Laptop Recommendations

[mllebamako]

Okay friends, I would love some laptop buying advice.

My poor macbook has taken a lot of abuse from Malian heat/dust. So I am looking into getting a new laptop in the next 6 months. I love Macs but...they are so expensive and I really don't *need* it. I use my computer for internet and some word-processing (and the occasional movie download).

Any recommendations of cheaper-than-macbook laptops? Or has anyone bought a refurbished macbook and can recommend that?

[Moon]

What's your budget, mlle? You'll get much more with what you want to spend from a PC, rather than a Mac, and it'll probably be much easier to get parts for while in Mali.

I've had very good luck both personally and professionally with HP's, ASUS' are nice, as are Lenovos. I wouldn't get a refurb in your situation, as most only come with a 30 - 90 day warranty, most are absolutely fine, but you can get the occasional dud, and you don't want that. I don't know anything about Mac refurbs though. If I can help, PM me

[mllebamako]

Thanks Moon! I don't really have a set budget. I'm just looking for something that is less than a Mac
You make a good point about refurbished computers, thanks.

Thanks for naming those 3 brands--I'll be doing more research on them!

[Sora1101]

I've had my HP laptop for about 4 years now and I still haven't had a single problem with it and it still runs like clockwork. I absolutely adore HP, I recommend them to everyone.

[FlyHome2Me]

I recently got a laptop at school. It's a Samsung NP300E4C-A02US. It comes with Windows 7, which is a lot like Mac in the way that it's formatted. Great webcam for skyping, really fast processor, and really REALLY good price! I highly recommend it

[mllebamako]

Thanks for the replies Off to research...

[tanaquil]

I'm a bit of a computer geek so I had to reply :P

I would suggest an ASUS laptop -- simply put, you can use them and abuse them and they'll still work quite well. They're quite resilient to most things (having dropped mine more than a few times) and they're quite fast, though this usually means the hardware is louder. They're a bit pricier but definitely not more than a Mac :P

Good luck! Laptop shopping is fun, hehe

[ForeverUs]

I would also suggest an ASUS. I have an ASUS, and I love it! Best laptop I've owned. It's fast and reliable. My brother also has an ASUS, he dropped it, and it still works fine.

[Sylphie]

I own an HP laptop, and it works fine, but I have had a few problems with it--the battery went bad right after the warranty ran out, and it gets quite hot. These don't seem to be common issues, though, and overall I'm still happy with my HP. Just be sure that if you look into one, you find out about the specific model before you buy.
The only brand I'm really advise staying away from is Dell. It's okay for super-casual use, but I had serious problems with an old one where the hinge broke within a year, and nearly every person I know who's owned a Dell has had issues with it, too, so I'd be cautious about putting it through the conditions it would go through in Mali.

[mllebamako]

The only brand I'm really advise staying away from is Dell. It's okay for super-casual use, but I had serious problems with an old one where the hinge broke within a year, and nearly every person I know who's owned a Dell has had issues with it, too, so I'd be cautious about putting it through the conditions it would go through in Mali.

Totally agree with this. I had a Dell in college and it had so many problems.

...Still researching. It's hard when you can't just walk into a bestbuy and test some laptops out!

[Brieasaurus]

I had an HP but the charger always would give me issues. It wouldn't charge unless positioned in "just the right" way and even then, it wouldn't keep the charge. I ended up getting an Acer and I love it (especially for the cheap price!). I gave my old HP to my brother, who bought a new battery for it which worked for a while but now it's starting again with the charger issue. It was a common problem for that model but it was a bit old so I'm sure they fixed it now with the newer models. I'd say just make sure to carefully read the reviews and google "(brand of laptop) common issues" to see if there have been any problems.

[Romeo s Juliet]

I suggest ASUS. something from the new ultra book range will suit you the best, if you do not use the laptop for heavy gaming or heavy downloading.

[loveknowsnodistance27]

I recommend the Lenovo Thinkpad. My boyfriend swears by it and he knows his stuff! (He's a computer science major)

[ashdav2010]

I have a Toshiba and my brother has a Sony....we both love ours!

[Tooki]

I have an ASUS

I can recommend that. They are good $ for $, and I've never had a problem in the 2 years that I have owned one.