So. My laptop displayed the Black Screen of Death the other day. It wasn't completely black - I could barely see my icons, but nothing I did, or nothing any of the tech guys at work did, brought it back.
My laptop also needs a new battery. Since the battery is shot, I've not been able to be mobile with it - which means I'm still chained to a desk (or in this case, the couch).
In addition, my laptop doubles as my t.v/DVD player. My older desktop computer won't play DVDs, so unless I want to intrude on my daughter and watch a movie in her room on her t.v. and DVD player (which doesn't work so great, either), I'm just outta luck.
I bought this laptop back in 2006, I believe, and it was used when I bought it. I do almost all my writing on it, and I am missing it terribly right now. I only use it for those two things - movie-watching and writing.
I just found out that I can repair it for $200 - new battery and new screen. While this is cheaper than buying a brand new one, I do not know if other things will start to "break" in the near future and I don't know that I want to pour more money into it.
However, I do not want to spend a lot of money on a new laptop. Before the laptop went kaput, I was going to buy a t.v./DVD combo to put in my bedroom. Now, though, I can't afford to do both.
I am not a fan of refurbished laptops, either. There's always too many "if's" associated with them.
So. Buy new? Buy a system only good for writing or watching DVD's and without any of the bells and whistles?
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All right. Enough with the down-in-the dumps posts. I realized that I had way too many of them in the past few weeks and I am bumming myself...
Goodness, I sure don't know what you advise. But I wish you luck, whichever direction you take!
ReplyDeletethat should be "what to advise..."
ReplyDeleteOh, buy the new one - they are all so reasonably priced now with all the bs & ws. You can haggle at the store, or buy even cheaper online.
ReplyDeleteYou might even get a deal including the TV/DVD if you're a hard bargainer. Do NOT buy used, or refurbished, not today. It's a buyer's market!
Please, please, I need to email you a snippet of Strachan's Attic. I want to share it with you before others see it, to and get your gut feeling. Just a snippet, ok? email please to mine?
Since writing is your passion, I'd vote for a new laptop. My daughter bought a Dell laptop (Inspiron 1420) last summer, she was on a budget and customized it to her needs. Check Dell's web site, they always have great specials going on. And it just seems you can pick up a new tv/dvd at so many discount stores for great sale prices. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteGet a new one...especially if a fix will cost $200. I got a Dell Inspiron in the Fall of '07 for less than $500. It plays DVDs too.
ReplyDeleteUgh, I feel for you. We finally saved my husband's computer from the Blue Screen of Death about two or three weeks ago, but only after completely wiping the hard drive and starting from scratch.
ReplyDeleteIf you just need a basic computer, Jenna's right--you can get them for next to nothing these days. I got a laptop last fall for less than $500, too. Still, if you're willing to wait till Thanksgiving for the big pre-Christmas sales, you can get it for the same price with all the bells and whistles! Depends on what you want.
Anyway, best of luck! I hope it all works out.
I have a netbook that was about $399. I LOVE it because it's tiny and fits so well on a Starbucks table. You can get them for even less, new. Now, it's little, and has no dvd drive, so it doesn't solve that problem.
ReplyDeleteIf I were you, I'd buy a cheap netbook (I know you can get one around $299) and then get a tv/dvd combo for like $100, and stagger the purchases if need be.
What a dilemma. I think I'd go for a new one that just allowed me to write and watch DVDs. The trouble is, most of them come with all the extras built in. It is a buyer's market right now though and, in the UK at least, there are lots of bargains around.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
I SO feel your pain! My twin sister got a new laptop (Tashiba?) last week from Best Buy. They're running a special! If you spend $500 (which will get you a great puter AND a two-year warranty), you get the 16-month interest free, which makes for an affordable monthly note without paying out the wazoo in interest.
ReplyDeleteGet a new one. It's the most important tool of your trade. :)
Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. I think I'll go for the slightly more expensive laptop (around $500) rather than a cheaper one. I did look at Netbooks the other night and they're just too small for me.
ReplyDeleteTime to go shopping!
Let me also recommend a website to you that I live by. www.slickdeals.net They have the most amazing deals and regularly they post crazy good deals on Dell and other major computer brands. I got my current laptop (at the time $2000 value) for $1100 and it is still going strong. It is super nice and I love it. Good luck with whatever you decide! :D
ReplyDeleteI'd get a new one. They are really good value right now. I'd go for the second hand TV b/c people are getting rid of anything not flat screen.
ReplyDelete