Shopping for a laptop? Read this…
I think the most common question that hits my inbox goes something like this – I’m shopping for a new laptop. Are there any brands I should look out for? Any that I should avoid? What do you suggest? I’ve written before about what you should look for, but never really about how to choose between brands.
Although this data is going to be old as soon as I post about it (for reference, the current date is Tuesday, November 17, 2009), a great study was just released by Square Trade.
For those unwilling to wade through it, here are some highlights:
1 in 3 Laptops fail over 3 years
As you go shopping this holiday season for a new notebook, make sure you take this into account. One third of laptops are going to die in the first 3 years. Do you really want to spend that much? This certainly isn’t the last computer you’ll purchase.
Netbooks fail 20% more than laptops
To provide the full picture, it’s actually 20% more than entry level laptops (higher quality laptops fare even better against the netbook). I have to say, I’m not entirely surprised that a notebook perfect for your lap (the netbook), which suffers much more heat strain than the average laptop, wouldn’t last as long. At the end of the day, remember that heat is the enemy…
ASUS & Toshiba the most reliable
This is simple and sound data – ASUS and Toshiba most reliable. No ambiguity there. Delving deeper into the numbers, I was happy to see that Apple and Sony did well… Here is the chart from the doc.
So that’s it – some fun mid-week reading and just in time for the black Friday shopping madness. Be careful out there and don’t forget to do your research!
~ab
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Thanks for the use full info on your site.I was not aware that there was a diff between note book and laptop computers.Could please explain what whey are.I had always thought that they were just two different names for the same thing.
You’re very welcome Chris! Glad to hear that it was helpful. The difference between a netbook and a laptop is rather… vague. If I had to provide a general definition, I’d say that a netbook has a small screen (under 12in), a long batter life (in theory) and is designed to be ultra portable. Another common feature is price, which seems to trend under 500 dollars.
In your expert opinion, how do other factors (namely, customer service, warranty-type things) change the standings? It seems like everything I hear pushes Apple to the top, but is that just clever advertising and opinionated Apple users being very vocal? I’m very seriously considering the switch (though my bank account disagrees).
Hi Lash! I don’t think the standings should change. The user experience is certainly a large factor in purchasing your next computer. I love Apple’s simple service plans and decent support staff. I haven’t received the same customer service from, let’s say, Dell or (the previously named) Compaq. However, I think what makes this study useful is to say – if all things are the same, services, warranty etc, doesn’t only the lifespan of my machine really matter? In theory, it’s the best indicator of whether or not I’m going to have to deal with the much-kin-head Dell rep… That said, I think you could argue that these lifespan numbers are just probabilities. Chances decent that you’ll have to deal with one of these companies at some point after your purchase…
I wouldn’t change the rankings, but I would say that if you are constantly speaking with tech support now, you should try to improve that experience in future. Ask around for your friends’ experiences. Find out which companies made your peer group happy. It’s not enough to change any rankings, but it might improve your satisfaction with your new toy.