On the Hunt for a Laptop
November 17th 2006 06:53
In a few months, I’m going to buy a laptop. Consider this a trial run. The first step in the Bargain Hunt is to define what I need and my needs are simple. A computer that’s wi-fi capable and has basic word processing. I won’t be playing any game more complicated than Mine Sweeper.
The final thing I need to do is define my budget and I’ll set it as $450. Basically, what I need is a Windows computer with a 802.11 card. First thing I do is go to Ebay search for Laptops and then click on the Buy It Now tab and sort the items in price from lowest to highest. Now, you’ll get a string of people promising free laptops on a $5 bid or so. Just ignore those and look for the real machines. Now, you’ll want to skip ahead several pages because you’re going to get old junk that generally doesn’t work until you get above $100 or so. In the process of my search on Ebay, I eliminate several computers. One has an old battery that will likely fail. Others at this price are junk usable mainly for parts or repair. A $225 laptop from an Ebay seller with a 99.4% positive rating looks like a winner but a $249.99 laptop will do the job better. The $225 laptop has 128 MB of RAM, while the $249.99 has 256 MB of RAM. Both have Windows XP and while 128 MB is listed as a minimum requirement, a realistic computer tech. knows you can’t run XP at all on less than 256 with even decent performance.
Now, I wouldn’t necessarily stop with Ebay. Even though, I found a good deal, did I find the best one? Whenever you buy used, you’re taking a risk, particularly with electronics and especially with a laptop. Keeping in mind that laptop batteries go bad sometimes, I go over and check Overstock.com and find the least expensive computer there is $429.99, but there’s no warranty information, which is a concern. If I look at the overall appearance of the system, I may go ahead and e-mail Overstock and find out what warranty is on the product. The unit is a refurbished unit, so I’m not going to buy a used item without a warranty over a cheaper used item also without a warranty.
Walmart.com may have the winner: $418 and a 90 day warrantee. Now, that’s a short warranty period, but more than I’d get off of Overstock or Ebay. In addition, if something goes wrong, we can always have it repaired. (that, after all, is what an emergency fund is for.) So, I’d purchase the Stepnote laptop from Everex and call it good.
Now, of course, I’d double check with Wal-Mart and make sure it had an 802.11 card, but those come standard with most new computers and should be in the Everex. But again, I would check it.
I would also checks Craig’s list because you have the benefit of being able to see the merchandise up close and in person, as well as the fliers for stores like Best Buy and Comp USA, because you never know when they’ll have a sale on computers. Just be careful that the price you’re looking at it is the actual price and not after a mail-in rebate or a rebate with the purchase of an Internet service contract.
The final thing I need to do is define my budget and I’ll set it as $450. Basically, what I need is a Windows computer with a 802.11 card. First thing I do is go to Ebay search for Laptops and then click on the Buy It Now tab and sort the items in price from lowest to highest. Now, you’ll get a string of people promising free laptops on a $5 bid or so. Just ignore those and look for the real machines. Now, you’ll want to skip ahead several pages because you’re going to get old junk that generally doesn’t work until you get above $100 or so. In the process of my search on Ebay, I eliminate several computers. One has an old battery that will likely fail. Others at this price are junk usable mainly for parts or repair. A $225 laptop from an Ebay seller with a 99.4% positive rating looks like a winner but a $249.99 laptop will do the job better. The $225 laptop has 128 MB of RAM, while the $249.99 has 256 MB of RAM. Both have Windows XP and while 128 MB is listed as a minimum requirement, a realistic computer tech. knows you can’t run XP at all on less than 256 with even decent performance.
Now, I wouldn’t necessarily stop with Ebay. Even though, I found a good deal, did I find the best one? Whenever you buy used, you’re taking a risk, particularly with electronics and especially with a laptop. Keeping in mind that laptop batteries go bad sometimes, I go over and check Overstock.com and find the least expensive computer there is $429.99, but there’s no warranty information, which is a concern. If I look at the overall appearance of the system, I may go ahead and e-mail Overstock and find out what warranty is on the product. The unit is a refurbished unit, so I’m not going to buy a used item without a warranty over a cheaper used item also without a warranty.
Walmart.com may have the winner: $418 and a 90 day warrantee. Now, that’s a short warranty period, but more than I’d get off of Overstock or Ebay. In addition, if something goes wrong, we can always have it repaired. (that, after all, is what an emergency fund is for.) So, I’d purchase the Stepnote laptop from Everex and call it good.
Now, of course, I’d double check with Wal-Mart and make sure it had an 802.11 card, but those come standard with most new computers and should be in the Everex. But again, I would check it.
I would also checks Craig’s list because you have the benefit of being able to see the merchandise up close and in person, as well as the fliers for stores like Best Buy and Comp USA, because you never know when they’ll have a sale on computers. Just be careful that the price you’re looking at it is the actual price and not after a mail-in rebate or a rebate with the purchase of an Internet service contract.
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Comment by Eric
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