Is A Dell Laptop Computer Still A Worthy Shopping Option?

In the last couple of months, Dell laptop computers have faced numerous issues such as battery recalls, the manufacturer’s inability to efficiently deal with customer support issue and other bad press that has turned Dell from a darling into a little devil.

Should you still shop for Dell laptop computers?

At the end of the day, there’s nothing really bad about the quality of Dell laptop computers. Companies recall some of their products all the times. A recall is painless: if a certain component of your laptop is recalled, you send it in and they issue you with a trouble free new one. That’s how it works in theory at least.

The real problem for Dell laptop owners is the quality of the customer support. They just get overwhelmed with phone calls from inexperienced computer owners.

Why is this happening? Well, initially Dell laptops were sold to business owners and very technically inclined computer users were among the first non-business clients.

Thus, the company could handle the support of the Dell laptop computer lines because the number of customers was bearable and there were less questions because these business owners either had their in house geeks to deal with the issues and the tech savvy consumers can usually fix the general issues without the intervention of Dell’s customer service.

The rubber hit the road when the effort to gain marketshare and increase the company’s growth was launched. This effort would include selling any Dell product including the laptops to the average or non-tech savvy consumer. It was thanks to the ease of online ordering that made even the first time computer user, a potential customer as he or she could purchase the computer on the website without any hassle.

Some people who work at the manufacturer’s support department for Dell laptop computers have confirmed that most of the calls they get are from inexperienced computer users and shoppers and some of their questions are just plain easy to solve for an tech savvy computer user.

I hope that you see where I am going with this…

There’s nothing wrong with Dell laptop computers. They still are some of the best shopping consideration for a budget conscious AND (the capital letter is on purpose) tech savvy shopper who’s willing to leave with Dell’s awful customer service.

If you know nothing about computers, are scared of them or just want the peace of mind that there’s a star team waiting on the phone line to address your computing issues, I would not recommend you shopping for a Dell laptop computer because should you for instance have trouble, you’re in for an experience I would only wish to the worst boss I have ever worked for.

What Laptop Computer Brand To Buy?

Every so often, I get email like the one below:

Dear Sir,

I would like to purchase laptop computer for personal use.

Which brand should I go for Dell or Toshiba or IBM?

Please do the needful.

H.M.

I will admit that I get sometimes frustrated at such messages because it simply means that the writer did not even bother to browse around and read some of the many articles that are found here that would enlighten him or her about his or her laptop computer purchase

Laziness being a human commodity, I figured that it’s faster for people to ask me such a general question than to spend time perusing content addressing their issues.

I am not perfect. I do that too. Often for that matter! When I call support centers for instance, there’s no way I will spend time listening the automated robot. I just press 0 until I get a human operator. So, I guess by getting such emails, it is life’s way of paying me back :)

Which laptop computer brand should the writer or anyone go for?

I have given the answer in the many articles that I have written so far, so I’ll link to them from here.

If you’re completely new to laptop computer shopping:

1.The Most Important Question You Must Ask Yourself Before You Even Begin Shopping Around

2.How To Determine What Laptop Is Best For You By Avoiding This Number One Mistake

3.Tips On Choosing The Right Laptop Specifications

And then check out:

All about Dell, Toshiba or IBM laptop computers

Ten steps to the best laptop computers

The honest truth about laptop ratings and laptops’ reviews

How to track down a good cheap used laptop for sale

I will stop here before I overwhelm the novices with so much information. But that should be more than enough to give you a very good idea on what type and brand of laptop computer to shop for and ultimately purchase.

Macintosh or Windows PC?

One of the reasons why I cannot give a black and white answer to such a question is because at the end of the day, laptop computer shopping is a very subjective choice so what’s good for one person might not be for another. For instance, I chose the Mac platform (I have a PowerBook G4) but that’s just me… If I told readers to purchase the same computer as I did, it would be a very biased advice which would defeat the purpose of this website.

Here’s a small hint though… if you really are puzzled and can’t make up your mind on what model to purchase, find out what laptop computer brand and model your favorite technical savvy friend or family members has and purchase the same if he or she recommends it. Thus, when you have a problem, he or she will be able to easily and quickly help you as she or he will have faced a similar issue.

Hope this helps…

As usual, send your laptop computer shopping questions to mail#@#laptopadvisor.com (remove the #s) and I will do my best to answer them. Thanks

What should I look for in a laptop backpack?

1. A laptop backpack must be designed to carry a notebook computer. This may sound pretty obvious until you realize that some bags are marketed as such while they’re not even padded.
2. The backpack must have enough extra pockets and compartments (separate from the laptop compartment) to carry accessories such as extra batteries, power cord, mouse, necessary cables and so on.
3. The stripes must be strong enough to withhold the weight of the laptop and extra luggage.
4. A laptop backpack must have a list of happy owners. Thanks to the Internet retail sites such as Amazon and eBags, you can quickly scan the reviews from actual owners who will share their good and bad experiences with you allowing you to make an informed decision.
5. It must look good according to your tastes. There’s no reason why you should haul around a laptop back that does not match your fashion style or your personality. I never cease to be amazed when I see a person dressed in corporate attire with a fluorescent laptop bag or a stylish young lady with a dull grey looking bag!
6. The laptop backpack needs to have some sort of guarantee. It might not be the right size and so forth, you want to be able to return it if you don’t like it just like most goods.

There’s not much more I can add to purchasing a good laptop back. Follow some of the guidelines provided above and hit the online or offline stores and sooner or later you will find your perfect bag.

Should I Purchase a New Laptop Hard Drive?

Jenny (last name omitted for privacy purposes), a college student from (err, I forgot to ask her!) sent me the following email.

Hello! I found your site very useful. But I do have a question.

Well a year ago, I asked my dad for advice on which laptop to get. I told him I love to listen to music on computers and I hate when they are slow. I am a college student, so I am on my computer a lot. So he picked me out a Dell Inspiron, which I paid for, but I found out it only has 25 GB on it. I own an iPod, which has more than that. My question is: should I go ahead and buy a whole new laptop so that I can fit more stuff on it? Right now I fill up 23 GB/25 GB and I haven’t even uploaded nearly enough songs on it. I have had it for over a year. Should I buy a new one or should I just purchase a new hard drive?

Hope you can help,

Jenny

To which I replied…

Jenny,

Thanks for your email.

I guess that it depends:

1) If the computer still works fine for you but your main concern is the hard drive’s space, then it might be cheaper to just order a new one and get it installed by a professional

2) If money is not an issue, you might just consider purchasing a new laptop because it will be to date with today’s latest technologies and it will have enough space.

One thing I need to tell you right now (from experience), is that you will never have enough space for your music.

What I personally did was to purchase an external drive and use it as iTunes’ default hard drive.

It works fine for me. When I am on the road and leave the external drive behind, I don’t have my music with me but it’s OK because I usually have DVDs that I watch or I could simply use an iPod to listen to music.

Hope this helps!

The Laptop Advisor

To which she later replied…

Hello!

I was very surprised that I got your email so fast :) Thanks a lot. I wasn’t sure if you’d even reply but you are very prompt and I really appreciate that. I asked my brother who actually owns an Apple laptop (MacBook Pro), the same question, and he recommended to me to buy an external hard drive because it was the cheapest option.

So I think I will do that, buy an external hard drive. Thanks a lot!

Jenny

If you have any questions, email them to me at mail#@#laptopadvisor.com (remove the #) and I will try to answer them as soon as I can get to them.

Whatever happened to IBM laptops?

IBM laptops officially ceased to exist, as we knew them on May 1st 2005 when the PC division of IBM was sold to a Chinese company called Lenovo.

As a result, this Chinese giant became the third PC manufacturer in the world. For the next five years, until 2010, Lenovo will be allowed to use the Thinkpad, which was the brand name of the line of IBM laptops.

Now that IBM laptops are made and marketed by Lenovo, what does it mean for the laptop shopper?

All I can really comment is that except for the name change and ownership, the quality of Lenovo/IBM laptops should remain the same. Many consumers are worried that the transfer of ownership from an American company to a Chinese one will impact quality. That’s because these consumers ignore the fact that most electronics around us are manufactured in Asia and marketed by American companies.

In other words, what’s inside has remained the same, all that has changed is the name and owner.

What have been the effect of the sale on IBM laptops?

Beside the name and ownership change, I have not read any report of sales dropping or anything affecting the brand negatively. I still see that IBM laptops under the Lenovo moniker are still promoted as the finest laptop computers for business use.

What is the current line of IBM laptops?

At this time of writing (30th August, 06), Lenovo, formerly known as IBM laptops are available in five distinct series.

1) The Z series noticeable for the bright widescreen and color availability (Black or Titanium).

2) The R series which are the mainstream models and are the cheapest of the bunch but are still capable to satisfy the computing needs of the average laptop computer user.

3) The T series look like they’re the perfect Lenovo/IBM laptops for power hungry computer users.

4) The X series Tablet are the notebook/Tablet PC hybrids. The only thing I know about them is that they’re expensive and that I personally know one person who uses a Tablet PC. He’s a raving fan but his raving praises did not sell me on Tablet PC especially as laptops are getting smaller and cell phones smarter (end of personal rant :o) .

5) Finally the X series. These are the thinnest and lightest of IBM laptops. They’re the obvious choice for those professionals who value battery life, space and their shoulders. The privilege of course will be quite expensive starting from $ 1500, which is why most people I have seen with one of these IBM/Lenovo laptop computers tell me that it belongs to the company they work for.

To conclude, I must say that it’s interesting to note that the Lenovo/IBM laptops are still marketed on IBM’s website but nowhere do you see the IBM logo as opposed to Lenovo’s. I guess that this is the agreement in action.

What Should I Know About Laptop Batteries?

If you use your notebook on the move a lot, you will notice that as time goes by, you will run out of power faster than usual. Laptop batteries are usually the first casualties of a computer’s old age. Here’s how to prolong their life expectancy and how/where to purchase a new one.

One of the habits that should be acquired is to let the battery run out juice from time to time. According to people who know far more than I do, apparently laptop batteries have a memory and the more they are recharged when not completely dry, the more they figure that the charging point is when it has run out of power.

Another tip of preserving laptop batteries is to disconnect them from your unit if you won’t be using it for a long time. Of course by the time you switch it back on, some of the settings will have to be updated to reflect the current time.

My advice to those who fly or travel a lot is to carry at least two laptop batteries on them each time. I would even venture to add that the more you lug around, the better as sometimes you simply don’t find the time to recharge them.

Oh yes, before I forget… when you recharge your laptop batteries or any batter for that matter make sure that they are charged completely according to the manufacturer’s provided guidelines.

What you do with your computer while running on battery power will greatly influence how long it lasts. The more processing power computer use, the faster laptop batteries run out of juice. So, you might want to limit DVD watching or do subtle things such as closing unnecessary applications, reduce the screen’s brightness and basically focus on the single task that you turned your computer on for, in the first place.

Thanks to the wonderful world of Internet retailers competing against each other on prices to get our (consumers) attention, prices of laptop batteries have drastically dropped as the years have rolled on.

Watch out though! Make sure that you get the right battery for your laptop. Check your user guide for exact specifications. You don’t want to receive it and sadly realize that you’ve wasted your money or worse, you don’t want the thing exploding in your face. I don’t mean to scare you but lately it seems that laptop batteries are being recalled in massive numbers because they have been causing fires!

Where should you start your hunt for good laptop batteries’ deals? I would start at shopping search engines of course or check out (below) my nifty list of laptop dealers who will without a doubt sell batteries too.

Should you purchase your replacement battery straight from the manufacturer? Yes as it’s the safest bet but it will usually be more expensive for you as they don’t practice price matching.

Looking For The Best Laptop Backpack? Start Here!

If you’re shopping for a laptop backpack and need some ideas, why not see what other people are buying and then make up your mind? Here’s the list of the best selling laptop backpacks at the time of this writing with some personal comments (September 2006).

Samsonite Crusher Laptop Backpack

The Samsonite Crusher Backpack includes a padded laptop computer sleeve and CD/MP3 player pouch with headphone gate. Now, the backpack might be cool and all but it had a great price discount on it which is the reason it’s probably at the top of the list.

JanSport Hampton Wheeled

The Ultimate full-sized wheeled daypack with padded laptop sleeve. Ah, today’s generation: all lazy buggers :). Or, maybe they are smarter? Instead of hauling stuff on their back they just drag it around… All I know is that in winter, they’ll be in trouble as those wheels won’t roll in the snow!

JanSport Driver 8

A customer wrote: “I bought this model because it has plenty of room for 2 laptops, chargers, phone, etc. Rolls very easily, especially when fully loaded. Backpack option is OK if required, though not as comfortable as the rolling mode.”

eBags Router Wheeled Laptop Convertible

Hmm… did not know that eBags had their own laptop backpack brand. Side-load laptop storage with lots of padded protection, sturdy mono-pole handle system, cavernous main compartment, plus lots of other great features make the new Router Wheeled Laptop Convertible an excellent choice for both students and professionals.

Samsonite University laptop Backpack

Samsonite combines a heritage of comfort, durability and quality with the needs of today’s style conscious wearer. The University provides organization for all your personal items. The name is kind of uninspired!

High Sierra Access

The Access is a large capacity, full-featured laptop backpack with a nifty hidden rain cover that protects your laptop from the rain. Nice idea in adding a rain cover although when it rains, there’s no way I will be crazy enough to haul my laptop around!

Samsonite Vigor laptop Backpack

Samsonite combines a heritage of comfort, durability and quality with the needs of today’s style conscious wearer. The Vigor provides organization for all your personal items.

eBags - Downloader Laptop Backpack

Who ever said that laptop bags only came in black & blue?!. The Downloader’s large main compartment has a padded laptop sleeve, lots of room for extra cables & accessories, iPod / MP3 / CD player pocket with headphone exit port, and includes a removable CD case!

OGIO - Fugitive

Al from Brooklyn, NY says: “Use it every day in school. Very comfy and has tons of space. MP3 and CD Player pockets are great and provide a lot of protection for your player. Recomend it to anyone.”

Samsonite - Radius Laptop Backpack

Samsonite combines a heritage of comfort, durability and quality with the needs of today’s style conscious wearer. The Radius features organization for all your personal items. In my opinion, the best-looking laptop backpack in this list! I’d definitely make it my pick.

This laptop backpack best selling list was taken from the information found at eBags.com the world’s leading bag retailer. The famous US late-night show host David Letterman inspired the list and I think that I will use them quite a lot!

To see a current list or more laptop backpacks simply head over to eBags.com or to Amazon.com where they are also sold (sometimes for cheaper). Feel free to email me a picture of your backpack!