16-Apr-2007 jak: so you mean if we dont pay for this we will have a dodgy screen

Easycom: No, sometimes TFT screens have a dead pixel or two. This is not classed as a fault by the manufacturer, so you wouldnt be able to return it as faulty. This makes sure that you dont receive a machine with any dead pixels.

19-Apr-2007 Scooter: how many dead pixels do you have to have before this is classed as a fault

Easycom: If you take a pre delivery inspection, the laptop will be delivered with no dead pixels.

20-Apr-2007 vm: so does this not come under the 1 year warrenty, if anything would be faulty, wouldn't it be covered by that to fix it?

Easycom: Any fault is still covered under warranty, although dead / permanently lit pixels are not classed as a fault by the manufacturers unless there are a lot of them. This product will ensure that you dont receive any dead pixels at all.

15-May-2007 Frank: when you install and update software, is it possibly to wipe this and start again? pre-delivery inspection is great to make sure it works, but why not just leave it at that. i dont particularly want people installing stuff on there and configuring it, thats stuff i want to do myself. examine the hardware for me by all means and make sure it works, but i want my laptop delivered to me as it has just left the factory - not had software tampering before i even get it.

Easycom: Hi, Software would only be installed and configured if it was something you had ordered alongside the the laptop, such as AntiVirus or Office. We would not put anything else on there.

17-May-2007 Geoff: If I don't pay for the pre delivery inspection does that mean I'm more likely than average to get a screen with a dead pixel as I'm assuming the dead pixel ones go back into your stock for those who haven't paid? In which case by not paying for an inspection I'm effectively being penalised with a higher then average chance of getting dead pixels.....?

Easycom: We wouldnt put them back into stock as new, so you have no greater chance of buying a machine with a dead pixel if you don't pay for an inspection. The inspection just eliminates that risk altogether.

18-May-2007 GO: Surely this means then that you also cannot return to the manufacturers any screens with one or two dead pixels. Any that you find whilst conducting the pre-delivery check for customers would not be sent to that customer, returned to manufacturers or destroyed. Therefore if you do not have the pre-delivery inspection you are probably likely to end up with one of these machines with dead pixels. If you cannot assure me you have an alternative exit for these machines (rather than sending to customers opting out of the pre-delivery check) I do not feel confident ordering from you. Thanks.

Easycom: The manufacturers have no obligation to accept them back from us, but we have good relationships with all of them so it's never a problem.

23-May-2007 Sandeep: How do you check the dead pixels in the screen? if I have to check myself how can I confirm that I don't have any dead pixels even after the pre delivery inspection.

Easycom: A dead pixel will be immediately noticeable when you turn on the laptop as it will appear as an always on or off dot.

27-May-2007 Sandy: I assume since there is still a possibility (for consumers) to return the goods withing 7 days, anyone can check the laptop for dead pixels themselves, simply by turning it on.

Easycom: Yes, although they are often only visible under specific bright colours and can be hard to see until you know where they are. Many people dont realise they have them for a long time.

15-Jul-2007 Paul: Can i customize the specifications of the laptop, for instance a higher speed hard disk from a 5400 to a 7200 rpm?

Easycom: It is not possible to change the spindle speed on a hard disc. If you need faster disc access perhaps for video editing an external USB hard drive may be the best option.

15-Jul-2007 dawn: Are these laptops reconditioned or new?

Easycom: With the exception of Factory Outlet notebooks all laptops on the website are new, UK localized stock.

13-Aug-2007 Mark: I am interested in a laptop that comes pre-installed with Vista, is it possible for you to install XP Pro on it instead?

Easycom: Please contact the sales team to discuss downgrading Vista to XP on any laptop.

25-Nov-2007 invisiblebloke: I quite like the idea of a pre inspection service. Having had the hassle of buying a monitor with 5 dead pixels and one lit and not getting anywhere with the manufacturers (or retailer), the relatively small extra is worth it. Laptopsdirect is a strong contender for my money at the moment. Haven't quite decided on the model yet though.

Easycom: Thanks for your comment!

17-Mar-2008 Buyer: Would you install extra memory if purchased.

Easycom: Please call us to discuss your upgrade requirements.

5-May-2008 Footage: I'm considering buying a Sony Vaio FZ312 - is the display suppied as a CLass 1 display according to ISO 13406-2?

Easycom: No, as with most laptop manufacturers, Sony class their laptops as Class II. If you want to guarantee a perfect display, you could purchase the pre-delivery inspection (it was made for this purpose).

8-May-2008 Nikiboy: I've ordered the predelivery inspection and I believe it's worth it for the peace of mind you get. Even the smallest chance of getting a laptop with a dead or stuck pixel is enough for me to warrant this. I have another lcd screen that has dead pixels/stuck pixels and that really annoys me knowing it is there. I am not getting any other thing installed with the prechecks as I have all the software I need bought before the laptop comes. I'm looking forward to receiving my laptop knowing that the screen will be fine. Thanks Laptops Direct for offering this service. For all those who are put off from buying, you will have this same problem anywhere else you buy a laptop from. There will be a slight chance your screens will have dead/stuck pixels. Of course if you don't want this precheck then it's up-to-you, no one is forcing you to.

Easycom: Thank you, this is primarily why we introduced this service.

7-Jun-2008 wilen: I was just about to purchase two Aspire 2920Z`s from you until I spotted this "dead pixel" baloney. Do you seriously expect me - and any other purchaser - to believe that respected companies like ACER make no checks on their new machines for dead pixels, before releasing them to retailers? Pull the other one! Even if the odd one did slip through, it`s the manufacturers liability - they made the damn things! Almost 10% of the purchase price extra, just to check that there are no faults with a brand new product? I think I`ve heard it all now! I will purchase from you provided that I have a categorical assurance that ANY fault will be covered in full by the warranty.

Easycom: A dead pixel is not classed a fault by the manufacturer unless there are a certain number of them, which varies between between different companies. Even today, a percentage of brand new LCD screens out of the box still carry dead pixels. It's very rare to see more than one or two on the same screen.

9-Jun-2008 wilen: Okay, so I pay my £40 for a dead pixel check. I assume that you then check the machines you have, to find one with no DP`s, then send it on. What EXACTLY happens to those that YOU find that have DP`s less than the warranty limit? You said earlier that there`s no chance of one of these being sent to a customer who doesn`t take up the pre inspection offer. Do you send these back to the makers for repair, or do you repair them yourself?

Easycom: Our close relationships with all the manufacturers that we list ensures that we are able to get them replaced, where the end user would struggle due to the fact that they are not usually classed as faulty under these circumstances.

23-Jul-2008 delilah: Hi, once you've conducted the check, do you reseal the laptop carefully in its packaging so that it looks brand new on arrival? it's just that I'm thinking of ordering a laptop as a birthday present and I don't want the recipient to think I've bought her something used/opened. Not to be awkward, but wouldn't it be easy for a shop to sell a refurbished/open box laptop under the guise of a pre-delivery inspection?

Easycom: Once the pre delivery inspection has been done you would be able to tell that the box had been opened. If the box has been opened it is still classed as a brand new product, the seal will generally say something like "check box contents if seal broken". It would not be possible for us to sell a refurbished unit in this way because the serial number would be registered as refurbished with the manufacturer. Any refurbished units, or ones that have been removed from their box for display purposes as opposed to pre delivery inspections always go into our box opened bargains section.

14-Aug-2008 Chrishutch2008: Hi I personally would not buy this as I did. My new £1200 laptop (less than two months old) had a faulty main board which was not picked up by the inspection and I am now told I will have to send it back to ACER.

Easycom: We are sorry to hear this, however a motherboard failure is not something that could possibly be picked up on by any inspection if it boots up properly and works well at the time (assuming it did). Fortunately that's what the warranty is for, and Acer will replace it for you with a brand new one. Best of luck.

1-Nov-2008 Dan: Hi, I am considering buying the SONY VAIO AR71M from you as a Christmas present for my fiancée. Could you please detail what steps and tests the dead pixel check includes (For the more technically aware of us out there)? I assume the distance selling regulations still apply even if you take up the PDI check? Also, is the restore disc that is added to the cart something I could make myself from the software provided with the laptop?

Matt: The dead pixel check will make sure that the machine you receive has no dead pixels at all, as sometimes these will not be classed as a fault by the manufacturer. This does NOT mean that customers who don't order a pre-delivery inspection are more likely to receive a machine with dead pixels, as we do not return any that do have dead pixels to the main stock. The distance selling regulations do still apply and are unafected. The restore disc is something you can create yourself once you receive it if you wish, as the restore data will come on a hard drive partition these days.

14-Dec-2008 hamfist: Is it part of the pre-delivery service for the hard drive to be partitioned? This is something which would interest me.

SteveF: Please give our sales team a call and they'll check on that for you.

28-Oct-2007 xerardo: It seems to me that if i buy a laptop, i should assume that everything is working to order. Why should i pay to have the laptop checked out that should be something. I was about to order from you but his put me off. It wasn't just the screen but the battery and other component too. This should be done by standard.

Easycom: We offer this service as a piece of mind to a user and to reduce the number of machines sent out with dead pixels. The pre-delivery inspection allows us to look over your laptop before it is sent out. The laptop is still covered by the manufacturers warranty however most manufacturers do not consider a single dead pixel a fault and so will not replace your laptop for this and so this product ensures you will not receive a dead pixel. Also this allows us to look at software bought alongside your laptop will be installed and configured ready to use straight out of the box.

1-Nov-2007 Gizmo: In regards to the dead pixels would it not be wise to inform customers of how many dead pixels a laptop must have before a manufacturer classes it as faulty, above you mentioned quite a lot, Sony's standard is 7 dead pixels for example, and that its near impossible to see the dead pixel

Easycom: As different manufacturers have different fault tolerances so the numbers would not be the same for each manufacturer.

5-Nov-2007 Forthriot: How can laptopsdirect.co.uk switch on a laptop and glance at the screen for only £39.95? How are your prices so low? I was going to buy a laptop from you but I don't think that this business model is sustainable, and that you are losing money on this.

Easycom: The pre-delivery inspection tests screens using testing methods that identifies dead pixels on a screen. The inspection also allows us to install any operating system updates from the operating system manufacturer. We also use this opportunity to install any software you have purchased along side your machine so that you don't have to and so it all ready to use straight out of the box.

4-Dec-2007 Sigh-co: Is the dead pixels a regular occurance with new machines? What sort of percentage do you find this fault with?

Easycom: Dead pixels do occur occasionally, however i couldnt give a percentage.

7-Dec-2007 Herman: Hi, I'm thinking of buying a Sony VAIO VGN-SZ61WN/C. I have read that some of the SZ series have a fault where the screen has a yellow tint all accross the screen when the screen is set to different brightness settings (sometimes only viewable on the lowest brightness setting with a white background). Do you check for this also? Or do you only check for dead pixels?

Easycom: This will also check for this problem.