Computer Techies...

[MichelleandCraig 1]

at the topic I posted in Moving to America....sigh. I wanted some opinions on the used laptop I'm buying from my nieces hubby and I posted it in the wrong forum. DAR. Sorry about the double post here too but I just really want to know if it's a decent one. He always gives me a good deal, so not really worried about THAT but I don't even know what this one is going to be like. He's not the type to screw me over...but I can only decipher about half of the 'specs' of the thing, so any insights would be good! Thanks! M.

Link to other post...Thanks!

Edited February 6, 2006 by MichelleandCraig

[JayJay 4]

Okies, here's my two cents:

Laptops are usually more expensive because it's basically harder to get decent components that "fit" as it were - so a 40 gig hard drive for a laptop isn't bad at all. I'd say up until about a year ago, 40 gigs would have been fairly high-end specs. Of cours,e every three months or so, newer, faster computers come in, but that's not something you need to worry about unless you're planning on running a large-scale graphics business out of your home!

• • Now the processor speed I'd say is fairly middle-of-the-road, not bad, not amazingly amazing. But not too bad.
    
  • You're getting a rather nicely sized screen on this one - 15 inches really isn't bad. That's probably the first upgraded size you'd get, say out of a Dell catalogue nowadays. 15 inches is very workable.
    
  • 256 mb ram is actually rather decent considering the hard drive's only 40 gigs - not bad at all. I for example have a computer with an 120 gig total hard drive space in it, and I'm running that very speedily off 256 mb RD ram (that kind of ram was briefly available a few years ago and is quick, but rather more expensive than the type you're going to have in this laptop). So that's fine.
    
  • You have wireless, ethernet and modem which is great. A TV out (God only knows if you'll ever use that anyway).
    What kind of grahics and sound does it come with? That would only be important to me because I play so much music on my computer, and do so many graphics.
    
  • What kind of drives does it come with? Can you write and re-write CD's?
    

All in all, $400 does sound like a good bargain for this, in my opinion. It sounds like a decent machine and honestly, unless you're a gamer or wanting to run a lot of applications at once, it whould do you just fine.

Hopefully someone else will come along and give their opinion, as this is only mine, ya know? Anyway happy computer purchasing!

[MichelleandCraig 1]

awwwww thanks JayJay...can always count on you for a nice, indepth reply! Appreciate it..and no, I won't be doing a bunch of games on it or anything..yes it does have a CD-RW/DVD combo on it..so, that's good. Craig already has one but his was acting up, so we just got him a external one for his bday...but now we'll have another I guess! Not sure on the sound card,etc thing but Bryce is pretty good..sure he hooked me upwith somethin'! Thanks again. M.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

It doesn't sound too bad. But for a few hundred more you could have a new one. Up to you really.

[Marie1123 0]

I would say try to upgrade the ram, 512 is pretty much standard in the long run.

[de_sjiem 0]

I think it sounds pretty good for a laptop if you just need it for the basics... and with a TV out you can take it with you when you go to hotels and hook it up to a TV there and have a dvd player which could be kinda fun... it should be fine for what you need it for.. lol my computer is only 700 mhz right now and it does jsut fine for all that.. :-) (but we only have dialup hehe yay for the country..)

[RaspberrySwirl 20]

I'd say it's OK for what you'll be using it for but as someone else mentioned, if you want it to last a little while longer, I'd say pay a bit more and buy something with a better processor and more ram. Honestly, 256 is peanuts nowadays.

[Tiksman 0]

It is a ok deal. You can check www.geeks.com they have some good deals there from time to time. Most important with a laptop is was it a home use laptop ( stayed on a desk 95%of its life) or a true portaple laptop. One that was used and carried around alot I would not want because the wear and tear ion the screen hinges / keyboard / touchpad ect.....

I bought a high end dell referb unit and I am happy with it but I am not impressed with dell financing.

[MichelleandCraig 1]

thanks everyone.....I would spend a few hundred more for a better one, but this deal came along and it's about all we CAN afford right now..so I'll go with it...I know what you mean about them getting out of date quick too, but I guess it should be ok for the simple things I need it for....and it's in our price range. aka..cheap. M.

[ChristinaM 0]

thanks everyone.....I would spend a few hundred more for a better one, but this deal came along and it's about all we CAN afford right now..so I'll go with it...I know what you mean about them getting out of date quick too, but I guess it should be ok for the simple things I need it for....and it's in our price range. aka..cheap. M.

Michelle, I understand the "all we can afford right now..." thing, but do you really need a laptop right now? Is it better worth your while to save a little more and see what the deals are then, even maybe on new ones? I know you have a desktop, so is it something which can wait just a little longer until you could get one which really is going to be what you want?

[MichelleandCraig 1]

Well Christine, the thing is...I just wanted everyone to decipher the specs of it for me a little bit more than what I gathered... it IS pretty much 'what I want' as far as that goes...as I don't really have a need for anything elaborate...as I said, I'm not going to use it for business or anything just for fun. We DO have this much extra right now, which is why I'm looking at it at this time...and we often don't. I've wanted one for a while, and never seem to 'have' the extra, so I'm afraid if I don't grab it while it's available AND we have the money, I won't have one for another year or two. So no..I don't NEED it, but I've wanted one for some time and now seems like a good time! Also, yes I do of course have a desktop...but..it's about 5 1/2 years old so PRETTYYYY outdated!!! We're going to want a new one of these before too awful long as well....but I would rather have my laptop first!! Craig has one as well, but I just leave him to it...he uses it alot and even tho he would let me use his, he's on there an awful lot and I'm just nervy about using it..it's his 'baby' Anyway..blah blah blah and yeah, think I'll go ahead and get this one..thx all! M.

Edited February 7, 2006 by MichelleandCraig

[ChristinaM 0]

Makes sense, Michelle! I just wanted to make sure that you'd thought of all of your available options

Christina

[meddykomp 0]

Based on what you are planning to use the computer for, this laptop isnt a bad deal. You may find that programs pause before loading, but the delay wont be extremely significant. As long as you dont plan on opening 50 windows in firefox (like my husband) as well as 100 other applications (only slightly exaggerating) you shouldnt be too negatively affected by the fact that this is not a top of the line (or anywhere close). The fact is, if your current desktop is as old as you indicated this might seem a major step up. Just make sure that you have the assurance that you can return it if it is DOA since it has been used. Good Luck!

~Angel~

Edited February 7, 2006 by meddykomp

[daisy16 0]

no techie here, the hubby is out, and he'd be the one to answer.

However, I just LUV my laptop. I don't leave home without it. I ditched my desktop over a year ago and haven't been back!

[ladybird216 2]

However, I just LUV my laptop. laughing.gif I don't leave home without it. I ditched my desktop over a year ago and haven't been back!

Us too....we both have a laptop and would never go back to a desktop