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laptop netbook advise

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By *layfullsam OP   Man
over a year ago

Solihull

i am useless with computers but my works laptop is going back at the end of the month and looking for something used for around the £200 mark that would be fast, be able to watch dvds,play games and have wifi

any recomendations, someone said ibm thinkpad t41 what ever that means in english

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"i am useless with computers but my works laptop is going back at the end of the month and looking for something used for around the £200 mark that would be fast, be able to watch dvds,play games and have wifi

any recomendations, someone said ibm thinkpad t41 what ever that means in english"

can only recommend anything by apple as its reliable and has hardly ever any probs - just dont go with ACER they are really crap x

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By *layfullsam OP   Man
over a year ago

Solihull

would i get anything from them that cheap though ?

might get a bramley apple !

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Had some used IBM thinkpads from a firm I found on the net. One was bullet proof, one a bit iffy and one a complete dog. Overall the build quality is excellent, but software issues can be a nightmare.

If you aren't very computer literate I would steer clear of used equipment, or at least get one from someone who will support you if you get into trouble.

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By *arambarMan
over a year ago

swindon

If you want to watch DVDs then don't go for a netbook because a) they don't have a DVD or CD drive in them, and b) the screen is smaller than that of a laptop and it would be uncomfortable to watch for a long time.

Netbooks are great for doing a quick bit of surfing or firing off a quick email... but they're just a bit too small for prolonged use. Some of the keyboards are almost laptop-sized, but even the bigger netbooks are still smaller than a laptop.

If £200 is your budget then I think you'll have to risk getting one 2nd hand. You should be able to get a decent brand - I love the screens on the Sony laptops, and I've known various family and friends who have had Sony's and they've all lasted for years without any issues. Similarly, I know several people with Dell laptops who swear by them (not at them!).

The only advice I can give for a 2nd hand laptop is to find one that's been very well looked after. A laptop with dents or scratches on it suggests it's been dropped or swung around a bit... and laptops are made to be portable but not dropped down the stairs or off sofas.

If you can stretch to £260 then you can get a new Acer one from ebuyer.com. Admittedly Acer is a bit of a "cheap and cheerful" brand, but it will come with a warranty which you won't get from a 2nd hand one. Search for "250961" on ebuyer's website and have a look at that one... it's not the best ever laptop but it's only £260 including free delivery.

If your budget can go slightly higher, e.g. £300, then you can look at brands such as Toshiba and Compaq. These should be better build quality than the Acer one, even if internally the specs are pretty much the same.

Hope that helps.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

You might need to raise your budget slightly or get one second-hand.

But if you check out Comet and PC World, look for the "student deals." Those laptops start at between £285 and £325. What you're looking for is 250GB memory with an intel dual core (the i core will see the price hike but you might be lucky) and keep an eye out for Toshiba and Dell. Though Toshiba will probably be the cheaper out the two. I just looked on the PC World website and there's a samsung on offer for £300 with 320GB memory, Intel dual core processor, 15.6" screen with built-in webcam

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"i am useless with computers but my works laptop is going back at the end of the month and looking for something used for around the £200 mark that would be fast, be able to watch dvds,play games and have wifi

any recomendations, someone said ibm thinkpad t41 what ever that means in english"
not for that price you wont

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"If you want to watch DVDs then don't go for a netbook because a) they don't have a DVD or CD drive in them, and b) the screen is smaller than that of a laptop and it would be uncomfortable to watch for a long time.

Netbooks are great for doing a quick bit of surfing or firing off a quick email... but they're just a bit too small for prolonged use. Some of the keyboards are almost laptop-sized, but even the bigger netbooks are still smaller than a laptop.

If £200 is your budget then I think you'll have to risk getting one 2nd hand. You should be able to get a decent brand - I love the screens on the Sony laptops, and I've known various family and friends who have had Sony's and they've all lasted for years without any issues. Similarly, I know several people with Dell laptops who swear by them (not at them!).

The only advice I can give for a 2nd hand laptop is to find one that's been very well looked after. A laptop with dents or scratches on it suggests it's been dropped or swung around a bit... and laptops are made to be portable but not dropped down the stairs or off sofas.

If you can stretch to £260 then you can get a new Acer one from ebuyer.com. Admittedly Acer is a bit of a "cheap and cheerful" brand, but it will come with a warranty which you won't get from a 2nd hand one. Search for "250961" on ebuyer's website and have a look at that one... it's not the best ever laptop but it's only £260 including free delivery.

If your budget can go slightly higher, e.g. £300, then you can look at brands such as Toshiba and Compaq. These should be better build quality than the Acer one, even if internally the specs are pretty much the same.

Hope that helps."

Ebuyer are cheap but do not have the best after sales service. Alternatives are CCLcomputers Dabs or laptopdirect who offer similar prices. There is a misconception on quality though as overall Acer are a better build than the Dell/Compaq/Toshiba units. Everyone will have issues with the odd one but look at overall reviews. note though the SAMSUNG RV510 has done well recently.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

yer work lap top probably just needing extra ram.ie memory

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

If you want cheep as chips look at the following.

HP COMPAQ CQ56-102SA £259

ACER ASPIRE 5552 £279

Lenovo Essential G560e £295

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"i am useless with computers but my works laptop is going back at the end of the month and looking for something used for around the £200 mark that would be fast, be able to watch dvds,play games and have wifi

any recomendations, someone said ibm thinkpad t41 what ever that means in english"

Go to cash converters, they have lots of nearly new lappys of a sensible spec for £200 or less and they'll haggle. Whats more their guarantee is generally 6 months on laptops.

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By *arambarMan
over a year ago

swindon


"Ebuyer are cheap but do not have the best after sales service. Alternatives are CCLcomputers Dabs or laptopdirect who offer similar prices. There is a misconception on quality though as overall Acer are a better build than the Dell/Compaq/Toshiba units. Everyone will have issues with the odd one but look at overall reviews. note though the SAMSUNG RV510 has done well recently. "

Yeah, that's true that their after sales service isn't the best, although saying that, it's better than Overclockers who I used on a couple of occasions a few years ago. Never again. Even if they gave their stuff away for free I wouldn't use them!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

wont touch pc world or currys

they rip you for a start. try some like

misco or ebay

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

only advice i will give u is steer clear of pc world they are a total rip off

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"just dont go with ACER they are really crap x "

I beg to differ, as I've had an Acer Aspire 7738G for over a year now and never had a problem with it. It fires up quickly., has more than enough processing power for what I need and never had a program crash on me. It's been an extremely reliable machine, but then I'm firewalled and anti-virused to the hilt. Superantispyware has kept everything nasty from infecting too.

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By *eighleedsMan
over a year ago

leeds


"If you want to watch DVDs then don't go for a netbook because a) they don't have a DVD or CD drive in them, and b) the screen is smaller than that of a laptop and it would be uncomfortable to watch for a long time.

Netbooks are great for doing a quick bit of surfing or firing off a quick email... but they're just a bit too small for prolonged use. Some of the keyboards are almost laptop-sized, but even the bigger netbooks are still smaller than a laptop.

If £200 is your budget then I think you'll have to risk getting one 2nd hand. You should be able to get a decent brand - I love the screens on the Sony laptops, and I've known various family and friends who have had Sony's and they've all lasted for years without any issues. Similarly, I know several people with Dell laptops who swear by them (not at them!).

The only advice I can give for a 2nd hand laptop is to find one that's been very well looked after. A laptop with dents or scratches on it suggests it's been dropped or swung around a bit... and laptops are made to be portable but not dropped down the stairs or off sofas.

If you can stretch to £260 then you can get a new Acer one from ebuyer.com. Admittedly Acer is a bit of a "cheap and cheerful" brand, but it will come with a warranty which you won't get from a 2nd hand one. Search for "250961" on ebuyer's website and have a look at that one... it's not the best ever laptop but it's only £260 including free delivery.

If your budget can go slightly higher, e.g. £300, then you can look at brands such as Toshiba and Compaq. These should be better build quality than the Acer one, even if internally the specs are pretty much the same.

Hope that helps.

Ebuyer are cheap but do not have the best after sales service. Alternatives are CCLcomputers Dabs or laptopdirect who offer similar prices. There is a misconception on quality though as overall Acer are a better build than the Dell/Compaq/Toshiba units. Everyone will have issues with the odd one but look at overall reviews. note though the SAMSUNG RV510 has done well recently. "

A friend bought that Samsung from laptops direct last week, great lappy, £330 including laptop case, usb mouse, and security software (F-Secure)

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


" Admittedly Acer is a bit of a "cheap and cheerful" brand, but it will come with a warranty which you won't get from a 2nd hand one. Search for "250961" on ebuyer's website and have a look at that one... it's not the best ever laptop but it's only £260 including free delivery.

If your budget can go slightly higher, e.g. £300, then you can look at brands such as Toshiba and Compaq. These should be better build quality than the Acer one, even if internally the specs are pretty much the same.

"

The Acer I bought was one of their more expensive ones (£600 in 2010) and I chose it because I did a like for like comparison against the Sony one sitting alongside it in the showroom (ignoring price) and the Acer beat the Sony hands down - and was £300 cheaper.

I think all the brands have cheap entry level models as well the more high end specs for experienced users, and I certainly wouldn't class Acer in the 'cheap and cheerful' bracket. It's all subjective really, you get what you pay for. The clincher for me was an extended five year warranty thrown in from PC World.

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By *harpDressed ManMan
over a year ago

Here occasionally, but mostly somewhere else

My advice would be to buy a copy of "What Laptop", which you can be confident is better inforrmed overall than a bunch of people on a random internet site.

...Which is not to say ALL of the above is wrong, just knowing what is "too subjective to be relevant" is always tricky in these situations.

OP would be better off on a Laptop forum (there must be one???!!)

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By *umourCouple
over a year ago

Rushden

Very subjective. We all have different needs and have ideas about what we will accept.. And this is my view!

Acer 5738G bought in 2008 and never given a days trouble! Good prices too, but watch the spec.. Many look similar but have totally different processing power and memory!

Had a look at Apple, but very expensive for what they are (like most Apple products, an extension of the celebrity culture) I had 2 x brand new £900 Sony laptops and both started to lose keys after a couple of months. Looked at Dell because of prices, but found to get it to “work” I had to add on loads and it became expensive! But OK if you want basic.

Most are made in China, with the more expensive using quite a few components that are used in the cheaper brands. Look on sites like “Which” or “The Review Centre” and see what others think.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"My advice would be to buy a copy of "What Laptop", which you can be confident is better inforrmed overall than a bunch of people on a random internet site.

...Which is not to say ALL of the above is wrong, just knowing what is "too subjective to be relevant" is always tricky in these situations.

OP would be better off on a Laptop forum (there must be one???!!)"

Who's to say that a writer for What Laptop isn't a swinger. Would that a make post on here from such a person any less 'expert'?

I've gained some excellent advice from people on these forums as they tend to be people from all walks of life and here they - all in one place. Perfect.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"i am useless with computers but my works laptop is going back at the end of the month and looking for something used for around the £200 mark that would be fast, be able to watch dvds,play games and have wifi

any recomendations, someone said ibm thinkpad t41 what ever that means in english"
if you are looking for a gamers machine then i suggest you have a look at the latest games for the pc.

that usually tells you the system specs that your machine must have to be able to run the game;

as said before, you wont get it for £200 you need at least £400, most 2nd hand machines wont have those type of specs for new games.

my pc is just over a year old it ran Call of duty modern warfare 2 the latest games out now it can't due 2 my graphics an memory

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By *quamarina1964Woman
over a year ago

Bideford

I have a Lenovo 15.6 laptop, and love it! Lenovo used to be IBM, u can watch films in hd as it as hd screen, and the best bit, it only cost me £280 quid from staples simples innit

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By *layfullsam OP   Man
over a year ago

Solihull


"You might need to raise your budget slightly or get one second-hand.

But if you check out Comet and PC World, look for the "student deals." Those laptops start at between £285 and £325. What you're looking for is 250GB memory with an intel dual core (the i core will see the price hike but you might be lucky) and keep an eye out for Toshiba and Dell. Though Toshiba will probably be the cheaper out the two. I just looked on the PC World website and there's a samsung on offer for £300 with 320GB memory, Intel dual core processor, 15.6" screen with built-in webcam"
cheers bk much appreciated

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By *layfullsam OP   Man
over a year ago

Solihull


"My advice would be to buy a copy of "What Laptop", which you can be confident is better inforrmed overall than a bunch of people on a random internet site.

...Which is not to say ALL of the above is wrong, just knowing what is "too subjective to be relevant" is always tricky in these situations.

OP would be better off on a Laptop forum (there must be one???!!)

Who's to say that a writer for What Laptop isn't a swinger. Would that a make post on here from such a person any less 'expert'?

I've gained some excellent advice from people on these forums as they tend to be people from all walks of life and here they - all in one place. Perfect. "
i am happy with the advise recieved on here and dont feel the need to go on a serious laptop forum as i am not a geek and wouldnt understand the lingo anyway..find people on here have a wide range of knowledge in there own specialist subject and its much appreciated

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"You might need to raise your budget slightly or get one second-hand.

But if you check out Comet and PC World, look for the "student deals." Those laptops start at between £285 and £325. What you're looking for is 250GB memory with an intel dual core (the i core will see the price hike but you might be lucky) and keep an eye out for Toshiba and Dell. Though Toshiba will probably be the cheaper out the two. I just looked on the PC World website and there's a samsung on offer for £300 with 320GB memory, Intel dual core processor, 15.6" screen with built-in webcam cheers bk much appreciated"

Tescos have some real good laptops for those on a budget too. Plus you get the reward points on the purchase that you can use to get a fiver off a crate of beer.

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By *exywheelsCouple
over a year ago

inverness


"Ebuyer are cheap but do not have the best after sales service. Alternatives are CCLcomputers Dabs or laptopdirect who offer similar prices. There is a misconception on quality though as overall Acer are a better build than the Dell/Compaq/Toshiba units. Everyone will have issues with the odd one but look at overall reviews. note though the SAMSUNG RV510 has done well recently.

Yeah, that's true that their after sales service isn't the best, although saying that, it's better than Overclockers who I used on a couple of occasions a few years ago. Never again. Even if they gave their stuff away for free I wouldn't use them!"

would not agree on ebuyer the customer service was very good for me. had a cheep computer from them for my son which the motherboard went on called them up and they came and replaced the motherboard at my own home only took a couple of days. not bad as the guy had to come all the way up from glasgow to do it.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"You might need to raise your budget slightly or get one second-hand.

But if you check out Comet and PC World, look for the "student deals." Those laptops start at between £285 and £325. What you're looking for is 250GB memory with an intel dual core (the i core will see the price hike but you might be lucky) and keep an eye out for Toshiba and Dell. Though Toshiba will probably be the cheaper out the two. I just looked on the PC World website and there's a samsung on offer for £300 with 320GB memory, Intel dual core processor, 15.6" screen with built-in webcam cheers bk much appreciated

Tescos have some real good laptops for those on a budget too. Plus you get the reward points on the purchase that you can use to get a fiver off a crate of beer. "
but not for gamers as the op ask for

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By *evilwolfCouple
over a year ago

Leicestershire

some new spec netbooks coming out in a couple of weeks... should trigger some reductions and maybe there'll be a bargain to be had We're after a netbook sized machine ourselves purely for portability and to back up two DSLRs to whilst on the move...

Wolf

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By *evilwolfCouple
over a year ago

Leicestershire

[Removed by poster at 12/07/11 14:00:51]

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

IBM/lenavo think pad t42. Mate had one from eBay, was battered like he'll paid £50 for it but has never failed him.

They are that common, parts are readily available and many second user laptop shops supply them, just get a 3 month warranty if you can.

Business orientated machines like IBM don't tend to have any bloat ware on them (game demos and apps) so run as they intended them too.

I use tough books for work and a dell at home never had issues with either.

S.

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By *harpDressed ManMan
over a year ago

Here occasionally, but mostly somewhere else


"

Who's to say that a writer for What Laptop isn't a swinger. Would that a make post on here from such a person any less 'expert'?

I've gained some excellent advice from people on these forums as they tend to be people from all walks of life and here they - all in one place. Perfect. "

I acknowledged that in the middle paragraph.

Surely you'd still agree that the chances of finding a writer for "what Laptop" are higher on their site than this one? And that's all I'm saying

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I've an IBM ThinkPad 701 from 1994 working perfectly and running Windows 95. Can't beat a ThinkPad, in my opinion.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"

Who's to say that a writer for What Laptop isn't a swinger. Would that a make post on here from such a person any less 'expert'?

I've gained some excellent advice from people on these forums as they tend to be people from all walks of life and here they - all in one place. Perfect.

I acknowledged that in the middle paragraph.

Surely you'd still agree that the chances of finding a writer for "what Laptop" are higher on their site than this one? And that's all I'm saying"

I wasn't having a dig, sorry if it came over as such. I was trying to say that there are lots of people on this site that are experts in their own sphere of industry and a lot of people have gained invaluable advice on these here forums. And it's advice that we know we can trust as we know that it isn't dressed up in the official spiel that you'd get in a shop.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

remember what the op ask for

a gamers lap top - as said before

best way to no what 2 you want op is to look at the latest games on the market of what you want to play

ie: dirt 3, Battlefield: Bad Company 2,Crysis 2: thease are some games out on the market that need a high tech system to run smoothly.

£200 wont go very far £350 - £400 will

hope this helps in what your looking

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By *urreyfun2008Man
over a year ago

East Grinstead

I'd be shocked if a laptop @ £400 run Bad Company 2 etc at all reasonably. A full size PC you will get reasonable, but still not amazing.

A desktop PC for gaming, and a cheap netbook for more mobile stuff. I gave up on PC gaming 4 years ago, consoles are much cheaper to keep, so long as you only buy a couple of games a year.

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By *umpkinMan
over a year ago

near the sounds of the wimborne quarter jack!


"only advice i will give u is steer clear of pc world they are a total rip off"

My current lappy was a PC World refurbish and was really cheap for the spec. I did have one with a faulty motherboard but the replacement was quickly supplied without quibble and has been perfect!

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