I've had my current laptop for almost five years and it's really starting to go downhill. The problem is I'm having a lot of trouble finding one that fits what I'm looking for. This is my current laptop. I'd like something as good or better. I'm open to most brands, though preferably not HP as that's what I had before this one. My biggest requirement is a CD-drive. I have to be able to watch DVDs and play video games that still require discs. I know that I could get an external but I'd rather not. Unfortunately I'm not looking to spend over $300. Also does anyone have any experiences buying refurbished laptops from major chains (like Best Buy)--positive or negative?
4 gig of ram, maybe with an upgrade option to 8gb (if you need that in 2 years) intel core i3, intel core i5 (better) make shure you have 2 or 3 years of warranty - refurbished often has just 1 year.. if that thing gets broken after 13 months you lost all the money... mine tend to break down every 1-2 years - but I use my stuff a couple of hours everyday... edit: and don't buy a laptop just cause it looks fancy... fancy stuff with slow performance isn't what you want...
I agree with AP. Chromebooks should suit you just fine, as it doesn't seem like you'd need it for any heavy-duty operations. That said, I doubt you'd be able to find one with a cd-drive. They're made to be light weight and very slim, something which cd-drives are not promotive of. Buying refurbished is a good option if you want to cut down your prices even more. I've never bought a refurbished computer, however, back in the day, I went through a few refurbished digital cameras from Future Shop. They all worked fine, and you can often get extended warranties on those items. Another option is to keep your eyes peeled for "open box" items. These are products that have been taken out of their boxes before, but are still unused. Stores usually chip off a little bit of money off for such products. I know that at Future Shop (at least, my local one), you used to be able to haggle prices with the department worker/manager. My dad was with me when I bought my first computer, and he got 60 bucks taken off, due to just chatting up the guy. If you buy online, or directly from the manufacturer, then you'll likely also be able to bargain with an agent. These things really depend on how firm the stores are with their pricing, if the sales reps are on commission, location, etc. Good luck!
Thanks, guys. I've looked at quite a few of them and they are appealing, but like Batman mentioned they don't have CD drives.
