amuck-landowner

Getting a new laptop today

Pmadd

New Member
Well, the link doesn't work, but other than that it seems decent for regular/everyday use.
 

shovenose

New Member
Verified Provider
Hmmm,

-HP laptops are horrible

-the 1366x768 screen resolution sucks

-5400RPM hard drives are slow as shit.

Other than that, enjoy your new computer :) Not a bad system except for the points I mntioned above. Unfortunately almost all consumer level laptops have the same three issues: horrible quality, lousy screens with bad contrast and low resolution, and slow disks.
 

Zach

New Member
Verified Provider
Hmmm,

-HP laptops are horrible

-the 1366x768 screen resolution sucks

-5400RPM hard drives are slow as shit.

Other than that, enjoy your new computer :) Not a bad system except for the points I mntioned above. Unfortunately almost all consumer level laptops have the same three issues: horrible quality, lousy screens with bad contrast and low resolution, and slow disks.
(though I might spring for an SSD in it)
 

drmike

100% Tier-1 Gogent
Hmmm,


-HP laptops are horrible


-the 1366x768 screen resolution sucks


-5400RPM hard drives are slow as shit.


 


Other than that, enjoy your new computer :) Not a bad system except for the points I mntioned above. Unfortunately almost all consumer level laptops have the same three issues: horrible quality, lousy screens with bad contrast and low resolution, and slow disks.
HP terrible? I've been buying almost solely from them for probably a decade. No problems and high durability.


Now getting them to work fully under Debian without tinkering, well yeah, issues there.


Screens have always been fine on them, but maybe I am not comparing $500 units to $3k units elsewhere or the latest wiz bang tech.


Slow disk, yeah, totally valid if 5400RPM bundled. SSDs make everything in the world right :)
 

shovenose

New Member
Verified Provider
HP terrible? I've been buying almost solely from them for probably a decade. No problems and high durability.
I work at a computer store. We have more people bring in dysfunctional HPs than anything else - and for the same problems every time. 
 

drmike

100% Tier-1 Gogent
I work at a computer store. We have more people bring in dysfunctional HPs than anything else - and for the same problems every time. 

I believe it. Lots of cost cutting going on in the industry and quality control has gone out the window in many places.


In your store, how much of sales percent on notebooks do you think is HP?


I always recommend reading reviews and not from general places like Best Buy before major purchases.
 

D. Strout

Resident IPv6 Proponent
Thanks for the opinions guys, but I ended up getting a different machine. It's the Asus Q400A-BHI7N03. Has an i7 instead of the i5, and for less money too. Still has the 1366x768 resolution screen, but it's actually not that bad. I did really want a 1080p screen, but as has been mentioned, those are very hard to come by. The laptop industry has decided that that mediocre resolution is fine by them. I was looking at getting a customized build from HP (yes, I like them, though it seems opinions about them are decidedly mixed) with the better screen, but it was $150 extra - I couldn't justify that.

Aside from the different processor, the specs are basically the same. A lot of reviewers said the sound quality was bleh, which it is, which is why I'm using USB headphones. There are also reports of crashing; hopefully I'll avoid that. So far the laptop has performed admirably, though there are two issues. First is the mousepad, which misses a fair amount of clicks. Annoying, but I'm looking in to fixing it, hopefully won't be an issue for much longer. The page up key is also loose, but it should stay on there OK.
 

Jack

Active Member
HP terrible? I've been buying almost solely from them for probably a decade. No problems and high durability.


Now getting them to work fully under Debian without tinkering, well yeah, issues there.


Screens have always been fine on them, but maybe I am not comparing $500 units to $3k units elsewhere or the latest wiz bang tech.


Slow disk, yeah, totally valid if 5400RPM bundled. SSDs make everything in the world right :)
I had nothing but issues with my Compaq laptop CQ60 range but the G6 range that HP offered my cousin had without any issues... 

I guess the Compaq's were built with shite components compared to the HP range or I just got a bad egg...

Compaq has a nice support/warranty team as they offered me a second year of warranty like 80% off list price so I ended up paying
 

drmike

100% Tier-1 Gogent
 

Thanks for the opinions guys, but I ended up getting a different machine. It's the Asus Q400A-BHI7N03.


 


Aside from the different processor, the specs are basically the same. A lot of reviewers said the sound quality was bleh, which it is, which is why I'm using USB headphones. There are also reports of crashing; hopefully I'll avoid that. So far the laptop has performed admirably, though there are two issues. First is the mousepad, which misses a fair amount of clicks. Annoying, but I'm looking in to fixing it, hopefully won't be an issue for much longer. The page up key is also loose, but it should stay on there OK.
Crashing is no joke and issue to be concerned with. Question is what is crashing them.


Speakers on portables, well, just suck. No way to have true sound in a case with so little space at this point. Bluetooth or even the plain old headphone out should work great.


Mousepad and keyboard, I stopped using those on portables. Tend to be flat and wrong angles and often small chicklet keys. External mouse and keyboards are your friend and it keeps the stock unit clean and much less likely to destroy your investment with the infamous drink got knocked over. Less sad about destroying a USB keyboard and mouse.
 

shovenose

New Member
Verified Provider
I believe it. Lots of cost cutting going on in the industry and quality control has gone out the window in many places.


In your store, how much of sales percent on notebooks do you think is HP?


I always recommend reading reviews and not from general places like Best Buy before major purchases.
Well we are a combination of an e waste recycling place, a computer store, and a computer repair shop. Almost all of the laptops (and desktops) we sell are refurbished.

Off the top of my head, this is the order in which we get laptops in that we end up selling refurbished:

1. Dell

2. HP/Compaq

3. Toshiba

4. Lenovo/IBM

5. Gateway/Acer/eMachines

6. Apple

7. Other

These are how many come in to get service due to hardware issues (not counting software issues):

1. HP/Compaq

2. Gateway/Acer/eMachines

3. Toshiba

4. Dell

5. Lenovo/IBM

6. Apple

7. Other
 
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