[liesels]

I've been trawling through previous threads like this, attempting to avoid annoying you all with another one, but they're all full of technological jargon that goes completely over my head. Sorry!

Basically, I want a new, fairly simple laptop, under £500. I want to use it for the usual studenty stuff- word processing, powerpoint, downloading films and music, playing endless games of Sims...

I was looking at this one, because it's fairly cheap: http://www.acer.co.uk/ac/en/GB/conte...l/LX.RJW02.111
But for all I know, that could be a total pile of crap.

If someone could give a total technophobe some help or suggestions in a similar price range (nothing above £500) that would be great.

[liesels]

Bumping my own thread...

[Haffyduck]

I've always gone for dell inspirons. Mine were around the £400 pound mark. Always been good to me with little problems, but I'm not good with specs and things either! But sounds like your needs are similar to mine and I get by just fine happy shopping!!


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[Airfairy]

I just bought a new laptop about two weeks ago, and had the same budget as you. I settled on this , and I'm very pleased with it. I know it's out of stock at the moment but it was £360 which seems to be really cheap for the specs.

Plus it plays The Sims well, as I found the other day (I'm a fan too :P).

[nadiah]

I would avoid acer like the plague. They are very poorly/cheaply made - mine is falling to bits after only 2.5 years (the battery doesn't charge any more, so if the power cable falls out it switches off, it constantly overheats, half the USB ports never work and the other half are very temperamental, and the CD drive plays up constantly. There is also a lot of wearing on the finger touch panel). My sister also has an acer and some of the keys have fallen off and it refuses to connect to wireless internet- bear in mind she hardly uses it either!

I don't think the one you linked has a great processor, but I'm not 100% sure. Memory and hard drive are good though! Processor wise, aim for at least Intel Pentium Duo - though My bf says intel pentium i3 is the best kind of "budget/cheapy" one after that. Bear in mind I am no computer expert, this is just what I've gathered from talking to peeps :P

If it helps, PC world have a sale on atm

[nadiah]

(Original post by Airfairy)
I just bought a new laptop about two weeks ago, and had the same budget as you. I settled on this , and I'm very pleased with it. I know it's out of stock at the moment but it was £360 which seems to be really cheap for the specs.

Plus it plays The Sims well, as I found the other day (I'm a fan too :P).

(not the OP, but also laptop hunting!)
I was looking at basically that model on argos the other day, only I think it has a little less RAM. Just wondering how well made/durable it seems? As my mum has had issues with Toshiba in the past but her new one is fine ^^. Just so scared of buying another poorly made piece of poo haha.

[Iqbal007]

(Original post by liesels)
I've been trawling through previous threads like this, attempting to avoid annoying you all with another one, but they're all full of technological jargon that goes completely over my head. Sorry!

Basically, I want a new, fairly simple laptop, under £500. I want to use it for the usual studenty stuff- word processing, powerpoint, downloading films and music, playing endless games of Sims...

I was looking at this one, because it's fairly cheap: http://www.acer.co.uk/ac/en/GB/conte...l/LX.RJW02.111
But for all I know, that could be a total pile of crap.

If someone could give a total technophobe some help or suggestions in a similar price range (nothing above £500) that would be great.

(Original post by Airfairy)
I just bought a new laptop about two weeks ago, and had the same budget as you. I settled on this , and I'm very pleased with it. I know it's out of stock at the moment but it was £360 which seems to be really cheap for the specs.

Plus it plays The Sims well, as I found the other day (I'm a fan too :P).

That one suggested bu Airfairy was the best, hence why it's out of stock.

To be honest the processor on that Acer is quite old, have a look at this lenovo http://www.ebuyer.com/351922-lenovo-b570-laptop-n2f25uk

[Iqbal007]

(Original post by nadiah)
(not the OP, but also laptop hunting!)
I was looking at basically that model on argos the other day, only I think it has a little less RAM. Just wondering how well made/durable it seems? As my mum has had issues with Toshiba in the past but her new one is fine ^^. Just so scared of buying another poorly made piece of poo haha.

is it this one http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...7C14419039.htm

[Airfairy]

(Original post by nadiah)
(not the OP, but also laptop hunting!)
I was looking at basically that model on argos the other day, only I think it has a little less RAM. Just wondering how well made/durable it seems? As my mum has had issues with Toshiba in the past but her new one is fine ^^. Just so scared of buying another poorly made piece of poo haha.

Well I think it seems pretty well built, but I'm comparing it to my poorly made, cheap old Acer laptop that I had before this

I can't see any problems with it though. Maybe go into a Comet or something and have a look if you can see one on display?

[nadiah]

(Original post by Iqbal007)
is it this one http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...7C14419039.htm

Yep that's the one! =D

[Iqbal007]

(Original post by nadiah)
Yep that's the one! =D

First gen processor of the i range.
Price is too high for that

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Toshi...EN/version.asp

[AmyJ]

This laptop is a steal - 2nd-gen i5 processor for £380:

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/lenovo...84781-pdt.html

If you're convinced that you won't need the performance of an i5, the Lenovo linked by Aqbal looks good too - but for the sake of £40, I'd go with the most powerful

[Distra]

(Original post by AmyJ)
This laptop is a steal - 2nd-gen i5 processor for £380:

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/lenovo...84781-pdt.html

If you're convinced that you won't need the performance of an i5, the Lenovo linked by Aqbal looks good too - but for the sake of £40, I'd go with the most powerful

Nice selection Thumbs up

[Annie72]

I've just bought this


http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-pav...93446-pdt.html


Bargain too!.Great laptop, very fast and can more than handle games.It's currently on sale but I dont know how long for.

[Seaton]

(Original post by Annie72)
Great laptop, very fast and can more than handle games.

Don't you think saying it "can more than handle games." with just Intel 4000 HD graphics is stretching it a little?

[Dan1909]

(Original post by Annie72)
I've just bought this


http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-pav...93446-pdt.html


Bargain too!.Great laptop, very fast and can more than handle games.It's currently on sale but I dont know how long for.

(Original post by Seaton)
Don't you think saying it "can more than handle games." with just Intel 4000 HD graphics is stretching it a little?

VERY much so! It will *play* games, but only on the lowest settings on any recent game! The integrated graphics just aren't built for gaming at the moment, not by a long way!

[hothedgehog]

(Original post by Annie72)
I've just bought this


http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-pav...93446-pdt.html


Bargain too!.Great laptop, very fast and can more than handle games.It's currently on sale but I dont know how long for.

Mistake. HPs are cheap because they have a terrible physical build quality. My sister's HP has gone in for repairs for 3 different things within her first six months of owning it (yay for warranty) so that goes to show. When you hold the computer everything about it feels weak. It's taken my Samsung 4 years of heavy use (an entire MSci degree!) and it's still going strong!

[Annie72]

My mistake it seems. This is my first HP I have owed. Previous laptops have always been Toshibas.

I guess time will tell...

[Seaton]

(Original post by Dan1909)
VERY much so! It will *play* games, but only on the lowest settings on any recent game! The integrated graphics just aren't built for gaming at the moment, not by a long way!

I know it will still be nowhere near discrete graphics, but I am really excited by what the Haswell CPUs will have to offer in terms of 5000HD.

(Original post by Annie72)
My mistake it seems. This is my first HP I have owed. Previous laptops have always been Toshibas.

I guess time will tell...

If you don't mistreat it, it shouldn't let you down.

Majority of complaints (not saying any of the above stem from this) about build quality are by people who want to be able to throw their laptops against the wall, use them as surf-boards and then still be able to surf the web in the afternoon.

But in future do try and avoid HP. People have complained about Toshibas but I myself have owned two of them and never experienced any problems with them that weren't my fault, or significant ones at that.