This Toshiba makes a great back to school computer. More powerful and easier to type on then a netbook, while only about $420. Includes integrated speakers, microphone, and webcam to stay in touch. Thanks to Smartjx
This MSI laptop for $699.99 after $100 mail in rebate is a great higher end rig. Capable of playing most newer games at least on low settings wIth the GeForce 9600M GT video card. Features integrated stereo speakers, 2 MP webcam, and 4 in 1 card reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS Pro), brushed aluminium case, and turbo button. Measures 12.1 x 10.24 x 1.22 inches and weighs 5.95 pounds. Thanks to Jantzus.
These are just a few of the deals that I felt deserved special mention. If you find a better deal or think there are other laptops that give you more bang for your buck, then please feel free to post them here and share with the community, as your comments or criticisms are always welcome.
(FatWallet Deal Hunter staff posts are certified ad-free. No money, bribes, or candy have been accepted.)
Can we also show some deals on higher end laptops? There are those of us who actually need a lot of portable computing power, but are still looking for a good deal. Unfortunately all we really see around here are the low power/low cost laptops like those shown above. Not bitching, but just asking for you folks to throw us some high performance deals as well.
FutureDilemma said: Here's a nice desktop replacement laptop. I need something truly portable with power. Desktop replacement laptops are just too big, bulky, and heavy to travel with, and their battery life usually sucks eggs. I'm much more interested in a powerful 15" laptop that weighs around 6-8 lbs. Yes, it's not super lightweight, but then again super lightweight laptops don't come with high end mobile graphics cards, big hard drives, and quality sound card support. Sadly, those are the things that make the laptop heavier. But thanks for the link! Any help is greatly appreciated. I think I'm just going to wait for Win7 to be released, as that is when ASUS is releasing their new G60-J Core i7 laptop for around $1600. So far that looks to be the most bang for the buck I can find right now.
I didn't expect that those two would fulfill your purpose. They are budget laptops. If your budget is $1600, then you can certainly get very good gaming/multimedia rigs for that price. For pre-built, check out Newegg and Fry's. For custom configs, try HP, Dell, and Lenovo. All three of these have an outlet for refurbs as well where you can get more bang for your buck. And when you do buy, remember that some cards, like American Express , will extend the manufacturer's warranty by up to a year (for new ones only, not refurbs).
Lenovo doesn't have much of anything with a good graphics card. Everything is pretty much Intel GMA. Dell's system doesn't come close in specs to the Asus unless I go for an Alienware rig, and that will cost me $200-300 more. I haven't priced out a Core i7 at HP, but their quad-core machines were more in line with Dell's specs and Alienware's prices.
corbon said: I'm not computer saavy, but aren't laptops one of those things that should be purchased new instead of refurbished? Many refurbished laptops are in fact new in box customer returns.
Not necessarily. It depends on the advertised condition, discount, and the warranty. Most manufacturer's give you an identical warranty if you buy directly from their outlet as compared to a new one. That reflects the level of confidence in the condition of the product. However, the ones you may buy at other websites may come with only a limited 90 day warranty and then it may not be worth it. Incidentally I am typing this on a Dell refurb, which is my second Dell refurb.
FutureDilemma said: Not necessarily. It depends on the advertised condition, discount, and the warranty. Most manufacturer's give you an identical warranty if you buy directly from their outlet as compared to a new one. That reflects the level of confidence in the condition of the product. However, the ones you may buy at other websites may come with only a limited 90 day warranty and then it may not be worth it. Incidentally I am typing this on a Dell refurb, which is my second Dell refurb. I was basing my comment on the wording in your post that indicated the refurbs were coming from the manufacturers own outlet store. I could have been more clear on that, as well as the fact you have to read the laptop description to determine the condition. But I also figured that anyone buying a refurbed laptop from a manufacturers outlet store would have the snap to read the full description before buying one...
dennisfranz
Senior Member
posted: Sep. 30, 2009 @ 4:38a
FutureDilemma said: Not necessarily. It depends on the advertised condition, discount, and the warranty. Most manufacturer's give you an identical warranty if you buy directly from their outlet as compared to a new one. That reflects the level of confidence in the condition of the product. However, the ones you may buy at other websites may come with only a limited 90 day warranty and then it may not be worth it. Incidentally I am typing this on a Dell refurb, which is my second Dell refurb.
I have to agree with you on the refurbs. I only buy Dell refurbs. I have ordered myself probably over 6 personally from desktops, laptops and recently a netbook. I also have ordered refurbs for family (laptops included) and only had one problem. A laptop LCD panel went bad within 1 week. I called on a Wed afternoon and they picked it up 1 hr later. Friday morning, they were knocking on my door with the replacement.
My only rule is I just will not buy scratch and dent. I want them to go over it.
i63Aps
Ancient Member
posted: Sep. 30, 2009 @ 8:47a
Can anyone share their experience with Lenovo "Refurbished" laptops?
Dell has i7 laptops out already, and they are a lot cheaper than $1600. You can compare the specs to see if they suit your needs/price.
Graeme
Member
posted: Sep. 30, 2009 @ 9:11a
As far as a build the Lenovo (previously IBM) has some of the very best built notebooks. They are pretty much tops when it comes to durability, keep in mind however they are primarily business targeted and do not always have the newest techie toys (vid cards, etc).
If your notebook faces truly rough fieldwork then look into getting a notebook that meets the Military 'Semi-rugged' specs, virtually every main manufacturer has a line that does. Be prepared to pay for that qualification however.
I just got a POS Dell refurb last night - Mini 10V.
The display driver can not be set to 1024x576 to show the entire desktop on the screen. Was on phone last night for an hour with tech support and that was completely useless. Thanks Meena from tech support for nothing.
This is my last Dell refurb as I really needed something today.
i63Aps said: Can anyone share their experience with Lenovo "Refurbished" laptops?
I'm typing this on a refurb T61 that I got on the outlet about 3 months ago. It's been pretty good so far. It did have a few scratches and noticeable things on the outside, but those are nothing compared with what I've done to it since. It's a tough machine, and I think it'll last a long time (which was my goal).
Warranty runs out soon for me (IIRC), so it's a bit of a gamble...but I haven't had any problems worth noting. Lots of parts are available out there when something breaks on this thing, and I'm pretty handy with that....so as long as the motherboard doesn't fry or the screen crack, i'm probably alright.
I downgraded to XP, and I don't see why I'd need to get much faster of a computer...
How about this Asus G51VX-X1A? They have one with a faster processor for $200 more. These prices my drop come Oct. 22nd when the new Core i7 laptops are introduced. As it is, if you don't need the full power of the G series, there will be the M60J that should be selling for $1299, but with slightly lower specs. It will be outfitted as a business machine rather than a gaming machine. Still a Core i7 with a very good discrete GPU, but just not as much juice.
Model Brand ASUS Series G Series Model G51VX-X1A General Operating System Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit CPU Type Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 2.53G Screen 15.6" Memory Size 4GB Hard Disk 320GB Optical Drive DVD Super Multi Graphics Card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M Video Memory 1GB VRAM DDR3 Communication Gigabit LAN and WLAN Card slot 1 x Express Card Dimensions 14.6" x 10.3" x 1.3" - 1.6" Weight 7.26 lbs. Other Features 30days Zero Bright Dot LCD CPU CPU Type Intel Core 2 Duo CPU Speed P8700(2.53GHz) CPU FSB 1066MHz CPU L2 Cache 3MB Display Screen Size 15.6" Wide Screen Support Yes Resolution 1920 x 1080 Operating Systems Operating System Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Graphics GPU/VPU NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M Video Memory 1GB VRAM DDR3 Graphic Type Dedicated Card Hard Drive HDD 320GB HDD RPM 7200rpm Memory Memory 4GB Optical Drive Optical Drive Type DVD Super Multi Optical Drive Interface Integrated Communications LAN 10/100/1000Mbps WLAN 802.11 bgn Bluetooth Yes Ports Card Slot 1 x Express Card USB 4 IEEE 1394 1 Video Port 1 x VGA, 1 x HDMI Other port 1 x E-SATA Audio Ports Yes Audio Audio Integrated Sound card Speaker Internal Speakers Input Device Touchpad Yes Keyboard Standard Supplemental Drive Card Reader SD, MMC, MS, MS-Pro, xD, Smart Media Webcam 2.0MP Power Battery 6-cell lithium ion Physical spec Dimensions 14.6" x 10.3" x 1.3" - 1.6" Weight 7.26 lbs. Manufacturer Warranty Accidental Damage Warranty 1 year ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty - Drops, Fire, Spill, Surge
I bought a new Lenovo Thinkpad T400 like a week ago with the custom specs detailed below. I basically use it for Home/Office needs around Internet Browsing, Entertainment (listening Music/Watching Movies), Office Applications (MS Office 2007, MS Project, MS Visio, SQL Server 2005, etc to name a few. Will be installing a database application on it soon like Oracle 11g soon). The system seems to be good in terms of the features and performance. Haven't tried playing the Full HD (1080P) content on it yet. I saw people comment here that Lenovo Graphic Cards suck. With the Core i7 processors coming round the corner, do you guys think sticking to this one will still be a good choice or I should have waited for i7 processors, USB 3.0 (I heard that it might not come before 3rd quarter of 2010), a laptop with a bluray drive/burner, an HDMI Out, and a good graphics card?
Quantity Part No. Description Item Price Line Total 1 XXXXX CONFIGURED SYSTEM $1,342.07 $1,342.07 Serial Number: xxxxxxx 42X6339 SBB INT.CORE2DUOPROCT9600 42V8173 VBB MS WIN VISTA BUSSINESS 64 44C1081 SBB G W VISTABSS64 US ENGLISH 43Y3484 SBB MW XP PROFES. US ENG RDVD 42X6321 SBB 14.1 WXGA+ TFT, W/ CAMERA 42X6315 SBB AMD M82XT HYBRID 256MB 42X6309 VBB 4GBPC3-8500 1067MHZ2DIMM 42X6355 SBB KYB US ENGLISH 42X6323 SBB ULTRNAV(TRP+TOUCHP)FINGERP 44C6242 SBB 320GBHARDDISKDRIVE,7200RPM 42X6345 SBB DVDRECORD.8XMAXDUAL,ULTBAY 42X6312 VBB EXPR.CARDSLOTXN7-1M.CARDR. 62P6054 VBB INTEGR.BLUETOOTH PAN 42X6325 SBB INT.WIFI LINK5300 42X6328 SBB INTG.WIR.WIDENET UPGRAD. 42X6334 SBB 9CELL LI-ION BATTERY 39T6442 SBB COUNTRY PACK NORTH AMERICA 42X6388 SBB LPACK US ENGLISH 1 43R2472 THINKPAD T400 / R400 14W PRIVACY FILTER $0.01 $0.01 Shipping & Handling $0.00 Tax $0.00 Total $1,342.08
Wineaux said: Lenovo doesn't have much of anything with a good graphics card. Everything is pretty much Intel GMA. Dell's system doesn't come close in specs to the Asus unless I go for an Alienware rig, and that will cost me $200-300 more.
Looks good to me. Core 2 Duo 2.53G, GeForce GTX 260M 1GB VRAM DDR3, 4 gigs of ram, and 6 cell battery. Looks to be the best deal for a gaming laptop at the Egg that I have seen.
I'm waiting for the new Core i7 version to be released on October 22nd. It will add a Blu-Ray multi-drive to the mix, albeit it steps down the graphics card a notch. Most likely due to heat issues. The Asus laptops do have that nifty Linux instant on system that allows you to surf the web, play music and movies, and all within seconds as you can bypass booting up Windows. Best Buy has a stripped down version of the G51VX. You will lose, as always, the built-in Bluetooth and the processor is only at 2GHz, but it's priced at $999.00. Seeing as Best Buy is closing out laptops with Vista, and all the Asus laptops qualify for a free Windows 7 upgrade, you might be able to find a lower price at Best Buy soon. Keep your eyes peeled, but know what you are giving up...
BTW... The G51's are EAX 4.0 compliant, have a backlit keyboard, and can handle 2 hard drives built in.
cmho333
New Member
posted: Sep. 30, 2009 @ 7:32p
I had a T61 Lenovo, factory re-installed Vista, takes forever to boot and and freezes ALL the time. Then Downgraded to XP with the factory downgrade disk, lots of error messages although doesn't freeze that often. So, good luck if you want Lenovo, cause I know it's not an isolated incident because customer rating for T61 is very low.
jbwhite99
Shopaholic Member
posted: Sep. 30, 2009 @ 7:34p
Graeme said: As far as a build the Lenovo (previously IBM) has some of the very best built notebooks. They are pretty much tops when it comes to durability, keep in mind however they are primarily business targeted and do not always have the newest techie toys (vid cards, etc).
If your notebook faces truly rough fieldwork then look into getting a notebook that meets the Military 'Semi-rugged' specs, virtually every main manufacturer has a line that does. Be prepared to pay for that qualification however.
Actually, most Lenovo Thinkpads have been qualified for the Military semi-rugged specs.
I will agree that the video in Lenovo boxes could be improved. I am also convinced that unless you are in the "will it play Crysis" league, it won't matter in most cases. You still get the same CPU, same hard drives, etc - just better built.
FutureDilemma said: Not necessarily. It depends on the advertised condition, discount, and the warranty. Most manufacturer's give you an identical warranty if you buy directly from their outlet as compared to a new one. That reflects the level of confidence in the condition of the product. However, the ones you may buy at other websites may come with only a limited 90 day warranty and then it may not be worth it. Incidentally I am typing this on a Dell refurb, which is my second Dell refurb.
What do you think of this HDX16t series laptop with Core 2 Duo 2.13Ghz, 1GB GeForce GT 130M, and 16" HD display for $1,049.99 with free shipping?
I selected the Recommended configuration and removed all the software, the free 16" HD display, free upgrade to 4 Gb of ram, free upgrade to 320 Gb HD, and finally the free Blu-ray drive.
jbwhite99 said: Graeme said: As far as a build the Lenovo (previously IBM) has some of the very best built notebooks. They are pretty much tops when it comes to durability, keep in mind however they are primarily business targeted and do not always have the newest techie toys (vid cards, etc).
If your notebook faces truly rough fieldwork then look into getting a notebook that meets the Military 'Semi-rugged' specs, virtually every main manufacturer has a line that does. Be prepared to pay for that qualification however.
Actually, most Lenovo Thinkpads have been qualified for the Military semi-rugged specs.
I will agree that the video in Lenovo boxes could be improved. I am also convinced that unless you are in the "will it play Crysis" league, it won't matter in most cases. You still get the same CPU, same hard drives, etc - just better built. Except I am going to be editing video and audio tracks, and then putting together training videos. So I do need real graphics and CPU horsepower, and I need to be able to take it with me on the road. So I need portability, good battery life, a top notch CPU, and a very good discreet graphics card. Not everything is centered around games. Some of us need more than a word processor for business use.
swandown said: FutureDilemma said: Not necessarily. It depends on the advertised condition, discount, and the warranty. Most manufacturer's give you an identical warranty if you buy directly from their outlet as compared to a new one. That reflects the level of confidence in the condition of the product. However, the ones you may buy at other websites may come with only a limited 90 day warranty and then it may not be worth it. Incidentally I am typing this on a Dell refurb, which is my second Dell refurb.
Did the first one break down? No, it is with my parents now. Three years old now and working fine.
What do you think of this HDX16t series laptop with Core 2 Duo 2.13Ghz, 1GB GeForce GT 130M, and 16" HD display for $1,049.99 with free shipping?
I selected the Recommended configuration and removed all the software, the free 16" HD display, free upgrade to 4 Gb of ram, free upgrade to 320 Gb HD, and finally the free Blu-ray drive.
thanks but it looks like we have to wait for the price to come down
some of us need the Desktop replacements..I've been searching for a Good 18.4 inch at a great price..has to have a WOW!! Sony has some nice modles and HP but both want to charge TAX that always kills the Deal..lighted keyboard would be great.. Keep this thread going Pre-christmas deals wil show up soon...
Sold out atm but good price at $550 with $50 mail in rebate. The only downside is the lower end Intel GMA 4500MHD GPU. Here is link to Tom's hardware video card hierarchy.
fufucachu
Member
posted: Oct. 1, 2009 @ 6:28p
Now is not the time to buy refurbs though. They aren't going to be eligible for the free Windows 7 upgrade.
cmho333 said: I had a T61 Lenovo, factory re-installed Vista, takes forever to boot and and freezes ALL the time. Then Downgraded to XP with the factory downgrade disk, lots of error messages although doesn't freeze that often. So, good luck if you want Lenovo, cause I know it's not an isolated incident because customer rating for T61 is very low.
I have a XP T60 core 2 duo that restarted and froze constantly. I had to disable DEP. It was taking 5 mins for the 1st app to load after login. The thinkvantage software has some nice features but it is one of the big culprits. Without Thinkvantage sw, Comodo firewall, AVG, Spybot, etc., the T60/T61 are fast. I have about 25-35 Firefox pages up and stream music which peaks 1.5 gb ram with a 4 gb paging file. I bumped up the ram from 2 to 3 Gb. The core 2 pro T61's I have deployed are slow also. I have not heard much feedback from the T500 core 2 Pro V's.
TommyTT
Senior Member
posted: Oct. 4, 2009 @ 7:38a
fufucachu said: Now is not the time to buy refurbs though. They aren't going to be eligible for the free Windows 7 upgrade.
I've bought 2 HP refurbs in the past month (both working great). Both were eligible for the free Windows 7 upgrade as one had Vista Ultimate and the other had Vista Home Premium. Only the refurbs with Vista Home Basic weren't eligible for the free Windows 7 upgrade.
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