Store specializes in laptop repairs, upgrades

VIC VALBUENA BARENG/VIEWTechnician Dan Twyman works on a computer at Laptop Xchange, 1308 W. Sunset Road. VIC VALBUENA BARENG/VIEWBrothers Tim Smith, left, and Mike Smith own Laptop Xchange, 1381 W. Sunset Road. Advertisement

Most computers are outdated before you turn them on for the first time. And, as the months go by, the system slows until you're forced to buy the newest version just to get back to surfing the Web.

That's easier said than done while trying to stretch every dollar.

A new Henderson store, Laptop Xchange, at 1381 W. Sunset Road at Stephanie Street, can help solve a few of these problems.

Customers can trade their sluggish laptop for a speedy model, or have owners Mike and Tim Smith repair or upgrade their machine.

"Instead of buying new, you can get it fixed," Tim Smith said. "A lot of people don't like (Windows) Vista, so they trade to have (Windows) XP."

Laptop Xchange staff members are experts at replacing broken LCD screens, broken keyboards and dying batteries, resolving wireless conflicts and air-card problems, and removing viruses, spyware, adware and other malignancies.

Repairs are done in-house and usually take one to three days. It could take longer if parts need to be ordered.

The Smiths opened their first Laptop Xchange in 2003 but sold that location to focus on the Henderson store and franchising the business. A Centennial Hills location will open in June 2009, and plans are to have about five in the valley.

Laptop Xchange sells used, off-lease and factory-refurbished laptops for as little as $99. The used laptops are upgraded and repaired in-house, and Tim Smith said many factory-refurbished computers come from excess inventory. Off-lease laptops are computers leased by companies from manufacturers that are no longer under the lease. Tim Smith said many businesses will get new computers, and the leased laptops can be purchased at Laptop Xchange.

"For 100 bucks, you can get a laptop, put a WiFi card in it, and now your kid's on the Internet," Mike Smith said.

The store can equip most people with a good laptop that ably handles high-speed Internet, word processing, spreadsheets, wireless Internet, movies, streaming video and more for $200 to $400. The most-popular unit is a used Pentium 1.6 GB laptop with Windows XP and standard software.

The Smiths also will buy your old laptop for cash.

Laptop Xchange doesn't buy or sell desktop computers, but they can be fixed in the store.

"We do one thing, and we do it well," Mike Smith said. "We just wanted to be experts at one thing."

The store has laptop and notebook models available and also has accessories, including printers, cases, mice and adapters for many personal computers and Apple computers.

Tim Smith encourages anyone with questions to come into the store.

"We have a very knowledgeable staff," he said. "Just come to the Xpress service and upgrade window."

There is a 90-day warranty on computers bought in the store.

Laptop Xchange is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

For information, visit www.laptopxchange.com or call 876-3636.

Contact Henderson View reporter Lauren Romano at lromano@viewnews.com or 477-3839.