Where to buy a laptop?

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JohnnyL
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Where to buy a laptop?

Post by JohnnyL »

I don't have one, but I'm looking...

Any advice on where to go for buying a laptop? I'm avoiding Amazon, as most of them seem to be scams. I've looked at bestbuy.com, ksl.com (selling used computers for the price of new ones!), pclaptops (way too expensive), and newegg.com. Anywhere else that has good prices on good equipment?

Zathura
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Re: Where to buy a laptop?

Post by Zathura »

Apple.com ;)

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cyclOps
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Re: Where to buy a laptop?

Post by cyclOps »

I usually look at Best Buy to find the one I want then look around to see who has it at the best price. Sometimes Best Buy has some good ones on deal of the day.

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mes5464
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Location: Seneca, South Carolina

Re: Where to buy a laptop?

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scottja
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Location: Gilbert, AZ

Re: Where to buy a laptop?

Post by scottja »

Check local computer repair stores. A good one around here, "The Wright PC" in Mesa AZ has lease BuyBacks from businesses.
What is the main purpose for the laptop?

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Joel
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Re: Where to buy a laptop?

Post by Joel »

for cheap laptops I like http://www.tekmobilitypc.com/ they are used but you can buy an extended warranty if you are worried about issues which I never have had. you can always easily upgrade your hard drive and ram for fairly cheap but I would look elsewhere for deals on new stuff

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Different
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Re: Where to buy a laptop?

Post by Different »

JohnnyL wrote: March 14th, 2017, 7:20 am I don't have one, but I'm looking...

Any advice on where to go for buying a laptop? I'm avoiding Amazon, as most of them seem to be scams. I've looked at bestbuy.com, ksl.com (selling used computers for the price of new ones!), pclaptops (way too expensive), and newegg.com. Anywhere else that has good prices on good equipment?
Newegg.com

Amazon isnt horrible I got a great desktop from Amazon.

braingrunt
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Posts: 2042

Re: Where to buy a laptop?

Post by braingrunt »

today only (3/14), not bad if you make some small compromises.

https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/ms ... q7U3v4DSA)()

8gb is still fine IMO but usually I recommend Intel over AMD, that is until this year at least. AMD's integrated graphics cards, however, tend to be superior to intel.

Juliet
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Re: Where to buy a laptop?

Post by Juliet »

JohnnyL wrote: March 14th, 2017, 7:20 am I don't have one, but I'm looking...

Any advice on where to go for buying a laptop? I'm avoiding Amazon, as most of them seem to be scams. I've looked at bestbuy.com, ksl.com (selling used computers for the price of new ones!), pclaptops (way too expensive), and newegg.com. Anywhere else that has good prices on good equipment?
I got a refurbished hp on groupon for 300 dollars I am very happy with. The usually have them.

JohnnyL
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Posts: 9830

Re: Where to buy a laptop?

Post by JohnnyL »

For Amazon, I only check the Prime Shipping and Sold by Amazon computers, which I find expensive. Reading many of the comments (and experience), you're getting a computer that didn't fit the description, that is DOA (or at least the battery), a scam (email me your info, Amazon (NOT) will send you an order form, buy gift cards and pay that way, etc.), or ok.

I looked at the others, nothing fit much what I was looking for (tekmobility was a nice choice if you want to customize).

BestBuy was good, Newegg seemed to have the closest to what I wanted.

Until I got sick of it all, wrote on here, checked some things out, and will likely purchase a very nice computer from China through alibaba.com (secured payment, etc.) for a deep discount. I don't know about customs, though even if it were double price, it would still be a great deal.

Anyway, I found out that i3, i5, and i7 can differ tremendously--and not in that order!
Here are some choices I found while searching for a computer. (After a while I left out the ones that weren't close to what I wanted, including some i7's that were slower than i3's.) This is the passmark.com score on the CPU's, hope it saves someone a lot of time:

i7-6820HK 9,074
i7-6920HQ 9,691
i7-3740QM 8,366
i7-3720QM 8,162
i7-6700HQ 8,131
i7-3610QM 7,461
i7-4700MQ 7,716
i7-2820QM 6,642
i5-6300HQ 6,001
i5-7200U 4,734
i7-6500U 4,431
i3-6100U 3,834
A10-9600P 3,574
i3-5010U 3,071
A8-7410 2,681
A9-9400 2,263
i5-7200U 4,734
i3-4170T 4,545
i5-6200U 3,947
i5-2520M 3,559
i7-4510U 3,932
i7-2620M 3,812
i7-620M 2,758
i5-3340M 4,212
A10-8700P 3,473
i7-4510U 3932
i3-4170T 4545
i7-2620M 3812
i7-620M 2758

nvr
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Re: Where to buy a laptop?

Post by nvr »

To get a deal on a laptop, I'll find the model I want (usually a workstation class for good specs but few years old to save money) and go on ebay and search sold listings. I look for a couple of different e-recycling type sellers (who buy retired units from businesses / schools) and look in their current listings for similar laptops. Then I just wait for a while for good deal to show up and bid. If you do this, you might have to buy a battery or charger and install the OS. With the Windows sticker on the back, you can legally install using that code from a USB (download ISO from online) . Good luck

BackBlast
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Re: Where to buy a laptop?

Post by BackBlast »

JohnnyL wrote: March 14th, 2017, 7:20 am I don't have one, but I'm looking...

Any advice on where to go for buying a laptop? I'm avoiding Amazon, as most of them seem to be scams. I've looked at bestbuy.com, ksl.com (selling used computers for the price of new ones!), pclaptops (way too expensive), and newegg.com. Anywhere else that has good prices on good equipment?
This is my buying philosophy on laptops.

I buy refurbs on ebay from reputable sellers on business line systems (well above consumer quality). I'll pick a line or model that has the feature set I want, and I go back 2-3 or so years to see what was top of the line then. I like to find systems in the 200-300$ price range. Last time I went shopping this was the best bang/buck range for the stuff I was looking for. If warranty or continuity is important to you, you can buy two identical systems and with some imaged backups you can be rolling with your backup system in less than an hour. All for much much cheaper than a new system runs. Ebay seems to have cycles, sometimes there will be lots of a particular line or model on the market and the going price will go down a bit. Sometimes they'll dry up and prices will go up a bit. I'm generally talking less than a 20% swing.

My current laptop I purchased this way. Came with 512GB SSD which, if purchased new, was the same price of the whole system. It comes standard with a 3 year warranty and is less than 3 years old. I don't get to use that warranty, but it's just awesome that I could buy a system that is still technically within the warranty period for about 1/8th the original cost with components that would run me more than the whole system for the price of a few scuff marks.

BackBlast
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Posts: 570

Re: Where to buy a laptop?

Post by BackBlast »

A few commends on my experience with brands when buying systems you are generally going to self service.

I have used HP, Lenovo, and Panasonic. I find HP to be the run away winner here. In fact, I won't buy another brand anymore unless I have a really good reason. Really easy to access the internals, easy to find drivers on the website, drivers install like a breeze and they work. I can't say all of the above about either Lenovo or Panasonic. I maxed the memory on my latest laptop in less than 2 minutes with no tools, without ever having see the internals of the system before. Took me only a couple of minutes to find and download all my drivers. It was so refreshing.

mitch
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Re: Where to buy a laptop?

Post by mitch »

Best Buy .com was my choose. Before you buying laptop, check the buying guide here

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