Advice please - Laptop sufficient for my requirements?

Ponkle22

I would love some advice on this spec of Laptop as I'm admitedly not good with techie stuff. Can you tell me if buying a Laptop for the very first time for my young teenager (to be used for homework, photos, movies, lots of music etc - all usual teenage stuff) if the following is sufficient? It will be wireless to our main computer.

Processor: Intel Celeron
Hard Drive: 250GB
RAM: 2GB
Wireless Networking 802.11 b/g
It has Windows 7

I apologise for being totally useless at computer techie stuff but would be really greatful for some answers from those in the know.

Many thanks.

computershack

More than sufficient. The lowest spec computer you can buy today is more than up to the task with plenty of performance to spare.

althas

Hi Ponkle, no need for any apologies ask anything you need to know

Juat a couple of things though

1. As you mention photos, are they just going to take the pictures and store them on the laptop, or will they edit the photos a lot (college course etc?)
2. Play some serious games on it?

If so then you may need something with a little more umpff. For the photo editing then you need as much RAM as you can get, a lot have 3 or 4 gb as standard. Serious gaming would require more RAM and a dedicated graphics card (at, of course, a higher price)

If not, then the basic info you have put sounds more than fine for what you say it is needed for

Ponkle22

Hi Althas, thanks for your reply.

No, its just for young teenager - nowhere near college yet. Is not into gaming on the computer (I know, shock-horror) and photos are just downloads from camera/phone and digital images on phone (small ones).

Can the memory etc be upgraded if this situation changes in the future?

Many thanks again,
Ponkle

Ponkle22

Computershak - thanks for your reply too.

Ponkle22

ps: he does store and rip and burn music for his MP3 though. We don't ever have the latest thing so wont be a super-mega MP3 (cannot remember which one he has TBH).

althas

Ping pong between the threads hehe

If that is the case Ponkle22, then what you have said will be fine. Just make sure of course it has a CD/DVD player/writer else he will not be able to do any CD work

You CAN upgrade laptop memory, but it is a lot more expensive and difficult than a desktop PC. But to be honest, as he is young, by the time he goes to college, then the laptop you buy now will be nearing the end of it's life and he can then get something else if needed

Ponkle22

Brilliant advice - thanks. Yes the CD is re-writable.

Sorry about the ping-pong - how embarassing having two threads about the same thing going at once - you see, I am officially a computer-no-hoper, but I am learning....!

Many thanks to everyone and sorry about the two threads.