Laptops???

[3happydancers]

My desk top finally pooped out. I've had it since 2007. I don't think it's worth sinking money into it. I was looking to purchase a laptop. My problem; too many choices!!! Decided to try purchasing from Costco because I like their return policy and the extra year of warranty and tech support at no extra charge. They have a Dell: $630.00 8gb ram 1TB HD i7 processor Windows 8 (I am ok with Windows 8) Or: Acer $749.00 8gb ram 750 HD i5 (3rd gen) processor Windows 8 with a touch screen and back lit key board.

*I did try the Dell and returned it because the keys were popping off. Reordered and have not received it yet.

*Meanwhile I am trying the Acer out. Works fine and love the touch screen but is it worth the extra $$$$?

I have owned Dell in the past with no great problems. I've never owned an Acer.

I would love any feedback from my Disboard friends!!!

 

[vacationer1954]

If I was buying a laptop today I would only consider either Lenovo or Apple. Acer is perhaps a third choice, but I would definitely avoid any lesser brands, and I include Dell in that, based on my experience with this Dell I'm using right now. I think they're all just trying to get away with the least amount of quality they can because they know that we're not going to want to do without our laptops for any amount of time that it would take to send it away for service on a problem that we can live with.

 

[it's kelly]

We had to purchase a new laptop a few weeks ago after our desktop wouldn't start up anymore. My husband is a avid review reader and we ended up with an Apple (MacBook air) I wasn't sure how I felt about it but after using it for a few weeks I love, love it.

 

[tarheel618]

If I was buying a laptop today I would only consider either Lenovo or Apple. Acer is perhaps a third choice, but I would definitely avoid any lesser brands, and I include Dell in that, based on my experience with this Dell I'm using right now. I think they're all just trying to get away with the least amount of quality they can because they know that we're not going to want to do without our laptops for any amount of time that it would take to send it away for service on a problem that we can live with.

I agree... I think the quality of Dell has went down hill.....We had a Dell desk top and loved it still runs but we've had it since 2002 (its out of date) So we bought a laptop 2 years ago and we've had nothing but problems with it.

If you can swing for an Apple I would do so

 

[vacationer1954]

We did just buy a Dell desktop. They are still as good as always. It is really just the laptops that we've seen degrade badly.

 

[DawnM]

We are (almost) Apple all the way. I got my first MacBookPro 3 years ago and now have an iMac as well.

We do have one desktop we ordered from Dell that is working fine as we needed one PC to do some gaming the Apples won't do.

Dawn

 

[thedonduck]

We are (almost) Apple all the way. I got my first MacBookPro 3 years ago and now have an iMac as well.

We do have one desktop we ordered from Dell that is working fine as we needed one PC to do some gaming the Apples won't do.

Dawn

We are the same way! MacBook Pro and iMac and I love both! We also just got iPhones and I seriously love being able to sync everything together!

OP my parent have Acer and I truly hate them! My parents have nothing but trouble with them! They seem to last about 1-2 years before they start having major problems (I think they are #3) and they are truthfully done with them. They liked the price, but they seriously have now spent the same amount of money I did on our MacBook Pro (which is almost 4.5 years old and still running like new) on 3 computers that have died just out of the warranty! Like I keep telling them.... You get what you pay for!

 

[racechick8293]

I bought my first Apple 3 years ago, and will never buy a PC again. The Apple products are vastly superior. No more freezing, crashing, etc.

 

[luvmy3]

My dh gave me a Samsung Ultrabook for Christmas and I am loving it!

 

[rhonda_2003]

Probably going to be in the minority, but I loathe Apple products. Just don't buy into the hype. I have a Toshiba that I got two years ago on clearance for under $400 that is AWESOME! I have never had a moment's trouble out of it and it runs great. I edit my own photos, use the internet constantly, do all of my doctorate degree online, plan all my own classroom lessons online, etc and this thing hasn't disappointed me yet. I had never used anything but Dell and HP in the past when it comes to laptops but this one has already lasted longer than those did. Good luck!

 

[jam217]

Spend a few extra dollars and get the Mac. My son and I each have one, and we love them.

 

[3happydancers]

If I was buying a laptop today I would only consider either Lenovo or Apple. Acer is perhaps a third choice, but I would definitely avoid any lesser brands, and I include Dell in that, based on my experience with this Dell I'm using right now. I think they're all just trying to get away with the least amount of quality they can because they know that we're not going to want to do without our laptops for any amount of time that it would take to send it away for service on a problem that we can live with.

We had to purchase a new laptop a few weeks ago after our desktop wouldn't start up anymore. My husband is a avid review reader and we ended up with an Apple (MacBook air) I wasn't sure how I felt about it but after using it for a few weeks I love, love it.

I agree... I think the quality of Dell has went down hill.....We had a Dell desk top and loved it still runs but we've had it since 2002 (its out of date) So we bought a laptop 2 years ago and we've had nothing but problems with it.

If you can swing for an Apple I would do so

We are (almost) Apple all the way. I got my first MacBookPro 3 years ago and now have an iMac as well.

We do have one desktop we ordered from Dell that is working fine as we needed one PC to do some gaming the Apples won't do.

Dawn

We are the same way! MacBook Pro and iMac and I love both! We also just got iPhones and I seriously love being able to sync everything together!

OP my parent have Acer and I truly hate them! My parents have nothing but trouble with them! They seem to last about 1-2 years before they start having major problems (I think they are #3) and they are truthfully done with them. They liked the price, but they seriously have now spent the same amount of money I did on our MacBook Pro (which is almost 4.5 years old and still running like new) on 3 computers that have died just out of the warranty! Like I keep telling them.... You get what you pay for!

I bought my first Apple 3 years ago, and will never buy a PC again. The Apple products are vastly superior. No more freezing, crashing, etc.

Spend a few extra dollars and get the Mac. My son and I each have one, and we love them.

I am so sorry. I should have mentioned that I did purchase a Mac thinking I was done with PC's but...I had the Mac Pro for 3 days when I had a problem with it. Even their tech support could not figure out the problem. There I am packing it up to go into Apple who offered to trouble shoot. But honestly, at $1700.00 I was not willing to trouble shoot a 3 day old computer and unfortunately, my first experience with Apple sent me back to PC's. Apple might have a good product, but I don't think it is worth the money. A 1700.00 computer should run sharp with no problems. Anyhow, just my experience and that is why I went to Dell and Acer. I was also told Toshiba and Samsung were worth looking at. But, the Geek Squad at Best Buy did say Samsung was the one brand they serviced the least for problems and they also recommended Acer (But not Dell)

Thanks for your feed back

 

[3happydancers]

My dh gave me a Samsung Ultrabook for Christmas and I am loving it!

Probably going to be in the minority, but I loathe Apple products. Just don't buy into the hype. I have a Toshiba that I got two years ago on clearance for under $400 that is AWESOME! I have never had a moment's trouble out of it and it runs great. I edit my own photos, use the internet constantly, do all of my doctorate degree online, plan all my own classroom lessons online, etc and this thing hasn't disappointed me yet. I had never used anything but Dell and HP in the past when it comes to laptops but this one has already lasted longer than those did. Good luck!

These two brands keeps coming up positive in my research and asking questions. Others tell me they love their Acers. The particular Dell unit received 4 stars in it's reviews. I guess I have to road test each and then decide.

Thanks for everyone's feedback on their experiences! Wish me luck!

 

[ToodlesRN]

I had a dell laptop Inspiron that lasted a couple years then bought a Sony Vaio which I loved that lasted 4yrs the hinge started to come apart from falling one to many times. I haven't bought a new laptop yet as we have an iMac and 2 iPads, so I'm waiting to make my mind on a Mac Pro or another Sony. I'd prefer apple but some of my work programs require pc software to do work from home.

Look into Sony if you haven't yet.

 

[rcraw45425]

Bought my daughter an Acer three years ago and it's been crap since pretty much day one. Only thing worse in our house right now is hubbys Toshiba Netbook. Both take forever to load a page even with very little memory being used. I'm using a three year old Sony VAIO right now that's okay, but nowhere near as sweet as the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro we bought our girls for Christmas. My desktop is a newish (less than 1 year) HP all in one running Windows 7 (no way would I use Windows 8). Really think lng run money wise Apple is the way to go. I'm sorry you had a bad experience but truly I've had that happen with PC products and it was a lot harder to get resolution than your Apple experience. Had to lug an entire desktop back to Bes Buy when it bit the dust within a week and an ASUS laptop had to be sent back to them twice and still died.

 

[Bob NC]

OP my parent have Acer and I truly hate them! My parents have nothing but trouble with them! They seem to last about 1-2 years before they start having major problems (I think they are #3) and they are truthfully done with them. They liked the price, but they seriously have now spent the same amount of money I did on our MacBook Pro (which is almost 4.5 years old and still running like new) on 3 computers that have died just out of the warranty! Like I keep telling them.... You get what you pay for!

Yes you get what you pay for.

I always wonder, though, why people compare a $2500 Mac with the $300 PC.

People always say their PC was a piece of crap but now that they own Mac they'll never go back.

LOL, well if you had purchased a $2500 PC, you wouldn't have been buying 3 of them in 5 years either.

Doesn't.make.sense.

 

[3happydancers]

Yes you get what you pay for.

I always wonder, though, why people compare a $2500 Mac with the $300 PC.

People always say their PC was a piece of crap but now that they own Mac they'll never go back.

LOL, well if you had purchased a $2500 PC, you wouldn't have been buying 3 of them in 5 years either.

Doesn't.make.sense.

Good Point! As a matter of fact, I just received the replacement for the new Dell I sent back 2 weeks ago and so far I am not impressed. The curser jumps to any spot it wants while I am in the middle of typing and a screen keeps popping up (where you can adjust the mouse and such). I'll x out of it and the slightest movement of my lap prompts the screen to pop back up.

In the mean time, I have been using a new Acer V5 Aspire touch screen, which I have grown fond of, but the i5 processor seems a bit slow. The Dell has an i7 but what good is the processor if the rest of it does not work right (maybe it's me). I have read that the key board is extra sensitive. You could be activating something on the key board by the brush of your hand without realizing it.

I know most have recommended a MAC, (which I did not have luck with), but for the price I am looking for near perfection and did not get that experience. My neighbor's son works for Apple and they rave about the products, but I just don't know.

Thanks everyone for your honest input!!!!!

 

[tianna26]

Probably going to be in the minority, but I loathe Apple products. Just don't buy into the hype. I have a Toshiba that I got two years ago on clearance for under $400 that is AWESOME! I have never had a moment's trouble out of it and it runs great. I edit my own photos, use the internet constantly, do all of my doctorate degree online, plan all my own classroom lessons online, etc and this thing hasn't disappointed me yet. I had never used anything but Dell and HP in the past when it comes to laptops but this one has already lasted longer than those did. Good luck!

I too loathe apple

 

[angierae]

I had an ASUS that I loved (long story) and now have a Samsung i7 that I adore. My husband has an ASUS that he loves.

We've been very happy with both of those brands. I love my Samsung so much I'm probably going to buy a Samsung Android phone next time, too.

 

[wiigirl]

I too loathe apple

Me too...over priced computers.