Learn me: Screamin deal on a new laptop.

Mama won't tell me what the berkeley she wants for her birthday. She needs a new computer, but she won't tell me she needs a new computer. I think she should have a laptop, as it would allow her to get work done whenever she wants (right now she has to do it while the baby is awake, as the big horking dinosaur of a computer she currently uses/moving around in the room next door will wake baby.)

Anyway, it needs to be able to run quickbooks and access the internet. Can this be done for under $500? I'd be all about "used" for me. For a birthday gift, that's kind of lame IMHO.

I figure with all the stupid "tablet" devices or whatever, laptops should be out of demand, and therefore cheap. Am I wrong, dude?

I got myself a decent average laptop a few years ago for around $500 new (then I modded it with $100 worth of stuff, but for people who aren't as severely impatient as me that's not necessary) and I'm still using it today.

I'll see what I can recommend...

Easily doable for under $500.

http://www.amazon.com/HP-Probook-Core-500GB-Notebook/dp/B009PHTAU0/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Quick link. I'm sure there's better deals for more powerful computers out there.

If used was an option, i have a Lenovo G575 i'm looking to get rid of.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=924697&Q=&is=REG&A=details

?

^That one's a bit sub-par specs-wise, and I have had nothing but bad experiences with Toshibas, so many of them (people give them to me because they're junk). I have an uncle who says repairing them is good business.

If used was an option, this is a screaming deal right here:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834230923

BTW is it OK if the laptop runs Windows 8?

poopshovel wrote: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=924697&Q=&is=REG&A=details ?

Processor is kinda weaksauce, but for what you laid out as needing, it'll be MORE than capable.

Throw mama another 4gb stick of memory for $30, and make sure you take her somewhere to play with Windows 8 to see if she likes it first.

Swank Force One wrote: Throw mama another 4gb stick of memory for $30

Make sure the laptop can take it. Laptops these days typically have no free RAM slots from the factory, and commonly have half the RAM integrated into the mobo, so upgrading the stick can cause you to lose dual-channel speed.

If Win8 is acceptable:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834230922

GameboyRMH wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: Throw mama another 4gb stick of memory for $30

Make sure the laptop can take it. Laptops these days typically have no free RAM slots from the factory, and commonly have half the RAM integrated into the mobo, so upgrading the stick can cause you to lose dual-channel speed.

That's interesting.... had no idea the times were a-changin' so fast. Never seen a laptop that didn't have two RAM slots.

Anyways, i looked more into the Toshiba. PASS.

Thanks. I'd rather not go used. I'd rather do Windows7 if possible.

poopshovel wrote: Thanks. I'd rather not go used. I'd rather do Windows7 if possible.

Unless you find some old stock somewhere, that's unfortunately mutually exclusive by now unless you want to go through the pain of downgrading and hope that all the drivers are available.

Ben, you got mail...

http://www.fatwallet.com/laptop-deals/

I'm sure all the tech geeks on here are going to scream like banshees, but I have had very good success with HP stuff. The kiddo has the itch to upgrade to something with a webcam and found this one:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pavilion+15.6%26%2334%3B+Laptop+-+4GB+Memory+-+500GB+Hard+Drive+-+Sparkling+Black/7004371.p?id=1218820832399&skuId=7004371

and it's right in the price range you want: $379.00. Not mine, no affiliation, might curve your spine, don't take with alcohol, etc etc etc. I'm thinking she needs to wait for Windoze 9, though. I know I am, 8 suxxors.

We have the HP pictured above. Works great, but Windows 8 is kind of a pain. Hard to beat at the price.

subscribe to newegg and tiger direct deals... under $500 buys you something that was bleeding edge preformance just a year or so ago.

also Mhz means almost nothing these days... i've got an 3.1ghz 3core athlon II that gets trounced in bencmarks by all the 1.7ghz intel i3 processors out these days...

that being said... you have to goto an old stock laptop to get win7 on it... and based on talking with my dad it's prob the way I'll end up going here soon when I have the $$$

Don49 wrote: We have the HP pictured above. Works great, but Windows 8 is kind of a pain. Hard to beat at the price.

Windows 8 works a lot better in conjunction with a touchscreen, but those laptops are a lot more expensive unfortunately.

From what i've been told, M$ is offering free downgrades to win7.... and it's ridiculously easy to do.

In reply to mndsm:

Yes, but unfortunately not all manufacturers supply you with drivers for Win7. Not so much a problem with desktops, but it can be a real problem with laptops.

She sounds like the ideal candidate for an iPad. Get her a bluetooth keyboard for it and call it a day.

I snagged an HP Pavilion with a core i3, 4gb memory, and a 500g hd for $299 from tigerdirect.

Good luck with their customer service, but they have good stuff cheeeeep.

A little more expensive than you wanted but this one sounds decent...

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5524206&CatId=4935

Wonkothesane wrote: I've had good luck with Dell's outlet store (online). My recommendation is to get the fastest hard drive you can afford. Most laptops com with a 5400 rpm hard drive, a 7200 will literally "feel" twice as fast booting up and launching programs. A Solid State (SSD) is top o de line, and WAY faster than any mechanical hard drive, but it'll be hard to find one with decent size in a <$500 lappy. It's not always easy to find the HD specs, google the model # if neccessary.

^This $500 will go a long way at the Dell outlet store. I've bought laptops for myself, wife, daughter etc all have been great. Probably also a better chance at finding something with Win7 installed too.

Wonkothesane wrote: My recommendation is to get the fastest hard drive you can afford. Most laptops com with a 5400 rpm hard drive, a 7200 will literally "feel" twice as fast booting up and launching programs. A Solid State (SSD) is top o de line, and WAY faster than any mechanical hard drive, but it'll be hard to find one with decent size in a <$500 lappy. It's not always easy to find the HD specs, google the model # if neccessary.

Yep this is what I did with my laptop. I always say that computers and hard drives are like cars and tires: Your typical production model ships with the crappiest bargain-bin garbage available, and unfortunately they affect every aspect of performance. An upgrade makes a big difference.

Jesus christ on a stick, the Dell outlet website sucks ass. They've got 20% off on select laptops, but on half of them, when you go to check the description, it pulls up a totally different model. Finally found one that they had in stock, tried to add it to the cart to make sure the discount code would work, and it wouldn't add it to the cart as it was "reserved by another customer." WTF? Should I just call up and say "Sell me a $350 laptop?"