Help choosing a decent laptop for mum

musey

My mum has recently decided she wants a laptop to replace her current decktop PC and has asked me to help her choose it believing I am the font of all knowledge because I use a computer at work and at Uni. I could really do with some help as I have no clue about laptops or tech specs etc. Her needs are simple

• Good size screen
• Ability to connect a bluetooth mouse to it
• wireless for internet
• good speed for web browsing

She doesn't use MS word, excel or anything, although I have a spare licenced version of MS 2007 I would like to install on it as long as it wouldn't slow it down. She'll literally use it for web browsing and sending e-mails.

Can anyone recommend me anything under £500. I thought about the Dell Outlet place but have no clue when it comes to RAM or HD size or anything else technical (I have told her this but she insists I'm just modest)

musey

Meant to say, as she's in need of a new mobile phone I was wondering if it was worth considering one of these contract deals that offer a free laptop as an incentive such as the one in the link below.

http://quidco.e2save.com/t-mobile-contract-phone/Nokia+2760+Black/4/2760BK/bespoke/ACE6930GV2

Decado23

musey wrote: »

My mum has recently decided she wants a laptop to replace her current decktop PC and has asked me to help her choose it believing I am the font of all knowledge because I use a computer at work and at Uni. I could really do with some help as I have no clue about laptops or tech specs etc. Her needs are simple

• Good size screen
• Ability to connect a bluetooth mouse to it
• wireless for internet
• good speed for web browsing

She doesn't use MS word, excel or anything, although I have a spare licenced version of MS 2007 I would like to install on it as long as it wouldn't slow it down. She'll literally use it for web browsing and sending e-mails.

Can anyone recommend me anything under £500. I thought about the Dell Outlet place but have no clue when it comes to RAM or HD size or anything else technical (I have told her this but she insists I'm just modest)

Hi Musey,

Frankly, if she's just using it for web browsing/email then most tech specs are pretty irrelevent - under £500 should be easily achievable.

The laptop in that phone deal you linked should be fine - whether it works out cheaper to take the mobile/laptop package or buy it (or a cheaper model) separately and go for a cheaper mobile deal is something I won't advise on, since working out mobile tariffs is a pain in the bum

totalsolutions

Hi, Pay cash for the laptop or pay many times over for the "free" laptop. First things first, but before that where will your mum use it the most- very important, right, 1st- a desktop replacement very big, large screen short battery life and bulky/heavy.
next - weight small 12" screen, light 6+hrs battery life. As above really any basic range laptop will do the job for her. So branding does help with software package i.e. Adobe photoshop etc. As you are at uni. go for the student MS Office for a good deal less.
Does mum need to watch HD BlueRay movies.
All should include Wifi, Bluetooth, Digital Motion Camera,
Win XP with Netbooks and Windows Vista for the larger more powerful systems.


Centrino processor better than Celeron
Core 2 Duo better than a single core
1GB RAM or more 3GB standard now

Sony desktop Vaio range
Samsung NC10 or the new NC20

musey

Thanks for the advice.

She'll use it at home, it'll basically live on the coffee table, there's a power supply nearby. Sje won't be taking it out anywhere, she wants to swop as her current pc is on its last legs and she'd like to free up the space it uses with the desk and chair etc. She won't be watching Blue ray on it and regards photos at most she'll want to save some on it but won't be doing anything with them.

Marty_J

If you're at uni, you could buy a white Apple MacBook which with the education discount would come in at £540 or so.

Very easy to use, has wireless and bluetooth as standard, a built in webcam, and comes with some great software called iLife which includes iPhoto for organising her photos.

You can run OpenOffice on it which is compatible with Microsoft Office, or there's a Mac version of Microsoft Office which you'd also get a discount on.

It's also far less likely to get infected with malware, which seems to be the most common problem affecting Windows PCs. I know if my parents bought a Mac, it would save me having to clean all the crap off their computer every week.

pievien

Seen as your in uni, make sure any shop you go to for anything, ask if they do a discount, i work for LSE and alway's ask, did it in pc world last night (cheap !!!!!!s don't give discount for uni staff), I know apple do 13% off for uni people and 4% for secondary schools (wifes a teacher),
We got a notebook from asda for £250 a few weeks back for the wife, Some tesco's are selling ex display stock off, they've got a notebook for £100 and £129, but as its ex display, there hard to find, but might get lucky

£$&*"($£&(

The only tricky thing is the bluetooth. Considering how and where it is going to be used I'd go a 17 inch model like this for £360:

http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/519723/TOSHIBA-SATE-L350-20G/tab/specification#spec

There's probably no need to spend more but you will need to find one with bluetooth.

totalsolutions

On the money here:

http://www.dabs.com/ProductList.aspx?SearchTerms=vgn=ns20e&SearchMode=All&SearchKey=All&PageMode=3&NavigationKey=0&SearchType=1


https://www.sonystyle.co.uk/SonyStyle/VAIO-Laptop-PCs/NS-Series-15-4/