PC World Laptop, £199!

Kilty_2

It's perfect for nobody and I will not believe anyone who says otherwise.

OK, going on about confidential information is taking it way too far but the machine is a pile of tat and shouldn't be touched. You could get a 2nd hand Pentium III based machine that would be better than this for less than £200.

AMO

Kilty wrote:

It's perfect for nobody and I will not believe anyone who says otherwise.

Absolutely. I really don't know how some people kind recommend these laptops at all.

What a lot of people don't realise is that computers are not like cars or videos where if you buy something 10 years ago, its actually okay today. VHS speed heads don't need to increase in speed with time. The speed limit of a car on the roads is still the same 70mph on the motorway.

However, a computer is different. Even talking in the context of surfing the internet for example. 5 years ago when there was no broadband, internet surfing used low dialup bandwidth. Nowadays with up to 8Mb broadband, the amount you download for a website is far greater and richer in content. The computer not only has to have a more complex browser, but also be able to receive that bandwidth and interpret the web page. Computers use a more resource hungry operating system.

Even word processing can not be argued in the same context. A word processor several years ago will require the user to go to Tools > Spell Check to perform a spell check. Nowadays, all that is performed with virtually every key press.

To use a computer of yesterday is like saying in car terms: "I don't commute long distances" so I can make do with a milkfloat.

Even if you don't make use of intensive games etc, even surfing the net and word processing will require a more powerful machine than those on offer here.

For those that want to buy these machines, they have to argue like for like and roll back their operating systems and software 5 years ago and only surf websites that are equally basic. Not really a way to go!

AMO

MercilessKiller

The £200 is paying for warranty/OS and a NEW machine.

Granted a £100 odd laptop second hand pentium 3 or whatever could prob do the same job, BUT it may brake, it prob has very old software on so add that to the cost, and your prob then getting to over £200 in the first place.

Thanks Kilty for admitting the confidential information was way too far. There is no relation between hardware and security unless your talking about servers with keys!

As for the other comment, I recommend this laptop to ONLY people without computers at the moment and simple want it for portability, internet, and basic office functions like word processing and excel spreadsheets. Its a substitute for a PDA really! But for people who want to see their stuff!

I would definitely recommend this to people who don't use computers currently and want something basic, maybe for their young teenagers do the homework and internet browsing on!

Micky

The £199 laptop is tempting, but I couldn't face queueing outside PC World in the dark with the other skinflints

Kilty_2

Pentium III laptops typically come with Windows 2000, by no means incapable and certainly wouldn't need upgraded to Windows XP.

As for the warranty that comes with it, not worth the paper it's written on since PC World are useless at dealing with warranty complaints (I know someone who is taking them to the Small Claims Court over a faulty laptop).

cookie_monster_8

EDIT: IN THIS POST I AM TALKIN ABOUT THE £199 DESKTOP COMPUTER NOT THE £199 LAPTOP, i was just adding into the pcworld thread

thought i would give my 2 pence and a quick review

went to pc world today at 8.30 with my brother and dad and got a ticket for the £199 pc and when doors opened got it in the trolley. Then we took a look around the shop and found this computer but without the monitor for £250 .

Specs
Intel Celeron D 356 Processor
3.33GHz, 533MHz FSB, 512KB Cache
Genuine MS Windows XP Home Edition
512MB DDR RAM
160GB Hard Disk Drive
Multi-Format Dual Layer DVD RW Drive
Integrated Graphics
6 USB Connections
Vista Basic Upgrade Available

for the extra £50 we found this a lot morer reasonable as we would ony have thrown the CRT monitor away. We already have a very good pc which i use but my parents wanted of there own to browse the net and use office. The £199 pc would have done the job but only the bare minimum. Eventually purcahsed the £250 pc and my parents are very pleased. had it set up in minutes and it runs great.

Personally i would advice getting this. It has average specs and the £199 pc is outdated.



On a side note i would not buy the laptop. Also did anyone notice the seriously obvious priting errors.It states the processor speed was 1.5mHZ and that it had 64mb cache!! shows how much care pcworld put in when making the advert lol



Hope this has helped someone

Dan:)_7

lmao! i got 1 there really good.... queing since 4am this morning...we woz 1st! the offer is on tomorrow... go around half 7 and u will get 1!

h4x3r

MercilessKiller wrote:

ROFL YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please have some common sense when posting.

Why would confidential information be more exposed?!?!??!! That does not make ANY sense at all!

This laptop IS good for word processing and browsing the net. PERFECT for some people. If you want to do more, yes its awful, but my grandma doesn't for example and she'd love it!

Wow this is getting silly.... People slate it but its not aimed at current computer users!!!!!!!!!

i have to admit thats a silly post from him. But u need to understand this laptop wont last you for long i say 3 months max before it gets slow and eerything starts wearing out. i deeply feal sorry for anyone who brought these EiSystems!

MercilessKiller

I really disagree.

What are reasons or an OS to go slow? Large temp files? Can be deleted....
Too many programs? Can be uninstalled.

What you got to remember is that people who the laptop is aimed for wont be doing things that are going to exhaust the laptop as such. They'll be doing simple basic things... it will last for a long time to a user who simply looks at web pages and types documents. I don't undersatnd how anyone can disagree with that comment either.....

Thanks for admitting its a silly post for him. I accept a lot of the arguments though i argue them due to the target user rather than an invalid argument.. however that one before was just idiotic..

Please just keep an open mind about who the laptop is for. For me, you or a lot of MSE users it wouldnt last even 3 months.. for someone whos old, slow and does basic basic things.. it would last a long long time!

pulliptears

I can see where he is coming from with the confidential info thing. When my "budget" lappie died for the 3rd time this year it was the power pack at fault. The battery had drained and I had no way of turning it on.

I had to send it back as it was, full of all my college work, webpages and some personal letters that had been sent. I hadnt stored any bank details on there etc but I did have to change all my passwords etc "just in case"