The Great 'Cheapest Decent Laptop' Hunt

HLK

highlighter wrote:

I've been looking around for a laptop, in no hurry tho. I'm after around the same spec as gemma1585. How abot these i've found..any good?

The Acer Aspire 5002LM in the 5000 series looks interesting. Acer are the first to launch using the new Turion range of processors from AMD - 64 bit mobile technology using PowerNow! for extened battery life and Hyper Threading.

There's also 512Mb RAM & 60gig hard disk & a dual layer DVDRW.

If you aren't fussed about dedicated graphics this could be a wise choice. If you are then there are further models about to be released - details are sketchy though. Even Acer don't give anything away on their website and I haven't been able to find a complete Spec.

Still if you aren't in a rush - £570 gets you a lot of laptop!

Here...

http://www.acernotebooks.co.uk/asp/product.asp?recorprod=1&product=235&cat=79&ph=&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=

Llamatamer

Hi All,

Im am in the market for a cheapish laptop around £400.
Im looking for the following: -
20GB hard drive minimum
2-3 USB ports
Ethernet - not fussed on wireless
14" screen
3 hours+ battery life.
Dont want operating system.

Basically, Im looking for something to use as a secondary home computer for occasional use but primarily to take away with me on trips when I am taking pictures to allow me to backup all the images I take. I will mostly be near a power supply so a reasonable battery life is needed but nothing incredible.
Having followed some of the links off this thread and done my own searching I am completely lost as to where to start!

Any help much appreciated.

AuntyJean

Gemma,

I bought my laptop from Dell but they still sold me the wrong Router. In the end they agreed to refund me for the router & I bought one from another source. I explained my set-up (Telewest cable modem operating my PC on Windows 98SE and the laptop on XP with a wireless LAN card).

I am completely ignorant about wireless connection so if I say anything wrong could someone please correct me.

I wanted to be able to connect to the internet from anywhere but understand that in order to do this you need bluetooth and, I would not be able to use my current ISP (Telewest). So, I settled for wireless connection at home meaning I could use my laptop anywhere within range of my PC at home.

Having failed to set up the wireless router before I went away, I settled for downloading some files onto disc and accessing them that way on my laptop.

Having returned yesterday, I got completely confused by all the different instructions for setting up my router. I rang Belkin's helpline (the manufacturers of the router), and they talked me through connecting my modem that Telewest supplied me with, to the router. Then I had to connect my computer to the router. This is where the trouble started.

I only have two usb ports on the back of my computer. One WAS plugged into the modem. When I tried installing the Wireless USB Adapter nothing happened. About 2 hours of phone calls later, Belkin said they would have to get their senior technician to phone me within 24 hours. I am still waiting for the call.

In the meantime, I am sat here with my laptop connected by ethernet cable to the router in order to access the internet.

It would seem that there is a problem with my usb port but when I swapped it over to the other USB port it still would not work. I have been advised to established the version of my USB port(s) but as Gateway (my PC manufacturer) no longer exist I have no idea how to do this.

I would say Dell have been absolutely marvelous and I cannot fault them. I have a great laptop but from my initial expectations of being able to use my laptop anywhere to connect to the internet I am now down to sitting with it balanced on a chair next to my PC instead and cannot envisage me ever getting the two to 'speak' to eachother.

Hope this helps a little.

Aunty Jean

Edinburghlass_2

I might know, just a little bit more about this in an hour or so Jean as I am off to friends to help them set up their wirelss router

On the other hand, I might not be back

gemma1585

Aunty Jean,

I've settled for an 802.11b/g wireless card and I will wait until my laptop arrives before I purchase a router!

Hope you get everything sorted soon!

AuntyJean

Well my router is obviously working as I am wirelessly connected!!!

But, still cannot get the Adapter connected to my home PC! Tried ringing Belkin again and was told to await a call from the senior technician. I explained that I had been waiting since Friday so they said they would try to get someone to ring me today.

As this is not really the correct forum for problems I will post in the Techie forum to let you know how I get on. Just thought I would conclude here first so anyone thinking of buying a laptop can see the sort of problems I encountered.

Aunty Jean

damski_2

Llamatamer wrote:

Hi All,

Im am in the market for a cheapish laptop around £400.
Im looking for the following: -
20GB hard drive minimum
2-3 USB ports
Ethernet - not fussed on wireless
14" screen
3 hours+ battery life.
Dont want operating system.

Basically, Im looking for something to use as a secondary home computer for occasional use but primarily to take away with me on trips when I am taking pictures to allow me to backup all the images I take. I will mostly be near a power supply so a reasonable battery life is needed but nothing incredible.
Having followed some of the links off this thread and done my own searching I am completely lost as to where to start!

Any help much appreciated.

how about

Microsoft® Windows® XP Home AMD Athlon XP2500, 40GB hard disk, 256MB DDR-RAM, Combined DVD/CD-RW optical drive.

or
Intel® Celeron® 2.2 GHz Notebook
MD41060 Intel® Celeron® 2.2GHz, 14.1" TFT Display, 128 MB DDR-RAM, 40GB HDD. Microsoft® Windows® XP Home & Works.

both only 399.99

or for an extra 50 quid

Microsoft® Windows® XP Home, Intel® Pentium® 4 with 2.66 GHz, 15" TFT XGA Colour Display, 512 MB DDR-RAM, 40 GB hard disk, DVD/CD-RW Combo drive


from here

https://www.medionshop.co.uk/

Llamatamer

Damski,
Ive had a look at them, they do look quite good, Ive never heard of Medion before and can only seem to find their laptops in Toys R Us and Staples, any idea how reliable they are?

Llamatamer

HLK

Llamatamer wrote:

Damski,
Ive had a look at them, they do look quite good, Ive never heard of Medion before and can only seem to find their laptops in Toys R Us and Staples, any idea how reliable they are?

Llamatamer

I went along with a friend to see the Medions in Toysrus - the top of the range one on display was falling to bits - literally .. most of the keys were missing, which I know is probably from being sited at 6yr old height in a toyshop, buy well you could see the innards of the laptop and it looked pretty cheap.

This was enough to put us off so we left. I'd research them pretty well before I handed over any cash.

Llamatamer

Cheers for the warning HLK.
I couldnt really find much by way of customer reviews etc on them so decided against getting 1 which I feel is supported by your comments as well.

Has anyone ordered from insight before (http://uk.insight.com/index.php), as Im considering getting my machine from them, and would appreciate any comments.
Thanks