Best Place to Buy a New Laptop Computer? (Atlanta, Doraville: military, hotel)

[globalnomad]

My dear spouse has arrived safely in Atlanta from overseas!

One of the first things he must do is go out and buy a new laptop computer (our last computer purchase was in '97, so it's time to upgrade).

Where should the poor jet-lagged guy go computer shopping?

He's staying in the Brookhaven area.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

Global Nomad

[sweettea1]

Mac Store in Lenox Mall is THE place for an Apple. Only a mile or so from Brookhaven.
For deals on refurb models or even some new ones, go to Brandsmart right off of 285 in Doraville. Only a few miles from Brookhaven.

[globalnomad]

Unfortuately, he won't go for a Mac computer.

[sweettea1]

there are a few Office Depots and Staples in the area as well.

[gt6974a]

What's wrong with buying one online, he doesn't have to leave the house?

I've had good experience with best buy but if he wants a deal have him try tigerdirect.com, I've used them for years.

[dncngrl1964]

Originally Posted by sweettea1

Mac Store in Lenox Mall is THE place for an Apple. Only a mile or so from Brookhaven.
For deals on refurb models or even some new ones, go to Brandsmart right off of 285 in Doraville. Only a few miles from Brookhaven.

There is also a best buy store over there
If you sign up for rewards card ...for every $250 you spend you get back $5
it isn't alot but its more than somewhere else plus they often send mailers with 10 percent off and 12 percent with the card and sometimes double points
Just somethin to consider

[Georgia]

One easy place.
Online.

Go to Best Buy, Circut City, or for that matter Costco.
This way you can touch the product and price.
Then go home and check the manufacturers site for deals.

Also the best thing online is you can build to suit you needs, plus on some models you can still order XP. Not that there is nothing wrong with VISTA but it will require quite a few patch updates by the time the jerryrigs are worked out. One good thing about a MAC is it is virus free

Gateway has a good deal now for a basic. Dell has a special on the 1501.
Sony of course is the one and only along with Toshi but the $$$ cost hurts.
HP? good on calculators, but on notebooks, I call it Heavy Problems.

All in choice. But I like the online route.

[dens]

Best Buy if in store...Dell if online.

[globalnomad]

Good News: My spouse found his way to a Best Buy and purchased a notebook computer. On the side of the box it says it comes bundled with Microsoft Family Premium software.

Bad News: He got it back to the hotel, but after trying to set the computer up it became clear that the Microsoft Premium Family software doesn't include Microsoft Word (only a Trial Offer)! In other words, the notebook can be used to check email but is perfectly useless for any other application.

He called the people at Microsoft, but they really didn't care.

I think he's going to return it to Best Buy in the morning.

Yes, we'd much rather order a computer online, but we don't have an address yet. My spouse went to the Post Office to attempt to get a PO Box, but was flat out refused because we don't have a GA Utility bill yet.

He explained that we are a returning military family from overseas and we probably won't have a utility bill for another 2 months while we look for a new home, but the folks at the US Post Office really didn't care. So our mail has to keep going to an overseas FPO address?

We're thankful for the kind Atlanta people we've found through this site because otherwise our first impressions of the city might not be terrific. You guys have been so wonderful and so helpful.

Global Nomad

[lastminutemom]

Many personal computers don't come with the (expensive) software packages-- (Macs do actually -- but you have already ruled that out).

Let him know that he needs to ask if they have any notebook computers that come with a full version -- and how much more does it cost? Then he needs to check the price difference and see if it is cheaper to keep the computer he has and buy the software package or buy the more loaded computer -- if they have one.

Finally, have him check Mail Boxes Etc or the UPS store to see about renting a mail box, if you really need one. This is a private company that rents the postal boxes.