Can anyone recommend a site(s) that sell cheap laptops, a site you trust. I don't want anything fancy. Just something that will run Windows 95/98.

Can anyone recommend a site(s) that sell cheap laptops, a site you trust. I don't want anything fancy. Just something that will run Windows 95/98.

ebay

tanstaafl.

He said "a site you trust".

He said "a site you trust".

C'mon, Tony -- I know you're just baiting me, but I can't resist rising to the bait!

I have made perhaps 100 purchases on ebay -- and in only one instance have I been less than satisfied -- a PC motherboard that was DOA.

If you purchase from somebody with 25 or more positive feedbacks, you run very little risk. Everyone I have met on ebay has been very good to me -- possibly because I go into all my ebay transactions from a position of absolute trust. Before the days of PayPal, I routinely sent cash through the mails for my purchases, and never had a problem.

Buy a used laptop on ebay and you'll end up paying maybe a quarter to a third of what you'd pay for a similar computer new. A no-brainer if you ask me.

tanstaafl.

> Buy a used laptop on ebay and you'll end up paying maybe a quarter to a third of what you'd pay for a similar computer new. A no-brainer if you ask me.

Do you know some secret here? Based on that glowing recomendation I just registered on E-Bay 'cause I need a cheap laptop too, but it sure seems that the prices are almost identical to Pricewatch.com and in some cases higher. The same Sony laptop that is currently going for 1300 on E-Bay (with 2 hours still left in the bidding) is going for 1500 at several places on pricewatch. Certainly very close and likely to get closer towards the end of bidding.

And the good part about going through stores on Pricewatch is A) I know I will get the item and not be outbid, and B) Since I live in L.A. (the computer store mecha of the world), many of the places are close enough for me to drive to and pick it up tomorrow if I want.

Am I missing something here?

L.A. (the computer store mecha of the world)

Hah! Now I'm picturing L.A. as being a giant Transformer comprised of a bunch of computer retail stores. More than meets the eye! (It's ``mecca'', by the way. I'm not trying to be a jerk -- it just struck me funny.)

'no stan, you were s'posed to get me yellow ultra mecha man'

Try CompGeeks. The inventory is hit-or-miss, but I've bought a couple old machines there and I've been pretty happy. They are good about describing the actual condition pretty well, and last I looked they had some old Dell laptops (P233's) for about $300...

I have a laptop that I took off ebay for my brother to use. If I got a reasonable offer I would be willing to sell it. Everything works great. Only thing it needs is a battery since the old one only kept a charge for 10 or so minutes so i tossed it. More info here, I think it should be on ebay still from the canceled option: http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1326188125

-Greg

but it sure seems that the prices are almost identical to Pricewatch.com and in some cases higher.

I should have qualified what I said. Remember that rtundo said "I don't want anything fancy. Just something that will run Windows 95/98."

You can find lots of laptops in the $100-$600 range if you don't have to have the latest and greatest machine all full of gigabytes and gigahertz. (Bitt--should that be gigahertzes? )

If you want a Windows 98 machine to run word processing and spreadsheets and maybe play an occasional game or two -- then there is nothing wrong with a computer like this one chosen pretty much at random from ebay's offerings. But, if you have to have state of the art, then ebay is not the best place to look.

tanstaafl.

Thanks guys, I'll start hunting for one using your suggestions. I did notice a lot of new Dell's (266s I think) on ebay. That got me wondering, are there other places which buy up new but outdated laptops from mail order companies like Dell to resell?

Actually, despite me initial misgivings about it's computer prices, Ebay is turning out to be quite a boon for other things; specifically car audio equipment. I've spent $400 for about $700 worth of subwoofers, amps, caps, and Dynamat in the last 4 days.

Ebay never really appealed to me before, but I think I am a convert now. Thanks Tanstaafl.