Have a grand to spend

robbie1876

My head is wrecked looking at specs for laptops....

What I need is:

Core 2 Duo - any processor speed is fine
1024Mb RAM, or more
Hard drive size not important.
Graphics must be either X1300 or higher, or GeForce Go 7300 or higher, with decicated memory of at least 128MB, as the system will be used for full resolution playback of VOB files.
XP Pro ideally, but I have a copy I can install if it's anything else.

Ideally I'd like an Acer or Toshiba, and have max budget of €1000. I keep reading posts on this forum of people who have literally been mocked by posters because they spent too much on their laptop, thinking they were getting a deal. So I ask these posters, please find me a laptop that you would consider great value and great specs!

Also, is there any problems uninstalling Vista from a preinstalled laptop and putting on XP Pro instead?

TerrorFirmer

Some decent laptops within your range:

Lenovo in particular I'd recommend in particular, good solid laptops.

The big problem is your requirement for 128mb card of X1300/7300 class, typically you pay big money for even a basic dedicated card over an integrated one, regardless of the other specs of the machine.

http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/Acer_Aspire_5633WLMi_Laptop_LX.AG50J.169/version.asp

http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/Lenovo_3000_N100_Laptop_TY0FJUK/version-1.asp

Also Aldi have a machine on offer right now for 999 - It's not Core 2 Duo, but Turion X2 - for most purposes the processors are indistinguishable, so it's not an issue. It also has 1gb of ram, and most impressively, a Go7600 card - about triple the power of a Go7300 or X1300. For 999, it's unbeatable - usually a machine with a Go7600 class card costs several hundred more.

robbie1876

Thanks for the reply, Havok. That Acer laptop from laptopsdirect is on my shortlist, it definitely fits the bill. Have read a few negative experiences with laptopsdirect though, so will have to go read up a bit more on them.

The Lidl one does look tasty! However, the application I'm running is designed for Intel chipsets, which is a bummer.

Anything else worth looking at?

Cheers,
Robbie

duridian

I'd suggest taking a look on Dell's Outlet Store tbh, an Inspiron 9400 would have everything you are seeking in a laptop and you can easily get one with a gig or more of ram for under a grand.
I picked one up for a friend about a fortnight ago with following spec:
Core2 Duo 1.86Ghz processor
1.5GB ram
80GB 7200rpm hard drive
DVDRW
17" WXGA(1440x900 resolution, there is a better 1900x1200 one but it costs a lot more and is rarely seen on the outlet store deals)
X1400 mobility Radeon gfx.
9 cell heavier duty battery
All in, vat delivery etc., it cost €988 including an optical USB mouse.
When you take off the 30 day demo software and other "free" crudware the 9400 is a very fast powerful laptop which I'd say would be really good at video work if it is for that you want it.
I find the best way to clearly see what's avauilable in the Outlet store is to go to:
http://www.dell.ie/outlet
Click the green ">Dell Outlet home >>" button in the middle of the page.
On the next page click the orange "Dell Deals" box. (Trust me, this leads to a more straightforward layout than clicking the one that says Outlet Inspiron notebooks.)
It may take a couple of visits over a couple of days before you spot an exceptionally good deal, but most of the deals are still pretty good value by any standard.
Good luck with it, hope you find a good deal .

wingnut

Got a 9400 from the outlet a year ago with 3 year complete care for €1400. Mind you it does have a 256MB 7800 which was the biz back than and is still pretty good now.

Kristopherus

The Lidl one ain't half bad. It would be my first choice. Try www.computerbargains.co.uk or www.rlsupplies.co.uk for generic models

Alkers

Think I'm going to order the Acer in the above link. It's pretty much the same as the current Aldi laptop but with a core2duo instead of a core duo, better GFX (how much better I don't know) and without the 3 year warranty and tv tuner.
Is that a good buy to people reckon or is there any other "bargains" around at the moment?
What are peoples thoughts on the above site, how long does delivery normally take?
thanks

TerrorFirmer

Simona1986 wrote:

Think I'm going to order the Acer in the above link. It's pretty much the same as the current Aldi laptop but with a core2duo instead of a core duo, better GFX (how much better I don't know) and without the 3 year warranty and tv tuner.
Is that a good buy to people reckon or is there any other "bargains" around at the moment?
What are peoples thoughts on the above site, how long does delivery normally take?
thanks

The graphics are incomparably better. It's a fairly good deal - better then the Lidl one in any case. I assume you mean the Lidl one actually, because the Aldi laptop is much more powerful then the Acer we're talking about.

Alkers

I am talking about the Aldi one for €799
http://www.aldi.ie/images/data_product/59124721245dabc5a62e30.pdf

TerrorFirmer

Oh, sorry - I had it the wrong way around! Aldi have the 799 one, Lidl the 999 one - never mind!

Basically yeah, it's a much better deal then the Aldi one.

techman07

I work in IT support and we wouldn't touch acer, dreadful build quality and just try to get telephone support. The Lidl box, no idea who makes it. Lenovo and Dell have good local support if things go wrong. But for my money would have to be Toshiba, bomb proof to start with, and now with this money back offer if it fails as well as getting the original laptop back repaired, no brainier


http://ie.computers.toshiba-europe.com/cgi-bin/ToshibaCSG/NEWSARCHIVE/archived_news_article.jsp?service=IE&ID=00000072ab

goodluck with what ever you go for.

Techman07

robbie1876

Thanks for all the replies. I ended up going for a Toshiba P100-434 - http://uk.computers.toshiba-europe.com/cgi-bin/ToshibaCSG/jsp/productPage.do?service=UK&PRODUCT_ID=125202&toshibaShop=true&printFriendly=true

Chose it for reasons that techman07 describes - local support and pretty bombproof out of the box. Also, having the numeric keypad was importanat, as the video application uses alot of shortcut keys on the numeric keypad. It was way over my budget, at a total price of €1389, and I know there will be loads of people saying I could have got the same spec in different laptop cheaper etc etc, but this is the cheapest machine I could find that ticks ALL the boxes for me, not just the vital ones.

Once again, thanks for the input.

Robbie.

TerrorFirmer

It could have been worse to be very honest, Robbie. At least you got 2Gb of Ram and a Go7600 - and it's a Toshiba.

techman07

You should get years out of that and then pass it on, just make sure you send off the warranty card to get that money back deal on the outside chance ya need it.

Good luck

Techman07

bogman

Laptopsdirect Ongoing problem !!!!!!!!! :mad:
32" Lcd tv ordered Dec 15th, told this would be delivered in time for Christmas.
No TV arrived but on Jan 19th a laptop+case+mouse arrived (their mistake)
Laptops direct refuse to pay for return of incorrectly delivered laptop
We cancel the order via telephone, laptop direct eventually agree to this and to refund our money and cover the cost of returning the laptop, this was posted back to the UK
Approximately one week later the 32" Television we originally ordered arrived (another mistake)
After more unanswered phone calls (they know our phone number at this stage) they eventually agree to take charge of the return of this item and refund us all our outstanding money
Our Visa bill arrived recently and we noticed there was no refund from laptop direct!!!!!
Laptop direct were phoned today and they told us that they never arranged the collection of the television and that we must have "handed it over to some stranger that called to the door"
This company is "the worst I have ever dealt with" and would advise others to seriously consider the outlook if problems occur
It is now time to consider all option