The laptop market is inundated with fierce competition among the manufacturers for best features, price, reputation, and reliability. Former market giants have lost reputation and credibility while new budget laptop brands try to make a dent in the ever changing industry. To further dilute the market, a new battle is brewing amongst the laptop brands for top dog in the new netbook computer industry. Depending upon your personal experience your opinion could be vastly different than this list, either way, It’s time to take a look at our list of top 10 laptop brands based on reputation, reliability, and customer satisfaction.
10. Compaq
Compaq has had problems in the past with reputation in the laptop industry but has improved in recent years, specifically since the buyout by HP. The budget models are priced right and the features and prices remain affordable on the lower end systems. A good choice for a budget or entry level laptop.
9. Gateway
Gateway reliability has been questioned in the past though many customers swear by their products. Gateway produces a wide range of laptops and have a relatively large share of the laptop market. Unfortunately, Gateway has been known for their lack of support, warranty work seems to be a daunting task that can result in some serious aggravation on the customers part. Gateway receives a tarnished reputation based upon these customer support issues.
8. Asus
Asus is improving their reputation and quality on a consistent basis and is moving into a market contender quickly. One key market Asus is capitalizing on is the netbook market which continues to see impressive sales. Reliability seems to be good and customer reviews seem to be positive. No doubt in my mind they would be much higher on this list a year from now.
7. Sony Vaio
Sony laptops have been known to have premium features and components. For this reason the Sony brand of laptops usually has a premium price as well. The problem with that is there are other brands that share the same features and specs that are cheaper and rated just as high in customer satisfaction and reliability. For this reason, many times it’s a better deal to choose a different manufacturer who can give you a comparative product at a lower price point.
6. HP
I had a hard time putting HP above a few of the other brands, though they are one of the major players in the laptop computer market. Hewlitt Packard is known to be novice friendly with good support and easy to use products. I believe this is one key factor that makes HP laptop’s and electronics one of the best selling brands on the market. They have great looking products, though some models take a hit in the reliability segment.
5. Acer
Acer is another brand that is constantly improving and could potentially move up the list. Acer is known for their budget models and more recently their economically priced netbooks. I find they have mixed reviews among users and their reputation is so-so with varying degrees of enthusiasm and experiences, for this they hit the list mid-pack.
4. Samsung
Samsung has really improved their reputation over the years and are now known as a premium brand. Their HDTV’s have shown to be well built, and their laptops and computer monitors are as well. The high end models boast impressive features for a good price.
3. Dell
Dell is one of the most popular computer companies in the world and for good reason. Their laptop’s range from economical to premium with price point’s to match. Most Dell laptop models have been known for good reliability and performance and overall good value for family and enterprise based clients. Impressive styling and features for the price.
2. Apple
Apple is a company you either love or hate, usually there is no middle ground. Apple have always been well built and sound with impressive features, portability, and reliability. The one area Apple has been knocked for is compatability. This is geared towards operating systems that users want the freedom to install and configure independently. Regardless, Apple is one of the top laptop brands on the market, though you will pay for the quality.
1. Toshiba
It was hard to choose a number one because for each laptop brand that you perceive as the best there are five so called industry expert reviews stating the complete opposite. One brand that has always been classified as a leader in the laptop market is Toshiba. The main boast is the reliability of their laptops regardless of classification. The lower end models boast features and prices that rival the best while their high end models give the customer what they want and more. I find they have style, features, good prices, reliability, and are recognized as a reputable brand in the consumer laptop market.
Sources:
http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=32&name;=Laptops-Notebooks
http://www.laptopreviewsonline.com/
