Sub-£350 powerful laptops discussion

Knarf44

Ok, I don't feel so paranoid now

As you've realised with Argos Ebay Clearance you have to be prepared to move fast or they've gone! That obviously reflects what bargains some of these laptops represent.

Here's another Toshiba L500 (says 2 left as of 2.44pm BST). A good machine for general internet use and office/college work (with appropriate software). It comes with Win 7 Home Premium and when you consider that the cheapest version of that is around £75 it seems more of a bargain.

This Samsung R519 also gives good value - 16 available

as does this MSI X610 at £324 incl postage - 18 available

Donnie

Knarf44 wrote: »

Ok, I don't feel so paranoid now

As you've realised with Argos Ebay Clearance you have to be prepared to move fast or they've gone! That obviously reflects what bargains some of these laptops represent.

Here's another Toshiba L500 (says 2 left as of 2.44pm BST). A good machine for general internet use and office/college work (with appropriate software). It comes with Win 7 Home Premium and when you consider that the cheapest version of that is around £75 it seems more of a bargain.

This Samsung R519 also gives good value - 16 available

as does this MSI X610 at £324 incl postage - 18 available

Hmmmm....I know you are trying to help, but simply linking to the machines on the website isn't as helpful as you might think.

The layman needs the pros and cons spelled out to them, unless they are just amazing bargains without question.

The Toshiba in your post has a single core Celeron and no webcam. So ok for general office work.
The MSI has no optical drive. A large Netbook?

Take your time and do it right.

Knarf44

Donnie wrote: »

Hmmmm....I know you are trying to help, but simply linking to the machines on the website isn't as helpful as you might think.

The layman needs the pros and cons spelled out to them, unless they are just amazing bargains without question.

The Toshiba in your post has a single core Celeron and no webcam. So ok for general office work.
The MSI has no optical drive. A large Netbook?

Take your time and do it right.

I take your point but realistically people using this thread are looking at price first then features. They also come to this thread knowing that for the sort of money they are willing to pay that they are not going to get a top specification so must be willing to accept compromises.

All the laptops I have linked to are capable of doing basic day to day internet stuff and office/college type work. In some cases whether a webcam or dvd drive is integrated or not is unimportant as these can be purchased separately for relatively little money. If people who post here looking for bargains always stated their intended use then linking to more appropriate laptops would be easier.

As it is, I take a shotgun approach with the intention of demonstrating to people what they can get for their money. If they pick up on one of the laptops I link to they are always welcome to come back here with specific questions. Is that ok for you?

JDPower

Donnie wrote: »

The MSI has no optical drive. A large Netbook?

And a single core processor (on Googling, one notch up from an Atom processor), so yes, a large netbook IMO

Rumman

Donnie wrote: »

Yes, Interested in the details. The machines, the faults.
Did you buy a second machine before you received the refund for the first?

Medion Akoya E5411 and a toshiba satellite one. Faults were issues with overheating, the laptops got boiling hot literally, you could not put them on on your lap and then subsequently would freeze and crash. A blue screen came up a few times saying faulty hardware. The condition of the laptops weren't that great, they were actually true to the word 'refurbished' rather than being customer returns because the keyboards were replaced, some of the buttons weren't properply in, the capslock button was the wrong way around and the outside had some marks on. The medion looked like it had a full whammy replacement of most parts. Its put me off this shop.

JDPower

Rumman wrote: »

Faults were issues with overheating, the laptops got boiling hot literally, you could not put them on on your lap

Which of course, despite the name, you're not supposed to do anyway as it causes overheating

bravehart

Anybody got there MSI CR610 dual core M300 delivered today , mine is coming tomorrow but was wondering if anyone who has got there's could give us there impressions so far ...

Donnie

bravehart wrote: »

Anybody got there MSI CR610 dual core M300 delivered today , mine is coming tomorrow but was wondering if anyone who has got there's could give us there impressions so far ...

Bit excited are we? You have seven days to evaluate it for yourself.

Donnie

Knarf44 wrote: »

I take your point but realistically people using this thread are looking at price first then features. They also come to this thread knowing that for the sort of money they are willing to pay that they are not going to get a top specification so must be willing to accept compromises.

All the laptops I have linked to are capable of doing basic day to day internet stuff and office/college type work. In some cases whether a webcam or dvd drive is integrated or not is unimportant as these can be purchased separately for relatively little money. If people who post here looking for bargains always stated their intended use then linking to more appropriate laptops would be easier.

As it is, I take a shotgun approach with the intention of demonstrating to people what they can get for their money. If they pick up on one of the laptops I link to they are always welcome to come back here with specific questions. Is that ok for you?

No, because I don't really agree with any of your points.

If there is no webcam or optical drive, you should mention it as some people may assume that all modern laptops have a webcam and DVD drive.

Do you honestly think that you were the first to spot those machines? I had already linked to the Samsung in post #783 and omitted the others because I don't think that they represent particularly good value for money. It was so long ago that the Asus X5DIJ was available for £264 delivered. Dual core Celeron, 250GB HDD, 1.3MP webcam....

So I couldn't in good conscience recommend the Toshiba machine at the same price.
Also you need to think about that by the time that people have asked questions, the laptop could be sold to someone who knows exactly what they want. They don't need your link at all.

People already know about the website now, they just need help with their choices.

So if there are any obvious caveats, I think it is better to include them.

I didn't post links to them because I don't think they represent

felinexxxx

bravehart wrote: »

Anybody got there MSI CR610 dual core M300 delivered today , mine is coming tomorrow but was wondering if anyone who has got there's could give us there impressions so far ...

Got mine today, but need to wait to test it as the kids are still up and it's a birthday present. I'm really excited too....
Maybe we should have our own 'what do you think of your MSI CR610' thread, so we don't end up taking over this one.