Recommend me a laptop

17th May 2008, 8:20am

I've had my Dell Inspiron for just under two years and it's a nightmare, there's some kind of problem with the power supply and it's extremely irritating to have to hold the power cable all the time in order for it to work.

I'm going to have a bit of extra money in July and I think it's time to replace this laptop with one that actually works, so I'm looking for some recommendations. It's mainly used for internet access although I do watch streaming videos, I also need to do work on it and it must be of a weight that I can carry it about to work without being crippled. I'll probably be looking to get Bob a laptop of a similar spec at the same time so somewhere that'll do a multiple purchase discount would be grand. I can spend roughly £600 per laptop but can be flexible for the right laptop. I'm not totally adverse to macs but I'd rather avoid them if possible.

Largest of Als · 17th May 2008, 8:30am

Dell Inspiron 1525

Third from the left.. base price of £500.. looks like a good system, but I'm a bit out of it when it comes to PC chips and the like.. Jeff or Ricky might be the best people to ask..

Al

stripey_kitten · 17th May 2008, 8:41am

Get yourself a bloody mac and be done with it woman.

Seriously you'll get used to it really quickly and wonder how you ever lived without one.

Largest of Als · 17th May 2008, 8:54am

She speaks the truth... although it might be a little out your price range.. starting at £699

Al

17th May 2008, 9:03am

I'm so finickity about things though, I likes what I knows and I knows what I likes etc etc. I just can't get used to macs and I'd end up on the phone to Mo every night

Thanks for that link Al - I did have a look but to be honest I'm wary of getting another Dell when the power unit on this one conked out after less than a year.

DoNotResus · 17th May 2008, 9:13am

If you are looking for a laptop that you can do work on, and watch streaming videos and of course internet stuff, why not save some money and consider a Linux one?

Tiny tiny laptop with full functionality.
http://www.purelygadgets.co.uk/showp...500&wysiwyg=10

Or, I think Dell sell laptops that come with linux rather than windows, saves money on the OEM costs of Windows.

Plus, a mac is really a Linux machine these days anyways

Eve Bulloch · 17th May 2008, 9:16am

Quote:

Originally Posted by stripey_kitten

Get yourself a bloody mac and be done with it woman.

SSSHHHT! Mac's are pish.

17th May 2008, 9:24am

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoNotResus

If you are looking for a laptop that you can do work on, and watch streaming videos and of course internet stuff, why not save some money and consider a Linux one?

Tiny tiny laptop with full functionality.
http://www.purelygadgets.co.uk/showp...500&wysiwyg=10

Or, I think Dell sell laptops that come with linux rather than windows, saves money on the OEM costs of Windows.

Plus, a mac is really a Linux machine these days anyways

Are those the same as an eeepc? I don't have a problem at all with linux and I would happily use openoffice instead of Microsoft Office. Are they reliable? I really need for the new one to last me a good few years.

Largest of Als · 17th May 2008, 9:28am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vonnie

Thanks for that link Al - I did have a look but to be honest I'm wary of getting another Dell when the power unit on this one conked out after less than a year.

If it went after a year, it should still have been under warranty. Jeff's always banging on about how good the Dell warranty is.. maybe look at using the left over cash from the £600 you were thinking of spending to go for the full bhuna warranty?

Al

DoNotResus · 17th May 2008, 9:30am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vonnie

Are those the same as an eeepc? I don't have a problem at all with linux and I would happily use openoffice instead of Microsoft Office. Are they reliable? I really need for the new one to last me a good few years.

Yeah, it is the EEEPC and they are fantastic. The new one with the bigger screen has just came out. About the size of a DVD case, nippy and does everything from MSN to Skype and back. Haven't had any problems at all with it. Works out of the box, and there's a whole wealth of other software available for free that will work on it.

And, if you don't like the distro of linux thats on it, I've seen Ubuntu and Mandriva working seamlessly on it.

Zooropa · 17th May 2008, 9:47am

LOL @ the mac folk.

"I do not want a mac"

"Get a mac"

The linux laptop is a shout, but beware losing functionality you didn't know you needed.
Watching .wmvs can be a pain to set up.

17th May 2008, 9:50am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Largest of Als

If it went after a year, it should still have been under warranty. Jeff's always banging on about how good the Dell warranty is.. maybe look at using the left over cash from the £600 you were thinking of spending to go for the full bhuna warranty?

Al

This one was a replacement under warranty so there's no warranty on it alas. I did check with Dell, but I'm a bit narked about it. Whether it was a replacement machine or not shouldn't affect whether it gets fixed as far as I'm concerned!

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoNotResus

Yeah, it is the EEEPC and they are fantastic. The new one with the bigger screen has just came out. About the size of a DVD case, nippy and does everything from MSN to Skype and back. Haven't had any problems at all with it. Works out of the box, and there's a whole wealth of other software available for free that will work on it.

And, if you don't like the distro of linux thats on it, I've seen Ubuntu and Mandriva working seamlessly on it.

The only thing not quite selling it for me is the small hard drive and memory because I do watch a lot of downloaded stuff. That said, I could get this for me, and get Bob a better one to watch stuff on. Hmmm.

DoNotResus · 17th May 2008, 10:05am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zooropa

The linux laptop is a shout, but beware losing functionality you didn't know you needed.
Watching .wmvs can be a pain to set up.

AS far as I can remember it was a snap to setup on the EEE, but then again, I've been using linux for abour 7-8 years now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vonnie

This one was a replacement under warranty so there's no warranty on it alas. I did check with Dell, but I'm a bit narked about it. Whether it was a replacement machine or not shouldn't affect whether it gets fixed as far as I'm concerned!

The only thing not quite selling it for me is the small hard drive and memory because I do watch a lot of downloaded stuff. That said, I could get this for me, and get Bob a better one to watch stuff on. Hmmm.

Get an external USB hard-drive. Compeltely supported, and with three USB 2.0 ports on it, the speed is pretty good.