Laptop - which one?

Poppy9

[STRIKE]
My desktop has decided to stop working so looking to replace.

don't want to spend more than £350 really but am tempted to abandon having a desktop and just buying a laptop.

We just use computer for web browsing, general home office use of word/excel etc. and itunes and I need dvd writer. Not used for gaming.

Any advice on which to go for.

Seen these towers at currys or these laptops

Thanks
[/STRIKE]

See last post for advice on which laptop to go for.

CloudCuckooLand

Depends on the individual, to a degree.

A friend said just yesterday how they feel old-fashioned but that they are more comfortable with a proper monitor, keyboard and mouse - which would lean towards a tower, as you risk damaging the laptop with lots of detaching and attaching of connectors.

On the other hand if you travel a bit and might use free wifi access in hotels, to keep in touch with emails, or google maps/details for the itinery etc, then having a laptop, even if only occasionally, could be sensible/useful.

A tower is easier to fix, as you can get generic parts, usually.

If getting a bundle including a monitor, try and see it in person, first.

The same goes for checking the quality of a laptop screen - if long periods of time are spent, it needs to be big enough and clear enough, lack of glare/reflection etc...

And the weight of the laptop...no point getting one so heavy you never carry it around...

Poppy9

We already have one laptop, well it's DD but we borrow it when she is in school. Like the fact that I can sit and watch TV and browse the net.

The desktop is kept in spare bedroom. We don't need a new monitor as we have a decent 19" LCD one still working etc. but the idea of freeing up the space is tempting. Plus we've had nothing but problems with this last desktop, it's been fixed 4 times in about 3 years but it's so much slower than laptop and annoying!

Think I'm talking myself into laptop :rotfl: but which one to get ???

*Kat*

Out of those go for the Toshiba or the HP ones. I've heard rubbish things about Advent and ACER - Dell...meh.

That's just my personal preference tho, so up to you x

closed

how has it stopped working?

It was probably slow because you had too much bloat running at startup.

dojoman

Personal choice really, myself it will always be a desktop whilst my daughter will always be laptop:)

MoneySavingUser

closed wrote: »

how has it stopped working?

It was probably slow because you had too much bloat running at startup.

closed it probably right

if you have a monitor already you could just buy ther tower part

I like laptops though you have missed all the xmas sales

DCodd

You could always keep the monitor you have and connect the laptop to it if you prefer a larger screen.

It is always good to remember that a desktop/tower will usually be better spec'd than an equally priced laptop, especially if you are only buying the base unit.

Buying any piece of equipment is a compromise, you need to think as to what you need as opposed to what you would like because for the price you're suggesting, the compromises are greater and check the build quality as build quality always seems to be the last thing people think of.

Mondez

It may also be worth considering that a laptop will use considerably less electricity than a desktop system will in most cases.

Poppy9

closed wrote: »

how has it stopped working?

When you switch it on it whirrs and lights flash but it doesn't power up. My nephew has got it at the moment to see if it's fixable.

closed wrote:

It was probably slow because you had too much bloat running at startup.

It's been completely wiped and reloaded 3 times and unneccessary stuff removed from start up. It still goes slow after a few weeks even though we have added no more to it than we have the laptop and regularly to a disk clean up. It's not been the best computer from a few months on. Think I had a duff one!

Poppy9

*Kat* wrote: »

Out of those go for the Toshiba or the HP ones. I've heard rubbish things about Advent and ACER - Dell...meh.

That's just my personal preference tho, so up to you x

I have a Toshiba laptop currently and the service from Toshiba who have repaired it outside of warranty for free has been good. Don't think the build quality is brill though as the "mouse" button keeps going and it's annoying.