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What's the most inexpensive laptop available?

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  • 14-10-2008 1:35pm
    #1
    sprinklesspanky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 178 ✭✭


    I need to learn .NET by December and I am looking for a new laptop to do this on as my current Desktop is lacking in system requirements.

    So, as I am on a budget I am looking for the cheapest laptop I can find!

    Here's what I have come up with...

    I found the Medison Celebrity laptop, this crowd sell a decent spec laptop for only $150 U.S. Dollars! They ship with a custom Fedora Linux distro but you can install Windows on them and as I already have a copy of Vista that I got for free from Microsoft I'd be sorted. Also, as they're based in Europe there'd be no issue with customs fees. Only problem is... they're not shipping right now. Also a Wikipedia article says they've had some problems delivering. :(

    Next up is the Fujitsu Siemens Esprimo V5535. It's being sold at Carphone Warehouse for €379.00. My local Dunnes is also selling the same laptop for €369 and they give €92.50 back in vouchers on your Dunnes Card that can be used at Christmas... Right now that's the best bet; but there HAS to be something cheaper!

    Last is the Dell Vostro A860, it's €367.84 including VAT and shipping.

    Not. Good. Enough. We're in a recession! I could loose my job at any time so I am holding on to every cent I've got (or at least trying).

    In the U.K. PC World are doing a mobile broadband promotion where you get the laptop for "free". As far as I know that's only available in the U.K. though.

    So I ask you, my fellow Boards.ie users, what's the cheapest deal you've heard of?
    Tagged:


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    #2
    Alanstrainor
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 23,157 Mod ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    On the one hand your current system is "lacking in system requirements" but on the other you want the cheapest possible laptop, which will be in itself "lacking".
    What spec is your current pc? And if you're on a tight budget a desktop might be the better option as the specs for the price will be far greater.
    Which leads me to the Sticky. Answer the questions in this thread How to get help on this forum.


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    #3
    sprinklesspanky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 178 ✭✭sprinklesspanky


    Alanstrainor wrote: »
    On the one hand your current system is "lacking in system requirements" but on the other you want the cheapest possible laptop, which will be in itself "lacking".
    What spec is your current pc? And if you're on a tight budget a desktop might be the better option as the specs for the price will be far greater.
    Which leads me to the Sticky. Answer the questions in this thread How to get help on this forum.

    Hi, Alanstrainor!

    Thanks for your question. Most cheap laptops will meet the Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition System Requirements, my current Desktop PC does not.

    I read the link you posted prior to posting and already answered the questions in the thread that matter in this situation.

    I am basically looking for the cheapest new laptop available! It would need a standard Irish or U.K. keyboard layout...

    Most any laptop would do bar a net book or sub notebook.

    Many people would consider the Medison Celebrity I referenced above to be a low spec laptop so I would use it a gauge.


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    #4
    Ginger
    Registered Users Posts: 2,931 ✭✭✭Ginger


    VS2008 Min requirements

    # Minimum: 1.6 GHz CPU, 384 MB RAM, 1024x768 display, 5400 RPM hard disk
    # Recommended: 2.2 GHz or higher CPU, 1024 MB or more RAM, 1280x1024 display, 7200 RPM or higher hard disk
    # On Windows Vista: 2.4 GHz CPU, 768 MB RAM

    Add to that you will probably be using SQL 2005/2008 and you need 2GB at least...

    Also dev environments are best suited to big screens because you have more real estate to see what is going on. 15" screen is painful to develop on.

    debugging applications increases ram consumption too..

    My dev laptop is a Dual core T7400 (2.16Ghz) with 4GB of RAM


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    #5
    sprinklesspanky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 178 ✭✭sprinklesspanky


    Ginger wrote: »
    VS2008 Min requirements

    # Minimum: 1.6 GHz CPU, 384 MB RAM, 1024x768 display, 5400 RPM hard disk
    # Recommended: 2.2 GHz or higher CPU, 1024 MB or more RAM, 1280x1024 display, 7200 RPM or higher hard disk
    # On Windows Vista: 2.4 GHz CPU, 768 MB RAM

    Add to that you will probably be using SQL 2005/2008 and you need 2GB at least...

    Also dev environments are best suited to big screens because you have more real estate to see what is going on. 15" screen is painful to develop on.

    debugging applications increases ram consumption too..

    My dev laptop is a Dual core T7400 (2.16Ghz) with 4GB of RAM

    Cheers Ginger, I've already got an external monitor and having to upgrade more RAM later isn't prohibitive. Most new laptops now are expandable to at least 2 GB.


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    #6
    Ginger
    Registered Users Posts: 2,931 ✭✭✭Ginger


    By all means .. but dont get a celeron or a slow disk for development! You will be crying by the first round of unit tests!


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    #7
    drunkmonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 28,118 ✭✭✭✭drunkmonkey


    Would a good second hand one not make more sense than a bad new one:confused:


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    #8
    sprinklesspanky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 178 ✭✭sprinklesspanky


    Ginger wrote: »
    By all means .. but dont get a celeron or a slow disk for development! You will be crying by the first round of unit tests!

    Thanks Ginger, but the budget is for the cheapest laptop available. If anyone knows of a any cheaper laptops than the ones i listed please chime in. Thanks!


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    #9
    sprinklesspanky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 178 ✭✭sprinklesspanky


    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    Would a good second hand one not make more sense than a bad new one:confused:

    2nd hand equals someone else's problems... I want to be the first owner.


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    #10
    sprinklesspanky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 178 ✭✭sprinklesspanky


    Found this at Currys


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    #11
    Voodu Child
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,706 ✭✭✭Voodu Child


    You don't really want to put Vista on a very low-end machine.


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    #12
    sprinklesspanky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 178 ✭✭sprinklesspanky


    So I went for the Dunnes option last weekend. I got a Fujitsu Siemens Computers ESPRIMO Mobile V5535 it was €369.00 but I will get €92.50 in vouchers back this Christmas.

    It's got a 120GB SATA drive, 1Gig of RAM, integrated SIS graphics, 2.0GHz Celeron, Windows Vista Basic.

    All in all a good deal.


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    #13
    Ginger
    Registered Users Posts: 2,931 ✭✭✭Ginger


    Bump the RAM first chance you get.


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    #14
    positivenote
    Registered Users Posts: 2,334 ✭✭✭positivenote


    are these widely available in most dunnes? ive to get a cheap laptop before friday evening for a present for my grand-da (see thread elsewhere for details) and i'll be going to blanch centre tonight.
    THanks


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    #15
    MunsterCycling
    Registered Users Posts: 4,864 ✭✭✭MunsterCycling


    Been in most Dunnes Stores I've been in receintly so would say fairly widespread, not like the Tesco farce when all the staff blocked the sale of most of the ones they had.

    MC


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    #16
    positivenote
    Registered Users Posts: 2,334 ✭✭✭positivenote


    cheers munster, would it suffice for an elderly gentleman who only wants a laptop to use the web and the likes of word? oh yeah is it wireless compatible also?
    cheers


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    #17
    MunsterCycling
    Registered Users Posts: 4,864 ✭✭✭MunsterCycling


    Should do all he wants and more especially if you add some RAM, Carphone Warehouse are doing them too, think they are WiFi enabled IIRC

    MC


    Edit:
    http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39030091,49298555,00.htm This is the Dunnes one

    http://www.carphonewarehouse.ie/product.php/464/73/fujitsu_siemens_esprimo_v5535/fb85c2f621aaae9d0c1aac74c438fb92 Carphone Warehouse one

    Both have WiFi.

    MC


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    #18
    sprinklesspanky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 178 ✭✭sprinklesspanky


    MunsterCycling wrote: »
    Should do all he wants and more especially if you add some RAM, Carphone Warehouse are doing them too, think they are WiFi enabled IIRC

    MC


    Edit:
    http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39030091,49298555,00.htm This is the Dunnes one

    http://www.carphonewarehouse.ie/product.php/464/73/fujitsu_siemens_esprimo_v5535/fb85c2f621aaae9d0c1aac74c438fb92 Carphone Warehouse one

    Both have WiFi.

    MC

    Online, the one in Carphone Warehouse is €379.00, in the store it's €400 or €349 if you get a mobile broadband package with it.


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    #19
    sprinklesspanky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 178 ✭✭sprinklesspanky


    So I've had this laptop for a couple of weeks now and my impressions are still good. When playing back video on VLC it takes a few seconds to synch at first, just pausing the video sorts that out.

    It's not a gaming computer by any means but it's perfect if you want to watch DVDs, surf the net, write code.


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