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Question

What brands have the best overall build quality?

Sep 9, 2015 9:03PM PDT

Hi everyone. I'm new to this forum. So my sister is going to college and she asked me to find her a good laptop, as I'm the only tech savvy person in my family. I already know the specs and everything that I want. She won't be gaming or anything so I think something like an Intel i5 will do just fine. And she doesn't want to spend more than $600.

I've been researching laptops for the past couple days, and whenever I think that I've found the "perfect" laptop, I then find a bunch of reviews and websites saying that the build quality overall is just crap. Some laptops that I've looked at have been the Toshiba Satellite C55-C5241, Dell Inspiron laptops, HP 350, various HP Probook models, various Acer Aspire models, etc. I just don't know which brand has the best overall build quality. I keep on hearing that HP is crap, then from another place that Acer is crap, and so on. It's just been getting so frustrating. All I want is a laptop with decent specs under $600 (around an i5, at least 4gb ram), built very solid (metal preferably), dvd drive, but I can't seem to find the right one. I guess I'm just afraid that the laptop I would choose for her would fall apart in the first 6 months.

So I guess what I'm asking is what brand (or brands) in your experience have the best overall build quality? And would any of the laptops that I mentioned by ok? I'm open to any other suggestions such as buying used or refurbished or any other good laptops in that price range. Thanks a ton!

Discussion is locked

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Answer
The thing is
Sep 9, 2015 9:50PM PDT

That the budget pushes us out of the better models. This is like you wanting the Lexus for a Ford price.

Even the cheaps in the 300 buck range don't fall apart in months here. But I see a lot of abusive owners that blame the laptop for it's early demise when they would drop their backpack as they came in the door. Ouch.

As to metal? Metal bends and breaks. Plastic gives and at some point breaks. Metal costs more, just look at the Apple line.

In the CNET Laptop Forum we have many lists so I'd look at the current Amazon best sellers. How about this one?

http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Satellite-C55-C5241-Laptop-Intel/dp/B010SBAJDS/ref=zg_bs_565108_1

WHY the DVD drive? You can add one from WaImart for 30 bucks.
Note: Edited for spelling.

Post was last edited on September 10, 2015 4:52 AM PDT

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Inconvenient
Sep 10, 2015 7:20AM PDT

She doesn't really want to carry one around with her

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My dvd less laptop...
Sep 10, 2015 7:30AM PDT

I think I've used the DVD drive 10 times in 2 years. It's going the way of the floppy drive.

When I travel, the DVD drive stays home.

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Answer
Basically all brands 600 dollar
Sep 10, 2015 4:37AM PDT

machines are pretty much the same. They all use 600 dollar components as you basically get what you pay for, As far as brands well every brand has their good models and those are mostly the ones over 1000. Apple is good as they have limited models with limited components. Their components are more standard across all models because all models are above 1000. Windows machines have 1000's of components that are in laptops.