I have a gateway that has served me well for 6+ years. However, it's now running on 10% of its memory, has been giving me more problems, and I fear it's now on hospice care. As much as I'd love to hold out until Windows 10 comes out, I don't know that I'll be able to, and have asked for money towards a laptop for Christmas.
My family has had some recent issues with HP products, and so I'd like to avoid HP. I LOVE my current Gateway, and would love another one. However, though I've found them online, I have not seen them in stores in the past few years. That makes me a bit leery. Are Gateways still considered good computers? Were they ever? Was I just lucky with this one?
If not Gateway, and not HP, what brands would you generally recommend? I'm leaning towards Dell or Acer. I thought I heard that Gateway and Acer are one and the same now?
Basically, I'm terrified of buying a lemon. I'd love one that would last me 5+ years, but I've heard 2 to 3 years is typical for a laptop now. Is that true?

My family has had some recent issues with HP products, and so I'd like to avoid HP. I LOVE my current Gateway, and would love another one. However, though I've found them online, I have not seen them in stores in the past few years. That makes me a bit leery. Are Gateways still considered good computers? Were they ever? Was I just lucky with this one?
If not Gateway, and not HP, what brands would you generally recommend? I'm leaning towards Dell or Acer. I thought I heard that Gateway and Acer are one and the same now?
Basically, I'm terrified of buying a lemon. I'd love one that would last me 5+ years, but I've heard 2 to 3 years is typical for a laptop now. Is that true?