looking to purchase inexpensive laptop

[bionnaki]

I am looking to replace my desktop with a laptop. where can I find a laptop with no OS at a low price ($500 or so)?

[mips]

Sometimes the no-os versions cost more than the windows version so it might be better to just get a windows version.

Check for HP, Dell etc specials

[Garyu]

I got a canadian friend who bought an HP laptop for ~380 dollars.

Personally, I can't wait to see if/when the OLPC is released in the west. :D

[adam.tropics]

I might be inclined to wait just a couple weeks, and see if any substantial sales are forthcoming now Vista has been released. It wouldn't surprise me. Also, for the same reason, keep an eye on ebay.

[muguwmp67]

It sounds like you're tight on cash (like me) Go used. I've got xubuntu running on a 750 mgz laptop, and its running great. Its not like you are going to get tech support from a company if you're running linux anyway.

You might even know some 'suits' who have an old laptop sitting in a closet somewhere. As users start to move to vista, I'm sure there will be a lot more as yuppies (does anyone use that word anymore?) start disposing of their old 'obsolete' laptops. If you find one, you might be able to pick it up for free.

As far as Ebay is concerned, its a not altogether bad option, but my laptop is selling there for $250, which I think is overpriced. Thats why I recommend searching locally. $250 is still a great price for a functional laptop, but I think you can do better if you find people who aren't aware of the current market value.

[Adamant1988]

Froogle might be a good place to start your search. Ebay is another good option, and
http://www.overstock.com might have something for you.

[lyceum]

I do not know where you are, but I got a new one at Best Buy for under $500. Just had to wait for a sale.

[Brunellus]

I was savagely ripped off for mine. It cost me $170. Pentium III and all the rest of it.

But it runs linux like a dream and I defined its uses pretty narrowly, so I'm pleased.

[mips]

Froogle might be a good place to start your search. Ebay is another good option, and
http://www.overstock.com might have something for you.

http://www.overstock.com/?PAGE=CATLIST&PRO_SUB_CAT=270&PRO_SSUB_CAT=999&showQuality=0&CAT_SORTBY=1&CAT_SKUPAGE=60

On that site I would go for the IBM T30 or the Compaq Evo. Just compare specs.

[mips]

Try and stay away from Celeron, rather get Pentium M if you can.

Best bet is to buy second hand, you could get a good deal that way.

http://www.overstock.com/?PAGE=CATLIST&PRO_SUB_CAT=270&PRO_SSUB_CAT=999&showQuality=0&CAT_SORTBY=1&CAT_SKUPAGE=60
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?Lprice=200&Hprice=499.99&CatId=17

[K.Mandla]

Go used. I've got xubuntu running on a 750 mgz laptop, and its running great. Its not like you are going to get tech support from a company if you're running linux anyway.
Ditto that. Pick up a used P3 on ebay or from a reseller and you'll do great. Don't dump a mound of money into a new machine unless you want it for high-end games or some special gadgetry.

And muguwump's right: Unless you buy it with Linux preinstalled, no one is going to touch you for tech support anyway (that's why we're here ;) ).

Find one you like the guts of, and see if you can get it for cheap. That's what I would do, anyway.

[darkhatter]

where are you finding these laptops??? and future shop or best buy is a good place to start. They have a lot of refurbished computers.

[muguwmp67]

where are you finding these laptops???.
My family has been involved with IT since I was 2 (1969) They started as COBOL programmers on card readers, and now a lot of their peers and friends are IT managers and directors. More than a few of them have a bunch of antique and 'obsolete' equipment stored in their garages.

I'm not looking to sell them after they've been configured, but plan to give them to people on limited incomes (I'm strongly involved with NAMI as a consumer) Because of this, some are even considering letting me have old equipment from their businesses in exchange for me coming in and taking the time to wipe the hard drives for them.

One has a compag 'portable' (the old 30 pound ones, with the 5 inch screen), that I'm looking forward to experimenting with, I think its an 80286, which puts me SOL, but just maybe....

[K.Mandla]

where are you finding these laptops??? and future shop or best buy is a good place to start. They have a lot of refurbished computers.
ebay is an obvious place to look. Dell Financial Services (http://www.dfsdirectsales.com/#) sells off-lease laptops that were reclaimed from businesses and are generally cheaper than brand-new; some come without an OS. Dell Outlet (http://www.dell.com/content/segmenter.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dfo) is their overstock, I think. And given Dell's recent misfortunes, marketwise, it's not a bad time to hit them while they're down.

Newegg and TigerDirect do refurbs too. Most retailers seem to have prices that are still a little too high for my tastes, but if I had $400 to spare, I'd go with a newer one rather than something off ebay. Real finds on ebay are rare these days, and when you do get one, it's suffered some wear and tear ... like somebody's kid scratching their girlfriend's name into the palmrest. #-o


One has a compag 'portable' (the old 30 pound ones, with the 5 inch screen), that I'm looking forward to experimenting with, I think its an 80286, which puts me SOL, but just maybe....
Minix! You can run a web server on a 286 (http://phoenix.anomic.net/). :D

P.S.: And you can play the Half Life demo on a 486 (http://totl.net/Eunuch/). (That stuff cracks me up.) :mrgreen: