Need a cheap laptop for travel

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Heresy

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I just got a new job, and the company that I work for is sending me back and forth between the town I live in and various motel rooms in other states for training. I originally had a Gateway 450sx, but it went to a friend who has been "borrowing" is so long that I just gave it to him for a small price. So, I need a laptop to keep me connected while I am on the road, but it won't be used most of the time when I am at home.

Here are my requirements:
-Below $250
-Only needs to run XP, Office XP, internet browsers, and IM programs
-Small enough to carry in my luggage
-At least 512mb or 1028mb of ram
-Runs cool (The Gateway got scorching hot)
-Quiet (I hate noisy fans)

What doesn't matter to me:
-Battery life (it will only be used in the motel room)
-Hard drive size (10 gigs is enough)
-Ports (I don't need USB 2.0, firewire, etc.)
-Fast processor (it is just internet for the most part)
 
I bought my laptop for $325 after rebates. Its specs are
Mobile AMD Sepron 3100 1.8ghz
Ati Raedeon Xpress 200m
40gb HDD
Windows Xp Home SP2
256mb of ram (since upgraded to 768mb)
14" LCD Wide screen

You will have a hard time finding a laptop for under $250 i have not seen one for less than I paid for mine
 
You won't find a new or refurbished laptop for $250 (unless you are first in line at Best Buy on Black Friday). I would recommend against getting a used laptop unless you are buying it from someone you trust. Laptops have a very high failure rate, and most used laptops do not carry a warranty- so when something breaks, the cost of fixing will probably be greater than the cost of the notebook.

I would suggest keeping your eye on local store ads. Know the deals and arrive before the store opens. That's how I got my HP notebook. Final cost was around $450 for a HP Pavilion DV6305US (AMD Turion X2 1.6GHz, 512MB RAM, DL DVD+/-RW, 15.1" WXGA, Windows Vista Basic, etc...). I arrived right when they opened, and they only had 3 left in stock.

I would suggest keeping an eye on Office Depot, Office Max, Circuit City, and maybe Best Buy ads. Circuit City and Office Depot regularly run dirt cheap Compaq Presario notebook deals (usually $350 after rebates). Others usually have cheap Toshibas. On Black Friday, Best Buy sells laptops at about $250. That's probably the only time you will find a new laptop for that cheap, and you better arrive early.

For a used notebook, check Craigslist postings in your area. You usually will find old used notebooks for sale at about the same price you will find new low-end notebooks (around $400). So I still say it's better to get a new notebook if you can possibly afford it.
 
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