Another laptop question:

[lightningandsnow]

OK, so the two laptops I'm looking at right now are the HP pavillion, and the Dell Inspiron.

The HP pavillion is about $800 Canadian, but it doesn't come with many extras at all. I'd have to pay for Microsoft Office, Photoshop, and all acessories seperately.

With the Dell Inspiron, you can customize your own package deal, which has pretty much everything (and I do mean everything) included. I could get a computer with 2gb of memory, an anti-glare screen, Microsoft Office, Photoshop Elements, 3 months of free internet, a messenger bag carrying case, an all-in-one printer, and a wireless mouse for $1200 Canadian.

Which one should I go for?

[DS1]

1. I'd have to recommend the Dell

even though people don't like Michael Dell because he's a republican and donates to them. Their laptops, taken with a reasonable amount of care, last forever in my experiences.

[Deja Q]

9. Their desktops are crap, but their laptops are usually pretty good...

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

2. Microsoft Office is pretty costly

But Open Office is free. Google "Open Office" and download it. It seems to "understand" word documents and spreadsheets ok.

[Deja Q]

6. The home use/student edition of Office 2007 is $150...

But money being a factor, openoffice is hardly rubbish...

[SKKY]

3. Aspie, here are some things to consider...

...I'm typing on an HP right now,and it's fantastic. I've also owned Dell, actually my last laptop was a Dell, and don't really have any issues with them either. You can look at other options for some of the the things you use. For example, OpenOffice is a completely acceptable and capable alternative for Microsoft Office. Gimp, although more "robust", is a free alternative to Photoshop. The 3 months of free internet, messenger bag carrying case, and an all-in-one printer can be purchased on-line and you'd probably be able to find them cheaper. It all depends on what your preference is. If it were me, I'd get the HP (Well, actually, I did). Just understand that there are very capable alternatives to the Microsoft Programs that you're accustomed to that can lower the overall price of a system. Good Luck.

[sueragingroz]

4. man I wish I could get a laptop for $800

Some days I get frustrated living in Bermuda...

and then I go to the beach!

[TrogL]

5. Dells are utter crap

We ordered 250 of them for the office. EVERY LAST FUCKING ONE OF THEM FAILED within three months.

[huskerlaw]

7. Dell sucks.

Or at least, they did 5 years ago.

I had a Dell Inspiron that was the biggest piece of shit known to man. I'm not kidding. It fell apart piece by piece and convincing Dell that they needed to fix it for me was a HUGE pain in the ass. A call to customer service was a multi-hour affair and resulted in talking to someone in India. And none of them had any authority to fix ANYTHING. Getting a manager on the phone was nearly impossible.

After basically giving me a new one one piece at a time, it died yet again and I had to threaten to sue them in order to get an entirely "new" laptop. It was refurbished, and it did fine for about a year...until it literally fell apart. It's currently in pieces in my closet. I simply refused to get it fixed again.

I've heard nothing about Dell recently that makes me think that the situation is any different.

I have a Mac now, and I love it. I'd probably never get a PC again, but if I did, I assure you it would not be a Dell. :grr:

[Deja Q]

8. Regardless of brand, get an extended warranty.

The cost of LCD screen repair alone, if not one replacement battery, makes up for the cost -- if not more.

I'd have to know more about the printer...

Office 2007 Home/student edition is $150
Photoshop Elements is $100 (PhotoImpact X3 is rather a good app too)

That's $1050; the $150 going for what I'd hope is a decent printer (that probably cost Dell $50), not to mention the ergonomics of the mouse.

I work with Dells and I've toyed with HPs. Qualitywise, they're about the same.

Are you ordering direct from the manufacturer, or a big box store?

And do you have model number information?

[lightningandsnow]

11. If I get the dell, I'd be ordering direct most likely,

since I think you'd have more options that way (although I could be wrong). If I go for the HP, I'd probably get it somewhere like Best Buy.

If I got the Dell, I'd likely be getting the 15" 1525 Inspiron. I could also get the 14" 1420 model, but it's a little more expensive.

Come to think of it, some of the extras on the Dell website seem a little overpriced. For example, I don't think it's really necessary to charge 50 dollars for the carrying case when I'd already be buying a lot of other stuff from them. The printer, although I forget which kind it is, is 40 dollars, which leads me to believe it may be a piece of crap.

[LeftyMom]

10. The new version of Office is horrible.

OpenOffice is better and free, and if you're absolutely stuck with MicroShite Office, there's a student discount on it that might be cheaper than buying it installed.

The free internet is probably only for new customers, so unless you're planning on switching services it likely won't do you any good. The remaining stuff, memory, bag, AIO printer, is all fairly cheap. If you get the printer from Dell you're stuck buying their overpriced ink, where if you buy separately you can take cost of replacement ink into account. The only remaining issue is Photoshop, and again that's available at a significant discount to students.

[MrsBrady]

12. stay away from HP

I'm about to switch to apple.
too many problems.

I've had it.

[Apinionated]

13. I have had both kinds you describe and both were equally good.

nt