Laptops

I usually buy behind the curve for cheaper products but my last 2 laptops were a display model discounted, and a mail-order higher-end with A/V upgrades.

The first had some problems but was usable for about 3 years, the usual lifespan of technology but one would hope the hardware would last longer. This laptop was around $1600 I think and besides the odd problem or few the hard drive had a failure in the boot sector. I recovered almost everything from the hard drive but got rid of the laptop.

I mail-ordered a slightly discounted 17" laptop that was about $2100 brand new. This one died after about a year and a half. I think the video card overheated and burned up.

Well I thought I would refuse to buy refurbished, display, and mail order but I've ordered another 17" that was around $800. I also thought I'd never buy a Celeron but when the off-lease desktop I got to dedicate to my business which I incorporated as required by some idiots who don't know up from down arrived DOA.

I gave some tips to an acting lady I knew in LA and she bought a similar model without some of A/V features a few months after my last one for about $500 or more cheaper.

Back to the Celeron which I am currently using. It was purchased brand new. It's slow as Christmas and keeps getting slower. Part of the problem might be the free antivirus software. Though it was a lot faster when I loaded it (maybe it slows down when they think you should have upgraded to paying even though they don't require it).

I did finally get the off-lease Pentium 4 fixed (it was bought mail order). The refurb people said it would be tested. It arrived working but with a broken DVD-ROM player. This might have been broken already but since it would not start up, there was no way of knowing.

Wish me luck with the new laptop that should arrive Friday. Lots of memory and HD space, Core 2 duo, so I should be lightning fast, at least compared to this thing. I need to get an underneath fan to keep it from overheating. Larger laptops are mostly stationary. Someday I'll be able to afford a real portable powerhouse. :)