Best laptop - what do the collective say?

Phil Reynolds

Phil Reynolds

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I need to buy a new laptop and don't know which one to go for. Basically I need to be able to access the web, do e-mails etc. Nothing flash like graphic design or stuff like that. My last laptop was an HP which I thought were pretty good. Turned out that some gizmo or other burned out in the heart of it and it wasn't economical to repair. Apprently this is happening to lots of HP Laptops:eek:

So I'm after something good, strong and reliable.

What do my learned friends on here advise?

Thank you.

Phil
 
I've always been a big fan of the Apple kit... Perfect if you just want something to work and not have to get involved with that techie bolox!

Have a look in the Apple Refurb Store as there are usually some decent deals on in there. If you don't want to do much more than e-mail & web, the most basic one will be more than adequate.

HTH

M
 
I was going to say avoid HP due to their piss poor warranty attitude to the meltdowns, but I see you know about that :thumb2
 
My Macbook pro died on me after 5 years. A pretty good innings I thought. But Mac's are expensive as you know. My girlfriend recently bought a Macbook Air and it's very nice but still pricey.

So to cut to the chase I had zero budget but like you needed access to the web, email, perhaps something to put my music onto and play movies from the web.

So I got this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/eMachines-Netbook-Processor-Windows-Starter/dp/B004VE7022

an emachines e350

http://netbooksreview.net/acer/emachines-e350-review/

419OZ2Z%2BVbL._SL500_AA300_.jpg


It came pre bundled with Windows7 which I don't like so I put on a netbook edition of a Linux distro called Jolicloud (www.jolicloud.com) Naturally it's free and looks like the ipad/Android layout in many ways and runs very fast on the netbook.

It looks like this:

jolibook.png



All in all the netbook cost £179 from Amazon. I'm impressed. It's not a Macbook pro but it does a lot for very little money and in a small package. :thumb2
 
MattW said:
+1 - don't listen to the blinkered Mac fanbois - get a ThinkPad :thumb
Click to expand...

Don't get me wrong, I have Mac's and do like them. But for a Windows machine that fits what Phil asked for, Lenovo ticks the boxes.

Fantastic machines.
 
I love Macs, and would always get one for work, but they're expensive. If I needed a reliable laptop just for web surfing and email stuff, I'd get a Sony Vaio. Mrs BLL has one and I'm well impressed with it - her previous laptops of other brands haven't lasted.
 
shready said:
Don't get me wrong, I have Mac's and do like them. But for a Windows machine that fits what Phil asked for, Lenovo ticks the boxes.

Fantastic machines.
Click to expand...

I own and use Macs's also but I'm typing this on a 4 year old Lenovo Z61p. It's been used 7 days a week for work and at home - well made, excellent spec, bullet proof, reliable, workhorse computer - when it dies it'll be another Lenovo for me.

I've had Vaio's but they've always broken fairly quickly - style over substance in my experience.
 
MattW said:
I own and use Macs's also but I'm typing this on a 4 year old Lenovo Z61p. It's been used 7 days a week for work and at home - well made, excellent spec, bullet proof, reliable, workhorse computer - when it dies it'll be another Lenovo for me.

I've had Vaio's but they've always broken fairly quickly - style over substance in my experience.
Click to expand...

Well said, they have a bulletproof chassis and just keep going.

Where I work we have literally thousands of them (from when they were IBM) and have done for the last 10+ years.

Funnily enough my kids like my current one and often 'borrow' it.
 
MattW said:
I've had Vaio's but they've always broken fairly quickly - style over substance in my experience.
Click to expand...

My Auntie had a Vaio which was not cheap. Within the first year the letters were disappearing off certain keys on the keyboard because they were only printed on. She is also what I would call a light user. Piss poor in my book considering the price :eek
 
For what its worth, over the past 15 I've used a laptop everyday. In that time I've never owned one but been able to spec which one I wanted. Moved from hight quality PCs to a Macbook Black 4Gb Ram over 5 years ago. And its still my main computer. There is no way any other machine would have stood up to what this has been through. Its done thusands of miles chucked in the paniers, although I have a spare battery I still use the original (generally run off mains) and the only thing I've replaced is the harddrive for £50 as it was getting a bit dodgy. In the mean time, colleagues have repalced their PC laptops twice. All have been high spec and up to the £1500 mark. No way i'd go back to PCs. No more defraging, reinstalling the OS,virus killers etc. Cant see the point. Actually to be honest I do, as I have to run Windoze progs as well so I do this in a virtual enrivonment running XP in VMware. Works for me. Not my money, but if it had been, I'd have saved a lot of money and had a much more pleasurable experience. I dont get this 'Macs cost more' arguement. Compare like with like.
 
Borderbob said:
For what its worth, over the past 15 I've used a laptop everyday. In that time I've never owned one but been able to spec which one I wanted. Moved from hight quality PCs to a Macbook Black 4Gb Ram over 5 years ago. And its still my main computer. There is no way any other machine would have stood up to what this has been through. Its done thusands of miles chucked in the paniers, although I have a spare battery I still use the original (generally run off mains) and the only thing I've replaced is the harddrive for £50 as it was getting a bit dodgy. In the mean time, colleagues have repalced their PC laptops twice. All have been high spec and up to the £1500 mark. No way i'd go back to PCs. No more defraging, reinstalling the OS,virus killers etc. Cant see the point. Actually to be honest I do, as I have to run Windoze progs as well so I do this in a virtual enrivonment running XP in VMware. Works for me. Not my money, but if it had been, I'd have saved a lot of money and had a much more pleasurable experience. I dont get this 'Macs cost more' arguement. Compare like with like.
Click to expand...



When you have to stump up £1500 for a basic Macbook, you will see the problem! :thumb
 
camel_landy said:
Hmmm... I think you should get your facts straight.

Basic MacBook (From the Retail Store)- £849
Basic MacBook (From the Refurb Store) - £649

M
Click to expand...
Well said. So much bollox talked about this. And a 'basic' Macbook is still the same quality just not as fast/not as much RAM/hard drive space. Depends what you want but I want quality and something that will last for years. And, (most importantly) be a pleasure to use and not cause me any irritations. Just want it to work.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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