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ForumsDiscussion Forum → Buying a laptop
Buying a laptop
2006-08-16, 11:22 AM #1
I am looking to buy a laptop from my friend. As far as I can tell it looks like a good laptop. Not a gaming laptop or anything, but decent. It's an hp ze5570. He is asking $350 for the laptop, case, and all the original install discs. It seems like a decent deal to me, and I have wanted an ok laptop for a while now. Any thoughts? Sorry I didnt put in the tech forum, but I am pretty sure nobody checks there much anymore.
2006-08-16, 11:45 AM #2
"Graphics Processor / Vendor ATI MOBILITY RADEON - AGP 4x"

I am wondering what this is precisely.

It doesn't seem to have a DVD-RW drive. It seems like a nice bargain for that money, though.
Looks like we're not going down after all, so nevermind.
2006-08-16, 11:56 AM #3
I generally advise against buying used laptops like this for the simple reason that most laptops have very limited operational lifespan.

So if you buy a used laptop that was only really meant to operate for 2 years (an unfortunately accurate number in all my experiences, at least for HP/Compaq/Dell laptops) and someone has already used to for a year and a half, you really can't expect to get that much use out of it.

Also, make sure to check if the warranty will transfer over when you buy it. Trust me, nothing sucks more than buying a used laptop, having something break after only a few weeks of use, and finding out you can’t get it fixed without paying more than you paid for the laptop to begin with.

That said, it dose not look like that bad a laptop, but I’m pretty sure you can get a NEW laptop with similar specs for not a whole lot more. (and by not allot more, you can buy a cheap HP/Compaq for ~$400 NEW whose specs won’t be that far off, or you can buy a something like a Lenovo 3000 series for ~$500-$600 that will be a lot better in terms of specs and lifespan)

P.S.
Yes, I know I am an IBM/Lenovo/Thinkpad *****, but they have always served me well, and given the **** I’ve seen from other vendors, I’m willing to BE their *****.
"Well, if I am not drunk, I am mad, but I trust I can behave like a gentleman in either
condition."... G. K. Chesterton

“questions are a burden to others; answers a prison for oneself”
2006-08-16, 11:57 AM #4
I did some looking on the laptop and I believe the graphics chip is actually a Radeon IGP 340M.

[QUOTE=West Wind]I generally advise against buying used laptops like this for the simple reason that most laptops have very limited operational lifespan.

So if you buy a used laptop that was only really meant to operate for 2 years (an unfortunately accurate number in all my experiences, at least for HP/Compaq/Dell laptops) and someone has already used to for a year and a half, you really can't expect to get that much use out of it.[/quote]
What do you mean? It is just going to die on me just because it is a couple years old? I have used it, it runs great. I don't see why I should expect it to crap out on me. I will look into the warrenty though.
2006-08-16, 12:51 PM #5
He means general wear and tear.
Drives breaking, buttons lose, dead pixels, etc.

Laptops can and do last longer than 2 years depending on how well built they are and how they have been treated.

If it seems okay buy it but don't be suprised if it does break in the near future.
2006-08-16, 1:14 PM #6
Laptops tend to have parts burn out after a while because everything is contained in such a small space. If you use it heavily, and it's on a lot, things will wear out faster. When things do wear out, they are expensive to replace. If the laptop isn't going to be your main rig, it will last fine. As you said you won't really be using it for gaming, you should get plenty of use out of it.
Pissed Off?
2006-08-16, 1:14 PM #7
Great, now I am having second thoughts :psyduck:
2006-08-16, 1:16 PM #8
Originally posted by Avenger:
Laptops tend to have parts burn out after a while because everything is contained in such a small space. If you use it heavily, and it's on a lot, things will wear out faster. When things do wear out, they are expensive to replace. If the laptop isn't going to be your main rig, it will last fine. As you said you won't really be using it for gaming, you should get plenty of use out of it.

Just for school stuff/browsing the internet. And actually, one of the reasons I want a laptop so much is because I am sick of my desktop. It's huge, it's loud, it's hot, and it's a power hog. Considering I am not gaming much anymore, It is just an annoyance.
2006-08-16, 1:44 PM #9
Originally posted by DracoZandros:
He means general wear and tear.
Drives breaking, buttons lose, dead pixels, etc.

Laptops can and do last longer than 2 years depending on how well built they are and how they have been treated.

If it seems okay buy it but don't be suprised if it does break in the near future.


I used to have a job what solely consisted of taking skid-loads of broken laptops and figuring out what was wrong with them and what could be salvaged.

From that and other experiences with laptops, I usually find that PC laptops break in one of three timeframes:

<6 months: Unfortunately this is more common than many people would like to think. Usually these laptops die due to overheating or other poor construction factors (such as ****ty barrel-plug power connectors). 90% of the time, people are under warranty and end up just getting their laptop replaced, but in most of these cases, the replacement laptop will have the exact same issues and will likely fail again.

~2 years: Laptops who die after 2 years usually die due to general mechanical breakdown, CD-ROM drives, Hard Drives, LCD’s (including dead pixels and inverter failure), Chargers, Hinges, Batteries. There is no real way to prevent the failure of most of these components, and if you are still under warranty (most often you aren’t though), then replacing a faulty component usually means that it will be quite a while before that particular component fails again.

>5 years: This really isn’t so much a failure point, as it is a point of obsolescence. Most of the >5 year old laptops I saw were discarded simply because they were either too old, or because they were showing symptoms of extreme old age. If you laptop lasts you 5 years before you have to buy a replacement, consider yourself lucky.

That is certainly not to say that most laptops are guaranteed to fail in two years due to mechanical breakdown, but 2 years is the average I have personally observed.

I should also note that all laptop manufactures tend to make both “good laptops” that will last a while, and “bad laptops” that will almost certainly die after 6 months. Worse, there is almost no way to tell which model of laptop is “good” and which ones are “bad”. Sometime even the top of the line laptop model can be a major lemon, while the dirt-cheap economy model will last for years.

My general advice for buying a new laptop (which also applies to buying used laptops, just subtract the amount of time the original owner has had the laptop) is this:

Never buy a top of the line laptop, always make sure whatever model you are interested in has been around for at least a couple of months. Then check to see if there are any reports of major component failures (overheats, hinges, and power connectors are usually the big ones). Then, tell yourself that the laptop you are going to buy will only last 2 years, if you still feel like it’s a deal, go ahead. If it end’s up lasting more than 2 years, great, consider yourself lucky. If not, you at least had a realistic expectation on the lifespan of your laptop.

Overall I just get sick and tired of people buying laptops like they do PC’s. Laptops are a completely different animal.

PC’s last longer, cost less, have upgradeable components, and in the case of a single component failure it can usually be addressed without replacing the entire PC.

None of these things are true for laptops.

Just make sure you know what you are doing before you buy a laptop. And if your’ only going to use it for web/school, the decision is a bit easier, but not much (do you really want the prospect of your laptop failing the week before a big paper is due?)


Anyway, I’m done with my lecture, and I apologize. Over the course of the summer I have had 4 people asking me to help them buy a laptop.

In your specific case, I still recommend buying a cheap new laptop. For $50 more you can have a guaranteed warranty, plus fewer doubts about any potential failures.
"Well, if I am not drunk, I am mad, but I trust I can behave like a gentleman in either
condition."... G. K. Chesterton

“questions are a burden to others; answers a prison for oneself”
2006-08-16, 1:52 PM #10
Thanks for the tips. I cant seem to find anything as good for less than $500. I think I am going to take a look at it's aesthetic quality too. I really want to do this but now I am having so many second thoughts :( I have never had that much trouble with laptops dieing so quickly, I didnt realize it is something to be concerned about.

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