ok, i know this question has been asked before but I know how computer tech changes by the month. So I'm asking again. i dont need much, good internet/wireless capabilities and whatever else you think is good for agents. I'm parttiming the RE so I figured i would go ahead and get a laptop while I have the steady income. I expect to be fulltime within a year, or earlier if I get too busy with RE. So, shoot. How are the Dells? I currently am a Dell customer, and am a bit partial since I did my college business term paper on them. no problems with my desktop but i think their laps can be a bit expensive.

Should ebay even be in my vocabulary?

Ebay can be a risk to buy, especially when it comes to high-end purchases -- electronics are a hot item for fakes to cash in. I think a Dell will do, if you're looking for something less of a price, then just go for something that can suffice for the time being. Check out this website for new daily deals...

http://www.Deals2Buy.com

Good Luck,

I've been considering this same question. Get a $400 cheapy that you can replace every 2 years or spend $1300+ on a business class laptop and plan on keeping 3+ years. I'm in IT now and we use IBMs. They are solid. I don't think my consumer grade Dell Inspirion at home could take the handling that this IBM takes. I am however looking at the new Dell XPS 1310. I like the small size and light weight. My 15.4" Dell is heavy. I can't use the Dell I have because the LCD backlight quit working. The $500 Dell wants to fix can go a long way on a new model since this one is 2+ years old.

Any one have advice for a sturdy laptop?

drm7, what IBM is that that you're talking about? Are you saying that its durable? Thats what I need. I tend to lump stuff all together in the car and things get slid around a lot. Yea, I would have to get a service plan to cover me for a while. Tired of tech crapping out right after the standard warranty.

Dont really think I'll be looking on EBAY. I think I would be fine without one, but I think most people will take you more seriously. Kinda like, how can you be a business man/woman without a laptop?

I have a several year old R40 IBM Thinkpad. It is slated for replacement next year. I think the model 60/61 is the one that is out now. They may be sold under the Lenovo name. A company from China bought out the IBM laptop line. These things are very sturdy. They are a little heavier but that is probably because they are built tough. Dell has a business line called Latitude that I think are built tougher than the Inspirions. I've read where some people are happy with those. I like HP but I don't know what they have as far as business class goes. You might want 14" or smaller for weight savings but you give up screen space. Always a tradeoff.

Get a tablet PC. You can sign contracts on the screen!

I would strongly suggest looking at the ads in the paper for places like Best Buy and Staples each and every week. I was just looking on the best buy web site under "weekly ad".....


TOSHIBA AMD Turion™ 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology TL-56 Notebook
Sale: $699 Reg: $850

Stay Connected with the Built-in Webcam. Windows Vista™ Home Premium, 1024MB memory, 200GB hard drive, reads and writes dual-layer DVDs and CDs, and built-in webcam and microphone. 15.4" TruBrite™ widescreen.



TOSHIBA Intel® Celeron® Processor 520
#8398744
$399.99
thru Jul 7
NEW. PC SETUP & TRANSFER $99.
15.4" TruBrite™ Widescreen. Windows Vista™ Home Basic, 512MB DDR2 memory and 80GB hard drive. Reads and writes dual-layer DVDs & CDs.

Get what you can afford, don't go to the low end as you will later regret it. If the laptop will run windows vista make sure to get at least 1 gig of memory, 2 gigs if you can afford it. Do not get a Celeron processor. Plan on spending at least $800 and you will have a laptop you will be happy to use for the next 3 or 4 years without feeling like you skimped to much.

Yea I'm willing to do about 1000 TO 1200. So vista is running well without alot of hiccups or bugs?

I love my Gateway Tablet PC.

I would highly recommend it. I was at a seminar yesterday and simply wrote all of my notes on the screen and printed them out at home. I turned the screen and used it just like a notepad. It was great. Wooo Hooo!!

Including shipping, tax and the extended warranty, the cost was $1217.00.

It runs VISTA and I like it.

My friend is in the computer repair business,if your spending alot for the laptops based on longjevity forget it.

In 3 to 4 years from now the processes and apps running will crash or severely slow down your current laptop just like with a desktop,does it still run maybe,but is it effecient for everyday business no.

My friend gets alot of the laptops in for repair,the main downside to laptops is that the parts are so small and technology is advancing so fast that the parts heat up and were out causing the laptops to fail.

Laptops are like desktops,buy the middle of the road on sale and repurchase every 2 to 3 years.

I have purchased two laptops from eBay along with four digital cameras over the past two years. I purchase ONLY from PowerSellers with 99% positive feedback or more.

I have been thrilled. The total for my two laptops, including shipping, has been under $600. I LOVE THEM and they are almost in constant use (one is used by my kids, which was its original intention. To me spending $235 on a laptop was a better investment than $179 on a wide screen portable DVD player.)

When you are a new agent starting out, I think it is smarter to spend as little money as possible. With your second big commission check you may want to splurge on the $1300 laptop. But I don't imagine I will ever bring myself to pay full price for something that depreciates in value faster than a mobile home.

I have only purchased my cameras from OlympusAuctions on eBay and have nothing but raves for all of them and for my experience with the seller. My husband, my daughter, my son, and I all love our cameras.

Ooops, I lie. I got my Kodak v705 from someone other than Olympus, obviously...but it was still someone with over 2000 transactions with 99% or higher positive feedback.

I plan to get another laptop next year. Right now, I have a Dell Inspiron 5100. This thing weighs a ton. But I love the Dell laptops. I got a 4 yr warranty on it and I fully used every penny's worth. My fan died right after the 2 yr mark. At that time, I got a 4-yr warranty for the price of 2 year. Years ago (in 2003), I think I paid $1800 for everything.

Next year, I plan to get either a small laptop (when I'm carrying this thing around, weight does matter)..... maybe a 710m (12in screen). I also plan to buy from the Dell Outlet. They have the same warranties, etc. just a whole lot cheaper.

What I really want is a iMac 13in. It runs on both Windows and Mac OS. I love photography - so their graphics are alot better on the Mac platform. I might find what Real Estate software supports and if it does support them on the Windows platform, I might just get it. I depreciate my laptop every 4 years.

My last 3 laptops:
Gateway--don't remember the model # and about $2,000.00--lasted 2 years--major crash and no trade in value
Gateway--don't remember the model # and about $1,500.00--lasted about 2 years--major crash and no trade in value
Dell Latitude D510--Paid aboiut $650.00---About 2 years and going strong
Moral of story= more $$'ss isn't always better. Technology has came a long way in the last few years and I constantly upgrade/update my office/home pc's but the Dell is tough to beat.
JMHO

Well, I do remember Dell being on the cutting edge of quality, but that was years ago. They had made a correlation between the numberof times a hard-drive was touched to the likelyhood of it crashing or malfunctioning and cut their touches in half and quality went up, etc. But I'm sure everyone is up to the same gist of things nowadays. I guess i'll just shop around. Didn't really think about the tablets. I may look into them as well.