Are Toshiba laptops bad?

[Forte125]

I've heard of horror stories of Toshiba laptops suffering from all manner of defects. Are they worth getting?

 

[rolli59]

I have heard that to but I have as well heard that they are good. It is as with everything else, the people having trouble are the loudest.

 

[Ubrales]

Even so, they are better than Dell

 

[Forte125]

Even so, they are better than Dell

Can you elaborate on that? I have never purchased a pre-built computer before (This is my first laptop for college) and I would like to know who to avoid and why.

 

[Ubrales]

Can you elaborate on that? I have never purchased a pre-built computer before (This is my first laptop for college) and I would like to know who to avoid and why.

The best of the whole bunch is definitely Apple laptops, followed by HP. Avoid Dell because of poor quality, non-existent service (both tech support as well as customer support).

Because of the prior decent reputation that Dell enjoyed, we (our family members) purchased two laptops about 4 years ago. Dell knowingly shipped these 2 laptops with bad motherboards, and gave us the runaround regarding repairs (within 2 months of the 12 months warranty period). Finally, we got fed up and paid an independent tech who replaced the motherboards. The tech told us clearly that Dell was aware of these defects and in spite of that, knowingly shipped the products.

I found Dell's tech support people from their call centers in India to be arrogant and "know it all" types. In more than one instance, the Indian tech support closed the case without resolution, in order to make themselves look artificially good.

Tech support (India) does not have to be this bad. The tech support I got from Linksys's Phillipines techs was excellent. (Linksys had jumped the gun and shipped a wireless card without driver support for Win 7).

Dell's US Customer service, along with a US based tech, tried to resolve the problem, and empathized with me. But their help cannot, and did not solve the most issue with a certain Dell desktop, GX-620. Blue screens occur on a DAILY basis. Even after re-installing the OS (XP professional) multiple times, blue screens occur. With NO other programs installed, the message I get is that some "driver" is bad. The 2 Gigs of RAM is new and tested good.

The only use for this Dell computer would be for training purposes for computer techs. Where else can one find a computer with different problems every day?

This is what prompted me to read-up, join Tom's Hardware, and build my own i7 computer. Seventh month running with ZERO problems. Thank you Tom's members!

 

[rolli59]

The best of the whole bunch is definitely Apple laptops, followed by HP. Avoid Dell because of poor quality, non-existent service (both tech support as well as customer support).

Because of the prior decent reputation that Dell enjoyed, we (our family members) purchased two laptops about 4 years ago. Dell knowingly shipped these 2 laptops with bad motherboards, and gave us the runaround regarding repairs (within 2 months of the 12 months warranty period). Finally, we got fed up and paid an independent tech who replaced the motherboards. The tech told us clearly that Dell was aware of these defects and in spite of that, knowingly shipped the products.

I found Dell's tech support people from their call centers in India to be arrogant and "know it all" types. In more than one instance, the Indian tech support closed the case without resolution, in order to make themselves look artificially good.

Tech support (India) does not have to be this bad. The tech support I got from Linksys's Phillipines techs was excellent. (Linksys had jumped the gun and shipped a wireless card without driver support for Win 7).

Dell's US Customer service, along with a US based tech, tried to resolve the problem, and empathized with me. But their help cannot, and did not solve the most issue with a certain Dell desktop, GX-620. Blue screens occur on a DAILY basis. Even after re-installing the OS (XP professional) multiple times, blue screens occur. With NO other programs installed, the message I get is that some "driver" is bad. The 2 Gigs of RAM is new and tested good.

The only use for this Dell computer would be for training purposes for computer techs. Where else can one find a computer with different problems every day?

This is what prompted me to read-up, join Tom's Hardware, and build my own i7 computer. Seventh month running with ZERO problems. Thank you Tom's members!

This is personal experience, my story is different. In December 2002 I bought a Dell Inspiron 2650 with 3 year onside warranty (was at a discount for $199) in November 2005 it started having problems after chatting online with Dell support for 2 hrs they accepted that the motherboard was bad and the next day they sent a tech to replace it.
Prior to that Dell had a HP omnibook 6000 luckily with a 3 year warranty since it got a new keyboard and motherboard during the warranty period.

 

[coldsleep]

This is personal experience, my story is different. In December 2002 I bought a Dell Inspiron 2650 with 3 year onside warranty (was at a discount for $199) in November 2005 it started having problems after chatting online with Dell support for 2 hrs they accepted that the motherboard was bad and the next day they sent a tech to replace it.
Prior to that Dell had a HP omnibook 6000 luckily with a 3 year warranty since it got a new keyboard and motherboard during the warranty period.

I believe that most people would claim that Dell's service started to go downhill somewhere in 2005 or so.

This story would put it a little before that, however.

All in all, anecdotal evidence is neither here nor there. Seemingly company-wide indifference to the customer, on the other hand, is kind of hard to bounce back from.

 

[Ubrales]

This is personal experience, my story is different. In December 2002 I bought a Dell Inspiron 2650 with 3 year onside warranty (was at a discount for $199) in November 2005 it started having problems after chatting online with Dell support for 2 hrs they accepted that the motherboard was bad and the next day they sent a tech to replace it.
Prior to that Dell had a HP omnibook 6000 luckily with a 3 year warranty since it got a new keyboard and motherboard during the warranty period.

In those days (2002, 2003) Dells were fine - Dell's quality went bad and has been bad in the last 4 years. And, what is the excuse for the bad Tech (Indian call centers) support? Water (or ----) flows downhill!

Comparable tech support from overseas call centers, like in the Phillipines, is good.

Feel free to buy whatever you like, but when things go sour (Dell) I will tell you I told you so.

 

[mspisz]

I also wonna add that some of the laptops from HP and DELL experience problems with graphic cards.
I bought a HP laptop 2 years ago and it failed recently due to nvidia defect (inheritly defective) the repair shop says a lot of people who buy DELL and HP laptops experience those problems and normally they are out of warranty by the time it fails... but you can take it to the court which is a long process.

I am not saying all laptops have that problem but you just gotta be carefull what your buying, ask around people and do a good reserahc before you go buy a laptop.

 

[Ubrales]

Sounds more and more like buying cars, don't it?

Build your own!

 

[mspisz]

Sounds more and more like buying cars, don't it?

Build your own!

agree

 

[Forte125]

I would build my own...

...but I have no idea where to buy a laptop chasis or CULV parts...

Can someone point me there?

 

[Ubrales]

Building is usually for desktops - you are better off buying a new pre-built laptop; other than Dell!

 

[rolli59]

What is the intended use of the laptop? If it is predominantly meant for school work and portability have you considered something like this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220659

 

[Forte125]

I am going to be a college freshman this fall. Every computer my family has owned has been built by either myself or my father so I am not sure what brands to trust. I am looking for something 13.3 or smaller (they are lighter and easier to lug across campus). About that EeePC: I am going to avoid the atom like the plague. I hear it is very low performing...

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0337358

This is the Toshiba I am thinking about purchasing.

 

[Ubrales]

Looks good for the price. I heard rumors that Toshiba (as well as HP) laptops are ok. Please keep in mind that comparisons are relative.