I have a 10.1" Dell Netbook that I love – except… Except that it has an Atom processor and even with an upgrade to 2GB RAM, every once in a while it just chugs, spinning and processing for minutes, unable to respond at all.
It has a 600 x 1028 screen – it turns out, 768 is really necessary for almost everything and setting the screen resolution to 768 results in a disconcerting float around view of the screen, as the mouse moves you up to the top and then down to the bottom as you move it past the top and bottom edges of the screen.
And a 5400 rpm hard drive was likely a mistake – I should have upgraded to 7200 rpm and not worried about the extra heat it might add.
And it won't do full screen netflix – only the smaller window view is possible, just not enough video processing power.
So – a few flaws.
I have a 15" Dell I also like. It is fast enough to do anything I ask of it, and with the 9 cell battery it gets decent battery life. But – I take the netbook when traveling because the smaller size makes a huge difference.
So…
So it can't be a Dell, because Dell doesn't make an 11" or 12" or even 13" laptop. Mac is just overpriced, sorry, but it is. For $1200.00 I can get a really nice Mac Book Pro at 13", but – for $700.00 I can get more power and run Ubuntu – plus dual boot with Windows 7, which handles those odd windows-only programs.
The cost needed to be around $600 – $700. I can sell the other two laptops and clear $300 – $500, and get rid of a couple of cameras I am not using ($200 – $400) and this exchange costs me at worst $150 – $200.
I settled on a Lenovo e220s. The price was right in line, dual core CPU, 4 GB RAM, 768 x 1366 screen resolution, 7200 rpm hard drive (320GB, big enough, though once the price of sata laptop drives comes down enough, I'll throw in a 1TB).
I found it on Lenovo for $764.00. Amazon carried it, from Tiger Direct at $746.00. B and H Photo had it at $702.00.
B and H and I have a long history. I have had really good experiences with them buying camera and photographic equipment. But – it turns out, computers are a completely different story.
The Lenovo was quickly shipped and arrived the next day. I opened the box, pressed the button, and…
Nothing. A red light. Nothing else. A complete brick, right out of the box.
OK, I'll just return it to B and H and order a better model, maybe less likely to be a brick out of the box. Maybe from B and H…
Looking at their return policy they take back any defective products. Oh, wait. Except for computers. For computers, once you open the box, it's yours. No return. Not even for bricks. You bought a brick and you get to keep it.
Really? I opened an RMA request with B and H, unable to believe that was the case. I checked on the Internet for previous B and H customer experiences in returning bad computers – and they don't take them back.
I called Lenovo tech support, and they agreed, this is a brick. They will take it back and fix it and return it, which they say is a 8 day process. Reading on the Internet, that's not the case – more like three weeks. And I still get my brick back. Not an exchange.
Not a return.
I walked into this. I based my expectation on previous experience with B and H – they have been fantastic in taking back say, 30D Canons with irretrievably dirty sensors right from the factory, lenses that weren't quite right, in all of that B and H have been just amazing. But – after all that, on this purchase they are draconian and immovable. I also read of Lenovo having quality issues, and shipping out bricks. But – that happens to all manufacturers, and the people who write about their experiences tend to be the extremes – especially the bad. As I write here.
What's the likelihood of that happening this time? (my experience: 100%) And if it is a brick, I can return it… (Or, not. )
That means I will not be buying another computer from B and H again, just because the risk of being stuck with this kind of brick is way too high.
Here's the return policy (emphasis is added):
Standard Return Policy: At B&H, our goal is to ensure your complete satisfaction with your purchase. If, for whatever reason, you are dissatisfied with your purchase, you can return it to B&H within 30 days of purchase date. Claims for missing items or items damaged in transit must be received within two business days of receipt of merchandise.
That would be my expectation and my experience up to this point with B and H Photo. Continuing we have…
You have the option of exchanging the item(s) or receiving a refund for the full amount of the item purchased . Refunds on returned items will be issued in the same payment form as tendered at the time of purchase. If payment was made by credit card, once we receive the product we will credit your account. Please allow 7-10 days for a credit to appear on your credit card statement. If payment was made by check, the refund check will be issued after 10 business days from the date of purchase.
Please read all conditions below. If conditions are not met, B&H reserves the right to refuse the return or to charge a restocking fee not less than 15%.
How to return or exchange an item:
In order to return an item you need to first obtain an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) number.
To request an RMA number online click here.
To request an RMA number by phone, call Customer Service at 800.606.6969 / 212.444.6615 .
Place the original package into a shipping carton.
Please do not place stickers or shipping labels on the original manufacturer’s package.
The RMA number must be clearly written on the outer box. If you received a label in the email, print the label and tape it to the carton.
We recommend you ship via insured ground service with a tracking number. Return shipping charges are the responsibility of the customer. We are not responsible for lost or damaged packages.
Send pre-authorized returns to:
B&H Photo Return Dept. 63 Flushing Avenue Brooklyn Navy Yard, Building# 664 Brooklyn, N.Y. 11205Items purchased from our Used Department are to be returned to:
B&H Photo Used Dept. 420 9th Ave. New York, NY 10001Alternatively, you may return an item to our Returns Department at our New York Superstore.
Rules :
- All returned or exchanged items must be in new condition, in their original box, and must include all packing material, blank warranty cards, manuals, and all accessories.
- Items with timers must show less than 120 minutes of use. Items with shutter counters must show less than 200 exposures.
- B&H is not responsible for personal data or items left in returned merchandise.
- Defective items may be repaired or exchanged at our discretion for the same model or manufacturer’s equivalent model.
- RMA numbers are valid for 10 days.
- B&H is not responsible for any consequential or incidental damage resulting from the sale or use of any merchandise bought from us. We are responsible for the monetary value of the merchandise only.
Not too shabby – looks great. This is the return policy I have always understood from B and H and this is what I expected. However, further down there is the rest:
No Return/Exchange On:
- TVs, combos and monitors 37″ and larger once any of the packaging has been opened.
- Computers, Software and Hardware once any of the manufacturer’s packaging has been opened.
- All consumable items (e.g., film, tapes, paper, bulbs, CD, DVDs, etc.) once unwrapped.
- Any computers built or modified by B&H to customer’s specifications.
- Special Order merchandise.
- Underwater equipment that has been submerged.
- Educational tapes and books once unwrapped.
- B&H Gift Cards are redeemable for merchandise only and may not be redeemed for cash.
Really? Seriously?
Lenovo tech support couldn't believe it. Their recommendation was to return it. They were very surprised when that was forbidden by a policy of the store.
I was too.
B and H has not responded to the request for an RMA, and I'll update this once they do – this is Saturday, and they don't work on Saturday, they usually do respond on Sunday though. In any case, reading through the details on the Lenovo warrantee I should be able to drop the brick off at a service center in Waltham, Massachusetts and get it fixed or replaced. Unless B and H responds differently than their website states, satisfactorily, that will be the next step.
I'm writing this because IF I had found a blog write-up like this, I might have chosen a different laptop to purchase and I would have chosen a different place from which to purchase. Seriously, there are so many other alternatives, why deal with a merchant who doesn’t honor their pact with the consumer to deliver a working product. Even if B and H Photo DOES allow this return, the fact that the language exists that allows them not to do so if they wish is unacceptable.
—doug
Update: Lenovo’s warrantee does not cover dropping off the laptop. I have to ship it to them and have it fixed to have this not cost out of pocket. And still no word from B and H… That Apple 13″ Mac Book Pro is looking better and better.
If I manage to get this returned once this is worked through I’ll take another look at that $1100.00 price tag and stop feeling it is too much…
One of the complaints about Lenovo was that they refused to ship recovery disks with the machine. The workaround for a cautious consumer is to boot the machine and immediately make those OS recovery disks, before anything can go wrong. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work if the problem is the laptop never boots at all.
Update: I think I’ll bite the bullet and get the Apple Mac Book Pro 13″. The size is a bit large, the weight slightly more – but the appeal of being able to walk into Apple and say “Fix me” is huge. Also – I am pretty sure that out of the box it will just work. And that Amazon will take it back without question (I looked this time at the return policy) if there is an issue. I wish the Lenovo had worked out, but what happens, is. I could order the Apple and then do penance and get the Lenovo fixed (if that is I can’t return it) and then sell the Lenovo on ebay. I’d lose 100.00 or so for the lesson, but this would be complete, and there’s value in that.
The moral of this is that Apple IS worth it, in this case. It looks like the Thinkpad has gone down in quality, and it looks like none of the other laptops in this size and price range ($700 – $1050) are as reliable or have the same consistent level of service as Apple.
Update: B and H Photo responded and offered to exchange the dead computer for another of the same model. That is way beyond what their return policy actually states, and much appreciated. Not completely satisfactory though. Best would be a refund. Second best would be credit at the store – I can sell my Olympus EP2 and acquire later P3 micro four-thirds camera for a bit more than the money this laptop cost me. If I exchange the Lenovo I would have a working-out-of-the-box brand new computer to sell on ebay. Better than a dead-out-of-the-box laptop, for sure, but not ideal.
I amended the “never buy anything from B and H again” to “never buy a computer from B and H Photo again”. I think that’s accurate. They are responding appropriately to this instance, but the language of their policy doesn’t require this action. It is above and beyond and it should not be. And even exchanged, it’s not a laptop I would trust to be dependable at this point.
Update: B and H won’t exchange for store credit. But they will exchange for the same model Lenovo. And the customer rep said “I’m sure you won’t get two dead computers in a row, this one will be fine…” What are the odds?
Update 20180916…
I sold the Lenova on eBay for $50 less than I paid for it after having it repaired under warranty. Still not cool, B and H.
I purchased a 13″ MacBook Pro from Apple. It has been outstanding. No issues at all.
I do have to say I won’t buy a 2016 and newer MacBook Pro with usb-c and butterfly keyboard. I’ve used one extensively for work – sucks.Really sucks. But 2013 – 2015 models are peak Apple MacBook Pro. Outstanding computers.