# What laptop should I get my mother? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 6, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-laptop-should-i-get-my-mother/307171 "2005-06-06T18:12:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-laptop-should-i-get-my-mother/307171/1 "2005-06-06T18:12:13Z")
She would only be using it for Ms Office work and web browsing so there is no need for anything fancy. The keyword here is Cheap šŸ™‚ . Whatever money is left over will be used to buy her watches, bags and other things that will make her happier than a laptop. I need to have it order today or tomorrow at the latest . (please include model number and price). Donā€™t include Mail in Rebates in the final price. I hate those things ! Your feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for your time Gozu ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-laptop-should-i-get-my-mother/307171/2 "2005-06-06T23:39:38Z")
General Questions is for questions with factual answers. Since you are asking for opinions, I"ll move this to IMHO for you. **DrMatrix** - GQ Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-laptop-should-i-get-my-mother/307171/3 "2005-06-06T23:44:37Z")
I bought my last laptop at Dellā€™s [online outlet store](http://outlet.dell.com). You can get a really good deal if you figure out what youā€™re looking for and then wait for it to appear. Thereā€™s a bit of a randomness to the pricing ā€“ nearly identical machines will sometimes be $100 different in price ā€“ so look around before you buy. I have several friends with Apple laptops who rave about them, so that may be a good way to go as well. If you actually hate your mother and want revenge on her for some childhood wrong, buy her an eMachine. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-laptop-should-i-get-my-mother/307171/4 "2005-06-07T15:15:32Z")
How much tech support are you willing to do for her? Keep this idea in mind when you look at really cheap laptops (that may be prone to niggling little problems or all-out failures) or if youā€™re thinking of getting her a Mac iBook. Thereā€™s nothing inherently wrong with a Mac, and in fact, thereā€™s quite a few things inherrently right with them, but if youā€™re not fluent in OS X, you will be just as perplexed as she is when itā€™s time to connect it to the web or a home network, or add a printer. If you want a durable no-frills laptop, also have a look at [IBMā€™s Certified Used equipment.](http://www-132.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?storeId=1&catalogId=-840&langId=-1&categoryId=2576396) Right now, just as an example, they have a few T23 ThinkPads for $710. $25 adds built-in WiFi. With a 1.13 GHz Pentium, itā€™s pretty zippy for a laptop, and in fact, is the very same model Iā€™m on right now. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-laptop-should-i-get-my-mother/307171/5 "2005-06-07T15:19:46Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > If you actually hate your mother and want revenge on her for some childhood wrong, buy her an eMachine. No, an Etch-A-Sketch! Frustrate the hell outta her. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-laptop-should-i-get-my-mother/307171/6 "2005-06-07T15:29:37Z")
How cheap is ā€œcheapā€? How important is portability? Will it be used for frequent air travel, or car transport only, or stay on her desk almost all the time? How important is battery life? I got my current laptop from the Dell outlet store and itā€™s been working fine. Probably bigger than you need though (Inspiron 9300, 17-inch display, Pentium-M 1.6GHz, 1GB RAM, $1200). ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-laptop-should-i-get-my-mother/307171/7 "2005-06-07T18:03:40Z")
Check [this page](http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/value_inspn?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs) out. Dell currently has $750 off certain notebooks over $1,499. So basically, you can spec a laptop up to $1,499 and get 50% off. I just tried it with a 600m: **Pentium M 745 1.8GHz 14.1 inch SXGA screen with 32 Mb video memory 512Mb RAM 60Gb Hard Drive CD Burner/DSVD Combo Drive IntelĀ® PRO/Wireless 2915 Internal Wireless (802.11 a/b/g, 54Mbps) 2Yr Ltd Warranty, 2Yr At-Home Service, and 2Yr Technical Support** $1521 - $750 discount = $771 total. And free shipping. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-laptop-should-i-get-my-mother/307171/8 "2005-06-07T18:08:57Z")
Note: If you end up buying a Dell, i really think itā€™s a good idea to get a two year warranty (or more). Iā€™ve read quite a lot on customer reviews online, and they lead me to believe that if a Dell Inspiron notebook is going to go belly-up, it will often happen during the second year. (by the way, to get the discount above, wait till you get to the checkout, and then put this code into the Coupons section: LLWP929VNQXM0$) ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-laptop-should-i-get-my-mother/307171/9 "2005-06-11T03:14:17Z")
Thanks for the help, I ended up going for the $750 off dell deal. It seems that they not only have the best deals on LCD monitors but on laptops as well. I wonder how long itā€™ll be before they kill Gateway.