£450 laptop.

[lolage]

What do you think of this laptop?

RAM 2048 MB DDR2
Operating System Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
Processor AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual Core Mobile Technology TL-60, clocked at 2 GHz
Hard drive 160 GB
Video Card ATI Radeon X1250 graphics card, up to 831 MB total memory
Monitor 17" TruBrite WXGA screen
1440 x 900 pixels
Optical Disk Reader SuperMulti dual-layer DVD writer
USB 3 USB 2.0 ports
Modem/Ethernet Port Ethernet RJ45 port / RJ11 modem port
WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11b/g
Bluetooth No
PCMCIA 1 x ExpressCard slot
Additional features VGA webcam with microphone
Size 398 x 292 x 35.3 - 43.1 mm
Weight 3.15 kg

Will it play games like CS:S, TF2? Any other laptops you'd recommend for £450? Thanks.

 

[Aod]

3.15KG? i hope you don't intend to carry it.

a review i've just read suggests that the x1250 will render HL2:EP1 at 18fps at 1024x768.

which is pathetic.

<edit> Also, Compaq Laptops are TERRIBLE!

 

[lolage]

Its going to be used mostly as a desktop but taken downstairs every night to use sitting on the sofa.

 

[Aod]

at 3 kilo's it'll probably crush your legs and cut-off circulation to your feet

honestly, i'd reccommend anything other than Compaq. they really really suck.

Take a look at Dell Vostro's. they spec some ludicrously cheap (sub £200 models). i think you might manage a GeforceGo 8600GTm if you up your budget to about £500.

they're in the small business section

 

[Phil99]

Out of interest, what problems do people have with Compaq laptops? I bought the Core2Duo version of the laptop in the OP and have absolutely no problems. Build quality seems nice and solid, keyboard is great, screen is good and it's nice and fast. Battery life is a bit average, but can't expect everything from a budget laptop.

Admittedly I haven't used many other modern laptops (my previous one was a Fujitsu Pentium 2 ) but it feels nice and light for its size as well...I haven't weighed it but I think it's quoted at about 3kg and I've had absolutely no problem with using it on my lap...though actually it's the 15.4" version so a bit smaller than the one in the OP.

 

[Aod]

Out of interest, what problems do people have with Compaq laptops? I bought the Core2Duo version of the laptop in the OP and have absolutely no problems. Build quality seems nice and solid, keyboard is great, screen is good and it's nice and fast. Battery life is a bit average, but can't expect everything from a budget laptop.

Admittedly I haven't used many other modern laptops (my previous one was a Fujitsu Pentium 2 ) but it feels nice and light for its size as well...I haven't weighed it but I think it's quoted at about 3kg and I've had absolutely no problem with using it on my lap...though actually it's the 15.4" version so a bit smaller than the one in the OP.

every Compaq Laptop i've seen has eventually gotten "bit-rot", as though they were running Win98, even though they've all been on XP