Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

want to pick up a new laptop ASAP after landing to help in finding accomm etc, etc.
Would normally have ordered from Dell online but won't suit our circumstances on this occasion (timescale & delivery).
Don't want to spend too long shopping around. Any recommendations for a store within 1/2 hour of downtown Vancouver worth a visit?

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

Vancouver
Simply Computing, 203 - 1690 West Broadway, Vancouver, V6J 1X6 - (604) 714-1450
WestWorld, 1368 West Broadway, Vancouver, V6J 1H2, (604) 732-4499
Mac Station, 101 - 1014 Homer Street, Vancouver, V6B 2W9, (604) 806-6227
London Drugs, lots of locations
UBC Bookstore, 6200 University Boulevard, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, (604) 822-2665
Acculogic Technologies Inc., 102 - 2000 West 12th Ave, Vancouver, V6J 2G2, (604) 732-4400
Compusmart Vancouver - 595 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, V6B 1Z5, (604) 688-2662
Divine Mac, 293 East 2nd Ave, (604) 879-2799
Miles Computing - 1277 Nelson Street, Suite 1504, (604) 683-4858
Richmond
Acca Computers, 7 - 3671 Viking Way, Richmond, V6V 2J5, (604) 278-6227
TLD Computers, 100 - 12251 Horseshoe Way, Richmond, V7A 4V4, (604) 272-6000
Burnaby
SFU Microcomputer Store, 8961 Cornerstone Mews, Burnaby, V5A 4Y7, (604) 291-3098
Mac Station, 207A - 3430 Brighton Avenue, Burnaby, V5A 3H4, (604) 420-5224
Delta
Oracle Macintosh Enterpirses, 13 - 7621 Vantage Place, Delta, V4G 1A6, (604) 940-3840
Surrey
Switch Computers, 106 - 1688 152 Street, Surrey, V4A 4N2, (604) 542-9669
Langley
Simply Computing, 302 - 6339 200th Street, Langley, V2Y 1A2, (604) 524-3050
Abbostford
Mac Station, 11 - 32451 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, V2T 1X4, (604) 864-6227

All MAC suppliers too, hence me stearing you towards them.

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

I'd usually go Dell too, just for the reliability and big support capability. Costco and Wal Mart both sell Dells off the shelf now. Don't know your area at all but I bet there's one of them nearby!

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

Just as a counter to that, I've a Canadian supplied Dell Latitude laptop that's been the biggest POS imaginable. Frequent hardware failures, weeks away being repaired and hours on the phone diagnosing problems.

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

Future Shop or Best Buy have reasonable prices as long as you don't listen to the crap about extended warranties.

They sell HP and Toshiba, We've had a Toshiba for a few years now and it seems to be pretty well bullet proof.

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

Don't listen to the Nazguls...step into the light !!

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

I got into quite a fight with a Dell service rep last March over the length of time they expected me (the customer) to spend on the phone with him trouble shooting their damned machine that was less than three weeks old.

Told him I would never buy another Dell. This was my third and last. :curse:

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

Just bought a HP Pavilion laptop from Future Shop - no hassles so far *fingers and toes crossed*, good machine for my simple purposes.

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

My screen expired a month ago - completely blank. Everything else functioning OK - could hear it boot up, playback an audio cd etc.

Called Dell and spent 1 and 3/4 hours diagnosing the problem. They even asked me to source cables to hook it up to another screen, while sat in Vancouver airport. Trouble is, until they're satisfied that telephone assistance can't resolve things, they won't issue a ticket for a repair centre to get involved. Their customer service stinks.

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

I drew the line after 45 minutes, at disconnecting and removing hard drives and other parts. I've done it before and it's not a huge issue but I said I wasn't prepared to do that because if I had any sort of static charge and destroyed anything they would likely blame me.

So I just said if they weren't going to issue a ticket and send someone out to repair the machine then they could have it back and I wanted a refund then I hung up.

Two days later a service guy knocked at my door with a bunch of parts and replaced a number of things. It was quiet when he left but the problem returned within a week and now I just kick the damned thing I don't care anymore if I crash a hard drive I'm so p*ssed off with the machine. So far it seems to help for a week or so then it starts again. Not a happy Dell customer.

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

Been using Toshiba laptops for about 10 years and never had a problem (tempting providence not). Mine are pretty widely traveled and used extensively in presentations so reliability is a key factor. The Satellite range is a reasonable choice for home use.

Staples 4 stores around downtown Vancouver.

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

Macs are great if you're spending someone else's money. Our resident geek speaks highly of ncix.com - they're located just outside downtown and seem to have very keen prices. I've had generally positive experiences with Acer machines.

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

I've had bad and good service from Dell but overall it has been way way better than any other company and crucially, they have huge capability to get things sorted. I have bought Dell machines for many years - I am typing on my two week old Precision laptop, under the desk is a Dimension 9200 and there's a Latitude X1 on the shelf! These plus tens of PCs bought for work and with few exceptiuons they've all been great.

As for PC problems in general, I've worked in IT for over a decade. Nine times out of ten it is the software and/or the user at fault, not the PC. The trouble with support calls is tempers usually fray pretty early because people want to get on with their work and have often already got frustrated trying to solve problems for themselves. For the support rep though, they can't just have every PC getting sent back when a setting change or reboot (or plugging something in!) might fix the problem. My only gripe with support calls is when the person on the end of the phone has poor english, I think that's unacceptable and I get frustrated. The one time I called Dell Canada last year (with a monitor that seemed too hot) I got great service from a guy here in Canada (with great English!).

Oh, and on the Mac side of things, I have a year old iMac and it's great. It runs XP most of the time but you do need to bear in mind that the sexiness comes at a price (MacBook is probably double the price of a comparable (although admittedly less sexy) Dell) and support is an extra - by default you get 90 days and that's all. A year extra support from Apple was $250 extra last time I looked - Dell generally includes 1 year. And yes, I have had to call Apple support so Macs are just like any other computer in that respect too!

An interesting discussion.... :-)

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

Not bought a full PC from NCIX but several other items have been a great deal and quickly delivered. I've a good impression of them.

Re: Laptop/Notebook purchase
 

Good question! I decided yesterday the office needed a spanky new desktop as my laptop is full.

Had a look online for some recommendations, and went to the store for a PC magazine (most of which are about $10 and have about 50 pages - I kinda miss my chunky Computer Shopper from the UK!) Still not sure which way to go - seems like Dell is 'least worst'?

A friend is having issues with his just-under-warrenty HP laptop. Let's just say he is not having much success with their customer service - I can here the screams from here... :ohmy: