Laptop for 500€ what to buy and where

[richie]

Been looking and amazingly enough it seems an I5 can be had for just under 500€...

Before I go the Acer or Samsung route, any Ireland specific tips and tricks...

Have had two Acer and no issues, but quite fancy a samsung....

 

[john_aero]

i always liked dell, cheap and cheerfull. does job and never had major issues unlike some of the other brand ones had for company laptops.

i cant get over what spec laptop get for 500. 4 year ago same laptop would have been easily 1.5 - 2k

Dell gets my vote

 

[edmac]

i would go Dell to, 3 year NBD on site warranty is always worth a few bob with laptops

 

[Big Nick]

I've got a similar budget and have done loads of research and I am about to get a new Acer 5750G for £499 which is a really good spec albeit a bit boring looking and plasticy.

There's loads around this price but most only have intergrated graphics

Make sure its the 'G' model as this has a medium level dedicated graphics card in whilst the similar priced 5750 doesn't.

 

[Aidan1150]

I've got a similar budget and have done loads of research and I am about to get a new Acer 5750G for £499

Ah but your £500 takes Richie €50 above his stated limit.

 

[Canuck]

I had a few acers and the keyboard broke on all of them... Check on Sony... they get the least returned due to breaks/faults and you can get one for under 500.

 

[essjay]

might get something cheaper in the Dell Outlet store

http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/topics/reftopic.aspx/dfh/newarb?c=ie&l=en

(if any of the pages work)

 

[richie]

550€ is OK too... Dell, no thanks as by the time you have specced what you want they are expensive..

I found this one http://www.dabs.ie/products/acer-aspire-5742-i5-480m-3gb-320gb-15-6-hd-w7hp-7GV7.html but something about it puts me off.

I will check the other one mentioned above.

I have had this portable since Jan 2004 it has been all over Asia and Egypt in a rucksack and it still works.... an Acer BTW

 

[nud1e]

how about a nice Samsung

 

[drimcong]

2cents

I have used HPs and Toshiba Satellites, had only fixin's with a HP about 10 years ago, still running though.
What about the oul Aldi, there should be a new offer soon?
3 year warranty and the 60 days money back guarantee.
unless the computer shops have changed, the Medion service can't be any worse.
Josey

 

[richie]

too much choice and too many specs...

I don't game so do I need a dedicated graphics card?

I surf the net and work on my photos, plus a bit of word processing, excel, flash creation...

I think I will have to go to the big smoke and be seduced by a machine in a real shop...

I like the look of that Samsung but the model goes from between 450 and 600 € depending on

Hard disk size, not important to me 300gig is more than enough
Ram 3 gig is enough as long as I can expand if needed
Graphics controller... I don't know if I need or not...

Any nerds out there....

 

[Ogmios]

Richie,

if you end up in Dublin, drop into me in work.
there's a shop down the road that does good deals.

http://www.backfromthefuture.ie/home/

looked after me well when i was looking for a notepad to bring to The Gambia.
a lot of the staff here use them and rate them highly.*

*being an official supplier to my employer has no bearing on that of course.

 

[Grey Beard]

You could also look at refurbished computers.

I bought a Dell Studio 1557 HD Screen, I7, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD from Gasteiner Technologies (gas-computers on eBay). That was in Jan this year. They are a UK seller. (I wanted the Studio as I wanted a Firewire - apparently now obsolete port for video camera).

Item was in superb condition and it came preloaded with MS Win 7 Home Premium. I had a German Keyboard which probably made it slightly cheaper.

They are sometimes flexible in the spec and can change out a HDD or Memory Block if you need a better spec.

Grey Beard

 

[richie]

What about AMD Quad Core any good.

I want a laptop but it will be living on my desk...

Simply as it takes up less space and is easily put away.