Laptop for sister. Advice please

cosgrove80

I'm looking for a laptop for my sister. I was told that there wasn't much point in getting something without a Core Duo processor and a dedicated graphics card. I think those specs would be a bit excessive considering the usage. Could someone cast a critical eye over my choices below and see what you think?

Thanks

Price range: €800 would be top of the budget.

Intended use: Laptop would be used for various day to day tasks. Skype (etc.), DVDs, word processing, iTunes, photo editing a little. She'd probably store most of her photos and mp3's on it.
I'd imagine gaming isn't an issue as she only plays puzzle games and Flash stuff mainly.

Mobility: She wouldn't be carrying it around much but would need to be able to move it around the house and up stairs without difficulty. Any long distance would be covered by car. Would like to keep weight to a minimum though.

Links: Aside from the Dell outlet & ebay stores I was looking at the following laptops on laptopsdirect.ie and PC World.

Compaq V6133 on pcworld.ie =€750
http://pcworld.ie/productDetails.aspx?productRID=1821&image=Compaq

Acer Aspire on laptopsdirect.ie = €730
http://laptopsdirect.ie/Aspire_Aspire_5101_AWLMi_Laptop_LX.ABH0J.083/version.asp

Toshiba Satellite Pro on laptopsdirect.ie =€665
http://laptopsdirect.ie/Toshiba_Satellite_Pro_L100_PSLA1E-00G006EN/version.asp

Tv-out: Not really important

Leaning towards the Acer at the moment

Thanks for any advice

TerrorFirmer

For those sort of requirements, you do not need a Core Duo, in fact, not only do you not need one of those, you don't even need a Pentium M. A Celeron or Sempron processor would be more then sufficent. Certainly, whoever told you you needed a dedicated graphics card for those sort of tasks is an idiot - integrated cards are designed precisely for that sort of activity, and more.

The Toshiba there is a good one - good specs for the price, and they are well built machines. They are all relatively nice machines but even those basic models are far more powerful then she'll likely need. The only real problem is that the very cheap options i nthe 500-ish range, while probably still suitable for her, tend not to be quite as pleasing to the eye or as portable. I'd say go with the Toshbia, as it's cheapest, a good make and still more then enough for her needs. The other two are slightly more powerful, but for the sort of tasks she does from day to day, she won't notice any difference.

The Toshbia has a much smaller hard drive then the Acer and the Compaq, but I don't think she'll even need more then 40gigs in any case. Still though, for the few extra quid the Acer I suppose is a good machine....much better graphics option as well should she for some reason, decide to break out the odd game or two....

thebman

Well Windows Vista is releasing next year and she'll probably get a free upgrade. If she wants the graphical effects then a dedicated graphics card (256MB recommended for max eye candy) will be probably be required and a core duo wouldn't hurt but not really neccessary for Vista either I don't think. It says its Vista capable but that means it can just run it. It does not mean it'll run it well. Vista with minimum eye candy looks like Windows 98 although you probably won't be reduced to that.

XP should do or media centre edition if you can get it given thats what the laptop will be used for and media centre just looks nicer than regular old XP.

The Toshiba looks decent but upgrade it to 1GB of RAM if you intend to install Vista on it. Other than that I think it looks like a decent laptop. The lack of a dedicated graphics card is annoying but not too big a worry IMO. If you can upgrade it cheap then do it. Toshiba are quality laptops. My brother ordered the laptops for his comany and they are all Toshiba's and they've not had a single problem.

In saying that, I'd probably go for the Acer myself and upgrade the warranty to 3 years but then I'm a gamer and a tech geek so I'd want to check out all the eye candy in Vista. If your sister isn't into any of that then it isn't really necessary and you should just go with the Toshiba.

I'd avoid Compaq and Pc World TBH. One of my friends had a Compaq in college and it was just a pain in the ass and I don't like Pc World in general. The Toshiba is the best of the bunch for quality or the Acer with a decent warranty for power (I've seen people complain about problems overheating with Acer laptops).

K.O.Kiki

Vista this, Vista that.
If it runs all the features she wants to use, why would she go through all the hassle of upgrading in the first place? :rolleyes: Integrated graphics are fine for the majority of users.

Tom Dunne

K.O.Kiki wrote:

Vista this, Vista that.
If it runs all the features she wants to use, why would she go through all the hassle of upgrading in the first place? :rolleyes: Integrated graphics are fine for the majority of users.

Couldn't agree more. Core Duo + dedicated graphics card = power user (also = more money). For watching DVD's and listening to mp3's you certainly don't need that horsepower.

I would go for the Toshiba, simply for the fact that the Acer has more bells and whistles that may not be needed in this situation.

cosgrove80

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

The person who told me about getting a Core Duo etc. was trying to "future proof" it I guess.

Thinking of going for the Acer now as I noticed the Toshiba doesn't have a DVDRW drive. It may never get used but with blank DVDs so cheap now it would seem like a standard requirement, to me at least.

Plus buying a stick of 512MB RAM for the Toshiba for Vista (mmm shiny) would put the price up. Coupled with the fact the Acer has over twice the storage and the fact it has the built in (albeit bit crappy) camera seems to make it a better deal.

I hate even asking this question but with presents it not all about practicality; Do Acer laptops "look nicer" physically than the Toshiba or a Dell?

Thanks again for the replies

Glazun

I dont find Dell laptops look that nice tbh.. o_O just kinda weird, the XPS looks alright, though I dont get the whole XPS LED fasination. Personally LED's piss me off.

thebman

K.O.Kiki wrote:

Vista this, Vista that.
If it runs all the features she wants to use, why would she go through all the hassle of upgrading in the first place? :rolleyes: Integrated graphics are fine for the majority of users.

I was explaining why the person who told him he needed a dedicated card said that, not saying he neccessarily needed it.

cosgrove80 wrote:

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

The person who told me about getting a Core Duo etc. was trying to "future proof" it I guess.

Thinking of going for the Acer now as I noticed the Toshiba doesn't have a DVDRW drive. It may never get used but with blank DVDs so cheap now it would seem like a standard requirement, to me at least.

Plus buying a stick of 512MB RAM for the Toshiba for Vista (mmm shiny) would put the price up. Coupled with the fact the Acer has over twice the storage and the fact it has the built in (albeit bit crappy) camera seems to make it a better deal.

I hate even asking this question but with presents it not all about practicality; Do Acer laptops "look nicer" physically than the Toshiba or a Dell?

Thanks again for the replies

That Acer laptop looks a lot nicer than the Toshiba. A lot of Toshiba's look great but the speakers make that one look horrible.

The thing about the Acer is that I would recommend a 3 year warranty. However most manufacturers allow you to upgrade your warranty so you could see if there are problems with it in the first year and let your sister choose to buy one if it is required later.

I'd go for the Acer and get a 3 year warranty if buying for myself. You could ask about the price of going for the 3 year warranty and if its a bit much ask can you upgrade to a 3 year after purchase.

cosgrove80

I made a purchase from the Dell Outlet store last night. Purchase isn't sitting well with me. I thought it was a good spec for the price. What do you think?

I got the following Inspiron 640m for €767

Core 2 Duo Processor T5600 (1.83 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB
Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
1024MB 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM (2x512)
No Floppy Drive
80GB (5, 400 rpm) Hard Drive
14.1 W Screen WXGA+ UltraSharp (1440 X 900)
Internal 56K Modem
8X DVD+/-RW
English - Microsoft Works 8
9 Cell 80WHr Primary Battery

I'm regretting not getting the Toshiba mention in this thread:
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055024127

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

Biro

cosgrove80 wrote:

I made a purchase from the Dell Outlet store last night. Purchase isn't sitting well with me. I thought it was a good spec for the price. What do you think?

I got the following Inspiron 640m for €767

Core 2 Duo Processor T5600 (1.83 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB
Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
1024MB 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM (2x512)
No Floppy Drive
80GB (5, 400 rpm) Hard Drive
14.1 W Screen WXGA+ UltraSharp (1440 X 900)
Internal 56K Modem
8X DVD+/-RW
English - Microsoft Works 8
9 Cell 80WHr Primary Battery

I'm regretting not getting the Toshiba mention in this thread:
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055024127

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

Your dell has a smaller screen... and thats it! In every other way its superior to the Toshiba spec there. Also, you have the ultra sharp screen, which should be better quality than the standard screens. Your processor is a lot better than the one in the toshiba, as the Core 2 Duo is using newer architecture than the Core Duo. It's the best Intel have at the minute. I'd be much happier with your purchase than the Toshiba.
Congrats on your new machine!

cosgrove80

Biro wrote:

Your dell has a smaller screen... and thats it! In every other way its superior to the Toshiba spec there. Also, you have the ultra sharp screen, which should be better quality than the standard screens. Your processor is a lot better than the one in the toshiba, as the Core 2 Duo is using newer architecture than the Core Duo. It's the best Intel have at the minute. I'd be much happier with your purchase than the Toshiba.
Congrats on your new machine!

Thanks for the reply, it's put my mind to ease.

I still haven't got my order number and I'm worried that I won't have it in time for Christmas. They email said they send the order number by post.

I have a web reference number but that's all. When I ring the outlet store I get bounced around an Indian call center.

They're supposed to call me back but I'm not holding my breath.

Does anybody have a number I ring directly to Limerick to find out?

Ghost Train

cosgrove80 wrote:

Thanks for the reply, it's put my mind to ease.

I still haven't got my order number and I'm worried that I won't have it in time for Christmas. They email said they send the order number by post.

I have a web reference number but that's all. When I ring the outlet store I get bounced around an Indian call center.

They're supposed to call me back but I'm not holding my breath.

Does anybody have a number I ring directly to Limerick to find out?

I also bought a laptop from the ebay outlet thing this week, got my reference number shortly after paying, and the order number emailed later that evening. The dell website say it was dispatched to interlink the next day. Very strange that your experience is so different. The only contact I had was with the sales person in cherrywood, dublin, through the 1850 200 778
number. (there's an office number on the document +353 1 2860500 btw, the sales person even seemed to include their mobile number for me I had any problem)

Have you tried entering your details into the tracking page at dell.ie?(http://support.euro.dell.com/support/order/emea/SearchForm.aspx?~ck=pn) I'd say it just takes them a few days to process some orders, but I'm surprised there's such a differance between your experience and mine. Nice spec machine btw, hope it works out smoothly for you

cosgrove80

Thanks for the numbers. I tried one on the letterhead and didn'tget me through. Will double check the other one but think I rang it already.

No matter who I ring I get put through to a sales person and when I don't have an order number they put me through to customer care. Customer care say they can't look at Outlet store orders and put me through and the cycle begins again.

Can't track the order as I have no order number yet.

Everyone who I've spoken to has been Indian. Not, being racist but I'd just like to talk to someone on the same continent as my laptop!

Sorry rant over.

Ghost Train

Yeah I thought with an email address and internet reference you might be able to get some details from the website, but doesn't seem to work. Maybe tracking down the the person who processed the order for you, if you have there name from their email address or the booking reference document, but I suppose that what you've been trying to do

I also bought a laptop from the Dell Outlet (by way of eBay). Actually I had to pay a friend the amount and get them to ring up because I don't have a credit card.

But I'm also slighty regretting the purchase and thinking perhaps I should have got a different laptop....can I return the Dell Laptop within a certain time and get refunded?

Ghost Train

Deleted User wrote:

I also bought a laptop from the Dell Outlet (by way of eBay). Actually I had to pay a friend the amount and get them to ring up because I don't have a credit card.

But I'm also slighty regretting the purchase and thinking perhaps I should have got a different laptop....can I return the Dell Laptop within a certain time and get refunded?

yep, but I guess you pay for it's return.

7.3 Consumers may cancel their Orders for any reason until, but no later
than:
7.3.1 the end of the 7th “working day” (days other than weekend days & public
holidays) after the day of receipt of the Product &/or of the Service Order Confirmation
(as applicable); or
7.3.2 the end of the 7th working day after the date when all such
information required by law is supplied.
7.4 Consumers’ right to cancel Software that is supplied on CD, DVD or
other similar storage devices is also lost if the Software is unwrapped.
7.5 On cancellation of Products Consumer is obliged to return the goods to
Dell in their original condition, undamaged & at the cost of Consumer. Consumer shall
take reasonable care to ensure that the goods are not damaged whilst in transit using
means arranged by Consumer. Whilst in possession of the goods Consumer shall be
under a duty to take reasonable care of them. Dell shall take action against Consumer
for goods returned which have been made unfit for resale or damaged whilst in the
possession of Consumer.
7.6 The provisions of this Clauses 7.3, 7.4 & 7.5 do not apply to Product or
Software that is damaged or defective.
7.7 On cancellation of the Order Dell will refund the price paid, less the
direct cost of recovering the goods (when applicable), within a period of 30 days from
date of cancellation.

cosgrove80

Deleted User wrote:

I also bought a laptop from the Dell Outlet (by way of eBay). Actually I had to pay a friend the amount and get them to ring up because I don't have a credit card.

But I'm also slighty regretting the purchase and thinking perhaps I should have got a different laptop....can I return the Dell Laptop within a certain time and get refunded?

Read point 7 of the T&C's. You have a 7 working day "cooling off" period to return a product.

This is from the regular Outlet store and not the Ebay version, so I'm not sure if they are the same

Edit: Same as above

Capt'n Midnight

cosgrove80 wrote:

The person who told me about getting a Core Duo etc. was trying to "future proof" it I guess.

LOL

Haven't they heard of Moores law ?

If you spend double the money (€1600) now, in three years time you will have something that will be wiped by the entry level €800 laptop of three years hence. Or you could spend €800 now and put the €800 away and have the choice of buying that other laptop in three years if you need it.

Ghost Train

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

LOL

Haven't they heard of Moores law ?

If you spend double the money (€1600) now, in three years time you will have something that will be wiped by the entry level €800 laptop of three years hence. Or you could spend €800 now and put the €800 away and have the choice of buying that other laptop in three years if you need it.

There are different ways of looking at it. If you got a high end laptop two/three years ago say a pentium m, it will match a budget celeron from today, so you get a high end laptop for a year or two and get another three years or so of low end performance from it. I think everyone has a certain budget, so best to use it how it suits you. In a year or two when hd drives are more afordable having a machine thats fast enough to use one might be better than having to go out and upgrade the whole laptop. At the moment dual cores seem to be at the price where it makes sense to go for them, a year ago they were new and fairly pricey

thebman

cosgrove80 wrote:

I made a purchase from the Dell Outlet store last night. Purchase isn't sitting well with me. I thought it was a good spec for the price. What do you think?

I got the following Inspiron 640m for €767

Core 2 Duo Processor T5600 (1.83 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB
Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
1024MB 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM (2x512)
No Floppy Drive
80GB (5, 400 rpm) Hard Drive
14.1 W Screen WXGA+ UltraSharp (1440 X 900)
Internal 56K Modem
8X DVD+/-RW
English - Microsoft Works 8
9 Cell 80WHr Primary Battery

Looks good spec wise except it doesn't mention what the graphics card is so it is probably integrated. If you have any hint of an issue in the first year, I'd upgrade the warranty to 3 years. I had an Inspiron a few years ago and it broke a week out of warranty and Dell wouldn't do anything for me. Needed a mother board replacement

cosgrove80

LONG story short, the laptop arrived today.

No dispatch info or customer no. given by Dell by post or otherwise. Actually when I was on to Dell today trying to sort it, I missed a call from the courier. To give them credit it was a quick turnaround but it would've been nice to know about it.

Seems like a nice machine. Slight hairline scratch on the cover, which I thought only applied to the eBay Outlet items, but it's no big deal. If she doesn't like it I might keep it myself

Thanks for all the help and advice, Christmas is saved!

Would I be right in saying you got it in 6 days? Just curious as to what the average delivery time is so I might know when to expect mine.

I'm actually in Limerick and the Outlet is here...I wonder will it make it in time for Santa

cosgrove80

Deleted User wrote:

Would I be right in saying you got it in 6 days? Just curious as to what the average delivery time is so I might know when to expect mine.

I'm actually in Limerick and the Outlet is here...I wonder will it make it in time for Santa

I ordered it on the 12th of December. It was Monday at 2am so the would have begun processing it Tuesday morning.

It was dispatched on Thursday and I got it this afternoon (Monday 18th).

You might be cutting it fine even if they deliver on Saturdays