New Laptop?

sparks · January 29, 2012, 06:55:43 PM

I have a Dell 600m that I bought late in 2005 and it is really starting to show its age. The innards are working well, but the housing is developing cracks......an obvious one just underneath the left Crtl key and another in the lower right housing. The screen is showing signs of a smudge cloud just above the screen driver circuits.

My son is pushing me towards a Toshiba. I tell him Dell is an American company. He gives me the big raised eyebrows and says 'the Dell stuff is still made overseas' and then 'the Toshiba products are far superior'.

I'm not really in to the newer stuff.............any suggestions??

sparks

peternap · January 29, 2012, 08:18:25 PM

Asus is the only thing I buy anymore Sparks.

Price is better than most and the quality is top notch. The one I'm on now is the one I use to edit video and it never misses a beat.
G73jh series
Intel Core i7 processor
14 Gigs of Ram

January 29, 2012, 08:23:06 PM

They are all made in china.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn#Major_customers

I bought an asus a few months back, no problems, price (band for buck) was the deciding factor. I also like lenovo, but their quality has fallen and the price has increased so I skipped them this go around.

MountainDon · January 29, 2012, 08:57:02 PM

I've been a Dell user since 1986 except for the ones I built myself. But I haven't done that for some time. Many, most, all (?) components may be made overseas but head office in still in Round Rock, TX. I don't think we can say that about a lot of others. Funny tho, when I was building desktops I used mostly Asus motherboards; dependable even when overclocked.

rick91351 · January 29, 2012, 09:23:59 PM

I did a Lenovo before this low end HP. The Lenovo was a tank compared to this HP with the cheapest key board I have ever experienced.

January 30, 2012, 06:04:35 AM

Another vote for Dell

the last company Dell was a 610

my new company laptop Latitude core i5 is very nice and fast even on win 7 and all the company network stuff that slowed my 610 to a crawl

I have owned 5 over the last 10 years all very good

I bought a bargain Gateway -- no good

Squirl · January 30, 2012, 09:22:35 AM

I am a fan of Lenovo. I'm not exactly easy on my stuff. Also I like the trackball. It is easier than a touch pad or carrying a mouse.

sparks · February 01, 2012, 01:32:34 AM

Well, I've made a big decision. Gonna keep the 600m for a while. I just ordered a pair of chips that will take it to 2gb ram.....it's only 512m at the moment. A couple of well placed holes at the end of the cracks should stop them for a while....and a little super glue. I can put up with the smudge on the screen. I could be making a fools mistake, so be it.

Thanks for the info folks.....never heard of asus........looks like I might be stuck with my old 2005 model for a while......and maybe learn something new.

sparks

Windpower · February 02, 2012, 03:35:39 PM

Latest Consumer Reports rated Asus Zenbook very highly

February 03, 2012, 12:04:15 AM

Installed the new ram chips today.....new experience for me. Then cleaned up a whole bunch of stuff at my computer guru's direction. The little 600m is behaving like a new machine ........for now.

Those pesky housing cracks could be a problem....no room to drill thru them...

-S-

MountainDon · February 03, 2012, 12:12:07 AM

Gorilla tape?

sparks · February 03, 2012, 12:29:10 AM

I'd given that consideration Mtn Don, but wasn't sure if the lid would close flat.

I'm leaning towards a surgically implanted super glue injection.......or none at all. Maybe I'll just wait for a total structural housing failure.......works for Obama.......

-S-

sparks · February 03, 2012, 02:29:38 AM

Found this deep inside........the new stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRrLDHoZLyI

The old chips are trying to say something to me.......hhmmmmm

-S-

MountainDon · February 03, 2012, 10:35:24 AM

Quotewasn't sure if the lid would close flat.

Try taking a square of Gorilla tape and sticking tissue paper to the sticky side. Then place it where it would be used and see if the lid functions properly. $:-\$

February 03, 2012, 03:46:33 PM

Toshibas since the early 90's, except for one short and disappointing stint with an IBM.

sparks · February 04, 2012, 10:45:12 PM

Used a drop of super glue with a sewing needle.....dragged it very slowly the larger crack......uuhhmmmmm we'll see what transpires....or sticks. BTW, the new chips and program clean up are working quite well. Almost like a new machine...........so far.

sparks

Pox Eclipse · February 05, 2012, 08:58:27 PM

I've had a Toshiba for a year and a half, and I like it a lot. No problems, great performance.

glenn kangiser · February 07, 2012, 08:43:25 PM

I had several HPs - all crap.

Now Toshiba. No problems except Windows7 crashes but mostly from Firefox but that is normal when running over thirty tabs.

Dell had such a bad name lately regarding service I have stayed away from them.

sparks · February 08, 2012, 01:14:05 AM

It appears that a lot of my problems were in the javascript. There were three java's in the system......one of them looked like the real thing......the other two were posing as patches......or something like that.

The little 600m is running as good as new for now......I'm actually sort of amazed.

My son is still steering me towards Toshiba..........easy for him to say........the stuff he gets to use is bought and paid for with our tax dollars........and that's about all I can say about that.

sparks

considerations · February 08, 2012, 12:30:36 PM

"My son is still steering me towards Toshiba..........easy for him to say"

Consider looking for closeouts as the new year models get marketed...usually good discounts and will last as long as you can upgrade the software to keep up w/technology....seems more n more that's what coerces many into "new" buys....(politically incorrect hint: Wally World almost always sells older models...keeps their prices down, I think)