Laptop for a student..

[Stay Puft]

Right, I'm in the market for my first ever laptop.. (used familys etc, never had my own.)

I'm starting Uni in September and need something quick, lightweight, MS Word etc, good browsing speed. (Won't be gaming).

The numbers of RAM, core processer etc confuse me as I don't know what they are..

I can get a mac discounted by up to £175 direct from Apple, but that's still a good £700-900, which is almost 1/5 of my student loan!

Please point me in the right direction..

 

[Paprika123]

What's your budget?

 

[Stay Puft]

I understand you get what you pay for, so If I need to I'll get a mac.. I think £500 is reasonable?

Is there anywhere that sells refurb'd macs which would still be covered by Apple warranty wise, if that makes sense?

 

[mace¬]

HP Elitebook.

 

[MG cup]

I'll keep an eye on this, I also need a new one with similar needs to yourself. I'm also a computer r****d with specs and too lazy to look.

 

[Stay Puft]

HP Elitebook.

Thanks, I'll have a gander. Any other recommendations?

 

[mace¬]

Thanks, I'll have a gander. Any other recommendations?

Yes not the Elitebook, didn't realise the cost of them. Try the hp pavilion touchsmart sleekbook.

 

[Paprika123]

HP ProBook are probably a bit more in your budget.

 

[Krispwee]

People will probably steer you away from Macs due to price but they are worth having a proper think over. A 13" MacBook Air will do you a full day battery life easily, built extremely well so highly likely to last you the whole time you are at Uni, stupidly lightweight and extremely fast to boot and use.

http://store.apple.com/uk_edu_5000615/buy-mac/macbook-air

You can use that link or go to an Apple store as a student and you will get the student discount, 3 year warranty and a £60 Apple Store gift card (purchase Office with this perhaps?)

 

[Stay Puft]

People will probably steer you away from Macs due to price but they are worth having a proper think over. A 13" MacBook Air will do you a full day battery life easily, built extremely well so highly likely to last you the whole time you are at Uni, stupidly lightweight and extremely fast to boot and use.

http://store.apple.com/uk_edu_5000615/buy-mac/macbook-air

You can use that link or go to an Apple store as a student and you will get the student discount, 3 year warranty and a £60 Apple Store gift card (purchase Office with this perhaps?)

It's definitely something I'm considering.. Is the format easy to get used to? I've always used Windows!

 

[Krispwee]

Yep, it'll feel a bit different and take a day or so to get used to everything but the vast majority of people that I know that have converted from Windows to Mac have said they will never go back.

 

[Wilkeh]

Personally I would never buy a Mac but I'm a PC fanboy. I just think it's overpriced shite.

 

[Sargara]

People will probably steer you away from Macs due to price but they are worth having a proper think over. A 13" MacBook Air will do you a full day battery life easily, built extremely well so highly likely to last you the whole time you are at Uni, stupidly lightweight and extremely fast to boot and use.

http://store.apple.com/uk_edu_5000615/buy-mac/macbook-air

You can use that link or go to an Apple store as a student and you will get the student discount, 3 year warranty and a £60 Apple Store gift card (purchase Office with this perhaps?)

I dont want to turn this into a Mac/PC thing but:
A 13" MacBook Air will do you a full day battery life easily, built extremely well so highly likely to last you the whole time you are at Uni, stupidly lightweight and extremely fast to boot and use.

Apple dont have magical components that other manufacturers don't so the above claims would apply to any other equally speced notebook that might actually be within your budget because they dont carry the Apple premium.

http://www.dell.com/uk/p/inspiron-14-7437/pd?oc=cn74311&model_id=inspiron-14-7437
14" Notebook, £130 cheaper but without the SSD.

http://www.dell.com/uk/p/xps-11-9p33/pd?oc=cnx9p02&model_id=xps-11-9p33
This Dell offering provides everything the 13 Air does but cheaper and with touchscreen so can double as a tablet for example.

The point im making is, theres alot of options out there if you shop around and Dell also do student offers just phone them up.

 

[Krispwee]

But it runs OSX which is seen as better for battery life than Windows, hence the all day battery claim that is backed up by independent tests.

http://www.macrumors.com/2013/10/23...p-to-15-hours-of-battery-life-with-mavericks/
http://www.theverge.com/2013/6/17/4436332/macbook-air-review-13-inch-2013

Half way down this review it states a full list of similar laptops to the air and comparative battery life:
http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/13/acer-aspire-s7-392-review/

 

[Sargara]

I was refering to the other bits: "built extremely well so highly likely to last you the whole time you are at Uni, stupidly lightweight and extremely fast to boot and use." But I'll admit I wasnt aware of those battery tests, impressve. 13hr uni days though? lol behave.

 

[Jack!]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DCR3SP2/?tag=cliospnet01-21

13" Air new for under £700. There's one company there if you look at the 24 new offering it for £650. What I'd be going for...

"In-stock. The latest 1.4GHz April 2014 Version. Brand new factory sealed. Official license products with 1 year UK Apple warranty. Ship international. 2-5 extra business days required. Order dispatch in UK or outside UK. International keyboard setting, both UK or other region keyboard setting can be changed by system application « Show less"

 

[Stay Puft]

Ended up getting the Macbook Air for £730, 3 years apple care and £60 Apple gift card. Chuffed with that!

 

[Darren S]

Ended up getting the Macbook Air for £730, 3 years apple care and £60 Apple gift card. Chuffed with that!

Worth checking if the place you work has signed up for Microsoft's HUP (Home Use Program) as well. (http://www.microsofthup.com/hupuk/h...k_userid=28f701c4-3453-3248-13f2-000044018248)

If so, you can legitimately buy the latest version of Office for Mac for £8.95. The latest release is much more aligned to the traditional PC-based Office products. Previously, they were like chalk and cheese.

Good purchase on the Mac. My girlfriend has just bought a MacBook Pro through her work. Works out just under £20 per month and I will guarantee that she'll still be using that in three years time when she's actually finished paying for it! A premium product, yes, but she's using it for college work and the comparable PC laptops offered on the scheme weren't anything to shout about.

D.