Help with buying someones first laptop

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

I'm looking to buy a budget laptop (preferrably <£500) and was
wondering what people suggest. Also are there any nasty surprises when
buying a laptop that a novice would not know to look out for (e.g. i
have heard that laptop batteries need to be replaced after a year as
well as heating up the components to such an extent that they do not
work)

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Here's my refurb story:

I bought an off-lease IMB laptop from PC Mall -- good specs, good price.
Seemed a great deal on a good machine.

One week later, it went down -- no video display.

PC Mall's own tech suppport told me to trade it in to them for a
replacement, per the 30-day replacement guarantee.

Then, the catch: I didn't have the original box. (The laptop came in an old,
soft, scuffed, dented box that almost fell apart when I opened it -- so I
tossed the box a few days after delivery.) PC Mall said: Without the box,
"There's nothing we can do!"

Several calls later, one of their generous executives said that they'd
accept the defective laptop for replacement if I paid a "restocking fee" of
15 percent. In other words, they want me to pay $90.00 for an old cardboard
box.

More fun: I bought a 2-year service agreement, but when I called the service
contractor, Service Net, they told me they have no obligation to fix
anything until 90 days after sale. The PC Mall salesman, of course, had told
me the opposite.

So, I realize I just got unlucky with a laptop that turned out to have been
on its last legs (or at least, in imminent need of a major fix). I won't
advise people to avoid refurbs. But, WATCH OUT with PC Mall -- and KEEP THE
BOX!

By the way, I've asked PC Mall to reconsider, and we'll see what happens.