Physical Build Quality Vs. Software Quality - Your Own Experience with Other Brands..

5rtytry56

This is how you bought a NEW laptop with the ORIGINAL OS and PREINSTALLED SOFTWARE

To start the ball rolling:

ASUS X550C: GOOD Physical Build, Cr@p software - Windows 8.1. Called the "SonicMaster" model by ASUS, but onboard speakers are no great shakes, but not cr@p either.

SONY VAIO: Good Physical Build, Great Typing keyboard: Good Software - Windows 7 Home Premium. Crap Speakers, but then was'nt advertised with great sound so..

Lenovo Ideapad Z500: Flimsy Physical Build, readily apparent after a few hours use, USB 3 port broke fairly soon after purchase. keyboard not as good as advertised to be, on the keyboard itself.Good Software: Windows 8 and pre installed software. Great Speakers. Doly capable. Played with this configuration

the thing is that all brands have laptops varying from the budget to high-end so it's hard to generalise about brands as the quality of hardware and set-up varies so much.

Also Sony Vaio for example is not even owned by Sony anymore - they sold off the laptop division a few years ago.

Although I would generally avoid ACER (especially in the lower mid-range of laptops)

ED E

5rtytry56 wrote: »

SONY VAIO:

No longer exists, got sold off to JIP.

5rtytry56 wrote: »

Lenovo Ideapad Z500:

Rootkit in your BIOS, rootkit in your BIOS, the specs page never lists the rootkit in your BIOS.

Alanstrainor

glasso wrote: »

the thing is that all brands have laptops varying from the budget to high-end so it's hard to generalise about brands as the quality of hardware and set-up varies so much.

Also Sony Vaio for example is not even owned by Sony anymore - they sold off the laptop division a few years ago.

Although I would generally avoid ACER (especially in the lower mid-range of laptops)

Yes I completely agree. Most brands offer laptops at all price points. Just because a 400eur Asus doesn't last too well, doesn't mean a 1000eur Asus will be as bad.

My current system:
Asus UX32a Ultrabook. Bought in 2012(or 2011...). Core i5, 10GB of RAM. 500GB + 24GB SSD.
It cost in and around 800 new.
Nice reliable machine. It's been through 3 OS's, Windows 7, 8, 10. It has a lovely case, all metal and hard wearing.
Poor enough screen, low res and not great colours, but fine for most tasks. Battery life was never fantastic. Topping out at 4 hours when new, and somewhere around 3 hours now. I'm more surprised with the lack of battery degradation over the time I've owned it.
Reliability has been great, it has never failed me. Still on it's original HDD. The headphone jack is a bit flimsy now however.

I would buy Asus again.

Alanstrainor

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Yes I completely agree. Most brands offer laptops at all price points. Just because a 400eur Asus doesn't last too well, doesn't mean a 1000eur Asus will be as bad.

My current system:
Asus UX32a Ultrabook. Bought in 2012(or 2011...). Core i5, 10GB of RAM. 500GB + 24GB SSD.
It cost in and around 800 new.
Nice reliable machine. It's been through 3 OS's, Windows 7, 8, 10. It has a lovely case, all metal and hard wearing.
Poor enough screen, low res and not great colours, but fine for most tasks. Battery life was never fantastic. Topping out at 4 hours when new, and somewhere around 3 hours now. I'm more surprised with the lack of battery degradation over the time I've owned it.
Reliability has been great, it has never failed me. Still on it's original HDD. The headphone jack is a bit flimsy now however.

I would buy Asus again.

Asus are pretty good across the range. In fact I'd argue that the make the best budget laptops. they are getting out of the budget end I believe tho from what I read somewhere.

Alanstrainor

glasso wrote: »

Asus are pretty good across the range. In fact I'd argue that the make the best budget laptops. they are getting out of the budget end I believe tho from what I read somewhere.

The race to the bottom never works out well for manufacturers!

Alanstrainor

Alanstrainor wrote: »

The race to the bottom never works out well for manufacturers!

margins are just not worth it really I guess on a laptop being sold for 300 € retail. that would mean 150 € Asus price I guess (ex vat and retail margin).