Laptop advice needed - can you help?

[Tim.]

I'm after some advice as I know nothing about this.

My other half and I have no fixed lines in our house so for internet we use a mobile broadband device (which is perfectly adequate) and 'borrow' our work computers for personal use, however, the time has come to get our own laptop.

Our requirements are simple. We want a laptop which will allow us to do the following:

• Connect to the internet for Facebook, email, CS and other basic demands
• Store our music libraries for our various Apple devices
• Access Office programs like Word and Excel
• Store photographic media

Questions:

1. What 'specs' are important given our requirements are so basic?
2. What budget would I need to spend to secure an appropriate machine?
3. Should I buy from somewhere like PC World or online (can you recommend any websites)?
4. What else do I need to consider? Anti-virus software, for example? Anything else?

Thanks in advance for your wise words of wisdom...

 

[McGherkin]

Sounds like you just want a ok-ish laptop with a heap of storage, right?

Your demands aren't too great in terms of performance, so I'd say an intel i3 processor will be fast enough for you.

 

[Bluebeard]

Sprouts.

 

[Tim.]

Sprouts.

Pipe down you!

 

[Darren S]

I'm after some advice as I know nothing about this.

My other half and I have no fixed lines in our house so for internet we use a mobile broadband device (which is perfectly adequate) and 'borrow' our work computers for personal use, however, the time has come to get our own laptop.

Our requirements are simple. We want a laptop which will allow us to do the following:

• Connect to the internet for Facebook, email, CS and other basic demands
• Store our music libraries for our various Apple devices
• Access Office programs like Word and Excel
• Store photographic media

Questions:

1. What 'specs' are important given our requirements are so basic?
2. What budget would I need to spend to secure an appropriate machine?
3. Should I buy from somewhere like PC World or online (can you recommend any websites)?
4. What else do I need to consider? Anti-virus software, for example? Anything else?

Thanks in advance for your wise words of wisdom...

Could you push to a Macbook with Office 2013 thrown in? Sounds like that would be a perfect accessory given the Apple devices you currently have as well?

D.

 

[Tim.]

Could you push to a Macbook with Office 2013 thrown in? Sounds like that would be a perfect accessory given the Apple devices you currently have as well?

D.

You tell me how much you're talking... £500? £750? £1k?

 

[Ed.200]

Comes down to how long you want it to last as well, what would / could you use it for in the future. If you want it to last you would want a decent spec, which will cost.

Something cheapish off the shelf, may only last a couple of years until it starts to feel 'slow'.

You would also be getting Windows 8, and I suggest try it first, I didnt like it and bought a MAC 3 months ago, with a student discount.

Basic 13" MAC is £999 + office package is about £100, Apple do their own version called Pages and Numbers which are about £15 each iirc.
15" is around £1500 i think.

As for websites, laptopsdirect can have some good deals, as well as ebuyer, both online stores.

If you are looking at spending that amount £1K is on a MAC, or equivalent, try it before hand, visit PC world / Apple store, and play with them, see what you find easiest to use, then set a budget.

 

[Aluco]

Wasting money buying a mac.

This is coming from someone who has a £1700 one.

You simply don't need it, £500 windows jobby will do you fine.

 

[Gray]

Do you have a ball park figure you would like to spend, have you looked at any models / brands you like?

What 'specs' are important given our requirements are so basic? - Intel i3 / i5 processor, 4Gb RAM, 500Gb'ish HDD.


What budget would I need to spend to secure an appropriate machine? - £400-£500 as a rough guess.


Should I buy from somewhere like PC World or online (can you recommend any websites)? - find a laptop you like and shop around for the best deal.


What else do I need to consider? Anti-virus software, for example? Anything else? - plenty of good anti virus program's are free, you will need to purchase MS office, unless the machine comes with it (some companies throw it in or offer discount with a new machine).


If your places of work use MS products you could be eligible for MS HUP;

http://www.microsofthup.com/hupus/chooser.aspx?culture=en-US

 

[Tim.]

Thanks for all the advice, there's certainly some food for thought there but the thought of spending over a grand on a laptop to do basic tasks like email & facebook seems ludicrous to me, but I'll keep an open mind for now.

Do you have a ball park figure you would like to spend?

Not really but four figures is definitely over-budget. Ideally sub-£500 would be ideal.

Have you looked at any models / brands you like?

Not as yet, no, but maybe this weekend!

What 'specs' are important given our requirements are so basic? - Intel i3 / i5 processor, 4Gb RAM, 500Gb'ish HDD.

What budget would I need to spend to secure an appropriate machine? - £400-£500 as a rough guess.

Should I buy from somewhere like PC World or online (can you recommend any websites)? - find a laptop you like and shop around for the best deal.

What else do I need to consider? Anti-virus software, for example? Anything else? - plenty of good anti virus program's are free, you will need to purchase MS office, unless the machine comes with it (some companies throw it in or offer discount with a new machine).

Perfect, this is exactly the kind of basic info I need to help narrow down the search, thanks Gray!

If your places of work use MS products you could be eligible for MS HUP;

http://www.microsofthup.com/hupus/chooser.aspx?culture=en-US

I do believe there is an offer available, thanks for the reminder, I'll do a little research on that.

I'll go to a few stores over the weekend, check out different brands, styles & offers and will see how I go.

Thanks again to one & all.

 

[Gray]

When you've narrowed the search down post some links up to the laptops.

 

[Pride07]

1. New cheap laptop
2. Replace the HDD with an SSD, put the HDD into an external usb HDD enclosure case for additional storage
3. Put on a clean install of windows + security essentials + google chrome with adblock

That was the perfect laptop for my mum

 

[Tim.]

What are people's thoughts on this Hewlett Packard?

 

[STICKER TWONK]

Since when did you need an i3 processor for Word Processing and going on the net? This laptop has a huge HDD and will do everything you need for under 300 quid.

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/ace...ndows-8-8gb-ram-750gb-hdd-hdmi-laptop-1485969

 

[mace¬]

Can anyone tell me if this laptop is any good as I don't know about that stuff. How much would you being willing to pay for it to make it a bargain? Mainly just want to use it for general photos/internet and to rock Sim City 5.

http://h20386.www2.hp.com/UKStore/Merch/Product.aspx?id=C2B71EA&opt=ABU&sel=CUB

 

[The Fatty]

1. New cheap laptop
2. Replace the HDD with an SSD, put the HDD into an external usb HDD enclosure case for additional storage
3. Put on a clean install of windows + security essentials + google chrome with adblock

That was the perfect laptop for my mum

avast > security essentials, otherwise everything else you said is spot on imo.

What are people's thoughts on this Hewlett Packard?

Its a very good laptop for the price and will do everything you need it to do very well. Make sure you go see the HP's in store before hand though to see if it ergonomically suits you.

Since when did you need an i3 processor for Word Processing and going on the net? This laptop has a huge HDD and will do everything you need for under 300 quid.

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/ace...ndows-8-8gb-ram-750gb-hdd-hdmi-laptop-1485969

I would not touch the Intel Celeron B830, to say the least, it's s**t.

Can anyone tell me if this laptop is any good as I don't know about that stuff. How much would you being willing to pay for it to make it a bargain? Mainly just want to use it for general photos/internet and to rock Sim City 5.

http://h20386.www2.hp.com/UKStore/Merch/Product.aspx?id=C2B71EA&opt=ABU&sel=CUB

It will play SC5, but you would be better with an i5 or i7 or an equivalent spec AMD system.

 

[mace¬]

Would you buy it with 2 years warranty for £350

 

[Ay Ay Ron]

Mace, I bought a Dell Vostro with an i5, 2 years warranty for 303 + vat. Might be worth looking on their site. Its under the business section.