Spec me a laptop

[RastaManBob]

Hi all,

I have been asked to help select a laptop for somebody and I always find this a minefield... Even more so for laptops!

The person intends to go travelling and wants a laptop for communications, for entertainment and also to store and view, etc, digital photos.

For this reason ideally the device should be reasonably small and relatively light.

The device will not be used for any games.

Initially I put the idea of a netbook past them. They liked the idea of it in principle but we've just had a walk around a few shops and they found the screen was slightly too small. With this in mind I think a 14 - 15" (ish) laptop might be a good idea.

The price range I have been given in £350 - 400 ish. I know they would be willing to go slightly above this if it became worthwhile.

Obviously I cannot ask for any links and recommend you avoid any competitors to remain within OcUK rules but any ideas as to what models you recommend and at what price I'd find them would be really useful.

At the moment, I seem to be finding laptops with reasonably similar specs for around the same price and I'm having a hard time differentiating between them. Any particularly good offers at the moment?

Cheers!

 

[bigredshark]

Struggle to do better than the Dell Inspiron 13z I'd think, at least if you actually want thin and light. At that price range it's generally either a 10" netbook or a 15" laptop which weighs about as much as a fridge.

 

[Skyboat]

Maybe consider a Dell Inspiron 15z too, the only difference over the 13z being a bigger screen and battery as the basic models cost about the same. The purple store sell them AFAIK if you want to demo them out first.