Please help me chose a new laptop! - Argos only

James_Bond

Hi there,

My home insurance company are giving me a £500 voucher to spend at Argos on a new laptop - Although I could probably go upto £600 if I added the difference.

However, Im not too great when looking at specs etc, and find it alll rather confusing. I wondered if some forum members with laptop knowledge could help me out a bit. Which of the following laptops would they recommend?

Just to add - my old HP laptop had 4GB ram , and I don't really want to go below that. I've also heard the new 'i3' processors; are very good - is that correct?

Here are all the laptops from £400-500: ( Nothing so far has really caught my eye - but I'm open to suggestions)
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Browse/ID72/16164797/c_1/1|category_root|Office%2C+PCs+and+phones|14418968/c_2/2|14418968|Laptops+and+Netbooks|16164797/r_001/4|Price|400+%3C%3D++%3C%3D+499.99|2.htm

Going beyond £500, I have seen this Toshiba for £530:
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5083840/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7COffice%2C+PCs+and+phones%7C14418968/c_2/3%7Ccat_15701344%7CLaptops+and+Netbooks%7C16164797.htm

Which seems to have very good specs.


However, I am leaning towards this Sony Vaio for £600:
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5083565/c_1/1|category_root|Office%2C+PCs+and+phones|14418968/c_2/3|cat_15701344|Laptops+and+Netbooks|16164797.htm

Although it appears to have slightly less specs.... and is £70 more, it does look better and Sony appears a stronger brand than Toshiba. Does anyone agree? Would anyone pick the Toshiba over the Sony?

Any help/ advice or recommendations would be very much appreciated.

Donnie

Nothing really exciting on the website. My older Toshiba has similar function and it's a year old.

One difference is that you can extend the warranty of the Toshiba to 3 years for £50, whereas it's around £140 for the Sony.

Esqui

What do you use your laptop for?

I don't mean to imply anything untoward, but I do see a lot of people who come with a list of specs they HAVE to have, and then when I ask what they use their laptop for, they answer "Facebook and email": meaning they can save a couple of hundred quid.

Otherwise, of the two: Sony

James_Bond

Esqui wrote: »

What do you use your laptop for?

I don't mean to imply anything untoward, but I do see a lot of people who come with a list of specs they HAVE to have, and then when I ask what they use their laptop for, they answer "Facebook and email": meaning they can save a couple of hundred quid.

Otherwise, of the two: Sony

Browsing, music mixing, open office applications, software testing.

Basically everything except gaming.

You are probably right about that though. Maybe a slower machine would be fine for me, but my last laptop was a HP with 4GB of RAM and I had no complaints with it at all in terms of speed. I'd hate to have to put up with a 'slower' machine. Also, in terms of the moneysaving aspect, as it is an insurance offer, I doubt whether I'd get any 'change' or such. - So I may aswell spend the £500.

Many Thanks for the replies so far.

James_Bond

Esqui wrote: »

What do you use your laptop for?

I don't mean to imply anything untoward, but I do see a lot of people who come with a list of specs they HAVE to have, and then when I ask what they use their laptop for, they answer "Facebook and email": meaning they can save a couple of hundred quid.

Otherwise, of the two: Sony

Oh, can I also ask... why Sony?

Donnie

Toshiba Satellite C650-154

Sony VPCEB2M0E/WI

outlaw777

Go for the Sony Vaio!

James_Bond wrote: »

Hi there,

My home insurance company are giving me a £500 voucher to spend at Argos on a new laptop - Although I could probably go upto £600 if I added the difference.

However, Im not too great when looking at specs etc, and find it alll rather confusing. I wondered if some forum members with laptop knowledge could help me out a bit. Which of the following laptops would they recommend?

Just to add - my old HP laptop had 4GB ram , and I don't really want to go below that. I've also heard the new 'i3' processors; are very good - is that correct?

Here are all the laptops from £400-500: ( Nothing so far has really caught my eye - but I'm open to suggestions)
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Browse/ID72/16164797/c_1/1|category_root|Office%2C+PCs+and+phones|14418968/c_2/2|14418968|Laptops+and+Netbooks|16164797/r_001/4|Price|400+%3C%3D++%3C%3D+499.99|2.htm

Going beyond £500, I have seen this Toshiba for £530:
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5083840/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7COffice%2C+PCs+and+phones%7C14418968/c_2/3%7Ccat_15701344%7CLaptops+and+Netbooks%7C16164797.htm

Which seems to have very good specs.


However, I am leaning towards this Sony Vaio for £600:
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5083565/c_1/1|category_root|Office%2C+PCs+and+phones|14418968/c_2/3|cat_15701344|Laptops+and+Netbooks|16164797.htm

Although it appears to have slightly less specs.... and is £70 more, it does look better and Sony appears a stronger brand than Toshiba. Does anyone agree? Would anyone pick the Toshiba over the Sony?

Any help/ advice or recommendations would be very much appreciated.

Esqui

James_Bond wrote: »

Oh, can I also ask... why Sony?

Better brand, also higher spec (more USB ports, Bluetooth, etc). Mind you, the Tosh has the better processor and is cheaper....aww, I dunno now.

Also, you could easily use a 3GB laptop, the difference between a computer with 3GB and one with 4GB is not really that noticeable for most every day use (certainly far less so than going up from 1 or 2GB to 3), But I'dstick with an i3 processor, that'll more than make up for it,

Donnie

As I wrote before....... look at the price differential and the cost of extending the warranty to 3 years. That takes the Toshiba to £580 and the Sony to £740.
Though it could be argued that the manufacturers should take responsibility for failures within that time for machines at that price point anyway.

James_Bond

Donnie wrote: »

As I wrote before....... look at the price differential and the cost of extending the warranty to 3 years. That takes the Toshiba to £580 and the Sony to £740.
Though it could be argued that the manufacturers should take responsibility for failures within that time for machines at that price point anyway.

Thanks for everyones replies. The voucher came today so Im planning on the Toshiba I think.

Only thing is... has the warrenty extending thing changed. I can't seem to find it for an additional £50? The Argos site says £189

Donnie

Click on this link: Toshiba Satellite C650-154

Argos