View Full Version : Looking for a laptop
I was always going to ditch my desktop once our house was done and grab a laptop instead but it's becoming something we'd like to get sooner rather than later. At the moment I'm using the TV as a computer display so in the evenings we can't have the TV on at the same time as I'm on the net. If we have the TV on and Sinead is on her laptop, I can't now get access to the net so it's becoming a bit of a pain.
So, I'm looking to spend around £500-700. I'm only really using it for net and maybe a few other bits 'n' pieces. Nothing too strenuous going on though. But I still want a pretty quick machine. Mind you, my current desktop is only a 1.4Ghz Athlon so anything I get should be quicker :)
Here is what I need:
£500-700
15" screen minimum
DVD writer
Wireless
Bluetooth
80GB HD - at least
1GB RAM - at least
Battery Life - Reasonable
Weight/Size - Not an issue
I specced up a machine on Dell last night and it was quite good spec but wondered if you guys know of anything else.
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deal/34458/dell-inspiron-6400-notebook-with-fr
You need to add the Bluetooth on yourself, comes to £500. Basic net machine wont need more than 1GB RAM, any more and you quite a premium for it with laptop memory. You might want to consider a better screen with a higher resolution but I didnt look how cheap (or not) it was and it's personal preference anyway really.
Some other just for the crack
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deal/34454/dell-inspiron-1501-notebook-tl56-2g
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deal/34451/dell-inspiron-1501-notebooktl50-cpu
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deal/34448/dell-inspiron-6400-notebook-dualcor
I'd get the first one myself as it's a Core2.
Was looking at those last night :)
Upgraded the screen and added bluetooth. Price is now £533.
Not bad at all :)
I have a 6400 at home and am very happy with it, can't compete with those prices either. If you can stretch to it i'd suggest upgrading the screen as it makes a huge difference, adding an ATI graphics card may be an idea too if you think you'll ever want to do any gaming on it.
1440x900 is a nice resolution, well worth £30. My D820 runs at 1680x1050 which is ideal for me but probably too small for most. You can get that same screen (15.4") @ 1900x1200, which is so god damn tiny :| How anybody could work with it I dont know.
I used to dabble with a couple of games on the PC, but now I've got the 360, I doubt I'll ever bother.
The screen upgrade isn't a problem and it's fitting in the lower end of the budget which is a good thing :)
£533 is damn good for that, I doubt you'll beat it. Only other thing I would have suggested is a 7200rpm hard drive, but they dont offer it, and you could always get one in future if it bugged you - that and memory are the only real things you can upgrade on a laptop anyway.
Free printer as well, which at worst is ebay fodder.
All looks good to me, especially for what I need it for. I think it's a go'er :)
Matblack
21-06-2007, 11:10
I'm tempted to do something like this. Maybe buy a docking station as well and use the laptop as a media centre, adding network storage for to get the space for movies etc. Then whenI need it upstairs I can just lift it out of the docking station :)
MB
I'm actually pondering that for my (eventual) new setup in the new house. Have a docking station on top of the kit rack so you could web browse/work/whatever in the living room.
Mind you, I dont it's worth the money of a dock, I'm only considering it because I could probably blag a free one from Dell.
I'll still have my MCE box in the front room anyway so mass storage isn't an issue for me.
ONly problem I'm having on the Dell site is that it states you can only deliver to the credit card address which means we wont be in to take delivery. But what if I use a debit card instead? Do I still need to have it delivered to home? Can't find an answer anywhere.
Not sure actually. Only ever deal with the business side and they'll let you deliver anywhere :/
Matblack
21-06-2007, 11:20
Is it worth looking at that place where Alex got his? They might be cheaper/ have a better delivery policy?
MB
Did he use Euro PC in the end? Cant remember. It's where I got mine from because they had an interest free option and I didnt want the 1 time hit.
I did look last night. Only problem there is you can't spec them up to your exact requirements. Will take another look though.
They have a lot of stock that isn't on the website, you're best calling them dude. I had the exact spec I wanted (down to memory speed) written down and called them up, and they had one exactly how I wanted, which wasn't on the website. I could dig up the email of the guy I dealt with, if you'd prefer to contact them that way?
yeah, chuck me an email if you can mate :)
Davey_Pitch
21-06-2007, 11:56
I'll be keeping an eye on this thread as we're thinking getting a laptop when we get our house. As the 360 will be plugged into the main TV, if I want to play games and Lynne wants to surf the net we'd end up being in different rooms almost all night, so a laptop would be ideal for us.
hhaggerty@europc.co.uk
Hugh Haggerty, if he's still there :) Spoke to him a few times, was a nice bloke.
Mmmmm, looking around, I think I'll just go with Dell direct and just get it delivered at home and see what happens. Seems most will only deliver to CC address. Must be a massive amount of fraud going on in computer sales :/
All ordered :)
Cheers guys.
I might be selling my Dell 9400 inspiron. 17" 1900*1200 screen, dual core centrino, 80gb, 7200hdd, dvd burner, 256mb 7800gtx, 12 cell long life battery (about 4 hours use).
Not certain of a price but for a lappy it bloody flies!! Spanks my opteron setup something silly. Brought Jan last year (its essentially an mps without the fancy case/neon lights). Was 1600 new.... not sure what its worth now.
too late
Matblack
21-06-2007, 12:19
I might be selling my Dell 9400 inspiron. 17" 1900*1200 screen, dual core centrino, 80gb, 7200hdd, dvd burner, 256mb 7800gtx, 12 cell long life battery (about 4 hours use).
Not certain of a price but for a lappy it bloody flies!! Spanks my opteron setup something silly. Brought Jan last year (its essentially an mps without the fancy case/neon lights). Was 1600 new.... not sure what its worth now.
too late
Let me know when you decide, I might be up for that :)
MB
LeperousDust
21-06-2007, 12:40
Right this is clearly now too late, completely missed this thread! I didn't use euroPC in the end, they were cheap but not for what i wanted. Ebay worked out literally (in my case anyway) £400+ (maybe more i can't remember) cheaper! For a brandnew vista laptop with the dell warranty (because its independant of the dealer). You probably should have had a little nose around on eBay first. Although no doubt you've got a bloody good deal above there anways so i guess its win win! :)
For the record, i've made the switch from desktop to laptop now, and its only been excellent. You don't even need a docking station (mine doesn't have a docking connector :( ).
Ive got the wireless entertainment desktop 7000 (would like the 8000! ;D) and that just connects via BT when i switch it on. My internet is permanently wireless even at the desk because i'm getting much better speeds than i expected! Also i'm going to upgrade the miniPCI card to 802.11n since my router is capable. All my main storage is on the network.
The only thing i have to plug in at present is speakers and external screen (12" doesnt always cut it i guess :p). Speakers i've given up with my big monters now and for my room and general "better than laptop sound" speakers i'm looking at some 2.1 BT speakers. I can use real (well bigger) speakers on the TV downstairs for movies etc...
So that leaves me with random USB things i haven't accumulated yet (a wireless USB hub is coming out soon but for the price i have no need), and Monitor which is the only thing i can't find a way of making it wireless. Oh and power i suppose theyre not huge niggles though :).
When off on a bit of a ramble there about docking stations... sorry its just on my mind atm cause i'm trying to get around the fact... :D
I did take a look on ebay and TBH, there wasn't a great deal of difference in the prices at this level.
Wohooooo, delivery for Mr Desmo :D
leowyatt
06-07-2007, 12:45
let's see, let's see!!
It's at home :/
I only had time to open it up and make sure it wasn't DOA. Then put it back down and left for work. Booo!!!!
We've also got friends over for dinner tonight so I'll only get 30mins or so to have a play. Will deffo get some pics posted over the weekend though :)
When ever I get a job the first thing on my list will be a top spec mac book pro hmmmmmmm.
Justsomebloke
06-07-2007, 15:26
Wohooooo, delivery for Mr Desmo :D
I quote your Wohoooo & raise a Pikey WOOOOOHOOOOOOOO :)
Pleased for you mate.
Whilst you're in here dude, got the PC all sorted now :)
Got a 60gig drive in fo you so just need a fresh XP install and we're all set to go :)
Piggymon
06-07-2007, 15:45
We've also got friends over for dinner tonight so I'll only get 30mins or so to have a play. Will deffo get some pics posted over the weekend though :)
30 Mins ?? more like 15 !! :p
Blokes take half as long to get ready :p
Justsomebloke
06-07-2007, 15:52
Nice one mate but hang in there with it for the mo. Make sure you have a Completely stable lappy set up before parting with the old. I would hate to see you without a system if the lappy went down or had a few teething problems.
I would give it a good 2 weeks mate of constant laptop use, fill it with all your crap, download & sort All your progs etc etc etc Then if stable & all is well you can pass on your old :cool:
I'll be looking to go down later in the month as it's my birthday on the 30th so i always have a visit around that time. Kill two birds with one stone & be Totally confident that your lappy will do the job for you. In the mean time I'll get on to Jazz to sort the Interweb out.
Good news all round mate, i bet it'll take a couple of weeks to sort that out anyways & there is no point me going there to set it up until she has that installed & her disc at hand.
Anyways ramble ramble ramble, basically Great news all round but No immediate rush. I'll ring Jazz over the weekend & give her the news & investigate what interweb is available in her manor. By the way she lives in Feeks little town :cool:
Feek if you read this What Interweb have you got at your homestead.
Piggymon
06-07-2007, 16:00
Blokes take half as long to get ready :p
He's got hoovering to do ;)
Davey_Pitch
06-07-2007, 16:40
He's got hoovering to do ;)
Is that what you two call it these days? ;) :p
Hoovering 10 minutes, get ready 10 minutes, laptop easily 30 minutes :p
She lives :cool:
Pics will have to wait until tomorrow though :p
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/AV%20PC%20Consoles/P1000254.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/AV%20PC%20Consoles/P1000256.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/AV%20PC%20Consoles/P1000257.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/AV%20PC%20Consoles/P1000258.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/AV%20PC%20Consoles/P1000259.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/AV%20PC%20Consoles/P1000260.jpg
Davey_Pitch
07-07-2007, 16:15
I really like the Inspiron laptops. We had several when I was working at Leeds which I had to set up for various members of staff, and I always hated handing them over as I wanted one for myself :D
Piggymon
07-07-2007, 16:35
Hey, you got my bowl of cereal in the shot ! ;D
leowyatt
07-07-2007, 16:37
Very nice mate looks good.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/AV%20PC%20Consoles/P1000254.jpg
The one on the right has the looks though ;) :p
Piggymon
07-07-2007, 17:12
yeah babeh !!! :D
Mmmmm, think I might be looking to upgrade already. Not sure I've got enough RAM in this now as it seems a little sluggish at times and it's showing I'm at around 60-80% of RAM usage without anything major going on.
At the time, Dell wanted £95 to stick in another 1GB to make it 2GB in total so I wasn't going to go with that. I can get another 1GB from Crucial for £30 so reckon I might get that sorted.
What do you reckon? Going to help a bit or a lot?
High memory use isn't a bad thing, so long as it's released by the OS when something else requires it. Indeed, the popular Linux window managers hog as much memory as they can get their hands on for caching, making the whole desktop a lot quicker as a result.
Vista will take a while to index on first boot, and will be slower until that's done - best bet to be sure it's finished is leave it on overnight with nobody logged into it. If you're looking to upgrade you'll probably see more benefit from moving to faster memory, rather than more of it, and a faster hard drive. I have Vista business on my D820, 1GB of the 667mhz (or whatever it is) memory and a 7200rpm hard drive and it's a joy to use.
[edit]fwiw, currently my physical memory is at 61% usage, with firefox being the worst culprit.
If you are using 80% of 1GB of Ram, I would think ther is something seriously wrong there. Is it Vista or XP?
Vista. Home premium by the looks of it.
It's probably worth a fresh build you know. Dell pile so much crap onto the consumer units - or at least they did on my folks. First thing I did was trash it.
It's running Vista Business. I did think of slapping a hooky copy of Ultimate on here instead as I don't like lots of pre-installed crap.
Might give that a go instead and see what happens :)
Having said all this, the laptop is great and it's not a major problem at all. Just thought it might be a reasonably cheap spec upgrade.
You know the free 926 Dell printer I got with this? It's currently on the bay at £33 with 19 hours to go :D
Super!!!
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