cheap laptop

[Soundguy]

The wife is a teacher, and finds herself with spare time here and there to take notes and make lesson plans. She wants a laptop pc to tote with her for just running microsoft works.. or even wordpad and saving here ideas and then copying them to disk.. or flashdrive.. etc. I know I've seen places that sell refurbs or older units.. like tigerdirect / heartland americe.. but don't really see anything good on those sites now. Anyone else got a line on other retailers on low end laptops.

Only needs to have win98, and basics.. like a floppy / cd.. usb would be nice.. probably any processor above 500 mhz is fine.. I'd guess no more than 128 ram.. though 4? maybee... Mainly need it on the cheap... and cheaper the better /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif as it will be a 'hardly' used item...

Any website / url's thanks

soundguy

 

[Amontilado]

Soundguy,

Have you looked on the major player's web sites(IBM,Dell) for "re-certified" and off-lease items? Bought an older IBM desktop from IBM, and after a few additions(can't help but tinker), it's my main system.

Steve

 

[California]

Chris, this is one of the few cases where I would recommend buy new rather than used.

Legend has it that there has never been a flawless used laptop sold on Ebay, ever.

I'm out at the ranch typing this on a HP 600 mhz laptop that I keep here to minimize theft risk. It cost over $300 used and has nagging problems. The ruined battery requires several boot attempts to get it going on wall power. Also the CD reads in DOS but is not found in Windows. I and a couple of professional techs can't figure that one out.

It's the third cheap Pentium portable I've tried here and the first that is really usable. The $50 Compaq had a bad display, the $200 Compaq keyboard went bad, and years ago the 486 and 386 Toshibas ran ok but were dog-slow. Younger daughter's $300 Dell portable she uses at college just suffered a row of dead keys on the keyboard. A new keyboard is under $30 and easy to install, but I had to loan her an external keyboard until I can get down there to fix it. This is what you are getting into.

I've had it with used laptops. My next laptop will be a $750 new Dell.

On the other hand the printer here is a 1991 HP IIp+ Laserjet that cost $2.99 in a thrift store plus a $10 output roller. It prints just as flawlessly as when they first got $2,800 for them. Used isn't always bad, just in laptops.

 

[SimS]

Soundguy;
Have you thought of a Pocket PC? For the low level stuff you mentioned, you could get a refurbed HP IPAQ for less than $175, for example. My .02
SimS

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Are you sure you want used and W98?
How about a new Dell laptop for $449? /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[RoyJackson]

I bought my Toshiba laptop on eBay. Can't say it was particularly cheap ($800), but it came with the XP and Office XP CD-ROM's.
Mine did require repair, but it was covered under a Toshiba recall on these laptops.

Personally, I'd go to Tiger Direct.com and see what they've got. I'm a fairly frequent buyer from TigerDirect and must say, they're pretty good to deal with.

 

[LMTC]

Have any of you dealt with retrobox.com? I too am looking for a laptop for very limited but necessary usage. I have about reached the decision to bu a low end new one, just because of the troubles I have heard with used ones, apparently frequently "rode hard and put up wet".

 

[Inspector507]

Wayne,
If I remember correctly, RetroBox is a reseller for corporate purchased equipment. I wonder if they do any more than...
If it powers up, they wipe it clean and sell it.

 

[LMTC]

Thanks Jerry. I may end my misery today with a current Circuit City ad featuring some low end Toshiba units starting at $700. My eye is on a Satellite M45-S169 for $799 after rebate. 512mb of RAM, 80G 5400 HD, DVDRAM <font color="red"> (What the heck is DVDRAM?) </font> , etc. good through 11/5.

Link to Laptop Ad

 

[To20Chris]

Chris, I bought a used IBM years ago from:

http://www.laptopsonline.com/

It worked great, but we eventually wore it out (it runs every day, all day on the kitchen counter). I bought my wife a new one this fall. It's and e-machines M6805 refurb from TigerDirect. emachines dropped their line of laptops whne they were bought by Gateway, and it appears Tiger must have bought them all. If this unit was really used, I cannot tell. All the peel off covers were still on, etc. It was significantly above the range you are talking about, but a very good deal.

I would not hesitate to by an older used machine, but go online and see what support the manufacturer offers for it first. Find out if parts and drivers are available. IBM is (was at least) very good in htis regard. Dell not so good (in my opinion). There are sites that sell parts for used laptops, but you'd be better of with a mainstream unit in that regard.