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miss_not_alotofmoneypenny

Nicolefury wrote: »

They wouldn't accept me for a credit card, mainly because I'm a student and I haven't got a steady income, yet I could pay for one. Plus, my parents would probably go mental at me for having a credit card, even though it's got absolutely nothing to do with them. Saving up would take months seeing as I've got uni accomodation to pay for and so forth.

Uni computers are mainly rubbish, and I'd rather be able to sit and do what I want on my own computer, rather than use some outdated tat in the library. Looks like I'm going without for a long long time.

Look on the bright side, the longer you wait the cheaper they get i suppose, but i'm guessing you want yours for the holidays. Why not ask your parents for them to loan you, give them "I need it for my education and will pay you back , promise" story might work, and then repay them back installment and take them out to dinner with the money you saved on intrest. I wouldn't bother with credit even if theY would accept you.

Nicolefury

My parents are in huge amounts of debt, they can't lend me a tenner, let alone near £400. Good suggestion anyway.

tapilicious

Can I easily add more ram?

sarab66

It's been great reading this thread as I'm in the market for buying a new laptop and previously I've been lucky that I've bought an ex-work one.

I've a friend at Intel and she's pointed me straight in the direction of Dell as being the best value with the Intel chip inside.

However, my gripe is the cost of all the Windows stuff. If I get just Works how compatible is it with Microsoft Office. Has anyone used Thunderbird instead of Outlook and is it compatible with Nokia mobile phone smart phones? Desperatly trying to avoid forking out £300+ quid over and above the cost of the laptop. Also when you buy from Dell etc it comes preloaded so I've not got the discs to transfer over from old laptop (even though I've paid for the licence and would clear it off old laptop, also been warned that it doesn't like Vista but after the end of the year XP won't be supported, rock and hardplace...). If I go down the Microsoft control route thinking that I might buy the discs from a local store and then I've got a bit more control.

Thoughts anyone?

gromituk

Use OpenOffice - it's as compatible as they can possibly make it with MS Office without MS revealing how its file formats work (which it will never do while it retains its monopoly). Thunderbird is just as capable as Outlook but I don't know about Nokia compatibility - try Googling for that.

buglawton

Ditto - I would prefer XP as I know for sure that my antique peripherals and freeware plus my purchased software that I've learned to use efficiently will definitely work.

As MSE is a real moneysaving advice website - have to consider any extra expenses that Vista will involve you in.

Gates & Co does not want to address this market. If he did, he'd offer new PC/Laptop buyers XP bundled with a free future upgrade to Vista.

Which is why I seem to be looking at 2nd hand laptops with good 'ol XP on 'em.

IanWorthington

Laptops are the *only* product I now always buy an extended warrenty on: they always go wrong and they're expensive to repair -- learnt that the hard way. I would not buy one without anymore.

ian
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Cactus_Jack

I'm tempted even though I don't have much use for a laptop except to sit in the lounge and use it! As others have mentioned, I'd be more tempted if the OS could be downgraded to XP for a discount, or if there was the option to have no OS or a free OS preloaded, for further discount.

Come on, Dell!

clairus99

once i'd tinkered about with what i did and didn't want, it came to £649

sav2001

Dell actually change the offers on Thursdays, so the price can change literally overnight. I waited a few days before I ordered my current laptop from them and managed to get free delivery (worth £60).