Compatibilty between laptop and external DVD drive info please

TheRightOne

Copter said:

TheRightOne said:

Copter said:

TheRightOne said:

Seems that you don't want to listen; https://laptopmedia.com/review/acer-aspire-3-a315-34-review-the-most-affordable-one-of-the-bunch/

Clearly I've misunderstood something along the way, but lord knows where. I'm not deliberatly ignoring any advice, just have got lost along the way, sorry for that,

Ideally, you want a laptop that grows with you. Not something which is disposable.
The Central Processing Unit(the thing that does all of the calculations) is quite poor and there is no upgrade path. You can read all about it's performance in the review.
It's £300 for a reason and it's not a good reason.

Haha, nothings going to grow too long with me as I'm in my 81st year, but get your drift. Simple daly surfing, viewing cams, google earth, google photo's, emails, ,messenger, video calls to family worldwide. 

81 is nothing. The Celery stick may struggle with the multi-tasking, especially with interactivity and video. Also has a relatively poor screen and cooling method.
It is perhaps a more comfortable feeling to buy new, but it's not great. If it slows down you won't be able to do much to improve the situation.
Better to get something with a processor(engine) that can handle all you can throw at it, without even blinking.

Neil49

I bought a Samsung external dvd unit many many years ago and it's still going strong. 

As mentioned above, it requires 2 USB ports (adjacent to one another) to run it. 

TheRightOne

Copter said:

TheRightOne said:

Copter said:

TheRightOne said:

Copter said:

TheRightOne said:

Seems that you don't want to listen; https://laptopmedia.com/review/acer-aspire-3-a315-34-review-the-most-affordable-one-of-the-bunch/

Clearly I've misunderstood something along the way, but lord knows where. I'm not deliberatly ignoring any advice, just have got lost along the way, sorry for that,

Ideally, you want a laptop that grows with you. Not something which is disposable.
The Central Processing Unit(the thing that does all of the calculations) is quite poor and there is no upgrade path. You can read all about it's performance in the review.
It's £300 for a reason and it's not a good reason.

Haha, nothings going to grow too long with me as I'm in my 81st year, but get your drift. Simple daly surfing, viewing cams, google earth, google photo's, emails, ,messenger, video calls to family worldwide. 

81 is nothing. The Celery stick may struggle with the multi-tasking, especially with interactivity and video. Also has a relatively poor screen and cooling method.
It is perhaps a more comfortable feeling to buy new, but it's not great. If it slows down you won't be able to do much to improve the situation.
Better to get something with a processor(engine) that can handle all you can throw at it, without even blinking.

I've never bought reconditioned but clearly many people do, I always take mine to a store in town when I replace devices, CS something or other. My son-in-law has bought a couple of second hand, one from argos via ebay and swears by it.  My head is going round with modles. Ideally £300 would be my limit and ideally it would have  a DVD drive, but don't expect to find anything, hence my thought s about a USB extrenal dvd drive.

CEX?

Dell Outlet has this at your budget of £300: https://outlet.euro.dell.com/Online/SecondaryInventorySearch.aspx?c=uk&cs=ukdfh1&l=en&s=dfh&sign=PXhcOSHtr1T4IOw/PR7Uda74ccMoQWzGY8mG+CBJmu1paWmoLv4KhZodPtGme1tQkZ4ENX5tTgQrn3cCLHSlx1LXINA89YkE1kDem/qiBiwi96sZ8+2Lzd1SB2OZdumXPtsA++81gEYGNdG4QHyJfAqJF+DQ+hbKKrH/WuQVDHHGU9mQUeI9VTMoqOFuut3k9x4XbwbejA82GqNjjrzywfQ6qxCFpSmkFZbF8he6rWv160gMV28ZCwbNImjJmJT48l1kX3RCnJvljBDREBL/qQ==

Nothing special but with a better CPU than the Celery stick.

TheRightOne

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DELL-Inspiron-15-3000-15-6-Intel-Pentium-Gold-Laptop-128-GB-SSD-Silver/353105322626

The same thing, in Silver, for around £20 less.

Also in White: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DELL-Inspiron-15-3000-15-6-Intel-Pentium-Gold-Laptop-128-GB-SSD-White/353029922569

These are really basic laptops.Though at least the Pentium 5405u is better than an Celeron N4000.

Would I buy any of them for myself? That would be a no.   I would be looking for something more for my £300.

TheRightOne

Something like this is regarded as an entry level laptop: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HP-Pavilion-15-cw1511-15-6-Laptop-AMD-Ryzen-3-256-GB-SSD-Blue-REFURBISHED/353118881160

Should deal with anything you might throw at it. CPU and graphics capability leaves the Celeron N4000 in the dust. IPS screen will have better viewing angles and also has Touchscreen capability and you'll have double the storage, which will also be faster. RAM is a bit low at 4 GB. 

Whether you'll find that spec within budget will be down to diligence, luck or both.

TheRightOne

Copter said:

Right, now I've read through each of them and to be honest, the one I favour and attracted to is the first one you've suggested, it's the DELL INSPIRON 15-3583 at £280.  Don't ask me why, it's a gut feeling. Silly things like stunning screen, backlit keyboard etc, things that the others might do, but this feels right.

Hmmmm... that laptop does not have a stunning screen nor a backlit keyboard. It is also not £280. That is the price exclusive of VAT. But there is a 10% discount to be applied. That takes the price to £302.40.

The second post contains the same models, but via Currys as opposed to direct from DELL, but at the prices of £278 & £287 or thereabouts.

TheRightOne

Copter said:

is this correct

Are you not paying attention? Read the specifications in the first post again.
It was just a few posts ago

Hmmmm... that laptop does not have a stunning screen nor a backlit keyboard. It is also not £280. That is the price exclusive of VAT. But there is a 10% discount to be applied. That takes the price to £302.40.

TheRightOne

I have dropped a link to a laptop that you should seriously consider, in your PM inbox.

I put it there, as likely if I put it here, someone else would snap it up.

If you have any doubt, ask anyone here if 2nd Gen Ryzen 5, 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB SSD, IPS Full HD screen...

Whoops...already out of stock. Forget about it. 

[Deleted User]

After much thought and bearing in mind my capabilities and technical knowledge, the model mentioned in my O/P is the one I aim to get and it does have  2 adjacent USB ports. Whilst I do acknowledge there are more knowledgeable people out there who have their own point of view regarding what devices should do, once that ball starts rolling, it's never ending. IMO, at the end of the day, it's what looks and feels right and at price anyone is prepared to pay, that matters. If wrong decisions are made, ok, fair due's, just accept it and move on.  Of course advice is welcome, of course experience is welcome and we're all grateful for it, but you have to go with your instinct. Will report back.

TheRightOne

Didn't the DELL feel right earlier?

Seems a strange decision to buy one with a much inferior engine, "because it feels right". Especially when the superior alternatives are the same price or cheaper.
Hey ho...

Further to this, allow me to give you another example. Not so long ago, myself and another poster were discussing whether I should buy a super cheap laptop, something like £60 to £70, that contained exactly the processor that is in the laptop that you are considering. For some reason I thought that poster was grumpycrab. So if it is, he will be able to tell you something about the performance of said central processing unit.

Just roll around in your mind that the processor was in a laptop costing less than £60.... It also had a Full HD screen, aluminium body etc
The idea was to buy it and throw in an inexpensive M.2 SSD to make it usable.

Here: https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/fivetech-1m-116-laptop-full-hd-screen-aluminium-shell-at-ebay-laptop-outlet-3299738

I looked at the 13.3" screen version for perhaps £80 or less at the time: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/401881981912

So now you will pay £300 for a laptop based around the same super cheap processor. Don't waste your time cogitating, then get fed up and grab the first thing.