Laptop help - Community use

flier

I'd appreciate some knowledge in helping me select a laptop which I'm buying for a community group. WE have funding of £400 to purchase a laptop and MS Office software but wondered if the Microsoft Surface would do the job we need, which is write up minutes, email etc. Any help appreciated, I'm desperate!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Acer-Aspire-V3-531-15-6-Intel-Pentium-Sandybridge-Win7-Laptop-/321019652550?pt=UK_Computing_Laptops_EH&hash=item4abe4329c6&clk_rvr_id=413135897351&afsrc=1

http://www.shop.bt.com/products/fujitsu--ah512-intel-pentium-b960-4gb-500gbhdmi-win8--laptop-8BSJ.html?utm_source=retention%20email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email121112&utm_content=PK00&referrerid=ZA&utm_source=awin&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_content=ZA00&awc=3043_1353413775_bde2d4d6d310ff0fc003f5d0c80140c9

http://www.ebuyer.com/398053-acer-aspire-v5-thin-and-light-nx-m2cek-003?MID=4358

tonyh66

the surface is not suitable, it runs a cut down version of windows 8 and I believe there are issues with it running normal (full fat) versions of windows compatable software.

tonyh66

any of your listed laptops will do what you want.

tonyh66

try saveonlaptops.co.uk they have 30 laptops for less than £300

bluesnake

just to run word? How about the free https://www.libreoffice.org?

You could get a second hand with Libre Office (similar to Word v2) and still have nearly £300 left?

http://www.bigpockets.co.uk/new-and-used-laptops.php?utm_source=buyersclub_bpservers&utm_medium=email&utm_content=201112&utm_campaign=BP_MAILSHOT

flier

I haven't come across libreoffice, but we'd used openoffice and didn't ge on with it, which is why we decided to stick with MS, but I'll look into it, thanks

Thanks all for your replies

macman

Libre Office is a fork of Open Office and will do exactly the same job as MS Office, and for free. Admittedly a less elegant interface, but 90% of the same functions are there.

bluesnake

If it is just for simple letters, rather than mailmerge, you could even use Abiword as it is also free and small. It is the one I use.