Laptops/notebooks

I have a Compaq Presario 2100 (HP) that I bought new for $625 from Fry's Electronics. I've had it for about 1.5 years so far, and it's a great laptop. It's a larger laptop, but that's OK, because I can't type on a little toy keyboard.

Dell's have never impressed me. My work bought a bunch of them a few short years ago, and they haven't held up for crap. They are used in equipment rooms, clean enviroments (no air plane trips, or even rides to the house) and they still break regularly.

Toshiba, Compaq/HP and Fujitsu all make good laptops. There is nothing "wrong" with buying a used laptop, just be prepared to fix some things. Seeing you can get a decent NEW laptop for $600 or less, I would save a few extra pennies and go that route. The only downside is that it's very hard to find a new 'puter that isn't running Vista *gag*.