Cheap laptop - where?

[Proto]

Any recommendation as to where I can purchase a cheap laptop, or should I just go to PC world?

Further, I'd be happy with a used one, so, who does 'pre-owned' laptops? Or am I being silly and should just go and get a new one?

Thinking of spending £400 or so, and will need a VAT receipt

 

[mr Mag00]

always used novatech avoid the purple shirted ones. their customer service desk is always packed and once i used them and shocking shoddy and v expensive. novatech rtb service was excellent

 

[Vidor06]

I have bought my last 2 laptops from Dell. Can't complain about customer service or quality. Can pay anything from £300 upwards and you can spec it yourself.

 

[Weegie]

www.europc.co.uk

Used them quite a few times, great service. They supply mostly refurbished stuff, all as-new with warranty.

Edit: I've also used Dell in the past, their stuff is decent enough, but I but got fed up with their unpredictable lead times.

 

[marinyork]

The only problem with dell is it's very hard returning products under warranty as their system/site is such a complicated mess. They have had some ridiculously long warranties for not that much money in the past, they aren't as generous now. Other than that I've used novatech before although I'm less praising than Mr Mag00.

 

[Proto]

Thanks all. Europc looks like it might have what I'm after. And Novatech basic machines are silly cheap.

All I'm after is something that will let me store music, browse the t'interweb, and possibly catch up on missed BBC TV/radio on iPlayer, the latter when I'm on my (rarely used) turbo trainer! Are all laptops Wi-Fi these days, tis years since I've had one. Any suggestion on screen size?

Like all such purchases I tend to start looking at the cheapest, but gradully convince myself I need something bigger, better and more expensive. Screen size, RAM, storage etc. Must resist!

 

[Proto]

PS regarding spec, what sort of things does one look for/need?

How much ram, what processor, screen size, etc, etc? Handy hints please.

 

[rh100]

min 2GB Ram, 4gb if Vista or Win7, and anything above 250GB hard disk should do - depends on what you want to store aswell. Also buy an external hard disk for backup of data - see other disaster thread
I'm not very up to date on CPU's, but I think anything dual core should fit the bill.
you could consider a separate flat screen later on maybe to upgrade the screen size for when at home.
If you want to play games on it though it could be expensive as would need better graphics.

 

[marinyork]

Windows 7 doesn't need 4Gb. Anyway all that stuff is locked in a lot more with laptops, you have to eye up the exact specs. It takes more time because laptop processors/graphics are quite different beasts to desktop ones and they name them differently to confuse. Screen sizes go in fashions. I'd personally not get 17" depends what you want it for.

 

[numbnuts]

novatech +1

 

[Downward]

Currys Refurb
Picked up a 17" Dell for £310 with Windows 7, Core2Duo, 2gb ram and an 8600gt Graphics card.

 

[Downward]

http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/sto...sku=250428&category_oid=-27411&fm=2&sm=1&tm=7

 

[chris667]

Anything new will do everything you want.

One of those netbooks would be great, if you could cope with a smaller screen than a conventional notebook. You can spend the money you save on bike goodies. I use a netbook.

One of my friends has a computer support company that I help out with sometimes, and a disproportionate number of machines that are brought with hardware failures in are made by Sony and HP/Compaq. Make of that what you will.

 

[Proto]

Should I be bothered if it's loaded with Vista? Or buy a used machine with XP? Or push the boat out and go Windows 7?

 

[hackbike 666]

I have had problems with my Dell Inspiron 910 not running a few games I wanted to play...Only two I know of but still a pain.

Call of Duty and Championship Manager 97/98*.

* Blue screens on exit...not good.

I think I did find out why Call of Duty didn't work and it was due to the chipset.

Also try and get a laptop with a drive light.....which the 910 hasn't got.Apart from that it's a good laptop.