Recommend a laptop?

hieveryone

Hi all,

I'm looking for a relatively cheap (<£250 if possible!) laptop for the following uses:

- plugging in external hard drive to watch movies.
- writing reports on Word documents.
- Some light internet browsing.

Must haves:

- USB port.
- 15" (?) screen size.


Thanks in advance. Don't mind buying online, but don't particularly want refurbs.
Also I don't *think* a Chromebook would be suitable, as far as I'm aware, you need a Wifi connection to save documents? Which won't always be available.

Thank you.

hieveryone

Are either of these ok?

http://direct.asda.com/Medion-Akoya-E6239---15.6-in.---4-GB-RAM---500-GB-HDD/000536360,default,pd.html?dual=0


http://direct.asda.com/Medion-Akoya-E6237---15.6-in.---4-GB-RAM---1-TB-HDD/000524260,default,pd.html?dual=0

colin79666

Chromebooks need an internet connection to sync up but they can be used offline.
https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/3214688?hl=en-GB

In saying that you can't run desktop Word on a Chromebook, you can however use Word online and Google Apps so it depends if you need only standard WP functions or the full power of Word.

hieveryone

colin79666 wrote: »

Chromebooks need an internet connection to sync up but they can be used offline.
https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/3214688?hl=en-GB

In saying that you can't run desktop Word on a Chromebook, you can however use Word online and Google Apps so it depends if you need only standard WP functions or the full power of Word.

Word would most likely be needed as some reports to be written and emailed to clients which are in Word format.

Can't rely on an internet connection so definitely needs to be able to be used offline.

Anyone with a good eye see if this is ok?

http://www.dell.com/uk/p/inspiron-15-3531-laptop/pd?oc=cn53105&model_id=inspiron-15-3531-laptop

Terry98

hieveryone wrote: »

Anyone with a good eye see if this is ok?

http://www.dell.com/uk/p/inspiron-15-3531-laptop/pd?oc=cn53105&model_id=inspiron-15-3531-laptop

I have been looking at that one as a present for the OH.

Looks a good basic laptop. What do the experts on here think?

It doesn't have a DVD/CD drive or a network port meaning you cannot load programs from a CD and you can only connect to the internet by wifi. There are workarounds for this for a few pounds extra if you really need them.

You can also get it for around £170 if you buy it through Paypal and enter a code that is doing the rounds!

colin79666

Personally I'd spend a but more for something slightly better but for under £250 you aren't going to find something with better specs than that. At least it has 4GB of RAM unlike various other models which are trying to get away with 2GB (not really enough).

If you went into the £350 range you could get a Core i3 processor and more RAM. That might mean you get a machine which lasts longer (keeps up with app demands) but then it costs a third more.

[Deleted User]

I have an Akoya E1317T.

Admittedly , it doesn't have the 15" screen (only 10.1"), but it does come with Touch Screen, 3 USB ports (one of which is USB 3.0) Windows 8, and a FULL version of MS Office 2013.

When I use it at home, I plug it into a 16" Wide Screen monitor, I got from Cash Generator, for about £20.

Its small size meant it travelled happily in my daysack (together with my Bridge Camera) all the way to Berlin and back, in the overhead storage locker of a coach.

NiftyDigits

hieveryone wrote: »

Word would most likely be needed as some reports to be written and emailed to clients which are in Word format.

Can't rely on an internet connection so definitely needs to be able to be used offline.

Anyone with a good eye see if this is ok?

http://www.dell.com/uk/p/inspiron-15-3531-laptop/pd?oc=cn53105&model_id=inspiron-15-3531-laptop

Why would you choose that over the Medion?

Either way, both of them have Netbook CPU.

I would consider this Medion

NiftyDigits

If you get over your fear of 'Refurb', you can pick up a far more acceptable Inspiron 15 - 3542 with a Pentium processor for £210 delivered, from the DELL Outlet Home website. Just one left.
Alternatively, to pick up the 17.3" screen Inspiron 17 - 5748 for £250. Both with optical drives. Be quick.

DELL Outlet

hieveryone

NiftyDigits wrote: »

If you get over your fear of 'Refurb', you can pick up a far more acceptable Inspiron 15 - 3542 with a Pentium processor for £210 delivered, from the DELL Outlet Home website. Just one left.
Alternatively, to pick up the 17.3" screen Inspiron 17 - 5748 for £250. Both with optical drives. Be quick.

DELL Outlet

Thank you for the link - think I was too slow though!

hieveryone

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Why would you choose that over the Medion?

Either way, both of them have Netbook CPU.

I would consider this Medion

I have no clue about laptops, the numbers looked the same to me! :rotfl: