What is a cheap reliable notebook ?

I just ordered my fully-loaded Dell Inspiron E1505 the other day for about $1200. This was after a lot of research. You can get a really decent E1505 for $700 and they are completely customizable, so it's up to you what you want and how much you spend.

What I have found is that IBM (now run by Lenovo) is the best and most reliable and if you're getting it for work and can afford the higher price, that's the way to go. If you want it for fun, then IBM might not be the best choice as they have small screens and don't offer a lot of options that would make them worthwhile for gaming.

HP, Toshiba, and Dell are all good as well and are more versatile. You can get one that is good for work or gaming or media or all of the above. Out of those three, you get the most bang for your buck with Dell. A similar Toshiba or HP machine would have cost me $300 more at least.

Dell has a reputation for poor customer service, partly because your service calls are going to a call center in India. But I know they are investing hundereds of millions of dollars into upgrading the customer service and support systems. So, it's something to think about, but shouldn't be much of a concern.

I have a Dell Inspiron 9100 laptop that I'm very happy with. I've had it for some time, and never had a problem with it. It's rather heavy, but I knew that when I bought it. It's fast. The screen is bright and clear. It doesn't run too hot. Audio is sharp clear and loud. I also have an HP laptop that has been a lemon since I bought it. It's a ZE5400. Audio is cheap and not nearly loud enough. Screen will not go very bright, and it flickers. Sometimes when it is plugged in the cursor just goes crazy on the screen and I can't control it. The A drive runs incessantly (and very loud) with nothing in the drive. It's junk. I'll never buy an HP or Compaq (same company) ever again. I used to have a large Toshiba laptop that I liked very much for the same reasons I've listed above for my Dell although my Toshiba ran a little too hot.

I recommend a used IBM ThinkPad. eBay has a great selection, they are built to last. Search for around $300, you will find alot of really good basic systems. It you want new, I recommend HP or Dell, nothing else.

Acer 5672............. The Bios has support for the mobile version of the Intel Core Duo 2. The flaw with the Core Duo though is that they tend to get hot. And Acer is no objection. But with a workhorse laptop for around $1,000 or so, I say Acer would be a good start.

i believe money is a criteria & u lookin 4 a no frills notebook

dell inspirion b130

http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx...

select the penium m model at $ 552

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx...

guess maximum value 4 money !

> also a pretty decent notebook GOOD enuf 4 most routine work

the inspirion b130 with celeron m is 4 office & very basic stuff

though it's only $ 449, i wont recommend it

the Sardine 2000

ibm think pads

everyone in my office had them

they never have any major issues and thay last a long time

hp ze2000

HP