Laptop query

[Deleted User]

I see. Have you checked to ensure that there is likely to be good mobile broadband coverage where she might want to use it? If she wants to go out to the countryside to draw a nice landscape or something like that, you might find that coverage is very poor.

I do strongly recommend Microsoft Office because using it is a useful skill to have. On the other hand, perhaps she has already learnt to use Office at school? In that case, I suppose it might not be so important, but she might prefer to use something familiar.

skylight

This is a great help - was looking at either of these two today and have decided that I am going via XMA and getting the Samsung whilst buying a 1gb RAM module from Mr Memory. My daughter is only 7 and will have many years of use out of this, so I need to get the best I can for the grant.

Thanks!

AHAR

I've got some experience of the Samsung R519 through setting one up at work.
I was impressed by the build quality and the keyboard considering the low price. It felt quite nippy in Windows 7. The outer casing was a fingerprint magnet but a lot of laptops are like that these days.

[Deleted User]

Just one thing I'll point out - the computer will probably have a single 1GB RAM module already in it and one spare slot for the upgrade to 2GB. However, there is a small possibility that it has 2 512MB modules and no spare slots. In that case, you can still take one out and replace it with a 1GB module without problems; obviously not quite as good as 2GB, but it would still be a good upgrade over 1GB (alternatively, of course 2.5GB would be a possible upgrade in that case too, but not really necessary).

If you do need to remove a 512MB module, please keep it so that you can put it back if you need a warranty repair. Even if the 1GB goes straight in without needing to remove any existing RAM, still remember to remove it if the computer ever needs to be repaired. A RAM upgrade is a very safe procedure (as long as you touch a radiator first to discharge any static electricity that has built up), but some manufacturers will try to blame anything they can to avoid paying up for a warranty repair!

Do check that there is no warranty sticker over the RAM cover - this would be unusual, but some manufacturers occasionally do this if they don't want you to upgrade it yourself. In that case, you are probably better waiting a year until the warranty expires before doing the upgrade. If there is no sticker, then just go ahead because they will not be able to tell if you upgraded it or not (as long as you remember to take it out before a repair).

jaydeeuk1

tentonine wrote: »

Do check that there is no warranty sticker over the RAM cover - this would be unusual, but some manufacturers occasionally do this if they don't want you to upgrade it yourself. In that case, you are probably better waiting a year until the warranty expires before doing the upgrade. If there is no sticker, then just go ahead because they will not be able to tell if you upgraded it or not (as long as you remember to take it out before a repair).

I thought carrying out a memory upgrade cannot void your warranty, regardless of any sticker on the memory flap saying so (unless you break something while performing it of course)

[Deleted User]

I have also heard that, but I imagine that some companies might pretend otherwise and try to make things difficult in the event of a warranty repair. After all, why put the sticker there otherwise?

Mumcookie

Have read in previous replies that the samsung is the better one but can someone please tell me the differences between Microsoft Office and Productivity Suite and Office Application Suite? Or are they all the same just marketed differently?
Any help will be much appreciated

[Deleted User]

Microsoft Office is the standard in Office software, used widely by most schools and companies. However, it is fairly expensive. There are various free or very cheap alternatives available and some of these companies are probably referring to them when they say "Productivity Suite" and "Office Application Suite".

I would strongly recommend getting Microsoft Office, as some of the Home Access companies include it at no extra cost (except perhaps one less year of free mobile broadband). Although some of the other software may be able to do everything that your child needs to do, it is a very useful skill (indeed probably an essential skill these days) to be familiar with using Microsoft Office, as that is what most people use. The free Open Office is largely compatible with Microsoft Office, but it is not in anything like such widespread usage.

Having said all that, it may not be so important to worry about it if your child is very good with technology and always picks things up quickly.