[Archived] Laptops

[pksrover]

you should think of getting a Dell laptop! I bought a Inspiron 9300 last month, and it's a real beauty

[Hannah]

Hello, I know I haven't posted for a while but who else would I ask for a bit of consumer advice when wanting to puchase a laptop!

I have had a laptop for the past 18 months but when I left my job they made me give it them back (unlucky!) I have just found out that in my new school I won't be getting one so I am looking to buy one. The computer I have curently got is out dated and slow. I need a laptop due to lack of space and needing to take it back and forth to school. I am basically going to want to use it for the internet, word, excel, powerpoint and lots of clip art sign makingstuff.

So go on then! What do i need to buy? What "spec" should I be looking for? How much should i be looking to spend? Where can I get it from?

I may have just got promotion and be able to blag it in the classroom but true to most teachers, since qualifying I seem to have lost all ability to use and have any knowledge of technology! (You all remember the lessons where the teacher couldn't make the tv work cos she hadn't plugged it in!)

[cn174]

You can get decent spec laptops from about £600 now which should pretty much do everything you want it to.

Edit.

I've merged the topics.

Alan75

Edited August 2, 2005 by Alan75

[Lee]

Hannah, before deciding specs and such, you want to know what need to use the laptop for.

If its for Word/Exel and internet then you can get away with pretty basic specs, if you want to do picture manipulation or play games then you are looking at a more expensive.

If its the former, I'd go for an iBook, in fact, they've got a an offer on right now

Edited August 2, 2005 by Lee

[promoted2001]

ebuyer.co.uk have some good deals on laptops, I was tempted myself

[Flopsy]

Dell - if you get a desktop can be a bugger to upgrade (its the size of teh tower and Mobo thats the problem - their laptops are very good and they usually do good deals on them

[Dan Furness]

Still waiting on my HPZD8181a to arrive, I swear I have never seen a better spec on a laptop

[Billy Castell]

OK people, I need a bit of help. There is a sale on at PC World, and there is a Toshiba M50-164 (or M50 something) for £750. From what I could divulge from my copy of What Laptop, it seems pretty good. Anyway, I need to know the following:

1. Are Toshiba a good, reliable brand that don't fall to bits or mess you about with customer service ?.

2. Will PC World mess me about if it breaks within a year ?

3. Is there a better deal elsewhere ?.

Here is the Toshiba, although I won't be buying the printer.

[Wolverine]

There is a company called 'Costco', which is a warehouse . there is one in Chadderton near Oldham.

You need to be a preofessional (Lawyer, doctor, or in emergency services etc) to become a member with them.

They have some decent laptops available - they have the Toshiba M50-161 for £599.99 (ex VAT), and if you can find a copy of thier 'member passport to savings', you get an extra £60 off. The cpec on this is just a fraction short of the one you mentioned (Pentium M, 512Mb RAM, 60GB HD, 14" Widescreen).

I have always had Toshiba Satellite laptops and have never found them to be lacking - and I hammer it as far as use goes. My last one is still limping along despite me dropping it several times and overworking it for the last four years...

[Dan Furness]

Finally got my HP laptop, jesus how good is it Eddie!

The remote is fantastic, the screen great.

Definately recommend it

[Eddie]

Yeah, it is a quality computer. Had it for a while now, used it for most things and still not a complaint.

[Billy Castell]

If you were wondering, I got a HP ZV6115EA instead, as HP is a brand with a reasonable reputation. And it was a lot cheaper. I also got a HP printer/scanner/photo thing in one for £40, as it was £20 less if I bought a laptop at the same shop (Comet).

Although I have only had it for a week or two, I have had no complaints.

[Dan Furness]

Smaller screen than mine and a lower spec, but I cant fault HP laptops at all. Mine is fantastic

[Billy Castell]

Can I ask how much yours was Dan ? (here's where you say your better machine was £50-100 cheaper than mine ). I was going for cost, and it was cheaper than the Toshiba I mentioned earlier.

[Eddie]

I was amazed how cheap this hp actually was. When I went to buy mine I was looking at a viao or a toshiba and was thinking i would have to be looking at around 3000-3500 euros, so 2000-2500 pounds (roughly). I saw this HP and saw the price, which I think was something like 1600, can't remember exactly, but it would probably be about 1200 pounds, I think thats what I saw it priced online as, and thought that theres no way the computer could be that could and not have one of the big price tags. Anyway, it didn't and after a couple months of use I can say it blows the socks off anything I've used before, even most desktops.

[Dan Furness]

It certainly does, the spec on it (theres a few different ones and I have the best) is amazing. Im going to test the LightScribe drive tonight on it.

It cost me roughly £1400 in total

[Billy Castell]

I glad to hear you spent more than me-I didn't miss out on a deal I could afford . I got my laptop and printer/sausage maker/spin bowler thing for less than half that price.

Mine is quicker than my PC, so that's good enough for me. I'll probably upgrade in 4 or 5 years.

[Dan Furness]

I glad to hear you spent more than me-I didn't miss out on a deal I could afford  . I got my laptop and printer/sausage maker/spin bowler thing for less than half that price.

Mine is quicker than my PC, so that's good enough for me. I'll probably upgrade in 4 or 5 years.

351675[/snapback]

There you go, you will need to upgrade soon. Mine has got all the technology for not to need to upgrade for a loooooong time

[Billy Castell]

I probably will in 3 or 4 years time, but I'm the sort of user who can plug along with what I have for a long time (thankfully). As long as I can use the word processer, speadsheet and presentation programme with no problems, it's all good. Oh, and I hope memory sticks that use a USB port last longer than minidisks.

[Dan Furness]

I probably will in 3 or 4 years time, but I'm the sort of user who can plug along with what I have for a long time (thankfully). As long as I can use the word processer, speadsheet and presentation programme with no problems, it's all good. Oh, and I hope memory sticks that use a USB port last longer than minidisks.

351716[/snapback]

You the one who started the 'mine was cheaper than yours' debate pal, not me

[Billy Castell]

It came out wrong when I typed it. I was concerned that you got a far better deal than me, and got an arse-kicking laptop for a similar price to my pretty good one. It was comforting to know that I couldn't afford yours and I hadn't spectacularly missed out.

[Dan Furness]

Good good well you now know I wasnt bragging etc, I just responded in same manor I thought you had

2000 posts.... get in

[Billy Castell]

I wasn't thinking you were, if that's of any comfort. And I'm glad we both have a decent brand. As a former user of a Time computer, I know it is important to buy off a company that can build reliable computers. I'm glad those shoddy monkeys have gone bust.

[rock steady]

I was going to get a new desktop comp, but looking around i might go for a laptop instead because i really dont have alot of space, and there seems to be some decent ones around for pretty cheap. i realise i wont get as much for my money as i'm on a pretty tight budget, but any advice would be appreciated.

the max i can spend is £700, but i'd like to spend less!

heres a few i've been looking at. has anyone ever owned an acer laptop before?

acer aspire 3614wlmi

acer aspire 1642wlmi

acer aspire 5024wlmi

these acer folks seem to make a million different models and my brain hurts now.

[American]

We just bought a Compaq and I'm loving it.