smashed my linux netbook, must replace in LasVegas

March 29, 2012 8:34 PM

Emergency laptop purchase in Madison WI or Las Vegas NV. I dropped mine on the hard world. I go to Vegas tomorrow for research. What and where should I buy.

I dropped my work-supplied lappy on the floor in the hall as I was leaving work to go to Vegas. I think it's bricked. It was a nice but noisy Zareason Ubuntu Linux laptop {hoverboard, but bought at the very end of the cycle...major booster's remorse; netbooky spex, but good screen and keyboard.).

If I can't fix it, I guess I want a not-extravagant-portable with good battery life and a decent screen. Not making a 3d movie about moon landings. A comfy netbook should do me, but I'm out of the loop.

Should I try to replace in MSN or Vegas?

Long term, I will haul it around classrooms and meetings, so not awkward is good. But I'll take awkward if you say there's a good deal at the Sam's Town 'puter store. I don't care what make and model. I use libreoffice and zotero. I love linux-only hardware but i am happy to drop 'nix over another OS.

I leave Friday afternoon for 8 days of research in Vegas.

What laptop/netbook should I buy and should I buy it here or there and where specifically there should I buy it. Like, can I get in a cab at McCarran and go somewhere that I'll leave with decent hardware and no hassle. Do not really want to blind buy something off the net and send it to my hotel.

posted by Mngo to Computers & Internet (6 answers total)

Fry's Electronics has a reasonable selection & good prices. Nevada has no sales tax.
posted by blob at 8:55 PM on March 29, 2012

Nevada has sales tax. No income tax though.
posted by zepheria at 9:09 PM on March 29, 2012

Best answer: There's a Best Buy on Maryland Parkway between Flamingo and Twain near the Boulevard Mall. That might be better if you decide you don't like it you can take it back to any Best Buy in the country. Frys is OK, but if you have remorse after you get home, it will be a major pain in the ass to return. There's another Best Buy on the beltway west of the 15 sort of by the Frys. Depending on where your hotel is it might be mucho dinero to get to your hotel.

Sorry, no advice on a specific model.
posted by birdherder at 10:01 PM on March 29, 2012

Seconding Fry's.
posted by Polgara at 10:44 PM on March 29, 2012

You should be able to walk into the Apple Store on the strip and walk out with a Macbook Air. Apple machines have a reputation for "extravagant" but the pricing is actually pretty good when you consider the hardware quality. I do most of my work in Linux and found I really like MacOS.
posted by Nelson at 8:17 AM on March 30, 2012

Response by poster: Coming back to this much later than I meant to, just to follow up. I was able to basically tape the thing back together and it mostly worked for the trip, so I didn't act on any of this good advice. But thanks! The thing is still alive and is my office laptop for taking minutes in meetings now. I carry an android tablet and keyboard (asus) as my always-with-me thing.
Thanks again all.
posted by Mngo at 9:08 AM on September 17, 2012