Laptop for university

NiftyDigits

lonestarfan wrote: »

Thanks a lot.
Now turning to the printer.
I'd like a printer that is reasonable on the ink . We've all got epsons at the moment as I like the individual inks.
But now I want a printer that will print from iPhone and ipad and the Aniol tablet I've just bought Gma.
It's need to print copy and scan and be wi fi.
Do you have any thoughts on a good printer- actually I need one for nephew and one for grandma.
Or should I post a separate read. The Epson I bought a few weeks ago that said it was for smart phones and tablets and pc's I took back as the reviews on the net were awful! TIA.

Don't have any idea about printers. I haven't even taken the HP CQ521B Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One with Fax. Web Enabled Printer that I bought two years ago for £50, out of it's box yet.

lonestarfan

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Don't have any idea about printers. I haven't even taken the HP CQ521B Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One with Fax. Web Enabled Printer that I bought two years ago for £50, out of it's box yet.

:rotfl::rotfl: okedokey thanks!

neilwoods

Yes i have seen some decent deals, may not be the i5, but unless you require the multi threading capabilities of it, then a decent dual core is fine.

Toshiba satellite for £380 (17 inch screen), seen samsung again with 17 screen for around £370. There are few others.

All will run what is required. As for Sky sports, if he is residence at uni, then good luck with wifi speeds for streaming live football.

NiftyDigits

neilwoods wrote: »

Yes i have seen some decent deals, may not be the i5, but unless you require the multi threading capabilities of it, then a decent dual core is fine.

Toshiba satellite for £380 (17 inch screen), seen samsung again with 17 screen for around £370. There are few others.

All will run what is required. As for Sky sports, if he is residence at uni, then good luck with wifi speeds for streaming live football.

I don't think there was ever an issue of finding a 17" screen at that price.
Indeed, those prices were available before the 'huge savings' this weekend. A quick perusal of saveonlaptops will show what is/has been available.
Have any of your options a dedicated GPU? Full HD and non reflective screen? Backlit keyboard? HD webcam? It's not all about the CPU.

neilwoods

No really, not all about the cpu, shock horror.

Great HD, dedicated GPU and non reflective screen if primarily used for watching films or games. Backlit keyboard, great for reducing battery life. HD webcam, no need if they have iphone already.

Seems nifty is more into the bells and whistles than functionality

NiftyDigits

neilwoods wrote: »

No really, not all about the cpu, shock horror.

Great HD, dedicated GPU and non reflective screen if primarily used for watching films or games. Backlit keyboard, great for reducing battery life. HD webcam, no need if they have iphone already.

Seems nifty is more into the bells and whistles than functionality

Seems you are disgressing. Have you any specific recommendations from the 'huge savings' that are available this weekend?

The laptop recommended and purchased, fit and exceeded the OP's criterion. If you have something similar or better for the same or less, please post it for the benefit of the OP.

Silly comments about the backlit keyboard and webcam are unnecessary. If you knew anything about it, you would know that you can turn the lighting on and off at your convenience. Turn it off in well lit conditions and on in poorly lit ones.
As to the webcam, I have a camera on my Smartphone too...what on earth has that to do with having a high quality cam on my laptop??

Is a backlit keyboard and a high quality webcam not 'functionality'?? Shock protection on the HDD, not functionality?
I've already covered the basic usage with a decent CPU and GPU, as well as a Full HD screen. The other useful stuff is a bonus.

neilwoods

Only thing thing silly is paying for items that are practically usless for uni work.

GPU are good if you want to do video editing, decent games or photo manipulation, otherwise just a power hungry chip. Hence the very poor battery life of 3.5 hours, real handy if you have to use the laptop during lectures.

The good ole shock protection for HDD, know to cause quite a few BSOD, when powering down or hibernation, if you manage to knock it. Great as well when watching films from HDD, qick knock it stops.

Hardly money saving.

NiftyDigits

neilwoods wrote: »

Only thing thing silly is paying for items that are practically usless for uni work.

GPU are good if you want to do video editing, decent games or photo manipulation, otherwise just a power hungry chip. Hence the very poor battery life of 3.5 hours, real handy if you have to use the laptop during lectures.

The good ole shock protection for HDD, know to cause quite a few BSOD, when powering down or hibernation, if you manage to knock it. Great as well when watching films from HDD, qick knock it stops.

Hardly money saving.

Quite the pessimist, aren't you? Let us allow the end user to decide as to whether the functions will be of no use t him.

Parva

I wouldn't bother trying to appease the troll, seems they have enough information.

terry2

The OP's nephew should also check with the IT service at the University he is going to, in order to see (a) if they have any recommendations for minimum specs for laptops (b) if they have any purchasing deals for hardware and (c) if they have any purchasing deals for software.

Things vary between universities, but as an example many have cheap deals for MS Office available for students.