Laptop Purchase Advice

m5rcc

DRiz wrote: »

There are alot of pro's too:
They are smaller, lighter and easier to carry. As pointed out already a CD drive really isnt necessary as you can store most applications and files/movies on USB stick nowadays, so thats a big lump of extra weight gone.

I purchased a powerfull 15" laptop recently (which my wife uses mostly now) and I now want a netbook for its simplicity.
If its mainly for the house and seldomly taken out then I would get a laptop against a netbook. If you intend taking it out and about alot and just using it for internet/word etc. then a netbook would really suffice and be more comfortable and cheaper.

I would agree that no need to spend more than £220 on a netbook as there are deals about.

So is a ThinkPad...

KeithP

m5rcc wrote: »

1. Small screen. The small size of a netbook means that its screen is small. Though the typical resolution for a 10” netbook is 1024x600, which isn't much less than the standard desktop resolution, the pitch (distance between pixels) is smaller and that is why the onscreen image on a netbook is smaller.

2. Less powerful processor. Netbooks ship with special processors (different from those in laptops and desktops) and these processors are less powerful. Still, 1.6GHz is quite enough for most tasks a typical user uses a netbook for, so it is hardly likely that the less powerful processor is of that much importance.

3. No CD drive. Most netbooks come with no CD. There are some netbook models with a CD but this automatically increases their weight. No CD could be a disadvantage but when one has USB sticks, memory cards, or a cable, the lack of CD is not a problem for data transfer.

4. Difficult/impossible to upgrade...need I go on?

Let's take your points in order...

1. Small screen...
Yes it is but I don't think anyone buying a netbook would, upon opening it, expect to see a large screen.

2. Less powerful processor. You yourself have discounted this... "it is hardly likely that the less powerful processor is of that much importance."

3. No CD drive. Again, you say... "the lack of CD is not a problem for data transfer."

4. Difficult/impossible to upgrade. Isn't that true of most portable computers?

...need I go on?
Yes, I think you do need to go on. :beer:

mdean

m5rcc wrote: »

1. Small screen. The small size of a netbook means that its screen is small. Though the typical resolution for a 10” netbook is 1024x600, which isn't much less than the standard desktop resolution, the pitch (distance between pixels) is smaller and that is why the onscreen image on a netbook is smaller.

2. Less powerful processor. Netbooks ship with special processors (different from those in laptops and desktops) and these processors are less powerful. Still, 1.6GHz is quite enough for most tasks a typical user uses a netbook for, so it is hardly likely that the less powerful processor is of that much importance.

3. No CD drive. Most netbooks come with no CD. There are some netbook models with a CD but this automatically increases their weight. No CD could be a disadvantage but when one has USB sticks, memory cards, or a cable, the lack of CD is not a problem for data transfer.

4. Difficult/impossible to upgrade...need I go on?

Except it will do what the OP wants at the cheapest price
Moneysaving and all that

ses6jwg

I have one of these "Lapbooks"

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Packard-Bell-DOT_MA-UK-046-11-6-inch/dp/B002GYVF98/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1269722681&sr=8-1

Donnie

Gunderful wrote: »

Hi,

It appears my laptop has given out (see other thread). Looking for a basic laptop with wireless, internet, excel and that's it. Don't need large hard drive and won't be used for gaming.

Any advice much appreciated.

Seems that no one actually wants to recommend you a laptop. Here is a Samsung R519 that will comfortably cover your needs for £304.

Don't buy a Netbook unless you actually need one. You certainly won't want to be fiddling with an undersized keyboard and staring at a small screen for hours.
Sometimes I don't know what some of the people on this board are thinking....

coolagarry

My daughter recently bought a refurbished laptop from the argos site on ebay and loves it. Cannot tell it from new and the 12mts guranatee is the same as for a regular laptop.

This one has a fairly powerful processor and a big hard drive etc for £274 including delivery
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MEDION-AKOYA-E5211-15-4IN-LAPTOP-V2-REFURBISHED_W0QQitemZ330415755774QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_Laptops_EH?hash=item4cee5051fe
of this one for a tenner more
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SAMSUNG-R519-15-6IN-WIFI-VISTA-LAPTOP-V1-REFURB_W0QQitemZ350330712057QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_Laptops_EH?hash=item5191566ff9

Donnie

coolagarry wrote: »

My daughter recently bought a refurbished laptop from the argos site on ebay and loves it. Cannot tell it from new and the 12mts guranatee is the same as for a regular laptop.

This one has a fairly powerful processor and a big hard drive etc for £274 including delivery
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MEDION-AKOYA-E5211-15-4IN-LAPTOP-V2-REFURBISHED_W0QQitemZ330415755774QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_Laptops_EH?hash=item4cee5051fe
of this one for a tenner more
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SAMSUNG-R519-15-6IN-WIFI-VISTA-LAPTOP-V1-REFURB_W0QQitemZ350330712057QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_Laptops_EH?hash=item5191566ff9

I would recommend spending the £20 extra for the Samsung in my post. Has Windows 7 and more RAM.

01001011

I used my 'netbook' as my only computer for a year. I typed my whole thesis and did all research with it. I don't understand why some people in this forum still think that a netbook is not a laptop?

Donnie

01001011 wrote: »

I used my 'netbook' as my only computer for a year. I typed my whole thesis and did all research with it. I don't understand why some people in this forum still think that a netbook is not a laptop?

They think that because a 'Netbook' is not a 'Laptop'.

There are differences, the most obvious being no optical drive within a Netbook.

The reason you had a Netbook was precisely the reason for which it was designed....portability.

It's just silly when people recommend a Netbook without finding out the particular usage pattern of the intended user, especially when the OP asked about a laptop.

01001011

Ever heard of 'ultra portable laptops', like the Macbook Air or Thinkpad X series? They are designed with portability with mind. Most have 11"-12" screen, most models before 2009 have no optical drive (they can use external drives, and as m5rcc said they are becoming less useful), yet nobody think that they cannot be main computers. So why a netbook cannot be used in the same manner?