Good Toshiba Deal?

Fanfan

Hi All

I seen a deal today in a Currys leaflet in todays Sunday World paper. Im going to buying a laptop this christmas but just need some advice from yous so please help if you can. Just to let yous know i will be using this laptop mainly for Football Manager 07 and downloading from the internet.

The deal is as follows for 749.99 euro

Toshiba:
Intel Core Duo T2050 processor
1.6 GHz, 533MHz FSB, 2MB cache
1024 MB RAM, 60GB hard drive.
DVD ReWriter SuperMulti
15.4 widescreen TruBrite display
128MB Intel UMA 945 integrated graphics
Microsoft Windows Media Center
Model: A100-147

This is a deal which just caught my eye seems maybe even better than what i have seen on Dells website. Can anyone let me know if this truely is a great deal as i dont have a good knowledge when it comes to laptops and computers.

Thanks in advance for ANY help!

swingking

That's actually a great deal. The only thing lacking is the graphics card. The dual-core processor, the huge ram, and the manufacturer make this a top of hte range laptop and well worth the money

Roddy23

Fanfan do you know if that deal is nationwide, or just to a particular store?

subway

the intel 945 is actually pretty good compared to some of the other cards they have had.
i played half life 2 on mine for a while - low details etc but still playable.
i think it should be fine for football manager.

it probably doesnt seem important to you now,
but make sure the laptop qualifies for a vista upgrade.
when you come to sell it on in a year or two, vista may add a few hundred onto the value of the machine

Fanfan

Sorry im not sure if the deal is nationwide or not. So do yous think its good deal to go for yeah? Thanks for all the help.

subway

its a great deal for the price.
just dont let them talk you into an "extended warranty" or overpirced accessories.

if your buying on the 0% finance be careful as its 12 payments of 2.5% of the principle followed by a balloon payment of the balance in 12 motnhs time.
which will be next christmas.

Fanfan

Cheers Subway. What is the vista upgrade? What accessories would i need to buy? Anti virus? Which is best Norton?

Bluefoam

Fanfan wrote:

Cheers Subway. What is the vista upgrade? What accessories would i need to buy? Anti virus? Which is best Norton?

For anti-virus i use 'agv home free edition' its hard to find on their website but very good. & I also use 'zone alarm' fiewall.

TerrorFirmer

Bluefoam wrote:

For anti-virus i use 'agv home free edition' its hard to find on their website

www.free.grisoft.com

subway

vista upgrade means that the pc you buy now comes with xp installed as normal.
but in a months time when vista is realased microsoft will send you a copy that you can install if you want.
vista is the new microsoft operating system to replace xp and will cost anything up to 400eu so a free copy is a handy thing to have
here is toshibas site - http://www.isd.toshiba.com.au/vistaupgrade/index.html

i use windows live one care which is a firewall and antivrus all-in-one.
i would receommend it above the likes of norton etc.
its built on an antivrus called g-data which is what i used before ms bought that company.
its 50eu for 3 pcs for a year.
http://www.windowsonecare.com/

the only accesory you really need is a laptop bag.
you may want to buy an external hard drive and so on,
but unless you need them straight away they can generally be bought cheaper online.

hope this helps

ressem

Windows onecare is only available in the US currently, or as a 90 day beta.
So may cause issues when it expires on you.

Avoid till it's available for real in europe.

subway

didnt realise it was US only.
im using it on vista which is a 180 day trial so ahvent upgraded yet.

i have it on an xp machine and the 90 day trial is rtm not beta.
imho its still better than most av stuff out there, and if its free for 90days all the better.

you can uninstall and switch to another brand then if you like.

Will Vista work on that laptop?

AFAIK you need a minimum of 2gb ram

Pansy Potter

Roddy23 wrote:

Fanfan do you know if that deal is nationwide, or just to a particular store?

If its in a national Sunday paper the likelihood id that its mationwide. Think it was in the Irish Sunday Times yesterday as well

subway

Deleted User wrote:

Will Vista work on that laptop?

AFAIK you need a minimum of 2gb ram

i have vista running perfectly on 512mb at home.
the laptop has 1 gig and is also fine

DublinEvents

From the looks of it, this laptop is perfect for your needs. The graphics card can easily handle the new fancy AERO interface of Vista. If you feel like playing a few 3D games down the road, the integrated Intel graphics might get a bit long in the tooth though.

Fanfan

Thanks for all the help above. Im going to purchase this on Friday just wondering any advice on getting online with my laptop......Which broadband should I go for? Ntl is not an option as it doesn’t work in my house for some reason!

Cheers
Paul

swingking

Btw This offer exists in Dixons stores and Pc World stores nationwide.

Fanfan

Would the fact that its only 60GB hard drive cause me problems????

subway

60gig = about 55 in real terms
its not enough to store massive amounts of video or music,
you can install windows and all the programs youd normally need onto about 8 or 9 gigs.
that would leave you with about 45 for files.
with pictures and office docs that 45 will last you a lifetime - unless your a workaholic or take a lot of super high resolution pictures - so say 2 or 3 gigs max.
consider about 5 gigs per game you install [2 games at any o ne time?] and that still leaves you with 30 gigs to play around with.
that should cover about 10000 mp3s or 20 hours of video.
unless your storing all your video and mp3s on it you should be fine.
my laptop has 80gigs,
about 55 is free at any one time [vista and xp installed]

Mr Marenghi

I bought this Toshiba laptop last Thursday.

Its 899 normally and is 749 in PC World and Currys in Blanchardstown, don't know about anywhere else.

No probs with it so fa.r, running perfectly all weekend

Fanfan

Fanfan wrote:

Would the fact that its only 60GB hard drive cause me problems????

no, simply buy an external Hard Drive from Komplett or Dabs.ie. These can be relatively cheap <€120 and give you a lifetime of storage.

TerrorFirmer

The graphics card can easily handle the new fancy AERO interface of Vista. If you feel like playing a few 3D games down the road, the integrated Intel graphics might get a bit long in the tooth though.

As subway said, the Intel Gma950 is alot better then previous Intel integrated offerings but if you plan playing anything other then FM '07, you might want to look elsewhere. The Gma is relatively ok for un-demanding and older 2003 downwards games, but for most new games in the action or particularly FPS genre from 2004 onwards, the GMA is basically completely worthless and renders games unplayable. Just to address the graphics 'might' get a bit long in the tooth statement there, as its a bit misleading. Intel integrated solutions are light years behind even Ati's and Nvidias which actually come in the same price bracket if you look hard enough, and offer about 120% performance increase in terms of games.

Also, regarding Aero, the only slightly inferior GMA900 is not even offically supported for Vista, so don't expect the GMA950 to 'easily handle' Vista either. It may, and it may not, I don't know. But as with the gaming issue, don't be mislead.

subway

the gma950 can easily handle vista.
im running it right now.

TerrorFirmer

My mistake then, sorry. Again, just seeing as the 900 version doesn't support vista I thought it possible the 950 would encounter problems with some of the more advanced features.

subway

there are definitely issues with the pixel shaders in the 900.
apparently intel cant even write a drvier that will work correctly with dx10.
thats about all i know on that side of things :rolleyes:

the other thing i know is that the 950 was designed with dx10 and vista in mind so is perfectly good.

the only issue i have is battery life on my laptop is running at about 40% when runing vista compared to xp, and thats in power saver mode.
but hopefully driver improvements in the next while will take care of that.

myleftfoot

Can you replace the videocard in your laptop??

MjM

Well technically it is possible to change a graphics card in some notebooks using an interface known as MXM, however most manufacturers use custom versions of this with the end result being a standard that isn't an actual standard!! Also most manufacturers integrate the graphics chips on to the mainboard of the laptop. This means if you want to change your graphics you have to change the manboard which probably costs as much as a new pc in the first place!!

subway

usually the only model you can replace it with is one from a higher spec version of your own laptop.
ie, i have a dell m1210 with a gma950
there is also a dell m1210 with a geforce7600 [i think]
i could buy one on ebay that came out of a dead m1210 but pretty much nothing else

jackelle

i have a one year old toshiba equium m70-173 would it be worth selling it and buying this satellite L30-134 or should i hold out until i can get some more money together?

el diablo

I bought that Toshiba (A100-147) about a month ago and it's GREAT. absolutely no complaints.

It's a bargain...:D

Auvers

Can anyone confirm that dixons are also doing this deal?

el diablo

Auvers wrote:

Can anyone confirm that dixons are also doing this deal?

pretty sure they are. I saw it advertised but maybe some stores are out of stock..

Auvers

Just bought one today in Dixons its a bargain at €750 & it comes with a free vista upgrade

swingking

which branch did you buy it from

Auvers

swingking wrote:

which branch did you buy it from

Jervis Street

Fanfan

I bought it in Liffey Valley and never told anything about free vista upgrade????!!!

subway

subway wrote:

vista upgrade means that the pc you buy now comes with xp installed as normal.
but in a months time when vista is realased microsoft will send you a copy that you can install if you want.
vista is the new microsoft operating system to replace xp and will cost anything up to 400eu so a free copy is a handy thing to have
here is toshibas site - http://www.isd.toshiba.com.au/vistaupgrade/index.html

i already told you to make sure you get it....

Fanfan

Yeah i know you did Subway. But when i asked he said something along the lines of it would cost me more!!!

subway

check the pakcge for an upgrade coupon anyway.
if not go direct to modus and apply for it
https://upgradeweb.moduslink.com/Vista/ConsumerWebsite/(S(wxumq4555525ko55ccqmmx55))/GlobalLandingPage.aspx?oem=&Lang=

full info here -
http://ie.computers.toshiba-europe.com/cgi-bin/ToshibaCSG/generic_content.jsp?service=IE&ID=2006-10-Vista-Express-Upgrade-IE

the sales guy was wrong

Fanfan

Thanks subway youve been a big help

phog

Sorry for cutting across this post but it may be relevant.

I'm checking out Laptops at the moment and from what I've read on this post the Toshiba seems an OK purchase.

I've seen 2 Toshibas for e750 as follows

Harvey Norman's - Intel T1350 Processor & 80 GB HD
Curry's (same spec as the OP) - Intel Centrino T2050 Processor & 60GB HD

Which is the best option for Surfing, Spreadsheets, Photo Editing, Photo Storage and Wireless BB?

I've a thread here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055028209on my initial search for views.

Thanks in advance.

Dark Hair

Well I have been know to do my research when it comes to laptops....

This one? A gamers Dream? nah.

But for a lap top it is a super deal.

Just check out other Toshibas on Elara etc and if you find one with a Duo and a gig of Ram... umm about 1300+

Now this one won't do BF6040000 Superfighters (Minus the 80 gig Patch required) Or Doom 700! But for a lap top for music/pics/work/surfing it is a great bargain.

By the way.. Currys/Dixions/PCWorld are all the same group. If you ask them to check stock they all search each other. This particular model is had to get. 23 In Cork and 15 in Galway. Their stock control ain't up to much though as the Galway branch said the probably have "3" ... eh.... I asked as the square were showing 7 and had none...

I don't know how the above shops arranged this deal but it is really a bargain. Mostly due to being a toshiba. Not over the moon about the asthetics of it but seriously I did Airside/Square/Liffy/Blanch & Harvery Norms and if you compare all the laptops this is a really good deal. Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile with a gig of Ram + Toshiba with TruBrite WXGA (try finding a Tosh with that on it for under 1400 ....)

I nearly bought two....... But I settled for one....


Oh and they are still selling for about 599 STG on PC world UK.

Grab one Fan. Unless you are a Super gaymer freak.


This is a way good lap top for the non gamer/super light required.

If my old NX7010 didn't have dedicated GFX plus the extra 1 GIG of Ram I put in it at a cost of 150+ .... I might just have bought 2. (Not to mention my 2 grand SonyZX @ 1.6 kg )

Dark Hair

phog wrote:

Harvey Norman's - Intel T1350 Processor & 80 GB HD
Curry's (same spec as the OP) - Intel Centrino T2050 Processor & 60GB HD

Be carefull with those T numbers. That T1350 is what is now called a "solo"

IE it is the old technology. Pentium "M" etc.

The Toshiba is a "Duo". (Not a Duo 2 mind)

Thats the big difference.