Poor Student needing new laptop - advice please

lizd87

Hi All,

I am a student and needing a new laptop, owing to my poor old Dell that's lasted me 6 years being on its last legs.


I struggle with my eyesight to see the screen on a netbook, but do want something small and light to be able to carry into uni.
I don't do anything special on my laptop - just using for surfing/emails and microscoft office stuff for uni work.

Any ideas of something good to go for that's under £400-500? Or know any good offers on? Thank you so much in advance :-)
Liz

McKneff

Thats a blumming big budget for what you want a computer for. Especially as youve said youre poor.

You could pick one up for half that price.

m5rcc

About as poor as a benefit cheat

Idiophreak

lizd87 wrote: »

Hi All,

I am a student and needing a new laptop, owing to my poor old Dell that's lasted me 6 years being on its last legs.


I struggle with my eyesight to see the screen on a netbook, but do want something small and light to be able to carry into uni.
I don't do anything special on my laptop - just using for surfing/emails and microscoft office stuff for uni work.

Any ideas of something good to go for that's under £400-500? Or know any good offers on? Thank you so much in advance :-)
Liz

Without sounding mean, I'd spend half the money on getting a netbook and the other half on getting some new glasses. Seriously, you'll perform much better in your studies if you can look at a screen comfortably...

I'd also think about whether you really *need* a computer at all...there are always plenty at the university you can use...

Ivalore

To look at a screen more comfortably you need the screen to produce 75hz (or more) refresh rate.

lizd87

McKneff wrote: »

Thats a blumming big budget for what you want a computer for. Especially as youve said youre poor.

You could pick one up for half that price.

Really? I'm totally useless with computers and asked around/looked in PC WOrld and was told I'd have to pay that much for something 'decent'. My parents are lending me the money to pay back when i graduate, so the less the better.

Thanks

cleggie

Hi Liz,
i'd say a £400- £500 budget is quite good.
I am a student and know its not possible to be without a computer at uni.
In my experience, i would avoid Acer (and Comet) like the plague (just my opinion though).

lizd87

m5rcc wrote: »

About as poor as a benefit cheat

that's extremely insulting. I'm on a healthcare degree course and so am not eligable for the normal student loan that everyone else is - just an NHS bursary.
For your information, that bursary is £60 a week, and that's all I have to live on. My rent's £50, bills £5... leaving me £5 for everything else. That's all the funding i can get.

I effectively work for free for the NHS, and work 50 hour weeks in a hospital which is 25 miles away from where i live and hence there are no spare hours for a part time job.

I was asking for some money saving advice on a laptop, which i need for my studies, not your judgement.

cleggie

Lizd- i forgot to mention the ALF (access to learning fund). Almost all uni's have them, they are to help students facing financial hardship. Everyone i know at my uni who has applied for the ALF has recieved a min of £300, but obviously this depends on circumstances.
You may as well give it a try, i am !

ChrisPNE

If you are using it for the things you said then you've no need to spend £500 on a laptop. Just find the cheapest laptop you can as you have such basic needs. Don't listen to the idiots in PC World, they'll tell you anything to sell you stuff.

Something along these lines will suit you fine.
http://www.ebuyer.com/280743-fujitsu-ah530-lifebook-laptop-vfy-ah530mrsb2gb

macman

lizd87 wrote: »

Really? I'm totally useless with computers and asked around/looked in PC WOrld and was told I'd have to pay that much for something 'decent'. My parents are lending me the money to pay back when i graduate, so the less the better.

Thanks

That was your mistake then. PCW staff are completely clueless, and DSG stores are the last place you should be looking in to buy a computer or get advice.
£300 should get you a perfectly usable 15 in laptop.