Trying to decide between these two:

1) HP

2) Dell

If you guys know of any better ones in that price range please let me know. I don't know much about computers.

 

Ak, this sub-forum may not get you very many responses (we REALLY need an IT subforum!). PM a mod and see if you can have the thread moved to Ramblings. Lot's more input there.

 

^Thank you stogie.

 

Moved.

Go with the HP.

 

Lenovo ThinkPads. I always had good luck with them.

 

I alway loved the Vaio series from Dell.

 

HP. I have the dv7 and its bueno.

 

You mean sony. The hp is the better laptop

 

The Dell I have held up fantastically. The HP I have is teh cheapest feeling laptop ever. Keys are loose, plastic feels cheap, imperfections in the screen etc.

Of those, the HP has better components, but the Dell (if it's like my old one) will hold up MUCH better.

 

I'd go with Dell just due to some quality control and customer service issues I've seen with family members in recent history regarding HP.


:ibapplecomments:

 

The newer HP's are much much better.

 

HP is better spec'd but it's also $120 more than the Dell.

If you're never going to take advantage of the processing power of the HP (i5), then go with the Dell and save the $120. But then again, I've seen better deals on a i3 processor (Dell) laptop.

 

I don't know how close you are to Fairfax, but if you are go check out Micro Center.

 

Here's a much better deal on a i3 based laptop vs. the Dell. It's from Costco...

LINK


$499 for an Acer Aspire

Processor and Memory:

* Intel® Core™ i3-2310M Processor
* 2.1GHz
* 3MB L3 cache

Display:

* 15.6” HD Widescreen CineCrystal™ LED Backlit Display
* 1366x768 resolution
* 16:9 aspect ratio

Chipset:

* Mobile Intel® HM65 Express Chipset

Drives:

* 500GB (5,400RPM) SATA Hard Drive
* 8x DVD±RW Super-Multi double layer drive

Graphics and Video:

* Intel® HD Graphics 3000

Communications:

* 802.11b/g/n Wifi Certified™
* 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN

Audio:

* Optimized Dolby® Advanced Audio® v2 audio enhancement
* High Definition Audio Support
* Two Stereo Speakers
* Built-in Microphone

Personalization:

* 1.3MP HD webcam

Expandability:

* Multi-in-1 Digital Card Reader

Ports:

* 2x USB 2.0 ports
* 1x USB 3.0 port
* 1x HDMI™ port with HDCP support
* 1x Headphone/Speaker/Line-Out
* 1x VGA
* 1x Microphone in
* 1x EthernetRJ-45 (LAN)
* 1x DC-in Jack for AC adapter
* 1x Kensington Lock slot

Operating System:

* Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
* Microsoft Office Starter

Power Supply:

* 6-cell Lithium Ion Battery (4400 mAh)

Additional Information:

* Approximate Weight: 5.74 lbs.
* Dimensions: 15" W x 9.9" D x .99-1.3" H

[Model AS5750-6677]

 

If you want an HP for better build quality, here's one for $530... LINK.

Features
Number of Cells 6-cell
Maximum Battery Run Time 6.25 Hour
Webcam Yes
HDMI Yes
Aspect Ratio 16:9
Display Resolution 1366 x 768
Screen Size 15.6"
Screen Mode WXGA
Graphics Controller Manufacturer Intel
Graphics Controller Model GMA HD 3000
Graphics Memory Accessibility Shared
Display Screen Type Active Matrix TFT Color LCD
Backlight Technology LED
Product Type Notebook
Manufacturer Part Number XU015UT#ABA
Manufacturer Website Address www.hp.com
Manufacturer Hewlett-Packard
Product Model XU015UT
Product Name ProBook 4530s XU015UT Notebook
Product Line ProBook

Product Series 4530s
Brand Name HP
Maximum Memory 8 GB
Standard Memory 4 GB
Memory Technology DDR3 SDRAM
Memory Standard DDR3-1333/PC3-10600
Package Contents ProBook 4530s XU015UT Notebook

# Lithium Ion Battery
# AC Adapter
# Power Cord

Green Compliance Yes
Green Compliance Certificate/Authority Energy Star

Bluetooth Yes
Wi-Fi Yes
Wi-Fi Standard IEEE 802.11n
Bluetooth Standard Bluetooth 3.0
Ethernet Technology Gigabit Ethernet
Weight (Approximate) 5.55 lb
Height 1.13"
Width 14.76"
Depth 10.10"
Hard Drive Capacity 320 GB
Optical Drive Type DVD-Writer
Optical Media Support DVD-RAM/±R/±RW
Dual-Layer Media Support Yes
Labeling Technology LightScribe
Cache 3 MB
Processor Speed 2.10 GHz
Processor Type Core i3
Processor Model i3-2310M
Processor Core Dual-core
Processor Manufacturer Intel
Operating System Windows 7 Home Premium Upgradable to Windows 7 Professional
Operating System Architecture 64-bit
Standard Warranty 1 Year Limited

 

I have a "newer" HP. Jan 2010 [Right when Clarkdale/Arrandale came out] and it has a ton of loose keys, loose bezel, flawed display, loose power jack, off and on 3.5mm jack usage, loose mouse buttons etc. I've not seen an HP without issues.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834220898 -599 after MIR.

im trying to find one with sandy bridge mobile, but everything appears to be hp

 

a bud's toshiba has held up fairly well, and this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834214330 has a cpu from the best arch. u can get

ps i didnt check battery or anything just specs/brand

 

What is HP's business class laptop line called? My former employer used Dell exclusively, so I don't have experience with any of the other manufacturers.

I do know that there is a huge difference between the stuff you buy at Best Buy and the like, and what is sold to corporations, at least where Dell is concerned. When I was in the market for a laptop, I was highly disappointed with the build quality of the consumer grade machines. So much so, that I bought a refurbed Dell Latitude D620 direct from Dell, and it has been rock solid for several years. It has its quirks, such as not recognizing a full 4GB RAM, but it runs Windows 7 64-bit just fine. I also do a lot of video editing, and do not feel the need to use my tower instead. Also it is not flimsy, and has taken a couple accidental knocks with no damage.

I have added 4GB RAM, and installed a 500GB 7200RPM hard drive. It is like working at a desktop now, as far as speed and storage are concerned. Battery life doesn't concern me, as I very rarely need to use it unplugged. Of course being a "business" machine, it doesn't have fancy graphics or game playing ability, that is about the only real drawback with it.

 

I've owned seven Dells over the past eight years (kids and I all have our own). Had great luck with all of them. Although my son just got an HP, and so far its been solid. I would read reviews on line based on what you are specifically after. There is plenty of info and customer reviews. I don't think you'd loose with either Dell or HP.