinking about it I am looking into the pavilion and the viaos right now


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## servesbest (Jun 4, 2009)

Compaq is good one.


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## dannaswolcott (Jun 5, 2009)

Compaq is great. I know ppl who have them and no issues.


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## kakarothusain (Jun 8, 2009)

If i have to choose a brand amongs the brand which you have mentioned then i would definitely go for Dell since dell laptops are quite good in features...


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## bengal85 (Jun 8, 2009)

I solved the problems I got a macbook


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## phreddy (Jun 8, 2009)

personaly I wold recomend dell


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