17" laptop deals?

debitcardmayhem

spud17 wrote: »

My thoughts exactly, that's why my first suggestion was to get a basic desktop for the workshop.

I've also warned him that there's a big price jump to 17inch because of the lower sales.

Me again (sorry spud:D) Of course she/he could buy a smaller lappy and get a cheap monitor for the orifice (spell checker not working) or even an old analogue telly like my 26" Sharp .... just a drunken idea:beer:

spud17

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

Me again (sorry spud:D) Of course she/he could buy a smaller lappy and get a cheap monitor for the orifice (spell checker not working) or even an old analogue telly like my 26" Sharp .... just a drunken idea:beer:

He!
I've been through all these various options over the last few weeks since the question came up.

He seems to be set on this bl**dy gurt laptop.

Heck, I even offered to give him a 17" monitor I've got sitting here, plus keyboard mouse or whatever is required.

There's no urgency to get the thing, so I'll work on getting him to come around to having another desktop.

Going to start researching syncing options.

(No pub tonight)

debitcardmayhem

spud17 wrote: »

(No pub tonight)

PM me I will buy you one or three:beer: Too late pub wifi gone dow

Nada666

If he is mainly stationary at a desk either at work or at home a small laptop may do.

The trouble with 17" laptops nowadays is that they (almost) only come with a 1600 x 900 screen. If he doesn't need room for a 3D gaming chip then he is as well buying an 11.6 or 13" 1366 x 768 laptop. He can use the current desktop monitor with it before buying a £225 1920 x 1200 monitor.

A small laptop and large monitor will be cheaper than a 17" with a sensible resolution.

Even if he occasionally uses the laptop as a laptop I suspect it will be less annoying having a small one with a 1366x768 than a large one with only 1600x900.

His mileage may vary, though.

InsideInsurance

17" screens are a bit of a specialist product and the price reflects this on anything quarter decent.

In most business people have a mid sized laptop with decent battery life and then a cheap monitor/ keyboard/ mouse. Use the laptop screen when you are out on the road etc and just dock to the others for bigger real estate when at your desk(s)

londonTiger

17 is an odd size. It's not practical to move around at all. I had one and felt it was for laptops that were never moved around and stayed at the desk all its life.

I had a short affair with a 15" but settled for 13"

spud17

Nada666 wrote: »

If he is mainly stationary at a desk either at work or at home a small laptop may do.

The trouble with 17" laptops nowadays is that they (almost) only come with a 1600 x 900 screen. If he doesn't need room for a 3D gaming chip then he is as well buying an 11.6 or 13" 1366 x 768 laptop. He can use the current desktop monitor with it before buying a £225 1920 x 1200 monitor.

A small laptop and large monitor will be cheaper than a 17" with a sensible resolution.

Even if he occasionally uses the laptop as a laptop I suspect it will be less annoying having a small one with a 1366x768 than a large one with only 1600x900.

His mileage may vary, though.

£225 for a monitor in a workshop just to read emails and other admin stuff?
You are joking?

InsideInsurance wrote: »

17" screens are a bit of a specialist product and the price reflects this on anything quarter decent.

In most business people have a mid sized laptop with decent battery life and then a cheap monitor/ keyboard/ mouse. Use the laptop screen when you are out on the road etc and just dock to the others for bigger real estate when at your desk(s)

Quite agree, had all the discussions. it won't even be out on the road.

londonTiger wrote: »

17 is an odd size. It's not practical to move around at all. I had one and felt it was for laptops that were never moved around and stayed at the desk all its life.

I had a short affair with a 15" but settled for 13"

Totally agree.

Seeing all the responses, I'm more convinced that he should keep his current desktop, get new basic desktop for office and use Dropbox or some other similar service.

teddysmum

17" laptops are great for us older folk who want to sit in an armchair to use them. My eyesight couldn't cope with my son's 13" or grandson's diddy Chomebook, on a regular basis.

spud17

NiftyDigits wrote: »

I would go for the Syncing of the two, rather than ditching the Desktop altogether.
That way if one goes down, you still have one up and running. Plus of course an external drive with those all important back up images.
Especially important if you don't have an On-Site warranty and are without a clue.

The Inspiron 17 5000 Series are about as cheap as you are going to get, at £299 and up.

Just an update.
We've had a chat, and he's coming around to the sync idea, especially as it could include the self employed book-keeper.

The desktop would be moved to the workshop, because it's likely to be more robust and less portable in the case of a burglary.

After looking at Niftys links to Dell 17 5000, he seems keen to have the one with the i3 processor at £349.

http://www.dell.com/uk/p/inspiron-17-5748-laptop/pd?oc=cn74811&model_id=inspiron-17-5748-laptop