Computer is DEAD- looking for best laptops??

[pawpawdiv9]

Got the dreaded Smart hard Drive Error (301)
I been having issues, but it has come to an end. I should of found a way to backup my hard drive. files and pictures are gone it seems.
I went on Youtube (on my brothers computer) and tried this method:
Pressing ESC during reboot, choose f9 boot options, then notebook hard drive, then window 7, and start normally, but i could not get that far, as it seems i was having one of those updates/configurations at the same time. So i cant save/backup.
To note: you cant use safe mode neither to recover. Basically its dead, and even if i could access my hard drive, its only temporary, as the hard drive will die.
So, i looked at Staples, a hard drive cost about 75$ it seems, plus labor..
BTW its a 2010 HP laptop Win7 home premium

Should i just buy a new one??? And what you guys prefer???