<p>I bought my son a rather nice HP Pavillion laptop in July of 2009. It no longer works…a hardware problem. Best Buy says that their repair folks can’t get parts for computers that “old.” They suggest we contact HP directly.</p>
<p>What would you do - spend a few hundred $ on repairs, or replace it?</p>
<p>Probably replace it. My computer is from late 2009 and is starting to show its age. If I had the money, I’d replace it too. One thing mine needs is a new battery, but I can’t see spending $150+ for a battery when a new computer will cost $500-700…</p>
<p>You can likely get similar specs as what he already has for cheaper than what you paid originally…</p>
<p>Now a days, computer is like a pencil, when it broke throw it away. Keep all the files in the “cloud”, access the files anywhere.</p>
<p>So I guess buy the least expensive one possible? Brand name means nothing if even the name brand only lasts two years?</p>
<p>To most of us, that is true. Unless there are some special graphic or number crunching requirements, such as CAD CAM applications. Writing papers, Web search and Skype a cheap throw away is good enough. When they upgrade the operating system, you need to replace the hardware anyway. I cannot stand the slowness of Window 7 64 bit on a SLOOOW machine that is once the champ for Window XP.</p>
<p>Missypie- My oldest replaced her $1500 computer with one that we paid $399 for. This was 2 yrs ago. The $399 computer is beginning to overheat and not hold a battery charge but for what she needs computer wise for school it has done everything she needs. She has not noticed any difference between the two. Granted she just uses the internet and word programs. She is hoping the $399 computer will last her till graduation in May if not we would buy her another cheap laptop.
On the other hand my S is a graphic designer. He just bought an expensive Mac desktop. His Macbook which is 2 yrs old is still going strong.
D3 just bought a Macbook. H was only willing to buy her a PC laptop. She earned the difference. She felt she wanted and needed a Mac. H didn’t agree.</p>
<p>I brought my early 2008 MacBook Pro into the Apple Store on Thursday for a video card issue. I explained that it sometimes black screens on bootup and I have to do a hard shutdown and try a few times before it boots. They didn’t even look at the computer. They said that they’d fix it for free by replacing the motherboard even though it only had a one-year warranty. They had it for me on Friday afternoon. I checked it out on Saturday and the fans were loud so I took it back on Saturday night and they fixed it overnight (amazing considering how bad the weather was here). I have it on my desk and it’s like having a new computer.</p>
<p>I gave up on HP products several years ago as their quality and service was going south. Their new CEO may turn the PC division around - one can always hope.</p>
<p>I think that this almost 4-year-old computer is good for another four years.</p>
<p>As for replacing vs fixing - it depends on the cost to me to fix it along with how much the original computer was along with the performance delta for current models. I won’t buy stuff from Best Buy because I don’t think well of the Geek Squad for fixing problems - how can you expect them to fix so many different brands and models well?</p>
<p>Buy whatever laptop is on sale. Amazon often has good prices.</p>
<p>The only laptops that have ever lasted more than a few years in our family (and we are major computer users) have been Macs.</p>
<p>All of the laptops that we’ve purchased over the last 12 years still work. I think that the quality of HP’s stuff (and I have a 2004 HP laptop that still works) started going downhill in 2005 (I have two desktops from HP from 2005 and was very unhappy with the quality). Everyone was hit by the nVidia video card problem which stained the entire industry.</p>
<p>I think that the best quality for a Windows laptop right now is Lenovo.</p>
<p>Don’t get another HP. I have nothing but problems and when they send it back they don’t even load their own software on it and they won’t help you with software. You have to load everything including the operating system yourself. When i couldn’t get it to work I had to pay a couple hundred dollars for help from a third party. . With Dell at least it came back with the software on it.</p>
<p>Whether to fix or replace really depends on what’s wrong with it and what it really costs to fix. A 2009 model isn’t ‘too old’ and shouldn’t be casually dismissed as unfixable or just replaced because of its age.</p>
<p>I also wouldn’t consider anyone at Best Buy to be an expert on computer repair.</p>
<p>Do you have an idea of what’s wrong with it? Have you gotten another quote on getting it fixed from HP and also from a local independent computer repair place?</p>
<p>‘Hardware problem’ can boil down to lots of things including the motherboard, Ram, fan, display, hard disk drive, keyboard, and other components. Some of these are very easy and relatively inexpensive to replace and some aren’t.</p>
<p>Also entering the equation is how much you paid for it and how it’s used. For example, a $399 netbook likely can’t replace it functionally depending on how it’s being used.</p>
<p>I think your Best Buy store is pulling your leg and just wants to sell you a new machine. They send the laptops out to HP for all but the most routine service. Did you buy the HP there and did they diagnose the problem? </p>
<p>D’s '09 HP just had a new motherboard and fan put in with no issues (still under warranty, not at BB). My '08 had a new hard drive installed by HP through the Geek Squad, again under warranty. I wouldn’t take one to Best Buy unless it was for a warranty repair though.</p>
<p>I feel your pain. My hp pavilion laptop, purchased in 2008, works fine, but the sound has stopped. I have searched high and low for a solution with no luck.</p>
<p>These days laptops are really considered throwaway items. I think they are easier to replace than to repair. It if it was something simple like the fan, memory, I would suggest to repair. But hardware, probably not.</p>
<p>As an ex hp employee, I had high hopes for my hp laptop, but not so sure about what I will purchase next.</p>
<p>^^ The fan and memory are ‘hardware’. </p>
<p>If someone says ‘it’s a hardware problem’ it only means it’s not a software problem (and sometimes they’re wrong on this point). The hardware is basically everything the laptop is comprised of other than the software.</p>
<p>Note - your sound issue could be hardware but it could also be a software driver issue. You could try de-installing the driver and then re-installing the current sound driver for the OS you’re using from HP’s website in the ‘Support’ section.</p>
<p>We have a second-hand 2007 Toshiba laptop that’s on it’s third life. D took it to school in 2009; last spring it came down with something and the tech support available to her at her school couldn’t fix it. We purchased her a new one (Dell; have a new relative by marriage who works there so got a great deal). Got the old laptop back and I took it to work and had my colleagues in IT fix it for free - no hardware required.</p>
<p>In September it stopped working. I took it in to work again and they told me it needed a new hard drive; I purchased one (it was less than $50) and it’s been working fine since.</p>
<p>Our desktop computer is 8 years old. Maybe if I keep them long enough they’ll be “vintage.”</p>
<p>If it is less than 24 months old, check your credit card added warranty, I recently had a 13 month old laptop die and it was covered under the mastercard warranty :)</p>
<p>What exactly went wrong with the 2009 HP notebook? </p>
<p>As for purchasing a new machine…I would strongly urge anyone to never buy the lowest priced budget laptop unless they don’t have problems with it failing on them within the first 3-9 months of casual usage.* I’d also avoid certain brands totally due to QC issues like Dell and HP. </p>
<p>I’d also avoid going the used laptop route unless you or your child can serve as your/his/her tech support…including troubleshooting and replacing motherboards/screens/etc AND you rigorously account for its potential cost-benefit ratio. </p>
<p>Instead, if one has the money, I’d spare some cash and purchase a mid-high end Toshiba, Lenovo, or Apple and plan on using that particular machine for at least 5 years unless you/child are majoring in CS/engineering, Math, architecture, or anything related to multimedia arts…areas where serious bleeding edge processing/graphics power are required. </p>
<ul>
<li>Had older relatives who despite being well-meaning and one being an engineer…went the el-cheapo route for my first notebook which caused serious disruptions during my college career when it broke down twice in two years due to a faulty screen and a suddenly dead hard drive. Keep in mind this was in the 1990’s when even replacement hard drives cost an arm and a leg. This experience is one reason why I strongly try to dissuade any relatives/friends from giving me tech gifts for Christmas. Incidentally, every other laptop I’ve purchased for myself or was dumped on me gratis has functioned for at least 5 years…including the machine I am using to type this very post.</li>
</ul>
<p>I’m pretty darn happy using the Acer Aspire 5250-BZ643 that I bought on 1SaleADay in August for $299. As is my habit with electronics, I also bought a warranty through SquareTrade. </p>
<p>I had been watching sales and my favorite bargain sites (tigerdirect and newegg) for a laptop with a 15.6 screen, at least 4GB memory, a 500 GB hard drive, an SD card reader, 3 USB ports, and a 6-cell battery for under $300, and when I saw it, I checked few reviews and bought it. As a bonus, my son mentioned that it has a good graphics card. </p>
<p>I’m not saying this to promote this particular laptop. My son makes fun of Acer computers in general. He says they are not cool. I had been looking at a Toshiba, DH and DD both like their Lenovo laptops, and my work-travel laptop is an HP. We like them all. </p>
<p>I’m just agreeing with cobrat that it is worth evaluating what you need before you buy a high end laptop. I’m sure the inexpensive laptop I’m using wouldn’t make the cut for a graphic design student, a music composition major, or someone who wants to run mathematical simulations, and I think 6GB memory might be helpful in future years, but seriously, this inexpensive laptop has been fine for everything I have wanted to use it for, including streaming videos. I think that if a laptop has the specs you are looking for, is from a reputable company, and has received reasonable reviews, it is likely to be fine for an average user. If you need a new laptop, try looking for a new computer that came out a year ago. There are some nice bargains available out there.</p>
<p>For $300, it might make sense to buy two, and keep one as a backup.</p>
<p>I looked up a couple of local independent computer repair places (that don’t sell computers) and I think we’re going to try one of those. From what Best Buy told us it’s a problem with jacks or ports or something…an actual “something physical broke” problem.</p>