Cheap laptop - recommendations wanted...

HUFCsteve

Hi there

I want to spend approx £100 on a laptop that I can use (mainly) for internet browsing. What kind of spec can I expect to get for this money and where's the best place to look?

Thanks!

[Deleted User]

That's really not a lot of money. Can you afford more? If you want anything relatively up-to-date you'd need to up the funds a bit.

Three options:

Dell Outlet:
http://www1.euro.dell.com/uk/en/dfo/df.aspx?refid=df&s=dfo
(click Dell Outlet - Home -> Outlet Laptops -> Open two windows, one with Dell Inspiron, the other Dell Precision. Change the price to < 500 then click Filter Results. Optionally change memory etc.)

Argos Clearance
http://computers.shop.ebay.co.uk/Laptops-/177/i.html?_catref=1&_fln=1&_ssn=argos-clearancebargains&_trksid=p3911.c0.m282

Dell Deals:
http://www.dmxdimension.com/

HUFCsteve

I realise I'm not going to get anything flash! I could maybe stretch the budget to £150 but no more. I've been looking on ebay but I'm no techie really and don't want to end up with an expensive doorstop.

KeithP

I would look at BigPockets.

In particular this IBM Thinkpad fits your revised budget (almost).
Good spec for the price, and IBM machines are very well built.
Well capable of meeting your needs.

I bought one a few months ago... very satisfied.

macman

At that price you're looking at a older refurb from somewhere like Laptops Direct. You need to narrow down your specs a bit though, Alll laptops can be used to surf the net, but for example how are you going to connect, because the older laptops may not all have built in wireless and you would have to buy a separate wireless card if you do not want to use ethernet.
If your budget is really that low you would do better to get a old desktop PC, plenty of Pentium 4's available at that price.

HUFCsteve

Already have a desktop so wanted a laptop cos' of it's portability. Therefore I would want to connect wirelessly. Its main purpose would be internet browsing, not using other applications.

macman

You can probably get a wireless laptop for £150 but only a refurb then. Have you considered a netbook for around £200?

Donnie

Think you need to forget about portability. At that price the refurb will be so old that the batteries will be close to death.
You'll be lucky to get thirty minutes use.

At the top end of your budget is this Medion @ Medionshop:



Genuine Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition SP2
Intel® Pentium® M735A (1.70GHz)
Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 900
based on Intel® PCI-Express technology
15.4" TFT WXGA colour display
16:10 format for optimized DVD playback
Dual layer DVD -Writer/-Re-writer
40GB hard disc drive
256MB DDR II RAM
10/100 Mbit Fast Ethernet LAN port
Wireless LAN 802.11g/b/a with up to 54 Mbit/s
Li-Ion battery
External AC adaptor

A mere two and a half years old, compared to the four year old+ IBMs on the market at that price point.

Use Discount Code: Here for a 10% discount. Use by 30th of August.


Bear in mind that at £200 you can get a new laptop with all mod cons.

Strider590

KeithP wrote: »

I would look at BigPockets.

In particular this IBM Thinkpad fits your revised budget (almost).
Good spec for the price, and IBM machines are very well built.
Well capable of meeting your needs.

I bought one a few months ago... very satisfied.

I second this...... And the bonus is?

In 6 months time when the cheapo store brought laptop is choking on all it's pre-installed rubbish, a 4/5 year old Thinkpad will still be going strong.

damoandclaire

if you can stretch your budget a little further - http://www.laptopshop.co.uk/cheapest-refurbished-laptops.htm are very sound. I've bought loads of these for my customers recently and had no complaints what so ever.

Donnie

Strider590 wrote: »

I second this...... And the bonus is?

In 6 months time when the cheapo store brought laptop is choking on all it's pre-installed rubbish, a 4/5 year old Thinkpad will still be going strong.

The IBM has an inferior processor; The Pentium M 715 and is unable to write to DVD internally.

I also wouldn't expect it's wireless aerial to be any great shakes.

I wouldn't want to spend £150 on either. Certainly not when you can buy a new, more highly specified laptop for £200.


My current laptop:

The thing appears unbreakable. Probably eight years old now. Can't get myself a new one until this one is kaput.

Windows XP Pro, 640MB RAM and an 80 GB HDD.


Maybe I could sell it to the OP and buy myself a new one.