Advice needed before buying laptop/tablet

samsung_laptop

I'm thinking about buying a laptop or tablet for my daughter's christmas present but as I don't know anything about them could someone give me some advice what I need to look for before I look in currys.

Cisco001

What price range?
What is the main use?
Is it Windows OS or Android?
Why currys?

samsung_laptop

Cisco001 wrote: »

What price range?
What is the main use?
Is it Windows OS or Android?
Why currys?

With the tablets they have now they just use them for playing games and watching youtube but they said they like using the laptop in school but I don't know what they use them for. The price I'm thinking is £250 for my youngest daughter and £400 for my oldest daughter. The reason why I choose currys as it's the only place around apart from argos but then you cannot see them on display in argos.

AndyPix

Whatever happens , do not buy from Currys / PC world


By all means use them as a showroom, like you say for looking at them , screen quality, size , weight etc ..
But if you like one - buy it from somewhere else

Cisco001

If you can order online.

£250
http://www.argos.co.uk/product/6745462

£400
https://www.ebuyer.com/800868-lenovo-v110-laptop-80th0013uk

Ant555

samsung_laptop wrote: »

With the tablets they have now they just use them for playing games and watching youtube but they said they like using the laptop in school but I don't know what they use them for. The price I'm thinking is £250 for my youngest daughter and £400 for my oldest daughter. The reason why I choose currys as it's the only place around apart from argos but then you cannot see them on display in argos.

What age are your children - is this to assist in GCSE, A-Level or other?

Assuming what many would consider basic internet/email/word processing then pretty much anything you can buy brand new today will do the job - the extra ££'s is when you want, thin and light, nifty features or specific things.

For instance, I wouldn't buy one without testing out the keyboard (and the trackpad) first. Some of them, in my opinion, are really not at all comfortable when doing a lot of typing. If buying for me then I would also try and stretch to a backlit keyboard but that bit is purely my own preference.

Hope this helps - there is also the 'black friday' frenzy upcoming in a couple of weeks so if you can wait till then there might be a few £s to be saved.

samsung_laptop

Ant555 wrote: »

What age are your children - is this to assist in GCSE, A-Level or other?

They are both in junior school but my oldest is in comp next year. I've had a look at the tablets in currys and the screen size I would want is over my budget so I've decided to buy a laptop. I also had a look at the laptops but most of them looks cheaply made but I did like the look of one and there's also one in argos I like but they both have a different processor. https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/lenovo-ideapad-320-15-6-laptop-denim-blue-10164469-pdt.html?store=2230&cmpid=ppc~gg~(PLA)-LOCAL~~Exact&istCompanyId=bec25c7e-cbcd-460d-81d5-a25372d2e3d7&istItemId=xlqpwiillt&istBid=t&srcid=198&cmpid=ppc~gg~1011%20(PLA)%20Top%20SKUs%20Wk28%20-%20Windows%20Laptops~1011%20(PLA)%20Top%20SKUs%20Wk28%20-%20Windows%20Laptops%20ad%20group~Exact&mc!!!!!gg_goog_7904&kwid=GOOGLE&device=c&ds_kids=92700027925815976&PLA=1&tgtid=1011%20(PLA)%20Top%20SKUs%20Wk28%20-%20Windows%20Laptops&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlpDQBRDmARIsAAW6-DOWog0BkfnaOAix0WTfUfSbYY9cfy6klcCGP-pVEh47FZErq9ARLaQaAueOEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds


http://www.argos.co.uk/product/7362411


The only problem with both laptops is they don't come with a dvd writer and I think it would be best to have one.

AndyPix

samsung_laptop wrote: »

The only problem with both laptops is they don't come with a dvd writer and I think it would be best to have one.

Most laptops dont come with disk drives these days .
But for the rare occasion you would need one, just pick up an external USB one for a tenner and keep it in the laptop case.
Dont let that sway your decision on what laptop to buy !

samsung_laptop

I was talking to someone in work that's into gaming computers and they said if I buy a laptop get one with an amd processor and don't buy one with a dual core processor as dual core is outdated. Then someone else said get a chrome book as it's what they use but I would be worried about the lack of storage.

System

samsung_laptop wrote: »

I was talking to someone in work that's into gaming computers and they said if I buy a laptop get one with an amd processor and don't buy one with a dual core processor as dual core is outdated. Then someone else said get a chrome book as it's what they use but I would be worried about the lack of storage.

Don't listen to them because they don't know what they're on about.

Dual core is fine unless you're gaming. Dual core is not outdated. Intel have better power management than AMD so would be a better choice for a laptop.

Chromebooks are fine but does your software you want to use have a version that'll run? Storage can be added by either online (Google Drive) or a USB solution. But for me it would be the lack of software that was the issue.

50Twuncle

If you choose a tablet - look at https://store.google.com/product/pixel_c - they are excellent and over £150 less than Currys..... £299 direct from Google for a 64Gb model !!!
Got to be a good buy ...