Toshiba leaving us in the dust.

I feel your pain (but wasn't aware they were getting out of the lap top business). I've been using the same Toshiba lap top as a desk top for the last 8 years with no problems at all. Went through my share of those three year wonders out there before finding the Toshiba.

Keeping the processor cool is the key. The heat sinks installed by the manufacturers are just enough to make it work briefly. I install after market cooling fans with bigger heat sinks. Also, make sure you vacuum out the case frequently. Dust is a great insulator.

Finally, I've had better luck with ASUS computers than HP, and all of my latest purchases have been of ASUS desktops and laptops.

(That having been said, I'm using an HP desktop right now but with the cover off and an Enermax cooling system installed. It's my machine of choice.)

Just about any laptop on the market now meets my simple needs so I treat them all as disposables and buy the cheapest, on sale.

Try Leveno (used to be IBM) Thinkpads.. I have had good luck with them save for this:

Over time it seems all Windows machines slow down.. Some claim it's mal-ware but I have top end anti-malware (Layers of it) and keep scanning clean.

I think it's the weakly band aid that Microsoft loads me down with.

Asus makes and sells to a lot of other builders. So I choose to buy from the horses mouth instead of its rear end. My Asus has been great with not one issue to date.

1492 wrote:


Here is a chart of notebook malfunctions rates done by Square Trade, an aftermarket warranty and repair firm. This was the last review they did, but now five years old. You can download the study here(pdf).

I am surprised to see Lenovo as high as it is for defects, I work for a LARGE company in IT (we manage about 30,000 Lenovo PCs/Laptops) and other than idiots spilling coffee in them or dropping them, it's nearly unheard of to see anything wrong with their Thinkpads (we are on a 4 year replacement cycle, so we don't see many past that age though).

EDIT: Though I should point out we don't touch any of their "retail" channel machines, Personally I wouldn't touch any manufacturers retail lines, I would spend the money on a used "business/enterprise" class machine before buying new retail garbage, lol.

Business/Enterprise class ones usually include 36 months warranty, less bloated software package, and better OS license (Windows Pro or Enterprise versus Home), and almost always sturdier (though heavier) build, like metal chassis/supports, versus cheap plastic chassis.

Here is a chart of notebook malfunctions rates done by Square Trade, an aftermarket warranty and repair firm. This was the last review they did, but now five years old. You can download the study here(pdf).

I have had good luck with Gateways. We have one from 2005 that we are finally recycling, and another newer inexpensive one running Windows 8 and a AMD A4 processor. Great battery life and it does not get hot.

We too had a HP laptop that died about 3 months past our extended warranty. The blinking lights indicated processor, so I tried replacing the processor ($25) but no go. Sold it for parts. Will not buy another HP. I hate their printers too.

I've had no issues with my DELL Ultrabook. Plus, came with a 14 month warranty once registered. Not sure where the extra 2 months came from?

I've had my Compaq Presario CQ62 for quite a number of years now and it's been fine. Wife has one just like it. Got them at Wal-Mart for very little money.