Cheap, basic laptop?

Clare Bear

My sister is looking to get a laptop. Just something very basic that she'd use for surfing the net and that her kids can play games on etc so nothing too spectacular or expensive considering a 5 year old will be using it. Any recommendations?

Voodu Child

If she would like a full-sized laptop, you can currently get a decent Dell Inspiron 15 for €419 including shipping. Link. The second one in. Thats pretty good value as it's dual core, and has most of the things i'd be looking for in a basic laptop (ie you would be fine without upgrading it).

If she wants a netbook (ie very portable 10" laptop), you can get some great ones around the €250-300 range. The Amazon bestsellers is always a good place to start: Link. Currently the HP Mini 110 looks like good value at £210. They're ideal for kids, but just be aware that netbooks are a lot less powerful than a full sized (and more expensive) laptop, so they'll be slower for many tasks, and don't have some things that a full laptop has (DVD drives etc).

goat2

Voodu Child wrote: »

If she would like a full-sized laptop, you can currently get a decent Dell Inspiron 15 for €419 including shipping. Link. The second one in. Thats pretty good value as it's dual core, and has most of the things i'd be looking for in a basic laptop (ie you would be fine without upgrading it).

If she wants a netbook (ie very portable 10" laptop), you can get some great ones around the €250-300 range. The Amazon bestsellers is always a good place to start: Link. Currently the HP Mini 110 looks like good value at £210. They're ideal for kids, but just be aware that netbooks are a lot less powerful than a full sized (and more expensive) laptop, so they'll be slower for many tasks, and don't have some things that a full laptop has (DVD drives etc).

there are also reconditioned laptops for around the tow to three hundred euro

bonzodog2

I'd say get a 2nd-hand one off ebay. I use a Dell c610,1GHz processor with 512 MB RAM myself. I bought one 2years ago for about 300, and 3 more recently for (2 for 190 euro) and 1 for 165 euro (bigger disk, internal wifi,bag). kids are apt to break things like touchpads - get a USB mouse! (and keep the juice away from the keyboard)
I'm using one of them now, and can d/l movies & music while watching films and still running a program in the background that does protein research, taking up 80% of CPU power.
The main thing I don't like about it is it only has a USB v1 port, but I have a PCMCIA card 4xUSB2 for external things

ricman

YOU CAN GET A LAPTOP,CELERON cpu,15inch screen about 1gig ram,dvd drive, around 270 in dixons ,currys.
OR BUY A PENTIUM 4 laptop 1ghz cpu, 500meg ram, dvd drive, for 150 on www.adverts.ie for sale.Make sure it has wifi,if you need wifi.
TEST IT BEFORE YOU BUY, DOES IT LOAD DVDS, is the sound ok, are all drivers installed,on device manager,control panel.
I dont see the point of buying a netbook,screen is ten inchs, for 280.
I would not let a 5 year old carry round a netbook, cos it WILL get dropped.AT some point.
see here http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=196731&cat=127
you dont need a battery, just use esb plug in to the mains.
if you buy this test it be4 you buy it.

Clare Bear

ricman wrote: »

YOU CAN GET A LAPTOP,CELERON cpu,15inch screen about 1gig ram,dvd drive, around 270 in dixons ,currys.
OR BUY A PENTIUM 4 laptop 1ghz cpu, 500meg ram, dvd drive, for 150 on www.adverts.ie for sale.Make sure it has wifi,if you need wifi.
TEST IT BEFORE YOU BUY, DOES IT LOAD DVDS, is the sound ok, are all drivers installed,on device manager,control panel.
I dont see the point of buying a netbook,screen is ten inchs, for 280.
I would not let a 5 year old carry round a netbook, cos it WILL get dropped.AT some point.
see here http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=196731&cat=127
you dont need a battery, just use esb plug in to the mains.
if you buy this test it be4 you buy it.

Can I just ask what Dixons you saw that in? My sister was in Dixons in Cork and the cheapest Laptop they had was 575.

Just looking at refurbished ones on the PC World site, does this one look okay? http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/ei-systems-sorrento-refurbished-laptop-03885324-pdt.html

ricman

I THINK it was dixons, or currys blanchardstown, shopping centre, lower floor, dublin.
I CANT remember the exact price they had 1 or 2 celeron laptops around 300.euro.
its owned by the same company.
i would not allow a 5year old to carry a laptop,it ,ll get dropped.

ricman

pc world should have celerons too. at similar price range.