Comments on: Extend the life of your notebook computer

The first step in ensuring that your new laptop will outlast the software that comes with it is buying from a vendor with a reputation for reliability.

[guymatrin]

Reading your article doesn't make me feel better about the HP Pavilion dv7 notebook I just bought my girlfriend for her birthday. Though I appreciate the tips you gave on getting the most life out of it. I believe I'll start looking for a cooling pad ASAP. Thx.

[mnl1121]

Wow sorry but these tips are obvious. Basically your saying:
1. Do your research before you buy. Don't buy a model that has chronic problems.
2. Protect your investment with a cooling pad (NOT extended warranty EVEN with a cheapo comp, its still not worth it). My Dell Inspiron 1720 runs cool even when under stress, however i still have a laptop cooler.
3. When your comp goes defunct and it has a known problem, don't give up. Give tech support a piece of your mind (however a good way to get what you want isn't to be mean, just don't be a pushover) and get compensation.

[pgr33n]

So, it appears that it wasn't just bad luck that my HP Pavilion was a complete lemon as well. I had countless problems with it before just giving up and getting a new laptop

[jgrab1]

I don't understand why you don't take away the most obvious lesson here, by your own admission. You say you're not surprised Apple scored highest in every list. So why didn't you buy an Apple? Since you can now run Windows on any MacBook, there's no excuse. And honestly, even if you can't, you won't miss it, trust me, unless you enjoy reboots because of screen freeze. (Haven't had one since I switched to Mac a year ago. I also boot up now in < 20 seconds and shut down in five.) Why anyone still uses PCs is a mystery to me.