Affordable Laptops for Data Collection: Are They Worth the Risk?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the search for affordable laptops suitable for data collection, specifically targeting options priced at $500 or less. Participants share their experiences with purchasing laptops from various sources, including eBay and Craigslist, and express concerns regarding reliability and performance for data acquisition tasks.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a desire for a cheap laptop for data collection and questions the reliability of eBay purchases.
  • Another participant shares a link to a new Dell laptop priced at $449, suggesting it as an option.
  • A participant mentions their experience with a laptop purchased from eBay that initially did not work but was resolved with a refund and repair.
  • Concerns are raised about the specifications of budget laptops, particularly regarding RAM and display quality, especially for data acquisition projects using software like Matlab.
  • Some participants suggest alternatives to Dell and inquire about specific hardware requirements.
  • Another participant shares their experience buying used laptops at computer shows, noting potential issues with battery life and physical damage.
  • One participant recommends Craigslist as an alternative to eBay for finding laptops, emphasizing the ability to test the device before purchase.
  • Questions are posed about the stability of the operating system for data acquisition and whether Linux might be a better option.
  • Participants discuss the risks associated with buying used laptops and the importance of purchasing from reputable sellers.
  • One participant expresses a preference for new electronics over used ones, despite exploring Craigslist.
  • Humor is injected into the conversation regarding the potential hazards of using laptops with Li-Poly batteries.
  • Several participants express interest in a specific Dell laptop priced at $552, with one stating they prefer not to buy someone else's problem.
  • Another participant shares their recent order of a new Dell laptop after their previous HP laptop failed.
  • Concerns about the weight of Dell laptops compared to other brands are mentioned.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of opinions regarding the purchase of used laptops, with some advocating for caution and others sharing positive experiences. There is no consensus on the best approach or brand, as preferences and experiences vary widely.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight various factors influencing their decisions, including hardware specifications, reliability, and personal experiences with different brands and purchasing platforms. Concerns about battery life and potential physical damage are also noted, reflecting the uncertainties involved in buying used electronics.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals seeking affordable laptops for data collection, those considering purchasing used electronics, and participants interested in the reliability of different laptop brands may find this discussion relevant.

Cyrus
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I want a cheap laptop to collect data with. Cheap like, $500.00 or less.

Has anyone bought a computer from Ebay?

Is it worth the risk?

Does anyone want to sell me their laptop, or give me it for free? :biggrin:
 
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Hey, that's great!

Thanks Monique :smile:

I have a wireless network in my house, so I have an external hard drive that I can network to, and a printer. So the laptop does not need to be fancy.
 
cyrusabdollahi said:
I want a cheap laptop to collect data with. Cheap like, $500.00 or less.

Has anyone bought a computer from Ebay?

Is it worth the risk?

Does anyone want to sell me their laptop, or give me it for free? :biggrin:

I bought my laptop from ebay, when it arrived it did not work
but as kias man works with computers i had an engieers report to
back my claim, i received my money back and got laptop fixed for nowt :smile:
 
Can you be more specific on what kind of hardware you want? Maybe we can suggest something that's not a Dell.
 
Be careful. The laptop specials I have seen are OK, but they chince you on the RAM and the displays. If this is for your DAQ project and you want to run Matlab, you may want to double check the requirements.
 
I'm not doing anything iterative, so I don't need a fast PC. Not using it for games either. Just data collection. And I like dell. I have a lot of stuff by Dell, and it all works great.
 
I've bought several at computer shows. The one I bought for my company recently has a P3 processor and 15" screen. It cost about $250. The only downside is that with a used laptop, odds are that the battery will be near completely useless. I would be concerned about physical damage and dead pixels on the screen if I weren't able to handle the computer before buying it.
 
cyrusabdollahi said:
I want a cheap laptop to collect data with. Cheap like, $500.00 or less.

Has anyone bought a computer from Ebay?

Is it worth the risk?

:biggrin:

It's worth the risk if you know what you're doing. I bought mine from ebay.
 
  • #10
Cyrus, I'd greatly suggest you try craiglist for Washington DC, or wherever you live. It's almost like ebay. Maybe a little worse deals, but you can still find some handsome laptops for less than $500. When you find what you want or somebody makes you an offer, you can just meet with a person and test whether everything works just fine. Look here, http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/cgi-bin/search?areaID=10&subAreaID=0&query=laptop&catAbbreviation=sys&minAsk=0&maxAsk=500
and if you didn't find something satisfying, then simply make an offer right in, for a good working laptop, if wash's similar to nyc, and it should be, then you'll get several offers from people who want to sell their laptops. Try it, there's a lot of good stuff on craiglists.
 
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  • #11
Cyrus, how long are your typical DAQ runs? Are you not worried about OS stability or do you plan to partition your drive and run your DAQ off of Linux?
 
  • #12
It's only like a 10 min run at most. That's as long as the $200.00 LiPoly Battery will last!
 
  • #13
I am sifting through craigslist. Thanks Heartless. I am still skeptical. I prefer to buy my electronics new.
 
  • #14
Wehn buying from ebay, you can usually trust the re-resale/refurbish people who have a long list of positive feedback. With individuals, there's no telling what you get, but there is some protection with paypal.
 
  • #16
Oh my...!1!1one
Cyrus's buying a http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=32550" :eek: :bugeye: :!)
 
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  • #17
:smile:

This is great, I am charging Li-Poly batteries, which VERY easily can catch on fire and burn your house down, and trying to prevent that with a laptop that will burn my house down!

:smile:

the Irony!

My next posts will be form the public library.

I bet that laptop has Li-poly batteries as well.
 
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  • #18
COOL! keep your camera handy and keep us toasted.

I mean posted.
 
  • #19
cyrusabdollahi said:
I think I am going to play it safe and buy that Dell, the one that's $552 bucks. It looks like a good deal, more or less.

http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/featured_basnb?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

Thanks for the find monique!

I really do *not* want to buy another persons problem.
That's great, I hope it'll fit your needs. It's a coincidence that just a few days earlier I had been talking about laptops and heard Dell had some crazy prices :smile:
 
  • #20
I actually just ordered a new Dell laptop a few days ago (should be here early next week). My HP died. :frown: :devil:
 
  • #22
Hello from my Dell Laptop (wireless too!). Somehow, PF became my homepage, yet again :rolleyes:

Thanks again Monique! :smile:

Edit: Oh no, It just burst into flames! :frown: :wink:
 
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  • #23
that's too bad, you should've gotten an HP...:smile:
 

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