Sub-£350 powerful laptops discussion

JDPower

katini wrote: »

Hi, not very money saving but due to my existing laptop hard drive failing, I need to buy a replacement laptop tomorrow (have a deadline of Sunday which cannot be moved) which would be used for the following:

-internet browsing
-watching videos/dvds
-using MS Office package
-viewing photos of around 27mb each (in RAW format) which my current laptop struggled with (it was a Sony Vaio VGn-NR32z)
-using interactive white boards/Smart boards as I am a teacher

I have one of these reserved http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/lenovo-g570-15-6-laptop-gun-metal-12377745-pdt.html but there is another version of this one with more RAM but a less good processor. Am I right in thinking it's better to go for the better processor and then add more ram if need be?

Can anyone suggest anything else that I can buy in a shop tomorrow please? Unfortunately I am on a very strict budget of around £350 as I had not anticipated this crisis occurring.

Thanks very much for your help, I have had a very stressful evening!!!

Given your position of needing one from a store asap I'd say that's a pretty good choice. And yes you're right about the processor being more important than RAM when choosing, though that one has 4GB which shouldn't struggle with your needs

Spiggle

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

Surely entering a code would negate the Quidco subsidy?

With the spec of that machine, I'd expect more than 2 x USB 2.0.

It was a Quidco code for the £10 off. In the end I got the same machine from Dixons for under £300 thanks to a very kind steer on this thread.

timberflake

I think I know the answer to this, but this:
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/lenovo-g570-15-6-laptop-gun-metal-12377745-pdt.html

Seems like a better deal than:
http://www.ebuyer.com/351922-lenovo-...laptop-n2f25uk

?? The one from PCWorld has double the ram for a start!

JDPower

timberflake wrote: »

I think I know the answer to this, but this:
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/lenovo-g570-15-6-laptop-gun-metal-12377745-pdt.html

Seems like a better deal than:
http://www.ebuyer.com/351922-lenovo-...laptop-n2f25uk

?? The one from PCWorld has double the ram for a start!

They look pretty much identical apart from RAM and number of USB sockets so yeah, the first one, which has more RAM and one extra USB

command

Hi,

I am thinking of buying the following Sony VAIO laptop:

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/sony-vpceh3n6e-w-cek-15-5-laptop-white-11884770-pdt.html

I know it is priced at £500 but I have some gift vouchers that will bring its cost down to sub £350 for me. What are people's thoughts on this model?

Thanks

eelgc

Hi,
probably similar requests to many others, but after as cheap a laptop as possible (without being terrible), to be used mainly for browsing, watching stuff, word processing etc. but nothing intensive.

I can get a 10% discount at sainsbury's, so the MSE recommendation of the Acer Aspire 5349 seems like the obvious choice for £270 (especially as the Fujitsu 2gb of ram seems a bit stingy).

Kazca's acer recommendation above from ebay however seems slightly better processor-wise for a similar price (cheaper based on actual price).

Any thoughts on those two or better alternatives? Sorry I couldn't put any links in as too new...

Cheers!

macca

laptop has just died - need one for the usual stuff, surfing a dew downloads, some docs and photos and a few tame games,
looking for sub £350 so refurbished is definitely an option

What do people think to:

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-pavilion-g6-1325ea-refurbished-15-6-laptop-red-12284708-pdt.html

or

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/lenovo-g570-15-6-laptop-gun-metal-12377745-pdt.html

or something else from somewhere else - just want the best spec for the money.
TIA
Macca

gonzo127

for gaming needs currently you cant get much better than this http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-pavilion-g6-1220sa-refurbished-15-6-laptop-charcoal-grey-12263581-pdt.html although you will need to think about HP reliability, which isnt great - this being said going on the last reliability report, HP will have 1 in 4 system,s fail within the first 3 years compared to the most reliable brand in that report in which 1 in 6 laptops would fail within the first 3 years

Ioannis

This HP laptop looks very good, I was also considering a refurbished Dell from ebay with 3 years warranty included,but of course with lower specifications. I wonder how dell quality compares with HP...I had HP till yesterday when the hard drive failed, don't blame it though- it served me for 7 years and had to br repaired twice. I 'd really like my new laptop to be able to be more or less responsive in photoshop,play full Hd(or at least half HD) recordings from my camcorder. Do you think this HP will satisfy my needs?Is it really a gamble when purchasing Hp at present? Thanks.

Dexters_Indignation

gonzo127 wrote: »

for gaming needs currently you cant get much better than this http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-pavilion-g6-1220sa-refurbished-15-6-laptop-charcoal-grey-12263581-pdt.html although you will need to think about HP reliability, which isnt great - this being said going on the last reliability report, HP will have 1 in 4 system,s fail within the first 3 years compared to the most reliable brand in that report in which 1 in 6 laptops would fail within the first 3 years

I got one of these.
It really kicks a55 for the money.
Really, and the build is not that bad!

i understand there are better out there but this was the most i could afford.

I have even played a few games on this, really cool.

ohhhhh yeaaaaahh