Who to buy a sub-grand laptop from?

[Envergure]

NOTE: I solved the problem before anyone replied so you don't have to read it.

Here's what i know:

-- Apple would be my first choice, but too expensive.
-- HP offers good laptops at good prices, but only in the US. I'm Canadian. HP has a weak Canadian presence, selling only two-year-old models at two-year-old prices.
-- Dell screwed over a friend of mine so there's no chance they're getting my business.
-- Lenovo's low-end products are ugly. Not something I would normally complain about, but they look just like a 1998 Toshiba laptop my Mom has.
-- Asus's website sucks. Also one can't buy directly from them, which is irritating.

Did i miss anyone?

This is frustrating. If I could buy from HP's US site i'd be set. If Apple had some lower-end portables, even better. Alas, not so.

Any suggestions?


EDIT:
I tried Acer just now. They have some promising low-end products, but like Asus they only sell to resellers. Unlike Asus, they don't say on their website who those resellers are.

Another EDIT:
Hold on, I found a list of Acer's Canadian partners on their site.

One last EDIT:
Found a good deal on one of Acer's low-end products on TigerDirect.

 

[kimsland]

Try Dell

-- Dell screwed over a friend of mine so there's no chance they're getting my business.

Is he all worked out now? From Dell support by chance?

There are a few cases where Dell is in fact at fault; but this is very few and far between.

I suggest you at least see what's on offer there

 

[Envergure]

You really want to hear what i think of Dell?

Is he all worked out now? From Dell support by chance?

No. Part of the problem was his fault: He signed some document Dell gave him without reading it, so he couldn't return the computer when it turned out to be a piece of crap even though Dell promised him a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee.

The computer itself was horribly expensive for its specs (i don't know the details there but that's what he said) and it BSODs when he turns on the webcam.

As for what i think of Dell's support, read this.

Having never dealt with Dell myself i can't speak from experience, but what i've heard about them has been unanimously negative. Maybe in the US or UK they're better?

 

[Tedster]

shop online - you usually will get the best deals. There are many reliable e-tailers. I don't know where you are in Canada, but many canutes cross the border to get sales tax breaks on large ticket items.