The Great 'Cheapest Decent Laptop' Hunt

bhafc810

hi

looking for a cheap laptop for my 11 year old to do homework/surf net etc

could i ask for your thoughts on this one please http://www.johnlewis.com/230676456/Product.aspx?SearchTerm=RecentlyViewedList

Thanks

rev_henry

bhafc810 wrote: »

hi

looking for a cheap laptop for my 11 year old to do homework/surf net etc

could i ask for your thoughts on this one please http://www.johnlewis.com/230676456/Product.aspx?SearchTerm=RecentlyViewedList

Thanks

That one would fall into the netbook category; have a look at the thread JDPower posted just above.
And yes it would probably be fine for your child, I have no idea if its a good price or not though.

gorgirl

Thanks!

I had tried searching but had only seen individual threads on netbooks. It doesn't seem like it is used that much (perhaps I'm not the only one who doesn't know about it).

Is there anyway to make it sticky, like this thread so it stays at top where people can see it?

JDPower wrote: »

You mean like THIS ONE

(Search is a wonderful thing )

thabiz

Im also looking at a good laptop for xmas. Budget of £400, must have graphics bettter than the integrated intel stuff. Heres the ones that have caught my eye::
acer aspire 5542
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5082281/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7COffice%252C%2BPCs%2Band%2Bphones%7C14418968/c_2/3%7Ccat_15701344%7CLaptops%2Band%2Bmini%2Blaptops%7C14419039.htm

Acer aspire 5535
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5070688/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7COffice%252C%2BPCs%2Band%2Bphones%7C14418968/c_2/3%7Ccat_15701344%7CLaptops%2Band%2Bmini%2Blaptops%7C14419039.htm

Samsung r505
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5082119/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7COffice%252C%2BPCs%2Band%2Bphones%7C14418968/c_2/3%7Ccat_15701344%7CLaptops%2Band%2Bmini%2Blaptops%7C14419039.htm

Compaq CQ61
http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/product/seo/871424

I think that the acer 5542 at £399 is probably the best deal, and from my research the ati HD 3200 is better than the nvidia 8200m, especially as it gives you the option to add a dedicated card later if you so wish.. But im no expert, especially at judging the differences between AMD processors. Operating systems aside, what is the best piece of hardware here?

JDPower

thabiz wrote: »

I think that the acer 5542 at £399 is probably the best deal, and from my research the ati HD 3200 is better than the nvidia 8200m, especially as it gives you the option to add a dedicated card later if you so wish.

Really, where did you read that? There are very few mainstream laptops with upgradeable graphics cards.

thabiz wrote: »

But im no expert, especially at judging the differences between AMD processors. Operating systems aside, what is the best piece of hardware here?

The Turion (in the 5535) is better than the Athlon and on that basis I would choose the 5535

thabiz

Well from what I read here http://www.notebookcheck.net/ATI-Radeon-HD-3200.9591.0.html

the HD3200 has some special feature called Hybrid CrossfireX which allows you to add a dedicated ATI HD3000 series card to the chipset and both the integrated graphics and dedicated card can be used simultaneously. I may be wrong, but that's how I read it. Just how useful or affective that feature may be im not sure.

And, like I have read here on the HD3200 inside the acer ferrari one http://www.trustedreviews.com/laptops/review/2009/10/02/Acer-Ferrari-One---11-6in-Netbook/p2
these other HD3200 laptops may very well have the ati XGP port which apparently allows for an easy graphics performance boost by simply plugging in an external graphics device into the proprietary port. Either way I think it would be quite capable of playing most games on low-medium settings and certainly fine for the sort of gaming possibilities I would occasionally toy with.

After all, my old p4 3.00 advent pc with 768mb of ram (which I am typing this message on now) and a radeon 9200 se 128mb has always performed pretty well and plays the likes of fear, hl2, counter strike source, cod 1 and 2 quite nicely. When I want the latest games in HD, well thats what my ps3 is for.

Mango2000

Hi All!

I am looking for a PC with top specs - I would like to have the capability of playing games and manipulate pictures and possibly movies.

I am looking for a decent brand and I dont care about intel or AMD as long as I get the latest AMD processors.

I was happy with the officially reccomended by the forum laptop HP-Compaq 6735s, £389.98 delivered.
This were the specs:
"With a 2.1 Ghz Turion X2 processor (AMD's equivalent of an Intel Core 2 Duo), a massive 4GB RAM, and dedicated 512MB ATi Radeon HD 3200 graphics card, it'll handle anything you throw at it (software wise, that is!)"

but this laptop is not available anymore at eBuyer and besides I should be able to pick up for a lower price since the reccomendation was in August!!!

Do you know where I can get similar spec or better for a lower price?

Any help will be much appreciated - Thanks in advance!!!!!

thabiz

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/product/seo/138073?int=home-centre-2#productInformationSection

Again, another laptop featuring the hd3200 integrated graphics and a decent AMD processor. 4gb ram, 250hdd. Not much difference between this and the argos Acer alternative. But some may trust the build of a packard bell more.

But this from ebuyer at the price you looking at is pretty good value if you dont mind the lack of ATI/Nvidia graphics. http://www.ebuyer.com/product/169123

Or this other core 2 duo for under £400 (as found on hot deals uk). Apparentyl comes to £394.99 after code. Again it lacks an ati or nvidia chipset.

http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/11439702/Acer-Aspire-5738-Core-2-Duo-T6400-2GHz-4GB-500GB-DVD-SM-15-6-Vista-Home-Premium-Laptop-Notebook/Product.html?P36=HKC3MM

mallard

For those of you interested in buying a Dell.........wanted a pink one for daughter for xmas but they charge £29 for different colours. So gave them a ring and just asked for general info. Guy obviously wanted the business and within a minute or so knocked off the price for the colour. Also was going to give discounts for cover (which i didnt want but still interesting). So if going for a Dell i suggest ringing them and just do a general enquiry!:j

supermonkey

hi all, what about an asus x71q laptop? Intel Pentium Dual Core 2Ghz 3 GB DDR2 Ram Vista (with upgrade) Intel GMA X4500 Graphics £310 inc del.... seems good, but i'd want a clean install of windows 7 64 bit not an upgrade and is the graphics intergrarated?