Buying a new laptop....please help me!

[leclerc]

I am useless but have decided on a £400 max budget but wanna get a good laptop with max ICore5(cannot find the equivalent AMD version).
Want at least 3 USB ports, Camera would be good as would DVD drive and a fairly decent brand that will last(I have a telly that is 8 years old).

is there a decent brand to look for?
should I wait for the Christmas sales? or New Year sales?


I am very indecisive on these things.....

[Celestine]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

If you want it to last and not get clogged with viruses. Get a Macbook Air or similar. In 6 years I went through 3 laptops each cost around £500, then I got annoyed and switched to Apple. Fantastic, never looked back.
Pricey, but even a second hand one would be way better than a new craptop!

[SpringerSpaniel]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

I have an Acer which I have been very pleased with, however it was chosen primarily for i) running Dragon Naturally Speaking and ii) having the flatest least uncomfortable keyboard as I have limited use of my hands and it being easy to use has been the overriding consideration for me. It was quite good value compared with the other machines I looked at eg next best to use for me was the Sony Viao which was about 50% more expensive.

However I would now like an IPad 2 as this would take dictation well and be much lighter to carry than my present laptop.

[Turboman]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

Right Nattie

Disagree with Cel-pmsl

Apple are great for artistic applications---but FAR FAR MORE software for PC and far far more popular for people to help you

I got Acer Aspire range-and had Acer before that for 6 years

Turbs

ps sorry Cel

[labman]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

The first question that needs asking is what are you going to use it for?

[charitynjw]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

Why didn't you say earlier?

Last week I could have got you the whole of Comet for 2.......er, £200!

[Sapphire]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

I've got a Toshiba C660, excellent for what I need it for.

[labman]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

That's the critical thing - what is it needed for? It it's only going to be used for accessing the internet and writing letters, there's no point recommending one capable of streaming and editing video. Most people buy a computer that is way more powerful than their needs.

Now I know Leclerc has loads and loads of money, but he didn't get where he is today without knowing how to save a few quid where he could!:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

[tortoise]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

Give me a fountain pen and a fine piece of paper and blotter any day. Failing that, my typewriter is still in excellent order after some 28 years, though one has difficulty buying ribbons.

These confounded machines are a blessed nuisance in my book. Mine never works, and one cannot sit out on one's lawn on a fine Summer's day with all these darn wires. Imperative one keeps an eye on the gardener mind, gets away with murder when he's had a night at the Hunters' Lodge.

[Bill-K]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

Me - I got an Acer Aspire from dear old Curry's a coupla years back. Nice and flat, with DVD-RW and Wi-Fi plus inbuilt webcam. Used it on the taxi rank for a while (Turbo & Maxie should concur). Still using it, but the software running the battery went kaput, and I can't use it remotely any more. HOWEVVA - I got a 3-year extended warranty on it, and I'm hoping to get a USB external 'Hard Drive' for Christmas (PLEASE don't confuse this with a years' supply of Viagra, as I originally did !!!)

All being well, I'll back up my porn library in January, and then send the lappie back to Vomet for a repair/REPLACEMENT !!!

Fingers crossed.

I think, though, that reliability is an important factor with lappies, as Cel has highlighted. With the old tower desktop systems, I could replace individual components easily. With lappies, it's a specialist skill - and will cost you.

I wouldn't normally recommend extended warranties, but I think that is worth considering with lappies. They have a notoriously short 'lap-life,' it seems.

I have MAX respect for Hewlett-Packard stuff. It costs, though. The way I thought about it was this. I could buy a HP lappie and expect max reliability - or an Apple 'Jobbie' and expect the same. Or I could buy an Acer at Curry's, and buy their extended warranty as well - fully expecting to use it.

I did the latter, and will report back in January.

Whatever you decide though, Monsieur, wait until January - unless you are desperate.

If you're desperate, though, then email me !!!!

Damn...please disregard that last line !!!

[leclerc]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

For those of you wanting to marry me for my money then stop immediately because I am indeed an impoverished former banker who is however making money from the bank by complaining(so far the tally is £150.00 in the last three months alone).

What I would like it for is web browsing, watching movies online(downloading some as well would be good), webcam would be good, writing letters would be good. I am not a gamer so not required for that purpose.

Comet have some good deals and so do PC world at the minute and this was one of the laptops that I quite liked

Buy PACKARD BELL TK87-GN-043UK | 15.6 LAPTOP - Laptops | Comet

Bill, I was thinking of waiting until January because my current laptop has not packed up.

[Bill-K]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

Yeah, leave it until Jan then, mate. Actually, I got confused 'twixt Curry's and Vomet (easily done on a Saturday nite !!!) It was Curry's I bought my critter from.

Sounds like you might do well to consider Cel's advice, BUT - read Turbo's as well. I agree that there seems to be more software support (& thus compatibility) for MS-based stuff.

JMHO, though, as per usual...

and...offer of marriage rescinded. I can't stand frogs, anyway.

[leclerc]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

If you want to increase memory this site is worth a look

RAM Memory Upgrade: Dell, Mac, Apple, HP, Compaq. USB drives, SSD at Crucial.com/uk


They even tell you how to change the RAM but I would look for a better price on the bit of kit you need

[SpringerSpaniel]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

As I posted earlier, I have an Acer, I got the amount of memory doubled at the factory before it was delivered to me, this cost something really nominal eg about £30 and has been well worth it.

I've had this machine for 3 years, it's going strong and my only complaint is it's a bit heavy.

A spare battery is worth thinking about if you're buying extras.

[labman]

Re: Buying a new laptop....please help me!

I'm hoping to get a USB external 'Hard Drive' for Christmas (PLEASE don't confuse this with a years' supply of Viagra, as I originally did !!!)

Glad you said that. I'm getting a 3 1/2 inch floppy drive!
Also been told my RAM needs to be better.

On a serious note, external hard drives are essential. I back my lappy up daily and bought a 320GB for just over £20! Given all I store is writing, that's a lot of sheets of paper!

Could I throw Hewlitt-Packard /Compaq (same company now) into the melting pot. Their machines are pretty good, and they do some very decent lower spec models if that will suffice for your needs.