Which LAPTOP

dominatrix1 · 17 Aug 2007 at 08:04

Can anyone reccomend me a laptop, i am just about to start uni. have about 850 pounds excluding VAT to spend. any suggestions?

bailey12856 · 17 Aug 2007 at 08:48

Dell Vostro range, best bang for buck at the minute mate. remember to turn the 3year warrenty into just 1 year and it knocks off over £100 quid.

GuruJockStrap · 17 Aug 2007 at 09:42

Same as above.

I ordered myself a Vostro the other day. Got an excellent spec for £550.

clocka · 17 Aug 2007 at 10:00

yep, you can get a great vostro for about £600. you dont need to spend £900 on a laptop nowadays, good laptops are £450-650.

dominatrix1 · 17 Aug 2007 at 10:06

know which vostro

ic1male · 17 Aug 2007 at 10:31

Have a play around with the configurations - it's all there on Dell's website. I went for a 1500 myself.

GuruJockStrap · 17 Aug 2007 at 10:44

I went with a Vostro 1500.

I left the spec as it was (expensive one) apart from adding True Gloss to the 1280x800 screen and a Bluetooth module.

Rest of the spec was:

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7100 Processor (1.8GHz,800MHz,2MB L2 cache)
Genuine Windows Vista™ Business
15.4" Wide Screen WXGA (1280 x 800) Display
Matte Jet Black with 2.0 mega pixel camera
2048MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024)
160GB (5400RPM) SATA Hard Drive
256MB nVidia® GeForce® 8600M GT
Fixed Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Drive
Primary 6-cell Lithium-Ion Battery (56 WHr)
Intel® Pro Wireless 3945 802.11a/b/g Mini-Card

All that came to £550, VAT and delivery included.

With your budget you could spec a faster CPU, higher resolution screen and a 9 cell battery and still be under budget. I wouldn't upgrade to 4GB through the website though. Much cheaper to buy the RAM elsewhere and install yourself.

clocka · 17 Aug 2007 at 10:54

get the bigger battery too, about £12 more but lasts 50% longer

well worth it!

Bossk128 · 17 Aug 2007 at 10:56

I agree, a bigger battery for only beer money. And the Bluetooth is helpful too. What I'd like to know is if the Tru Life display is any good.

I take it it's just a clear reflective coating like on my desktop monitor (see sig), which kind of makes things look sharper.

Bossk128 · 17 Aug 2007 at 10:57

Ooosp, forgot to ask, with the long delays on the supply of these machines (from what I've read in other threads), do the suppliers usually take the cash straight away, or on despatch?

"andy" · 17 Aug 2007 at 12:05

macbook

edot- actually no lol . i just noticed how much of a bargain those vostros are

ninjapilot · 17 Aug 2007 at 12:09

they are a really good spec and price these Vostro's
i paid £700 for mine 6 weeks ago :eek:

still pay ya money take ya chances

Bossk128 · 17 Aug 2007 at 12:09

andy said:
macbook

edot- actually no lol . i just noticed how much of a bargain those vostros are

Ninja edit!

to get the same GFX card you'd have to spend £1600 on a 15-inch MacBook Pro

ic1male · 17 Aug 2007 at 13:34

I think I've probably tweaked mine rather pointlessly. I feel such a tit now. Mine cost £750 but I added the processor with the 4MB cache and 2 years warranty. Rather silly things like the TrueLife display and the wireless N card instead of something useful like the bigger battery! LOL.

jas72 · 17 Aug 2007 at 14:18

bailey12856 said:
Dell Vostro range, best bang for buck at the minute mate. remember to turn the 3year warrenty into just 1 year and it knocks off over £100 quid.

i'd be careful about reducing a laptops warranty to 1 year...

jas72 · 17 Aug 2007 at 14:21

GuruJockStrap said:
I went with a Vostro 1500.

I left the spec as it was (expensive one) apart from adding True Gloss to the 1280x800 screen and a Bluetooth module.

Rest of the spec was:

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7100 Processor (1.8GHz,800MHz,2MB L2 cache)
Genuine Windows Vista™ Business
15.4" Wide Screen WXGA (1280 x 800) Display
Matte Jet Black with 2.0 mega pixel camera
2048MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024)
160GB (5400RPM) SATA Hard Drive
256MB nVidia® GeForce® 8600M GT
Fixed Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Drive
Primary 6-cell Lithium-Ion Battery (56 WHr)
Intel® Pro Wireless 3945 802.11a/b/g Mini-Card

All that came to £550, VAT and delivery included.

With your budget you could spec a faster CPU, higher resolution screen and a 9 cell battery and still be under budget. I wouldn't upgrade to 4GB through the website though. Much cheaper to buy the RAM elsewhere and install yourself.

that sounds great all for 550 including VAT and delivery????

I suppose it can play all the latest games as well? If so I might actually get one and lose the desktop since i don't have space for it anyway.... sweet news indeed...

bobert50 · 17 Aug 2007 at 14:22

jas72 said:
i'd be careful about reducing a laptops warranty to 1 year...

yer..they're just one of them things that tend to go wrong!! especially now they're getting more powerful and taking into account how difficult certain parts would be to replace a bit over a year down the line.

jas72 · 17 Aug 2007 at 14:24

nice but i can't find vostro only inspiron... i must be a dolt

Bossk128 · 17 Aug 2007 at 14:25

Look in the small business section, or do a search.

Ripper · 17 Aug 2007 at 14:28

jas72 said:
that sounds great all for 550 including VAT and delivery????

I suppose it can play all the latest games as well? If so I might actually get one and lose the desktop since i don't have space for it anyway.... sweet news indeed...

Prices have gone up slightly (see below) since the offers changed yesterday. I got exactly the same as Guru but got 9 cell battery instead, and no bluetooth. Mine was £551, and I'll have £21 coming back from quidco as well, so don't forget to use that!

If you'd have ordered the top end Vostro 1500 before Thursday you'd have got free delivery + £50 off. Now its just a straight £70 off (and you have to pay delivery which is £60 :eek:

)