Why You Can Trust CNET Get a refurbished HP 15.6-inch laptop for $299.97
Don't let the "refurbished" part scare you: the nicely equipped G62-347NR comes with a full one-year warranty, same as new models.
Many thanks to everyone who commented and wrote in regarding Friday's "PC or Mac?" post. The response was tremendous, and for the most part quite civil--surprising given the holy-war history of the question. (They're just computers, people!)
The hard truth is that I write about Windows (and Windows-related products) for a living, so I can't fully abandon the platform. But as soon as my budget allows, I'm going to bring a Mac into the house and see what all the fuss is about. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, it's hard to pass up a deal like this one: Radio Shack has a refurbished HP G62-347NR 15.6-inch laptop for $299.97 shipped (plus sales tax in most states). In fact, you get two-day Fedex shipping, a nice added perk (be sure to choose that option at checkout).
I know, I know: an HP?! After bemoaning the sudden loss of two HP desktops on Friday? Yeah, I'm crazy, it's true, but this is a laptop. Plus, it comes with a full one-year warranty, same as new units. And, so help me, I'm a sucker for too-good-to-be-true deals.
The G62 features a 2.2GHz AMD dual-core processor, 3GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, and Radeon HD 4250 graphics. The screen resolution is a bit on the low side at 1,366 x 768 pixels, but it's certainly sufficient for a screen of this size.
Everything else is about what you'd expect, including a LightScribe DVD burner and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. Travel weight: 5 pounds.
For a student headed off to college in the fall or anyone who needs a decently powered PC on the cheap, this is, like I said, hard to pass up. The one-year warranty makes it especially attractive.
Bonus deal: Game time! For a limited time, Amazon has Ubisoft's Far Cry 2: Fortune's Edition (download) for $5. That's a lot of fun run-and-gunning for a sawbuck five-spot.