New Laptop wanted ... advice please

WLM21

I am looking for some advice regarding a laptop

My daughter (20) is at college and has decided it is time for her to get her own laptop.

She already has an iPad for browsing, emailing etc but wants to be able to write out, or at least type out her coursework. Up until now, she has managed with the library, or on my desktop (2001 model)

What are the good deals available now for laptops please ?

She wants Microsoft Word too and had assumed it would pre-installed on machines. I’ve explained that it isn’t, but as a student she should be able to obtain a version quite cheaply. (advice to where would be appreciated too)

Thank you for any input.

macman

Libre Office will do the same job as MS Office and is free to download. Otherwise she'll have to pay out around £80 for the Student edn of MS Office.
Absolutely any modern laptop will do the tasks she wants.
If you want specific model suggestions then you need to give basic specs, i.e. the required screen size.
There's no reason why she can't type out her notes on an iPad and then transfer them into Word or Libre Office, if she is comfortable with the virtual keyboard.

Jivesinger

macman wrote: »

There's no reason why she can't type out her notes on an iPad and then transfer them into Word or Libre Office, if she is comfortable with the virtual keyboard.

Virtual keyboards are not at all ergonomic if she's typing coursework for more than about 10 minutes at at time.

To be kind to your neck and arms, you really need the keyboard/mouse at around elbow height and the screen at (or just below) eye level.

grumpycrab

I don't know what your budget is so this may be wide of the mark but JohnLewis do 2 year warranties on laptops. The disadvantage is that the specs are low for the price. This is the best of the bunch. Reasonable processor compared with others at same price.
http://www.johnlewis.com/lenovo-g500-laptop-intel-pentium-4gb-ram-1tb-15-6-black/p1157211
Regarding Word, if you don't mind playing you may be able to get Word2010 starter to run. (its a cut-down version - see youtube videos to install).

macman

Jivesinger wrote: »

Virtual keyboards are not at all ergonomic if she's typing coursework for more than about 10 minutes at at time.

To be kind to your neck and arms, you really need the keyboard/mouse at around elbow height and the screen at (or just below) eye level.

Which is why I used the phrase 'if she is comfortable with the virtual keyboard'...

securityguy

"Otherwise she'll have to pay out around £80 for the Student edn of MS Office."

I bought a copy for nine quid through my university. And it's better, as it's actually one of the packagings that includes Outlook, if that's you thing, and I believe would include Access were I to get it for Windows as opposed to for my Macs.

Notable fact: at my university, at least, I'd say around 50% of laptops being used by home students are Macs. Which if she's using an iPad, is a handy synergy.

macman

I got the impression that the OP is looking for a budget laptop, which rather rules out a Macbook or Macbook Air.
OP needs to state their budget.

Gloomendoom

securityguy wrote: »

Notable fact: at my university, at least, I'd say around 50% of laptops being used by home students are Macs. Which if she's using an iPad, is a handy synergy.

It's around 15% overall at at the university I work at.

securityguy

Gloomendoom wrote: »

It's around 15% overall at at the university I work at.

Of course, depending on the university, 50% of home students and 15% overall aren't incompatible...

shortchanged_2

securityguy wrote: »

Notable fact: at my university, at least, I'd say around 50% of laptops being used by home students are Macs. Which if she's using an iPad, is a handy synergy.

Where are you in uni. Oxford or Cambridge?

Where are these poor students getting the money for these very expensive items?

securityguy

shortchanged wrote: »

Where are you in uni. Oxford or Cambridge?

I've sat in campus restaurants and bars in about half of the universities in the top forty of this:

http://www.studentbeans.com/student-money/a/the-posh-university-league2169.html

and I'd say the laptop demographics are pretty similar.

Edit to add: there's a huge discount on Apple kit plus 3 years' maintenance available for Higher Education.