btw, i use a fujitsu laptop for about 6 months, and i highly recommend it. I was comparing it to the sony models they had, and for the price, fujitsu seemed to offer more/better hardware.

 

usually there is a manufacturers warranty that covers it for a year, past that and your 300$ could just be used to fix most other problems. I wouldn't get it, the 2 laptops I have (HP and gateway) have both never had problems, except for battery dieing after about 8 months, but got a new 1 for 100$... so still saved money vs. getting some store warranty

 

don't buy a Sony

i am an IT guy and 90% of Sonys I saw had a a HD failure within first year of purchase. Sony makes crap laptops, even if they do look good.

Buy plain old boring IBM - this will last forever! or if you want more flash, buy Fujitsu. Best value is in Dell lappys, but they are not well made.

my .02 cents

 

I have a 600x and a T40 IBM....both are very strong. Metal hinges that don't break, good screens, and IBM service is A+.

Used to have a dell (graduation gift) and it sucked ***. I broke a hinge within 6 months, dead pixels, crappy keyboard....etc....
But I did get good service from dell.

 

I agree 100%. I work in IT and we have a few Sonys and they suck. Good luck working thru Fry's and Sony for warranty crap.

IBMs are solid. Dell has an awesome on site policy. Dell has gotten alot better with the latest models.

If you want to buy AV stuff consider Sony.... why buy computer stuff from an AV company?

 

I already put in my 2 cents, but I'll add that I'm also an IT guy. I agree that the IBM laptops are much more reliable - fewer HDD crashes, but they aren't perfect - the little plastic latches that hold the screen closed break off and the screen seems to get scratched up from the keys when people put them in overstuffed laptop cases, but you can still read the screen and they really do seem to last twice as long, on average, as everything else.

The IBM's have one other shortcomming, a cup of coffee or soda in the keyboard pretty much kills them. The Dell's on the otherhand, seem to break with much more frequent regularity, but after a coffee spill, remove and rise the KB - dry and it works again.

But that's off topic, you asked about the Fry warrantee....and I still wouldn't.

 

Oh, you have a sister and a gf and they are the same person? are you from the Ozarks?

 

I'm partial towards Toshiba.

 

Listen, if you don't want to buy that bull crap insurance, buy your lap top from Costco. They have the most killer return policy ever! I bought a digital camera. It was a first gen. Then a year and a half later took it back and got a full refund. Then got a better model. Costco has some pretty good deals on computers and the return policy is unbeatable. I buy all my electronics there if they offer what I'm looking for. Even if it is a little more than what I could pay somwhere else.

 

maybe you should read my post again.... I gave my second laptop to my sister and my thrid laptop to my gf....