Advice on buying a laptop

Shrimply

Just thought I'd update to say that I've emailed ASUS to clarify a few points including the confusing model number, graphics and warranty.

I'll let you know what the outcome is, I don't know how right it is but I always feel the speed a company replies to an email reflects a lot about their customer service.

Shrimply

Well finally heard from Asus, not good news. The laptop is as listed due to being an Ebuyer special and therefore does not have a 2 year warranty.

I'd kind of made up my mind about the Asus assuming a 2 year warranty, the price doesnt seem all that special with the normal 1 year warranty , so still not found a laptop.

jaydeeuk1

Forget warranty, you're covered under the SOGA for longer than 2 years anyway (5 or 6 I believe)

JasX

Shrimply wrote: »

Pretty sure its going to be the ASUS, they seem to be pretty highly thought of, but a 2 year warranty would be a deal maker, I posted on the Ebuyer discussion board about the warranty but so far no response.

Still only £18 more to get the Dell i3 though,lol.

The i3 is a fair step up in processor power, personally I'd not even blink at the decision to get one for an extra £18.

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_list.php

The T4400 gives a performance mark of 1500 odd.
The weakest i3 comes in around 2000 so basically you're getting an extra 33% more processing power for your extra £18, if you get a i3 500 series the difference is even more marked

Shrimply

Thanks, it looks like I'll be getting the Dell, the Asus has a few cool features which attracted me like the Cool Touch , but the Dell does seem to be a better deal.

Although its wireless card seems to be a bit behind the times and delivery will take ages.

Thanks, will going order one before it goes up in price, again.

Shrimply

Well you'll be pleased to know its ordered, so hopefully i'll be happy with it.

Thanks for all the help

Shrimply

Apparently its going to take a month to arrive, i wasn't really expecting that but have never used Dell before.

I had thought maybe a couple of weeks, i understand they have to build it and everything but considering the i core laptops aren't really customisable in any great way a month seems a but extreme.

Have to say I'm a bit disappointed but I'm a greatly impatient person, and I guess there's nothing I can do now but wait.

JasX

Shrimply wrote: »

Although its wireless card seems to be a bit behind the times and delivery will take ages.

you should be able to upgrade the wireless card yourself later on if it starts to be a problem, also check you're getting a minimum 6 cell battery as the 4 celll ones last no time at all (and last time i checked upgrading to a larger 6 cell was a princely five pounds only )

Shrimply

Thanks, yeah at the minute there's no where I'll be that uses n-wireless technology anyway, and I'm sure if I ever do want to upgrade it won't be a big issue. Just every other manufacture seem to be fitting wireless cards with n-technology. Don't understand why dell isn't by standard, on the model I ordered I didn't even get the choice to upgrade.

There isn't a battery choice, thats what I mean by it by a lack of customisation. It comes with a 6-cell and there isn't the option of a 9-cell, and they don't even seem to sell a compatible 9-cell battery separately, which again seems a bit strange. But battery life is really not important a couple of hours will be plenty.

outlaw777

Shrimply wrote: »

Hi, I'm looking for a bit of advice. I've been wanting a new laptop for a while but don't have a lot of money to spend. It's not to be used all the time as I have a main computer, but it will be used when I'm home from uni every few weekends and occasionally when I don't want to be tied to my desk. It doesn't need to be all that fantastic, I don't play games or anything, hard drive size is not important, and I'd rather have performance prioritised over battery life.

I'd been hoping to spend under £400 so had been following the pinned thread with interest. I'd sort of decided on the base model Dell 1564, which with a 3% student discount would of been £390, however much to my horror when I went to order the price had increased by £30. Now while not all that much it puts it over the budget and I'm not convinced that it's that great a deal at the new price.

http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&kc=305&l=en&oc=N0056401&s=dhs&sbc=inspiron-1564

I was attracted to it by the looks and the newer i3 processor, and quite honestly I'm really struggling to find anything else I like now, having previously been so sure I was getting the Dell.

So I guess my question really is if its worth paying the extra, I'm slightly weary of Dell and am getting mixed messages over whether or not I'll see any benefits of the i3 processor over a dual core for my needs.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be great, thanks

Go for a Toshiba or Lenovo try www.insight.com/uk for a deal.