Expert: Christopher David - 3/28/2001

Question
I need to buy a used laptop for $400 or less. It will be used for word processing and running a database like Filemaker Pro. I need a CD-ROM, floppy, and a modem. Other than that -- anything is fine!

What do you suggest? The ThinkPad 760 seems to have the features and be in the price range (I saw one on ebay for $370). I imagine other brands would also do, but I know little about the laptop world.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Answer
Hello S. Surla,

One of the key pieces in purchasing a laptop is having a budget - your price of $400 is an excellent start for shopping for a used notebook computer.

Here are a few guidelines in making this purchase.  As a preface, I have no connections with any vendors (hardware/software).  

1.  Brand names - my recommendation is to stick with a brand name notebook such as IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Sony, or Toshiba.  Doing this will facilitate getting service, parts, and upgrades if necessary.  This does not mean than non-brand name machines don't offer this, but my experience is that this is much more difficult to manage with a non-brand machine.

2.  Operating System and applications - You mentioned that you need word processing (is this WordPerfect, Word, or something else?) as well as the ability to run FileMaker Pro. You will probably need a laptop that can run Windows 95 or Windows 98, but you should check on the specific requirements for the software packages you need to run.  It is quite easy to run both of these applications on Windows 95 but if  you can upgrade to Windows 98, you will have the added benefit of better performance overall.

3.  IBM Thinkpad experience - I am a big fan of the Thinkpad line and while they are a bit more expensive than most comparable laptops, the durability and engineering of these machines is top rate.  

4.  Buying used - insist that the person who sells it to you provides you with manuals and more important, the original system disks/software that came loaded with the machine if possible.  You want to check that the serial numbers have not been altered and that the machine itself can still be serviced through a reseller.  You should visit the ibm website for a list of service providers and let me know if I can help with this.

Sounds like you are well on your way to purchasing a good machine.  I'd be glad to help with any further questions.

Happy shopping.

CTD