The reason used laptops go for that price is that people generally paid
double for them and they dont realize or dont want to realize that what they
paid $1500 for, or even $800 as recently as 6 months ago, is no longer worth
that price.

The main cause of this was influx of processors last year with increased
speeds. Intel, for example, produced processors so fast with increasing
speeds, even most of the manufacturers couldnt keep up. Thus desktop
computers and yes, even laptops have prices have fallen drastically.

Case in point, I bought a laptop in '01, paid $1300 for the laptop and then
another few hundered for accessories like a network interface, external CD
Burner, etc. I needed something faster so I bought a new laptop (they can
only be expanded so much). When I went to sell mine, they were $800-$900
new for something better. I couldnt see letting it go for even half what I
paid for it, so I finally just gave it to a family member. I got my use out
of it, so that was that.

Computers are a lot like your ww tools in respect, that if it sounds too
good to be true, it probably is. Also remember this...Any thing is worth
what someone will pay for it.

Ok, that is enough rambling from the geek who wants to do more hands on work
with wood

Good luck in your search for the new PC/LAPTOP

Clif

Most people say being insane is bad... I see it as having the opportunity to
be unique from the mundane lifestyle forced on us by society


"Charlie Self" wrote in message
...
For shooting photos out of my own shop, I'm slowly running up on a need
for a
method of viewing the shots more fully at the scene.

So I started checking used laptop prices, and keep running into a sort of
price
settling at $700 ($699 plus shipping) to $800 ($799 plus shipping).
Checking
these out, I find 6, 8, 10 or 12 gig hard drives, Pentium IIIs, max of 128
megs
of RAM, few details on USB, lots of CD readers and DVD readers, screens in
the
12" range.

Just for kicks, I thought I'd check the Dell site, since I've gotten good
value
from my desktop Dell. Here we go: several of their 1150 models, with
Pentium
IV, quarter to a half gig of RAM, 20 or 30 or 40 gig hard drive, 14+"
screen,
CDRW, bunch of other handy stuff, plus XP loaded. Prices start at about
$825.

Do these smaller outfits have rocks in their heads or are they out there
hoping
to catch the ever unwary? Add 25 bucks to their prices and get a hard
drive
that is 4-5 times as large, double or triple the RAM, a faster CPU and a
burner, plus other features and they expect to sell stuff.

Amazing.

Charlie Self
"I have always felt that a politician is to be judged by the animosities
he
excites among his opponents." Sir Winston Churchill