Best time to buy a laptop?

[Ginatio]

It seems that there's certain times in the year when all the laptop manufacturers bring out their new line of merchandise, discount their old lines, and have tons of competitive sales and offers.

does anyone have any idea when this usually happens? I get the feeling it's right before school, but that wouldn't make sense, since that's the best time students can get taken advantage of... (yes, I'm inferring that computer companies want to molest our wallets)

[thechoson]

When the country falls in a state of anarchy, you can just loot one.  Don't worry, it's coming... just look for the monkeys

[stung]

Check with your school's bookstore.  They can probably offer you some discounts.  That's how I got mine.

[Ginatio]

you know what's funny? whenever I check the price of a laptop through my school's (UG and grad) computer program with Dell/IBM/etc., I find that the supposed "discounted" price is more often than not MORE expensive than if I were to buy directly from Dell/IBM...

anyone else notice that?

Check with your school's bookstore.  They can probably offer you some discounts.  That's how I got mine.

[stung]

eh?  really?  I tried three different sites when I was "getting myself a Dell."  My undergrad's bookstore was the cheapest.  Good luck laptop hunting. 

[jgruber]

I don't think it is a certain time of the year.  I think the market and the general economy have more to do with it.  In other words, it's anyone's guess.

[zpops]

The only laptops you should be considering are ibms.  IBM recently released their new models for the year, so you can expect the new system prices to fall in the coming months.  IBM doesn't discount their comps in waves though, it happens randomly over time.

[thinknpositive]

The only laptops you should be considering are ibms.  IBM recently released their new models for the year, so you can expect the new system prices to fall in the coming months.  IBM doesn't discount their comps in waves though, it happens randomly over time.

I don't know why people on this board have such a hard-on for IBM's. They are incredibly expensive for what you get.  Sure they are rated highly but there are a million brands that make great computers.  Just research what you want and get it.  Check out www.cnet.com. 

As far as the best timing goes to buy a computer;  I've often wondered that myself.  To say that the time of the year has nothing to do with deals is completely foolish.  Think about it. A lot of people are buying computers now in preparation of the impending school year;  therefore companies are going to be more competitive in their pricing.

The same thing goes for times around the holiday season.

There is nothing random about pricing. 

[zpops]

I don't know why people on this board have such a hard-on for IBM's. They are incredibly expensive for what you get.  Sure they are rated highly but there are a million brands that make great computers.  Just research what you want and get it.  Check out www.cnet.com. 

As far as the best timing goes to buy a computer;  I've often wondered that myself.  To say that the time of the year has nothing to do with deals is completely foolish.  Think about it. A lot of people are buying computers now in preparation of the impending school year;  therefore companies are going to be more competitive in their pricing.

The same thing goes for times around the holiday season.

Their is nothing random about pricing. 

IBM's are overpriced in terms of computing power.  But IBM builds the most solid machines on the market, and that is reason enough to buy one for law school.  Best build quality + innovative recovery and data prtection technology + best warranty = the only logical choice for law school.

And of course most pricing is not random, but I never claimd that it was.  IBM's price drops ARE random and therefore my answer to this question is that prices will fall over time, but not on any set date.  If you really want to figure out the general dates for pricedrops, try and find advanced press releases for when new models will be released.  But since the dothan processor is already out, most laptop companies have already released their new notebooks, and are abandoning models based on the older banias chip.

[bobfett33]

Well, you COULD assume that the companies will lower their prices in a price war when demand is high... but by the same token, when demand ISN'T so high, many laptop companies might reduce their prices to increase demand for their product.