# Lap Top



## MaryBe (18 Nov 2008)

My son aged 16 is looking for a lap top for Christmas.  Can anybody give me some advise on the best buy.  He wants a wireless lap top to download music and videos/films.  He has the PS3 but cannot download the volume he wants.
I'm not very literate on the mechanics of his requirements.  Any help would be appreciated.

Many thanks


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## Technologist (19 Nov 2008)

MaryBM said:


> My son aged 16 is looking for a lap top for Christmas.  Can anybody give me some advise on the best buy.  He wants a wireless lap top to download music and videos/films.  He has the PS3 but cannot download the volume he wants.I'm not very literate on the mechanics of his requirements.  Any help would be appreciated. Many thanks


Just about any laptop will do that as long as it has 'WiFi' and your house also has WiFi installed, attached to a broadband connection in your house.

Brands like Acer, Compaq and Toshiba are usually reliable and good value. Mostly, you can just select by price and what looks right to you. Don't get bamboozled by features or 'extras', as at the budget-end, the machines are almost identical.

But, why can't he download directly to the PS3? Is there a problem with the WiFi/broadband in the house?


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## MaryBe (19 Nov 2008)

Technologist said:


> Just about any laptop will do that as long as it has 'WiFi' and your house also has WiFi installed, attached to a broadband connection in your house.
> 
> Brands like Acer, Compaq and Toshiba are usually reliable and good value. Mostly, you can just select by price and what looks right to you. Don't get bamboozled by features or 'extras', as at the budget-end, the machines are almost identical.
> 
> But, why can't he download directly to the PS3? Is there a problem with the WiFi/broadband in the house?


Hi Technologist,
Many thanks for your feedback.  We have wireless broadband and my son connects his PS3 through it.  He is constantly asking his older sister for her lap top to download music and in turn down load to his ipod.  I think this is why!!!!  MaryBM


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## jhegarty (19 Nov 2008)

Sounds like a cheap dell would be what you are after


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## uncorked (19 Nov 2008)

I recently used this site to help make a decision on buying a laptop.  I find the reviews helpful and you can refine your search on the basis of price, size etc

http://www.reevoo.com/browse/product_type/laptop


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## Lollix (19 Nov 2008)

The dell inspiron is available in Currys/PC world at 500 euros, seems like a good enough spec for what you want. Has built-in camera as well.


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## MaryBe (19 Nov 2008)

Thanks a million for all your advice.


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## brazen_dude (19 Nov 2008)

Aldi are doing a laptop deal from 23rd nov....


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## dahamsta (19 Nov 2008)

You'll get even cheaper on the Dells if you explore the site in detail. Have a look at the Vostro's in the small business section, for example, bearing in mind that the prices are ex-VAT. Anyone can buy them though.

This isn't a direct recommendation of Dell btw, their customer support is horrendous by all accounts, but I have a rake of them and they generally just work.

adam


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## allthedoyles (19 Nov 2008)

I am also buying my daughter a laptop for xmas.

Our company IT consultant , has told me NOT to buy Dell for home use . 
He recommends to go for HP , Compaq or Toshiba only.

I have already been to PC World and i now believe the best buy in laptops is a Compaq , It is priced at 550 euro .


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## dahamsta (19 Nov 2008)

What reason did he give for that?


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## jhegarty (19 Nov 2008)

That does not make any sense to me. 

A few years ago dells were stuck together with sticky tape (the same could be said about Compaq or Toshiba)  , but now they make quality laptops.


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## allthedoyles (19 Nov 2008)

One reason for rejecting Dell was - after sales service and communication


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## Tetragon (19 Nov 2008)

I'm on my third Dell laptop and have always found Dell's after sales service second to none. Granted .... I did have the additional cover/insurance but any difficulties I ever had were always dealt with promptly.

What I like about Dell .... I can build my own system.

A contented Dell customer here.


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## rraido (22 Nov 2008)

Avoid dell like the plague, their customer service is horrendous if you have problems. Also find Dell expensive, they offer poor spec laptops and prices are high for what you get. DID have great value on a Sony laptop for €549. Great spec and everything you need.


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## PaddyBloggit (22 Nov 2008)

A very satisfied Dell customer here also.

May not suit what you're looking for but I too like to 'build/customise' my own machines and Dell suits me well for that.

The after sales insurance is a must.

I did have a need to get the service guy to call, part replaced .... quite quickly and no additional cost to me.

Only downside ..... trying to understand the accents of the Indian salespeople. Having overcome that I am 100% happy with Dell.

And I will buy from them again.


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## mathepac (22 Nov 2008)

allthedoyles said:


> ... He recommends to go for HP , Compaq or Toshiba only. ...


I would second that endorsement - build quality, reliability, support and maybe not so important these days, longevity. 

I have a Compaq lap-top, early 90's  vintage running Windows 3.x, that works!  The batteries still charge  and retain their charge quite well and the fax-modem still connects and sends and receives faxes.

HP although owning the Compaq brand and company, never killed off the brand due its positive reputation, primarily with business users.


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## rmelly (22 Nov 2008)

I've had numerous Dell laptops & desktops during the years both personal and business, all very high spec, without any problems, including customer care. They're generally my first choice, particularly since Lenovo took over IBM's laptop/desktop division and ruined the ThinkPad range.


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## HJT (22 Nov 2008)

I work in the IT sector - occasionally we fix the employee's personal lap-tops.
I would not recommend HP to anyone, they seem to give the most trouble, I would recommend Dell and Acer, there is great deals at the moment in PC World, Aldi etc.


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## Marantze (23 Nov 2008)

I also have had a number of Dell laptops,and I can only complement the quality of there products and there after sales service.
Another point I would like to mention is that Dell have a hell of a lot of Irish people employed in this country,in not only assembly but also in R/D so I feel a slight seance of loyalty to them.
I also accept that a number of the other manufacturers have some form of activity in this country.

PS..I am not an employee of Dell just in case anyone has that way of thinking.


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## Technologist (23 Nov 2008)

HJT said:


> I work in the IT sector - occasionally we fix the employee's personal lap-tops.
> I would not recommend HP to anyone, they seem to give the most trouble, I would recommend Dell and Acer, there is great deals at the moment in PC World, Aldi etc.


It's not safe to generalise by brand. Many laptops, especially budget ones are contracted out & badged by the brand-owner and it's possible for one range of HP machines to be top-notch and another to have QA problems.

I'd say that most well-known brands budget laptops are equal in quality or lack thereof. 

One thing to look out for would be vendors who try to wriggle out of their Sale of Goods Act obligations by convincing you to take out 'insurance' or make you claim under warranty or send the computer to the manufacturer.

Choose a vendor who's known to resolve complaints quickly & at first hand.


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## Complainer (23 Nov 2008)

dahamsta said:


> Have a look at the Vostro's in the small business section, for example, bearing in mind that the prices are ex-VAT. Anyone can buy them though.


The 'catch' here is that you may well be voiding your consumer rights by buying as a business, so tread carefully.

Does the OP need to buy new? There will be lots of businesses and families with hand-me-down machines available for next to nothing around Xmas. Talk to your family and friends and see what happens.


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## Rois (24 Nov 2008)

I can't see too many people giving away wireless laptops right now!  I think you should be for a laptop with a minimum spec of 2GB RAM, Windows Vista, 160 GB Hard Drive, Wireless enabled.  You should be able to pick one up for around €500 in any of the retailers.  Reliable brands (in my opinion) would be Sony (but pricey), HP or Compaq (same company now), Toshiba, Dell, Asus and Acer. Also make sure he has anti-virus (either one of the free versions or something like Kaspersky or Norton 2009). 

Declaration:  I am affiliated to a PC vendor.


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## Guest128 (24 Nov 2008)

Exclude the Microsoft pack (word, excel etc) and save yourself another circa €200 off the cost.....you can use alternate free software (if its for downloading music its unlikely he'll be doing many spread-sheets anyway)


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## MaryBe (24 Nov 2008)

Hi everybody.  Many thanks for all your very informative and helpful replies.  I have ordered a Laptop Acer 5920 from a company in the UK for GBP 349.97 = Euro 416.20.  It has everything (and more) that my son could possibly want.  Again many thanks, it's great to have a network of help on this forum.


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## Sylvester3 (24 Nov 2008)

FLANDERS` said:


> Exclude the Microsoft pack (word, excel etc) and save yourself another circa €200 off the cost.....you can use alternate free software (if its for downloading music its unlikely he'll be doing many spread-sheets anyway)



Just to add to this, I've used Sun Systems Open Office suite of free office software, and it is very good. It also appears to be compatible with Microsoft Office. I installed it for my aunt who wanted to work on her spreadsheets at home sometimes, and it worked with her copies of excel spreadheets.


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