PC wanted for 67 year old beginner !

ste1200

Hi, my mum has decided to become a silver surfer and get a PC. Does anyone know of any offers for a fairly basic package please ? -Monitor, printer, webcam, mic. She is on a budget and needs a desk and chair etc. so nothing fancy. She will just be doing basics on open office and surfing the web and speaking maybe via skype to my sister in Germany.

Thanks in advance.
Ste

Coopdivi

For a decent desktop PC you're looking at £450 plus. Adding on the cost of a webcam, printer, microphone and/or headset will take it to £525ish. Then you want a desk and chair...

You can get PCs complete with a monitor, keyboard and mouse for around the £350 mark but they'll be poor brands like eMachines or Acer and the screen will be no bigger than 19''. Like this example:

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.207-8072.aspx

In my opinion your mum would be better off getting a laptop. If she has problems seeing the screen she can always add a 22'' monitor at a later date.

Here are some suggestions. This Asus laptop costs £284 including delivery from Argos Ebay Outlet. Amongst other things it has a built in webcam and comes with a 12 month guarantee.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ASUS-X5DIJ-15-6IN-LAPTOP-DUAL-CORE-NOTEBOOK-REFURB-/330465299669?pt=UK_Computing_Laptops_EH

This Epson printer is available to reserve and collect from Comet for £35

http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/551350/EPSON-SX115

If the printer doesn't come with a computer connection cable (which they often don't) then you can get one for £1.27 delivered from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/USB-Printer-Cable-4-5m-lead/dp/B000I2HBE8/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1283049705&sr=1-1

A Microsoft headset from Amazon for £16.09 including delivery. This will enable your mum to talk and listen on Skype as well as listen to YouTube, BBC Iplayer etc.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-LifeChat-LX-3000-Headset-Black/dp/B000JSDOMO/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1283050112&sr=1-2

Mouse £3 delivered from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Optical-Scroll-Wheel-Mouse-Laptop/dp/B003E2X9E0/ref=sr_1_2?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1283051016&sr=1-2

Now if she gets a table like the following examples she'll have no need to buy a desk and chair. She'll be able to sit in her favourite armchair and put here feet up because they're all small and portable but just the right size for a laptop.

Reserve and collect from Asda £8.

http://direct.asda.com/Chrome-Curve-Table---Clear/001751877,default,pd.html?purl=hotukdeals

£15 from Ikea.

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00120818

£20 including delivery from Tesco Direct.

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.206-7659.aspx

The laptop screen is just over 15'' but if your mum finds that's too small then this 22'' monitor is available from Ebuyer for £83 including delivery.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/236322

Including the monitor the whole lot comes to less than £440 by my reckoning.

Wortle

I'd watch the dell products I bought a 17 inch dell laptop last year for about £400 using quidco with in built web cam. I would give it a go on IM without a headset if poss because someone that age will be best without extras.I would get the 17 inch screen NOW.
Can you get away with B&W printing only? I would get a samsung bottom of the range laser printer and spare cartridge at the outset and cost it as part of the initial printer costs, as pensioners dont cope with colour cartridges running out and I would stick it on toner saver permanently if it has that option as they wont pay replacement costs for a toner cartridge. The initial partfilled cartridge and spare should last for years!
If you have any hassle with a system elderly folk hold you responsible as they "dont understand" and "cant afford", but you "recommended" and "bought it for me" therefore they expect you to jump in a car and spend 50 quid on fuel to change a printer cartridge etc

So my advice is watch prices on dell and quidco it all

http://www1.euro.dell.com/uk/en/home/Laptops/laptop-inspiron-17/pd.aspx?refid=laptop-inspiron-17&s=dhs&cs=ukdhs1
and
http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/5683427/art/samsung/ml-1665-laser-printer-bla.html
or similar

ste1200

Thanks for the help, especially Coopdivi, I will see what she thinks. She was wanting to print photos on her printer, so will probably have to go for a more expensive brand.

ste1200

In the end, she got a 2nd hand laptop which doesn't work properly so she is now looking for a brand new one (not refurb). Does anyone know of any good offers at the moment please ?

Bornagain

Have a look at Dell - go through a cash back site like Topcashback for extra cash back and also google for discount codes aswell, you can normally knock at least £50 off the website price.


There is a 10% off discount code if you google for "dell offers", I just found it.(sadly I dont think we are allowed to put codes on here)

forgotmyname

Dont buy a laptop if on a budget, Overpriced & overrated. People think oh wireless. Until they realise how quickly the
batteries die.

You dont need a £450 computer, If fact if you have a local computer store not a big chain like PC World you should get
everything you want for £450 or less.

For general web browsing etc a fairly basic PC will be fine, Windows XP, 1GB RAM, 200GB Hard Drive, DVDRW, You dont even
need dual/quad core CPU's either. Playing games or opening lots of programs at once then think dual/quad core but dont
more than you need.
Upgrading later can be cheap, Most laptops can not be upgraded, Except a bit more memory or hard drive sometimes.

A Desktop can be upgraded to your own needs,Faster processor, Bigger screen, More memory, Hard drive space, DVD writers, Better video cards
to play games. etc etc.

2010

Sorry to but-in on the thread.

I have a Dell dimension 3100 desktop with a 19" flat screen monitor, cd/dvdrw, speakers, keyboard and mouse.

I`ve been trying to sell this locally for months for around £125.
It would be ideal for a first timer who would like to try out computing but does not want to buy or cannot afford a brand new one.

There is nothing wrong with the one I have but I would like to upgrade to a better model and have around £500 to spend.

To date no one seems interested.
(maybe they are looking for laptops):rotfl:

ste1200

I will ask her, but I think she does want a new one. I'd prefer her to have a pc rather than a laptop as I'm not a fan, I will try and do some armtwisting

McKneff

Laptops are so versatile, fold it up put it to one side.

Far easier than a big cumbersome hard drive.

You can sit, as Im doing now watching the telly at the same time, brilliant, ask her.

Bornagain

TBH, an older person may find a desktop much easier to use. I have to say I cant manage the fiddly keys on a lap top, cant stand the lack of a mouse either. Dell have a lot of decent offers and dont forget the topcashback site and googling for the discount codes, just to make it even more affordable. She doesnt need a super dooper gamers spec, just the very basic one will be fine for her.