Good laptop for no more than £200

arciere

Phase 1: OP asks for the cheapest laptop with the best performance
Phase 2: everyone recommends refurbished laptops
Phase 3: OP is intrigued by a seemingly cheap, powerful laptop
Phase 4: everyone points out that that is a rubbish laptop, do not even think about buying it, slap on the wrist
Phase 5: the Chromebook advisor steps in
Phase 6: war between Chromebook enthusiast and rest of the people on the thread
Phase 7: random Internet user recommends spending money on a life-saving VPN, because why not
Phase 8: OP ignores everyone's advice and decides to buy whatever they wanted to buy in the first place
Phase 9: close thread, go to Phase 1

Not directly related to this specific thread, but you get the point...

hubb

GDB2222 wrote: »

I'll say it in capitals, for emphasis:

YOU CANNOT GET A GOOD LAPTOP FOR £200.

Thank you for clearing that one up for me. So am I to ignore all the suggestions of decent buys (sadly now sold out) for just under £200 or is this just your opinion ?

almillar

Thank you for clearing that one up for me. So am I to ignore all the suggestions of decent buys (sadly now sold out) for just under £200 or is this just your opinion ?

Your question should have been 'what's the best I can do for £200'


If EveryWhere finds you another one on eBay, just jump on it. He's a bit obsessed with IPS screens for my liking, but he'll find you about the best you can do. Don't keep waiting for people to chime in with problems.

Phase 1: OP asks for the cheapest laptop with the best performance
Phase 2: everyone recommends refurbished laptops
Phase 3: OP is intrigued by a seemingly cheap, powerful laptop
Phase 4: everyone points out that that is a rubbish laptop, do not even think about buying it, slap on the wrist
Phase 5: the Chromebook advisor steps in
Phase 6: war between Chromebook enthusiast and rest of the people on the thread
Phase 7: random Internet user recommends spending money on a life-saving VPN, because why not
Phase 8: OP ignores everyone's advice and decides to buy whatever they wanted to buy in the first place
Phase 9: close thread, go to Phase 1

There needs to be an 'install Linux' phase.

hubb

EveryWhere wrote: »

Last contribution to, yet another, potentially time wasting thread...

Bang on the money; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HP-14S-DQ0000NA-Intel-Pentium-5405U-8GB-RAM-128GB-SSD-14-Silver-892914-/362853404419

If she doesn't mind a 14" screen.
Full HD IPS.

Ok for £200 delivered.

90 day warranty from the vendor, though it may still be under warranty with HP and therefore extendable.

But its £250, not £200 as you say

arciere

almillar wrote: »

There needs to be an 'install Linux' phase.

That's right, but I would probably keep that for the 'My computer is too slow' threads.

arciere

hubb wrote: »

Thank you for clearing that one up for me. So am I to ignore all the suggestions of decent buys (sadly now sold out) for just under £200 or is this just your opinion ?

'Decent buy' is highly subjective. I have a £500 laptop and sometimes it is not decent enough for me.
Those laptops are 'decent buy' for a £200 budget. Other laptops would be a 'decent buy' for a £70 budget. But they are definitely not 'decent laptops', no matter how you look at it.

EveryWhere

hubb wrote: »

Yes but at the end of the links you posted you said “not that its a recommendation” which spoilt what could have been me going for it. You might be more confident but I am literally in the dark spending someone elses money so if any doubt I am not going to gamble.

This always happens on threads like this. You are just about to make a decision and buy until someone else chimes in and says they are rubbish, don’t buy.

I wrote that because I'm not a fan of HP consumer stuff. But your budget is 200 and it was good enough.
Why did you not ask if you were unsure about my comment?

I would not have singled it out if it wasn't worth the 200.

EveryWhere

hubb wrote: »

But its £250, not £200 as you say

Really?

20% off with code PARTYTIME. Min spend £25. Max £75 off is not hidden...

You just have to check if a 14" screen is big enough for her. The other HP was 15.6", though not an IPS screen

EveryWhere

almillar wrote: »

Your question should have been 'what's the best I can do for £200'


If EveryWhere finds you another one on eBay, just jump on it. He's a bit obsessed with IPS screens for my liking, but he'll find you about the best you can do. Don't keep waiting for people to chime in with problems.


There needs to be an 'install Linux' phase.

Show me a good TN screen on a £200 laptop. I don't mean a discounted business device.

You need to get the best you can get for the price. Even the IPS screen on the HP is poor on colour reproduction. But better than being poor on colour reproduction and with poor viewing angles.

hubb

EveryWhere wrote: »

Really?

20% off with code PARTYTIME. Min spend £25. Max £75 off is not hidden...

You just have to check if a 14" screen is big enough for her. The other HP was 15.6", though not an IPS screen

Fair enough, thanks.