Computer Science Canada

300$ Laptop
Author:  Zren [ Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:17 pm ]
Post subject:  300$ Laptop
I've seen a few posting for laptops on this forum, so I thought some of you might like to know this. Fresh from China is a decent spec computer for just less than 300$.
Quote:

Compaq Presario CQ60-419WM Notebook PC
15.6" with full Keyboard
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (32-bit)
2.10 GHz AMD Sempron SI-42 Processor
3 Gb RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 8200M
160GB (5400RPM)
DVD Writer
802.11b/g WLAN


It's only a single core CPU apparently, and overall not amazing in anyway other than a price. It's practacally a netbook in disguise. Though this seems perfect for a friend of mine who needed a cheap computer with a full keyboard since she was going to take financial classes.

It also seems the CPU is 64 bit so you could upgrade it when Windows 7 comes out and sneek in the x64 version (if that's possible). Though I'm not so sure about the upgrade path from Home Basic and if Walmart is following Microsoft's free upgrade time.

Anyways, they're stated to "begin selling at 8 a.m. on Sunday, July 26" at Walmart. [Via Digg] PS: Goddam it I read too much from LifeHacker

Anyways, I read somewhere on Yahoo answers about switching out the CPU to basically make it super. Anyone got any ideas as to what it could be switched with?
Author:  [Gandalf] [ Sat Jul 25, 2009 4:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 300$ Laptop
Zren @ 2009-07-24, 11:17 pm wrote:
Anyways, I read somewhere on Yahoo answers about switching out the CPU to basically make it super. Anyone got any ideas as to what it could be switched with?

Doh!

You don't have that many options to make the CPU better, since that socket is relatively old. However, you could go with some Turion64 X2 if you really want the dual core, or wait for a better Sempron. Then again, I don't see how it's worth it to swap the CPU for a laptop like this, but maybe as an experiment...
Author:  ecookman [ Sat Jul 25, 2009 3:12 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:300$ Laptop
Personally, i don't trust things made in china. They are made cheaply and don't last. Avoid it like the plague.
Author:  [Gandalf] [ Sat Jul 25, 2009 3:35 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:300$ Laptop
That's a sweeping generalization... especially considering the huge variety of hardware (never mind "things") made in China.
Author:  Dan [ Sat Jul 25, 2009 4:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:300$ Laptop
ecookman @ 25th July 2009, 3:12 pm wrote:
Personally, i don't trust things made in china. They are made cheaply and don't last. Avoid it like the plague.


I am willing to bet that at least one part of your computer was made in china or a simular contry in terms of cheap labour.
Author:  endless [ Sat Jul 25, 2009 6:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:300$ Laptop
Dan @ Sat Jul 25, 2009 4:19 pm wrote:
ecookman @ 25th July 2009, 3:12 pm wrote:
Personally, i don't trust things made in china. They are made cheaply and don't last. Avoid it like the plague.


I am willing to bet that at least one part of your computer was made in china or a simular contry in terms of cheap labour.


yea, i don't think there is a problem with reliability (for the most part), i think the real question is about morality - see foxxcon iphone ordeal.
Author:  ecookman [ Sat Jul 25, 2009 9:17 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:300$ Laptop
@ tony

I bet you are right, but

everything I have owned that has been entirely made in china usually breaks really easily and wears down quickly. eg, knives, clocks. My friends dirt bike is..unsafe at best, the metal in that is so soft you can easily bend it, and on his first ride the rear bolt that held in the wheel broke.
Author:  Euphoracle [ Sun Jul 26, 2009 9:40 am ]
Post subject:  RE:300$ Laptop
there's a difference between buying stuff made in china and buying cheap stuff made in china. do your homework, check out your brands and you'll be fine.
Author:  Homer_simpson [ Sun Jul 26, 2009 11:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 300$ Laptop
ive been checking them out for time now and the cheapest laptop they got is 328 bux
Author:  ecookman [ Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:300$ Laptop
Euphoracle @ Sun Jul 26, 2009 9:40 am wrote:
there's a difference between buying stuff made in china and buying cheap stuff made in china. do your homework, check out your brands and you'll be fine.


Which brands do you find are well made from china? (I havn't found any)
Author:  Euphoracle [ Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:51 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:300$ Laptop
XFX

Also I should mention that I don't like your ignorance.
Author:  Alexmula [ Sun Jul 26, 2009 9:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:300$ Laptop
ecookman @ Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:17 pm wrote:
Euphoracle @ Sun Jul 26, 2009 9:40 am wrote:
there's a difference between buying stuff made in china and buying cheap stuff made in china. do your homework, check out your brands and you'll be fine.


Which brands do you find are well made from china? (I havn't found any)

lenovo Wink
Author:  ecookman [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:300$ Laptop
Euphoracle @ Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:51 pm wrote:
XFX

Also I should mention that I don't like your ignorance.


Not trying to be ignotant, I just have never heard of or seen a "Made In China" product be of any quality.
Author:  andrew. [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 12:03 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:300$ Laptop
He just said XFX. XFX is one of the best nVidia graphics card makers.
Author:  Euphoracle [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:300$ Laptop
ecookman @ Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:16 am wrote:
Euphoracle @ Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:51 pm wrote:
XFX

Also I should mention that I don't like your ignorance.


Not trying to be ignotant, I just have never heard of or seen a "Made In China" product be of any quality.


It's ignorance to say that they don't exist. Thus you are ignorant. Cheers.
Author:  gianni [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 5:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 300$ Laptop
I would just like to reiterate Alexmula's example of an extremely good quality Chinese computer manufacturer: Lenovo.
Author:  ecookman [ Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:300$ Laptop
Euphoracle @ Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:50 pm wrote:
ecookman @ Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:16 am wrote:
Euphoracle @ Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:51 pm wrote:
XFX

Also I should mention that I don't like your ignorance.


Not trying to be ignorant, I just have never heard of or seen a "Made In China" product be of any quality.


It's ignorance to say that they don't exist. Thus you are ignorant. Cheers.



I am pretty sure if you have owned lots of tings made in china and they reliably fail, you would be wary of purchasing more products made in china. Also I was not aware that good brands like Lenovo and XFX were Made in China.

I was basing my opinion on past experiences, and it does seem to have teh pattern of brand quality.

(lol thought i would throw it out there my computer is manufactured Korea and USA)
Author:  gianni [ Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:300$ Laptop
ecookman @ Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:11 am wrote:
lol thought i would throw it out there my computer is manufactured Korea and USA


There's no way you could possibly know that.
Author:  rdrake [ Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:300$ Laptop
gianni @ Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:34 am wrote:
ecookman @ Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:11 am wrote:
lol thought i would throw it out there my computer is manufactured Korea and USA


There's no way you could possibly know that.
QFT

Face it ecookman, everything you own was made in China. From your shoes to half your computer.
Author:  ecookman [ Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:300$ Laptop
gianni @ Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:34 am wrote:
ecookman @ Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:11 am wrote:
lol thought i would throw it out there my computer is manufactured Korea and USA


There's no way you could possibly know that.


it said it on the box.
Author:  ecookman [ Tue Jul 28, 2009 10:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:300$ Laptop
rdrake @ Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:44 am wrote:
QFT

Face it ecookman, everything you own was made in China. From your shoes to half your computer.



As I said above. Made in China + Brand Name= quality
Author:  Euphoracle [ Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:07 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:300$ Laptop
How dare you judge by brand names. Do you dare doubt the awesomeness that is the Zero DAC?
Author:  wtd [ Wed Jul 29, 2009 1:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 300$ Laptop
Putting aside the sheer idiocy populating most of this thread, the laptop in the first post is a piece of crap. It isn't worth $300, so charging that much is highway robbery.
Author:  andrew. [ Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:36 am ]
Post subject:  RE:300$ Laptop
I agree with wtd, although the graphics card isn't too bad for a $300 laptop. Most of the time they give you the crappy Intel GMA 910 or 950s.
Author:  wtd [ Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:38 am ]
Post subject:  RE:300$ Laptop
It doesn't matter what the specs are. It's going to break. Repeatedly. And even if it's under warranty, fixing laptops takes time. If this one is a gray market import, then it won't be under warranty at all. I wouldn't expect more than 3 months of decent use from it before you'd be shopping again.

Let's see, $100 a month: if you are thinking about a year, that's $1200. You could get a decent laptop (MacBook, Thinkpad, business-grade HP or Dell) for that.
Author:  Bobrobyn [ Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:48 am ]
Post subject:  RE:300$ Laptop
The alternative, if he has a desktop already, is just to buy a netbook and use his desktop for his financial software. I have had an asus eeepc for almost two years now (it'll be 2 years this October, I believe)...it was about 450ish with tax...that's $250 a year. Since I rarely sit down to do work for long periods at school with it, it's perfect. It's light, boots fast, and if I happen to drop it in a puddle, I won't cry for too long.

Course, netbooks are even cheaper these days...and you get a nicer keyboard, screen, and battery life Smile Course, don't be expecting a laptop that's nice to spend 3 hours writing a paper on...or something you're gonna be able to game much on.
Author:  wtd [ Sat Aug 15, 2009 1:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:300$ Laptop
Bobrobyn @ Fri Aug 14, 2009 10:48 pm wrote:
The alternative, if he has a desktop already, is just to buy a netbook and use his desktop for his financial software. I have had an asus eeepc for almost two years now (it'll be 2 years this October, I believe)...it was about 450ish with tax...that's $250 a year. Since I rarely sit down to do work for long periods at school with it, it's perfect. It's light, boots fast, and if I happen to drop it in a puddle, I won't cry for too long.

Course, netbooks are even cheaper these days...and you get a nicer keyboard, screen, and battery life Smile Course, don't be expecting a laptop that's nice to spend 3 hours writing a paper on...or something you're gonna be able to game much on.


$32 buys you comfortable paper-writing. Doesn't cost that much to make the screen more comfortable for this kind of work.
Author:  wtd [ Sat Aug 15, 2009 1:37 am ]
Post subject:  RE:300$ Laptop
A few examples.

Thinkpad R400 (14.1" WXGA, 2.4GHz P8600, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 160GB HDD, DVD+/-RW, Wireless N, no bluetooth, Vista Home Premium, 9 cell battery, 4yr warranty) - $1,527.65

Thinkpad T400 (14.1" WXGA, 2.26GHz P8400, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 160GB HDD, DVD+/-RW, Wireless N, no bluetooth, Vista Business, 9 cell battery, 4yr warranty) - $1,687.65

Dell E5400 (14.1" WXGA, 2.26GHz P8400, 4GB DDR2 RAM, 160GB HDD, DVD+/-RW, Wireless N, no bluetooth, Vista Business, 9 cell battery, 4yr warranty) - $1,830.00

Fujitsu Lifebook S7220 (14.1" WXGA, 2.4GHz P8600, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 160GB HDD, DVD+/-RW, Wireless N, bluetooth, Vista Business, 6-cell battery, 3yr warranty) - $1,756.00

13.3" MacBook Pro (13.3" WXGA, 2.26GHz P7550, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 160GB HDD, DVD+/-RW, Wireless N, bluetooth, Mac OS X 10.5, up to 7hr battery, 3yr warranty) - $1,818.00

Panasonic Toughbook F8 (14.1" WXGA, 2.26GHz SP9300, 3GB DDR2 RAM, 160GB HDD, DVD+/-RW, Wireless N, bluetooth, Vista Business, 6-cell battery, 3yr warranty) - $2,599.98

On a per month basis...

R500: $31.83
T400: $35.16
E5400: $38.13
S7220: $48.78
13.3" MBP: $50.15
F8: $72.22

Multiply these numbers by 12 months... $381.96, $421.96, $457.56, $585.36, $606.00, $866.64

That's how much you can spend on a cheap laptop that won't last past a year before it makes more sense to buy a decent laptop.
Author:  andrew. [ Sat Aug 15, 2009 7:41 am ]
Post subject:  RE:300$ Laptop
wtd makes a good point. Why spend money on something that will last only a year when you can fork out some more and get something more worthwhile?
Author:  woniutupian [ Sun Aug 16, 2009 1:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:300$ Laptop
ecookman wrote:
Personally, i don't trust things made in china. They are made cheaply and don't last. Avoid it like the plague.


Dan wrote:
I am willing to bet that at least one part of your computer was made in china or a simular contry in terms of cheap labour.


to ecookman: i disapprove.
to Dan: approve.

:


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