17 inch screen laptop

amc1

Hi, any advice appreciated for the purchase of a 17" laptop. May want to watch dvds (blu-ray?) but no gaming just general internet usage.

There'a couple of cheap HPs here :

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/shopping/ca/laptops-netbooks-c94149/?fd=sc81067

cheapest one being £325.

Are there any other good deals elsewhere.

Many thanks.

mj12_2

I recommend Dell, their deals change all the time so best to check the website - you can find some good money off if you catch it right - they dont go wrong (not yet) after 5 minutes either. With laptops you do sort of get what you pay for ie a machine from x for £300 with the same specs as a machine from y for £400 wont necessarily be the best deal in a few months as the machine from x may have self destructed.

HP are also a good brand though - and easy to repair if things do go wrong - they are good enough to make their tech manuals available on the internet which is more than can be said for lots of other manufacturers.

Esqui

If you want my advice - don't! There aren't so many 17" laptops around as 15.6", so you really restrict the choice available to you. They also tend to be a little more expensive.

And a 15.6" screen is fine enough for watching DVD movies - is the extra 1 and a half inches going to make that much difference? Particularly if you only 'might' watch films. You could always hook up to a TV if you need a big screen.

My last laptop was a 17", and I do regret paying the extra for it...I could have got much more for my money. I never needed the big screen.

DCodd

Have to agree with Esqui here. A 17" laptop is really a desktop replacement which suggests that the laptop won't regularly leave the house(?) So if you want a bigger screen, as Esqui suggests, connect it to a tv, especially if you can find one with a HDMI out socket. I think you may be disappointed on the bluray front at your budget.

mj12_2

DCodd wrote: »

Have to agree with Esqui here. A 17" laptop is really a desktop replacement which suggests that the laptop won't regularly leave the house(?) So if you want a bigger screen, as Esqui suggests, connect it to a tv, especially if you can find one with a HDMI out socket. I think you may be disappointed on the bluray front at your budget.

I got a 17" laptop as i wanted a numberpad on the keyboard :-)

Your right on bluray though - get an external one if you really need it, i imagine laptop bluray drives still cost a bomb.

DCodd

mj12 wrote: »

I got a 17" laptop as i wanted a numberpad on the keyboard :-)

Your right on bluray though - get an external one if you really need it, i imagine laptop bluray drives still cost a bomb.

Most 15.6 laptops come with a numeric keypad, although the keys aren't fullsize.

mj12_2

DCodd wrote: »

Most 15.6 laptops come with a numeric keypad, although the keys aren't fullsize.

They double up as letter keys too though don't they - most of the ones i could find did anyway needed em seperate, drove me round the twist having to press Fn all the time

Another thought, unless you get a laptop with a 720p or 1080p+ screen the bluray will be pointless as the laptop wont be hi-def - you'd get the extra content but nothing else.

DCodd

mj12 wrote: »

They double up as letter keys too though don't they - most of the ones i could find did anyway needed em seperate, drove me round the twist having to press Fn all the time

Another thought, unless you get a laptop with a 720p or 1080p+ screen the bluray will be pointless as the laptop wont be hi-def - you'd get the extra content but nothing else.

This is a usual 15.6 keyboard layout, seperate keypad but not fullsize keys.

mj12_2

DCodd wrote: »

This is a usual 15.6 keyboard layout, seperate keypad but not fullsize keys.

nice :-) i must have been looking in the wrong places - have literally never seen one like that b4, never went in search of it though dont look dont find i guess

Esqui

My Acer 5551 has a numerical keypad, and it's a decent size, too

mttylad

Whichever you get, make damn sure the screen is absolutely an anti glare screen - IMO worth paying for.

I have a Dell Studio for use for work and its awful, I can see myself in the scree. (the rest of it is fine).

I prefer to use an external 17" monitor and an external keyboard.