Laptop

WH_Conley · September 15, 2011, 09:11:35 PM

My daughter is in college and in the market for a laptop computer. Don't to go too cheap, not interested in the most money that can be spent either. What is the general opinion of the most bang for the buck. She is thinking about the 15 inch size.

Buck · September 15, 2011, 09:38:52 PM

Wife just got a Toshiba from Office Depot for less than $400. Doing just fine for her for studies in nursing school.

Jeff · September 15, 2011, 09:41:24 PM

HP walmart or Sams mine is a HP G62 less than 400 bucks and it works just fine other than I HATE A LAPTOP KEYBOARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Warbird · September 16, 2011, 12:09:11 AM

For college purposes, something along the lines of what Jeff or Buck mentioned would be fine. As long as she isn't wanting to play the latest video games on it.

If it doesn't come bundled with the laptop she gets, I would also look into educational discounts for Microsoft software such as Word, Excel, etc. Usually, it can be purchased at (or through) a university bookstore for a substantial discount. She will definitely want that sort of software to be successful.

If she's not stuck on Miscrosoft, "Open Office" can be had for free and does pretty well (although I've never run it on a Windows system).

SwampDonkey · September 16, 2011, 05:41:49 AM

I like Toshiba brand myself and I have two here, this one and and older one. They are like the energizer bunny..........keeps going.........going............going. :D

Norm · September 16, 2011, 07:09:30 AM

Sony Vaio is the best short of a mac air which is too much money for what you get. I made the mistake of getting a laptop with a 17" screen and hate it, just too big for me.

submarinesailor · September 16, 2011, 08:34:55 AM

Quote from: SwampDonkey on September 16, 2011, 05:41:49 AM
I like Toshiba brand myself and I have two here, this one and and older one. They are like the energizer bunny..........keeps going.........going............going. :D

SwampD - that may be the case. BUT, because of this: Toshiba-Kongsberg scandal. I will never own anything from Toshiba.

"Several countries had illegally exported the machine tool that combined with the Norwegian numerical control (NC) device to the Soviet Union in violation of agreements during the Cold War(1945–91). And the Toshiba-Kongsberg scandal was disclosed in this activity in 1987".

Bruce

chevytaHOE5674 · September 16, 2011, 09:24:09 AM

I have an IBM thinkpad and while it isn't fancy or stylish, it gets the job done and has for 7 years now with nothing more than a battery. And I carry it all over, even run it in the car for GPS turn by turn directions. My brother has a thinkpad that is almost 10 years old and he still uses it everyday for surfing the internet. When my thinkpad dies its replacement will be another thinkpad as it just plain works.

The other half had a top of the line Toshiba and the LCD screen went out (and Toshiba said tough crap its 7 days out of warranty), so she replaced it with an HP which now has broken hinges and some other issues. I've since replaced the LCD and use the Toshiba as a "desktop" hooked up to the TV.

Radar67 · September 16, 2011, 11:25:17 AM

Warbird, Open Office works fine from a Windows platform. Microsoft Office is expensive and Open Office can be used for the same purposes.

WH_Conley · September 16, 2011, 01:01:31 PM

She has been using Open Office on this XP machine for the last year, some communication issues when takes her work to school and opens it in Word. Nothing major.

Keep the opinions coming, she will be going to get one in a few days. Before she does I am going to let her read this thread.

Norm · September 16, 2011, 01:13:56 PM

What is your daughter's major at college Bill?

DouginUtah · September 16, 2011, 01:47:19 PM

Good laptop deals show up almost daily on www.slickdeals.net .I noticed today there is a Dell for $329.

WH_Conley · September 16, 2011, 05:31:56 PM

Norm, she is going into teaching.

Norm · September 16, 2011, 05:43:24 PM

Cool!

red oaks lumber · September 16, 2011, 10:56:53 PM

i have a dell inspiron with windows 7 and 15" monitor, love having the mobility to go any where :)price wasn't bad somewhere around $350

Magicman · September 25, 2011, 11:19:43 PM

Looks like I may be in the market for a new laptop. Mine has been going to white screen, green screen, black screen, & blue screen about anytime that it decides to. Looks like tonight it has lost it's mind and can't see the wireless network. :-\

I hate to even think about moving bookmarks, programs, etc. to a new one. Especially when I don't know how to. Life is simpler when stuff works.

Radar67 · September 25, 2011, 11:25:48 PM

MM, I can move files for you with no trouble.

Paper Maker · September 26, 2011, 01:22:10 AM

I use a MacBook Pro I bought at Best Buy. When it was new I could get six hours of run time on the battery before needing charging. Two years latter I'm getting about four hours. The body is milled from a solid block of aluminum wich makes it very durable. I also don't worry about viruses. Not yet anyway. (Knock on wood) It may or may not be the ideal laptop for your needs. Just putting my two cents worth in. I like a Mac. One thing I do recommend is shopping at Best Buy. The associates are well trained to help and they have a great selection to choose from. Best wishes to your daughter. I hope she turns out like my old history teacher and not like my old english teacher. I still hate english. I just hope Mrs. Weiner Witch Winagar doesn't read the Forestry Form. Just kidding.

Mooseherder · September 26, 2011, 06:00:15 AM

So dats where www comes from. :D

thecfarm · September 26, 2011, 07:10:27 AM

We bought ours at Best Buy. We brought the protection plan and the added warranty too. Covers the lap top even if we drop it on the floor. We'll see how that works when we do drop it. Does add a bit to the final bill,but need any of it once and it is worth it.

Magicman · September 26, 2011, 07:49:55 AM

Since the only stores that we have is WalMart and Dollar General, I'll go shopping this morning. :-\

Magicman · September 26, 2011, 12:31:52 PM

I have exceeded my comfort level. I bought a Dell 14R "Switch" laptop. Right now I am probably clicking stuff that I should not, :-\ but I don't want a bunch of garbage on it.

It's making a "recovery disc" now. Time will tell.

Radar67, I may be calling you.

Magicman · September 26, 2011, 01:25:35 PM

I'm on it, but I have a loooong ways to go. :-\

SwampDonkey · September 26, 2011, 01:35:39 PM

My TV sound went over the weekend. It was an RCA picture tube type TV with analog tuner. Anyway, I've had such good luck with Toshiba laptops that I went straight for a Toshiba 32" LCD for $349 dual analog/digital tuner. I didn't get the extra 5 year warranttee because the TV isn't expensive and the last few TV's I have gotten only last 5-6 years and that's it. Go get a new one. TV's are more like computers now, you can even update the firmware with a USB thumbdrive.

Magicman · September 26, 2011, 02:01:27 PM

Of course, now I'm suddenly going from Windows whatever to Windows 7 and all of these other good ideas. The function keyboard keys are rearranged, so I'm touching the wrong keys and typing "not" what I want to type. :-\

I downloaded Firefox, but I have not found my Bookmarks options yet. Some kind of way I've got to get my tool bar back.

This is no fun.

ronwood · September 26, 2011, 02:38:52 PM

MM,

Did your fan on your laptop fail? I am having an issue with my brothers laptop going to a white screen and found that the internal fan is out causing the laptop to over heat. Waiting for a new to arrive to see if that takes care of the issue.

Ron

beenthere · September 26, 2011, 02:48:12 PM

I had an over-heating problem with my laptop. Seems the fan blade warped a bit causing it to hit something and slow it down. A new fan was prohibitive to get installed. Tried to bend the blade back which was just a temporary fix.

With many pics on it that I wanted to salvage, I fired it up and rested it on two packages of frozen deer sausages to keep it cool while I downloaded the pics. Worked great and thawed out some sausage to eat.

Heard yesterday that HP is getting out of the computer business. Don't know what all is involved, and if it means printers and printer ink as well.

SwampDonkey · September 26, 2011, 03:01:11 PM

They know printers and scanners, forget about computers. ;)

DouginUtah · September 26, 2011, 03:04:42 PM

Were you using Firefox on the old computer?

If so, go to Bookmarks | Organize bookmarks. You will see a tab on the top called Import and Backup. Click it and you will see Export. Do it. That gives you a file to take to your new computer and do the same, except this time it is Import.

Ianab · September 26, 2011, 03:07:49 PM

Even if the fan is still running laptops have very small and fin finned heatsinks. These get clogged with "dust bunnies" after a couple of year. The fan runs full speed, but things just keep getting hotter until the machine locks up.

Some are easy enough to remove a cover or the keyboard and clean out the cooling, others are a real pig. I thing the assemble process starts with the heatsink and everything else is added around it... >:(

Either way, that cooling is the first thing to check.

HP may be going to sell off the PC and laptop business, like IBM did with their part of the business. They simply sold the whole deal to Lenovo who were making the PCs for them anyway.

Ian

Paper Maker · September 26, 2011, 05:08:23 PM

Quote from: Magicman on September 26, 2011, 02:01:27 PM
Of course, now I'm suddenly going from Windows whatever to Windows 7 and all of these other good ideas. The function keyboard keys are rearranged, so I'm touching the wrong keys and typing "not" what I want to type. :-\

I downloaded Firefox, but I have not found my Bookmarks options yet. Some kind of way I've got to get my tool bar back.

This is no fun.

I know your not close to a Best Buy but if you can get to one they can fix you up for a $140. Geek Squad recovered all my mothers pictures a other business information and put it on a external hard drive for her. The $140 includes them doing it and the hard drive. Then as you collect more pictures you can save them on your computer as well as the external hard drive. Just another option. Good luck.

Bandmill Bandit · September 26, 2011, 05:27:52 PM

Good day

I know I will have response on both sides of this argument but for the money you are best to go with a MacBook Pro 13 or 15 Inch. Take the max extended warranty offered and you should have her set for her college career. Apples for apples you just cant beat the reliability and the service you get from Apple.

We switched to Apple 4 years ago and our over all cost for computers has dropped by almost 50% year on year as compared to the PC system we used to run. We have about a dozen of them in the family and all the Lap tops (8 of them) have replaced desk PCs and 3 Mac minis that are running in place of 2 desk PCs we kept as backup that rarely if ever run. One of them has not been turned on in 2 years if not more. The other one only runs when we need the scanner. We have not replaced the scanner and we cant get Mac drivers for it but will be replacing it before the year is out. We will be PC FREE! BEFORE the switch to Apple we had 10 desk PCs, 2 PC servers and 6 Laptops. Total 18 computers. Today we run 8 laptops, 1 Mac Mini as a server 2 Minis as entertainment system brains/servers. Total 11 computers. Saving maintenance, software Licensing and hardware replacement cost on 7 computers is a good sized chunk of change. Licensing alone can save a hundred bucks +, a year minimum per computer.

The Mac will save you significant $$ in the long haul and is almost always more computer for the money. If you add in the cost of soft ware and licensing well thats were Apple is so far out in front the competition cant even run in the same race.

You will not regret the decision to go with a MacBook Pro. Depending on her needs you may find she will be very happy with a MacBook Air. They are a lot of computer for the price and my Daughter working in the university environment every day in recruiting, says that many students find that the Air is more computer then they need and it is half the weight to lug around campus.

submarinesailor · September 26, 2011, 06:25:30 PM

Quote from: Ianab on September 26, 2011, 03:07:49 PM
HP may be going to sell off the PC and laptop business, like IBM did with their part of the business. They simply sold the whole deal to Lenovo who were making the PCs for them anyway.

Ian

Ian - I just read in the business news today that the board and chairman of the board fired the CEO for going that and canceling their notepad. I can't remember who it was, but they have already hired a new CEO. 3rd one in little over a year.

Bruce

Magicman · September 26, 2011, 08:07:05 PM

Quote from: ronwood on September 26, 2011, 02:38:52 PM
MM, Did your fan on your laptop fail? Ron

The fan did not fail, but the heat sink was clogged with lint, big time. I did a dis-assembly, cleaning, and re-assembly. It will not log onto wireless any more, which probably is just the modem. It still has issues with the broken printed circuit board where the power cord plugs in. The mother board will have to be removed to re-solder this.

My thoughts were to just replace the stolen laptop at the Cabin with it and get a new one for daily use here. I only use the cabin laptop for looking at and storing trail camera pictures.

So now I have this new laptop here with all of the file moving, and drivers to load. What was I thinking ???

WDH · September 26, 2011, 08:18:21 PM

It could be worse. You could be hanging sheetrock and breaking in a new computer :D.

Paper Maker · September 26, 2011, 10:17:11 PM

Quote from: Bandmill Bandit on September 26, 2011, 05:27:52 PM
Good day

I know I will have response on both sides of this argument but for the money you are best to go with a MacBook Pro 13 or 15 Inch. Take the max extended warranty offered and you should have her set for her college career. Apples for apples you just cant beat the reliability and the service you get from Apple.

We switched to Apple 4 years ago and our over all cost for computers has dropped by almost 50% year on year as compared to the PC system we used to run. We have about a dozen of them in the family and all the Lap tops (8 of them) have replaced desk PCs and 3 Mac minis that are running in place of 2 desk PCs we kept as backup that rarely if ever run. One of them has not been turned on in 2 years if not more. The other one only runs when we need the scanner. We have not replaced the scanner and we cant get Mac drivers for it but will be replacing it before the year is out. We will be PC FREE! BEFORE the switch to Apple we had 10 desk PCs, 2 PC servers and 6 Laptops. Total 18 computers. Today we run 8 laptops, 1 Mac Mini as a server 2 Minis as entertainment system brains/servers. Total 11 computers. Saving maintenance, software Licensing and hardware replacement cost on 7 computers is a good sized chunk of change. Licensing alone can save a hundred bucks +, a year minimum.

The Mac will save you significant $$ in the long haul and is almost always more computer for the money. If you add in the cost of soft ware and licensing well thats were Apple is so far out in front the competition cant even run in the same race.

You will not regret the decision to go with a MacBook Pro. Dependign on here need you may find she will be very happy with a MacBook Air. They are a lot of computer for the price and my Daughter working in the university environment every day in recruiting, says that many students find that the Air is more computer then they need and it is half the weight to lug around campus.

What he said.

Magicman · September 26, 2011, 10:39:45 PM

Say what? This is the old laptop after cleaning caked lint from the heat sink which is in the top right corner.

.

I haven't decided if this new one is going to stay or go. Right now, I think that it will go back. The text will jump around and insert itself in places where I didn't put it. Looking at an SD card in "My Computer" it only shows me the file #'s with a thumbnail of the file that is highlighted instead of the entire card's contents. :-\

So far, I really have not seen much of anything that has impressed me.

SwampDonkey · September 27, 2011, 04:47:41 AM

Shoulda went Toshiba.

Mac won't do what I need done.

Magicman · September 27, 2011, 07:29:03 AM

I just may go Toshiba. One good thing about dealing with WallyMart is that you can return with no questions asked. They just send it back to the supplier. I would work through the software differences, because they will be the same with any brand, but this one will just start typing somewhere else on the screen. I can't imagine any option that would cause this to ng happen? I will type somethi

As you can see above, it placed the "ng" back into the previous sentence. Sometimes it will back up to the middle of a word or even up on the previous line.

Magicman · September 27, 2011, 12:18:10 PM

Looks like my problem was the "Tap" feature. I had it disabled on the old Laptop, and now it's disabled on this one. I just prefer to click a button when I want something to happen.

Now to Software. I have to get accustomed to Windows 7 and this newer Firefox, and get my Bookmarks moved. The word processor is completely different so I hope that I can move those files. I'll also have to re-figure out how to load the D-Link wireless for the printers. :-\

If all else fails or when I get it good and screwed up, I'll go to see Radar67. ;D

beenthere · September 27, 2011, 12:57:23 PM

MM
So are you hanging on to this one, now that "tap" is disabled?

Wish you well on the frustration, as I can relate to it.

Bandmill Bandit · September 27, 2011, 04:00:38 PM

Quote from: SwampDonkey on September 27, 2011, 04:47:41 AM
Shoulda went Toshiba.

Mac won't do what I need done.

What do you need done? have yet to find any thing that a mac wont do better than a PC including run MS software, like office etc.

SwampDonkey · September 27, 2011, 04:12:24 PM

The problem is it doesn't have good GPS/GIS support for my Trimble GPS.

I guess I'm unique, in not having issues with my windows programs. I have ran PowerMacs in the day, and those things crashed 10 times a day. And the older Macs choked on SCSI removeable media like Zip drives. They would lock up big time.

Bandmill Bandit · September 27, 2011, 08:07:48 PM

Yea i hear you but that was back when they were working out the bugs in the proto types they sold in those days. the new ones are a result of all that experience.

I will check with my kid on the GPS thing for trimble. we run a couple of those and i am pretty sure he has em running on macs.

Magicman · September 27, 2011, 08:37:57 PM

Quote from: beenthere on September 27, 2011, 12:57:23 PM
So are you hanging on to this one, now that "tap" is disabled?

Yup, the software would be the same with any of the new ones, so I'll gradually fumble through it.

WH_Conley, I apologize for holding your thread hostage. :-\ It wasn't intended when I first had a problem and got into this fix/buy situation.

SwampDonkey · September 28, 2011, 04:57:40 AM

I'm pretty sure that will be futile Bandmill, as it's needs Trimble Pathfinder Office to correct positions and ArcPad to edit, plus ArcMap, fGIS or Maptitude to deal with GIS and map generation. I'm not interested in hack programs from parties that come and go from the scene for months and years between updates. Everything I submit has to be a shapefile and a Trimble *.SSF file.

Magicman · September 28, 2011, 07:15:54 AM

I loaded a couple of printer drivers last night, but I have not tackled that wireless printer on D-Link yet. There is also something that I am not doing (right) with the transferring of Bookmarks.

Bandmill Bandit · September 28, 2011, 09:16:04 AM

Quote from: SwampDonkey on September 28, 2011, 04:57:40 AM
I'm pretty sure that will be futile Bandmill, as it's needs Trimble Pathfinder Office to correct positions and ArcPad to edit, plus ArcMap, fGIS or Maptitude to deal with GIS and map generation. I'm not interested in hack programs from parties that come and go from the scene for months and years between updates. Everything I submit has to be a shapefile and a Trimble *.SSF file.

I probably shouldn't refer to him as a kid any more as he is 29 and a computer systems engineer to boot. I dont think the stuff he works with is hack stuff. It for his farm clients so i am pretty sure its legit stuff but I will check. I dont Know squat about it but I have heard him talking to one of his clients about those programs. he has quite a few clients going with MAC especialy since the Ipad came out. I will let you know what i find out.

WH_Conley · September 28, 2011, 10:25:02 PM

No problem Magic. All a learning curve.

SwampDonkey · September 29, 2011, 05:13:03 AM

Just think of all the hands on training your getting. ;D

Magicman · September 29, 2011, 08:04:37 AM

Life was simpler when all of this training wasn't needed. :-\

I'm gradually getting it tweaked.

Magicman · October 08, 2011, 01:49:44 PM

I solved my printer problem. My D-Link wireless print router and Windows 7 were not friends and no drivers were available. I also discovered that many of today's printers are wireless.

The HP PHOTOSmart Plus that I got had many poor reviews, but they were from folks complaining about the initial ink cartridges depleting quickly and also folks complaining about the availability of software to allow the printer to be accessed by an I-Phone, etc. A little reading will inform you that the initial ink cartridges are filled with a different formula ink, and yes, a limited amount. That, plus selling you ink cartridges is where the $$$ are.

Anyway, the installation went absolutely flawlessly. I first removed all traces of HP printers from both laptops, and then simply followed the onscreen prompts. It was like, well, Magic !!!

Now, if I can figure out how to keep the touch pad from resizing my pages. I can "Ctrl" scroll and fix it back, but I didn't want it to change.

SwampDonkey · October 08, 2011, 03:22:18 PM

Ink cartridges seemed to have jumped about $10 in price since last year. It's quite a racket.

Warbird · October 08, 2011, 05:01:19 PM

Yes, it is quite the racket. :-\

Magicman · October 08, 2011, 05:06:44 PM

Quote from: Magicman on October 08, 2011, 01:49:44 PM
Now, if I can figure out how to keep the touch pad from resizing my pages. I can "Ctrl" scroll and fix it back, but I didn't want it to change.

I think that I found it again. I had turned the "Multi-Fingers Gesture" OFF, but I guess that I did not click "Apply". I applied it this time, so maybe the screen will stay the size that I want it.

I actually have copied my Firefox Bookmarks on the old laptop to a disc. Now to figure out how to copy them from the disc to this new Laptop. "Import" should be the place, but so far not.

Warbird · October 08, 2011, 05:12:42 PM

You should be able to do it from the "Organize Bookmarks" within Firefox. If it won't read from the DVD drive, then copy the HTML file you exported your bookmarks to, to you desktop. Then import from there.

WDH · October 08, 2011, 08:57:03 PM

We got a new printer yesterday. One key point in my research on which one to buy was the cost of printer cartridges. One that I was looking at had 5 ink cartridges. Replacing the cartridges one time was as much as the cost of the printer.

I have to say, though, the wireless printing thing is pretty cool.

Magicman · October 08, 2011, 09:28:51 PM

I'm just going in circles with the bookmarks. I know for positive that they are on the disc. I can open the file and click on and open different bookmarked items.

I created a new Desktop folder, named it "bookmarks", and copied the bookmarks to it. It is now an html file. I can double click that folder and open my index of bookmarks from there.

From there, I'm just going in circles. I click "Import Bookmarks from HTML. That carries me to my folder containing bookmarks. I click the bookmark folder, it fills the "file name" box with bookmarks.html. Now when I click "Open", the Import Bookmarks File window disappears and I am back to where I started. As I said, I'm missing something and just going in circles.

Magicman · October 09, 2011, 07:09:25 AM

OK, where is the idiot "Smilie Face" ??? I thought about it last night after I went to bed. When I thought it was taking me in circles, it was actually copying my bookmarks.

At least it is obedient. It copied them every time I clicked OK, 5 times !!! :D :D

SwampDonkey · October 09, 2011, 08:13:42 AM

Your learn'n.

Magicman · October 09, 2011, 09:45:42 AM

We've gotta laugh at ourselves and I do not mind sharing my goofs with others because someone else may benefit. I have all of the extra bookmarks deleted, plus cleaning up my list.

Transferring Word & Works files are next. Pictures will be last.

Thankfully, I'm working with an old laptop that still works/boots up. Windows 7 and the newer version of Firefox have thrown me a few extra curves, but I am gradually learning.

The suggestions that some of you guys have made have been priceless. Thanks.

DouginUtah · October 09, 2011, 11:22:50 AM

One of the best tricks to using Windows 7 is to create a shortcut on your desktop (right-click on the desktop) and call it "All Tasks".

The target is "C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}".

This makes it much easier to do things--sort of like using the Control Panel but easier to find the task.

mometal77 · November 08, 2011, 12:04:00 AM

Like many said use toshiba and costco has a good return policy. One thing I will use from now on is the american express card as much as i dislike the buggers and bank of america but they give another year on a warranty purchase after the labtop's warranty expires. Walmart friends of mine have had issues with them in the past on returns. And ebay i tried buying a labtop from a girl out of seattle a few months ago for an old fishing buddy and the screen was blank she deleted all the start up programs and the right side plug in adapter was broken. Thank god for pay pal. But it took a month to get the money back. Cheaper to buy new.

Magicman · November 08, 2011, 08:29:50 AM

I have finally gotten comfortable with this new Dell and Windows 7. I still have some files to move and some I'll have to rebuild but at least I'm getting there.

I have not tackled my two spreadsheets yet. The big one is my "Farm Account" and the farm owns the sawmill. :-\ I'm going to finish the year on the old laptop and then set up next year's on this new one.

Bandmill Bandit · November 08, 2011, 10:14:51 AM

Quote from: Norm on September 16, 2011, 07:09:30 AM
Sony Vaio is the best short of a mac air which is too much money for what you get. I made the mistake of getting a laptop with a 17" screen and hate it, just too big for me.

Feature for feature Mac book air is very good value for the money and is one of the most reliable of that class of computer.

I had 5 sony Vaios at one point and all but one of them were a pain in the back side. 3 of them were in the sony service centre more then we used them and 2 of them never did work properly at all. We finally pitched em just less then 2 years after we bought em and went with Mac Books. Best thing we ever did in term of computers. Over all cost of computers has dropped by darn close to 50% since we switched and most of that has been software license cost. Leopard runs Microsoft office better then windows does too.

I never had a laptop last 4 years before and right now I have 4 of 6 that are 3 months into year 5 and going strong. All Mac books! Only have one PC left for a server and it is not running windows software either.

SwampDonkey · November 09, 2011, 09:06:39 AM

I've got one Toshiba here, soon to be 12 years old and the other one is about 6 years old. The old one is in a drawer, but everything works like out of the box. The only thing is XP is slow on it, it was a Windows ME computer, it's only 660 mhz. I bought both at Staples and they have always worked, never needed warrantee work.

At the office and at my brother's house, they had Acers from Radio Shack, nothing but pieces of junk. They would just go black and seize, not even 6 months old.