The Great 'Cheapest Decent Laptop' Hunt

MSE_Martin · 4 August 2004 at 2:06PM

THE GREAT ‘Cheapest New Laptop’ HUNT: This week’s Hunt taps MoneySavers’ huge collective research power. While PC prices have plummeted, laptops costs have been static for years, with the consistent low price point regardless of power usually around £800. Finally LCD & other display prices dropping means £500 for a new, decently performing laptop is possible.

To take part click reply

MSE Update:
The poll at the top of this thread was started in 2005. It is now closed so remains for information only.

MSE_Martin · 4 August 2004 at 2:15PM

I thought I would start this one of myself. I have deliberately picked the old high street knee trembler PC World, as I know posting from such a shop (i know, don't spit) will goad all techies into finding a better deal within a millisecond to ensure it isn't the current running.

PC World 1GB laptop £499

While 1 Gb is no longer super fast, it is more than adequate for most people looking for office functions and to surf the web.

OK so that's my ultra quick starter for ten. Come on MoneySavers smash it....

blondierowe_2 · 4 August 2004 at 10:54PM

Not sure if this website will be the cheapest but they are who supply Aldi with all their computer stuff and they now seem to have Laptops etc in their online shop.

https://www.medion.co.uk (don't know how to do one of those nice links

)

They currently have 9 Laptops listed for sale ranging from £399 for a refurbished one - with 1.7Ghz Celeron Processor with windows XP, 20GB hard drive, 256 memory and loads of other stuff
up to the highest priced one for £799 Notebook Intel® Pentium® 4 with 2.6 GHz MD6488 with Microsoft® Windows® XP Home, Intel® Pentium® 4 with 2.6 GHz, 15" TFT XGA Colour Display, 512 MB DDR-RAM, 40 GB hard disk, DVD/CD-RW Combo drive Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce# 4 488 Go with 64MB DDR-RAM along with a few bits of software - Microsoft Works 2003, Cyberlink Power DVD and Nero Burning Rom. If they are anything like the ones Aldi get in I am sure they will be well worth the money. I have no link at all to Aldi or Medion but I do now that Computeractive always reviews Aldi's computers and gives them top marks.

esuhl · 5 August 2004 at 1:49AM

https://www.computerbargains.co.uk have got an Intel Celeron 1.2GHz laptop, 128MB RAM, 20GB hard disk for £399. Brand new with a year's warranty and Windows XP Home...

Can anyone beat that? I'm thinking of getting one myself!

SONIC_2 · 5 August 2004 at 12:45PM

Can't beat the £399 post but I have a rival for Martins laptop.

http://www.laptopsuperstore.co.uk/ seem to have a lot of reasonable new and used laptops for sale. £15 more than Martins laptop gets you a brand new AMD Athlon 1.4GHz with DVD, CD/RW, & 256mb RAM. Not bad, but probably not the best ...

::)

agerrard · 5 August 2004 at 3:04PM

I got a brand new 2.2GHz Compaq EVO N800c with trimmings for half price by going to my local friendly independant tech shop and talking to them. They were able to source it as a factory return. New, boxed and warrantied. It wouldn't have been the cheapest laptop on this discussion (RRP was £2k at the time), but you may just have someone local to you who can do similar deals and get something really cheap - as a return, bankrupt/clearance stock, unsold inventory etc.

Andrew

jimbobthomas · 5 August 2004 at 6:53PM

You could also try https://www.novatech.co.uk or https://www.bigpockets.co.uk , both great sites for cheap consumables and systems.

royalsteve · 5 August 2004 at 9:24PM

Ebuyer have various laptops some on offer...

Note that the 399 post doesnt include vat, still cheap though...like everything sometimes its worth paying a little ectra for a better spec..Toshiba have been regarded for some time as one of the better makes for laptops

a) Bit like the 399 one, you get what you pay for:-
PC Chips Desknote A530 Notebook Transmeta 1GigaPro 20GB 128MB CDRW/DVD 14"TFT WLAN/Modem - Our Price £386.27 (£453.87 inc VAT)

slightly more but much better spec:-
**Special Purchase** Acer Travelmate 244XE Notebook Celeron 2.6GHz 20GB 256MB CD 14"TFT Windows XP Home
434.03 plus vat (509.99 inc VAT

c) cheapest Toshiba on this site:-
Toshiba Satellite Pro A40 Notebook Celeron 2.6GHz 256MB 30GB DVD 14"TFT Windows XP Home £474.31 +VAT (557.32 inc VAT)

royalsteve · 5 August 2004 at 9:28PM

you can getthis at eurpoc for 359 plus vat but its a refurbished one...

- Famous Brand - iGo 3203
- Windows XP Home
- AMD Athlon 1600Mhz Processor
- Notebook 256Mb DDR SDRAM pc266Mhz
- 30Gb IDE notebook hard drive
- 15" TFT screen
- Notebook 1.44Mb internal FDD
- Notebook internal DVD
- CDRW Combo
- Graphics on Board
- Sound on board
- Standard onboard 10-100 RJ45 NIC
- Modem 56K
- Three USB ports
- 0 notebook PCMCIA slots used 2 free
- UK keyboard layout
- 1 DIMM slot used 1 free
- Microsoft Works

royalsteve · 5 August 2004 at 9:49PM

seen cheaper refurbed ones at various places including
http://www.mncgroup.co.uk/

from 297+vat (350 inc) for a 650mhz based machine

or try british computer fairs - http://www.britishcomputerfairs.com/
start at £245 inc vat for a very low spec 400mhz based machine

tluscombe · 5 August 2004 at 10:21PM

if you are looking for refurbished equipment, these guys are pretty good http://www.rdc.co.uk/shops/main.php and they have an "end of line" store for new kit.

I've used them a few times and never had a problem - but beware, there is no warranty or guarantee on a used battery. Better allow around £75-£100 for a new battery, just in case.

The Great 'Cheapest Decent Laptop' Hunt

Which brand of laptop would you get? 1449 votes

Comments

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Categories

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free