New laptop required for Masters & working from home - 600 euro budget

glic83 · 24-01-2021 1:37pm #1

Hi all , sister in law requires a new laptop for her Masters and working for home budget is around 600 euro , maybe 650.
She will mostly be using it for her college work and online classes etc and some working from home, ( she currently is using her work one, which she has from the office)

Size between 14 - 15.6"

These are the few that I've spotted but always check in here in case there are better alternatives

https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computing/laptops/laptops/hp-pavilion-14-ce3510sa-14-laptop-intel-core-i5-512-gb-ssd-silver-10212900-pdt.html

https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computing/laptops/laptops/hp-15s-eq1510sa-15-6-laptop-amd-ryzen-5-256-gb-ssd-silver-10207935-pdt.html

https://www.dell.com/en-ie/shop/laptops/inspiron-15-3000/spd/inspiron-15-3501-laptop/cn30112

24-01-2021 3:14pm

sign up for the newsletter on the front page (stay connected in bottom left) and wait for 10% off code to arrive

then you can get this for 675

https://www.lenovo.com/ie/en/laptops/ideapad/ideapad-flex-series/IdeaPad-Flex-5-14ITL-05/p/82HS0031UK

new intel 11th gen i5's and i7's have much updated graphics power

in stock so delivery by courier should be quick

otherwise the hp above with the 4500u

berocca2016 · 24-01-2021 3:19pm

It may be worth keeping an eye on the dell outlet site.

https://www.dell.com/en-ie/outlet/ProductDescription?cfID=4132EC56B267B72A94DAB34C23B92022&invID=782893&cyid=7&pid=3&c=IE&l=en&rid=EMEA&prdid=inspiron-15-3505-laptop&seg=DFH

501 albeit with a scratch and dent. But warranty is still valid.

24-01-2021 3:22pm

berocca2016 wrote: »

It may be worth keeping an eye on the dell outlet site.

https://www.dell.com/en-ie/outlet/ProductDescription?cfID=4132EC56B267B72A94DAB34C23B92022&invID=782893&cyid=7&pid=3&c=IE&l=en&rid=EMEA&prdid=inspiron-15-3505-laptop&seg=DFH

501 albeit with a scratch and dent. But warranty is still valid.

the Dell 3000 level have a pretty low-rent build tbh

GreeBo · 24-01-2021 3:24pm

Huge budget for your requirements, buy two Chromebooks for that price.

You don't need a high spec to run office, chrome etc.

Decoda · 24-01-2021 3:27pm

glasso wrote: »

sign up for the newsletter on the front page (stay connected in bottom left) and wait for 10% off code to arrive

then you can get this for 675

https://www.lenovo.com/ie/en/laptops/ideapad/ideapad-flex-series/IdeaPad-Flex-5-14ITL-05/p/82HS0031UK

new intel 11th gen i5's and i7's have much updated graphics power

in stock so delivery by courier should be quick

otherwise the hp above with the 4500u

if she's doing a masters then it might be worth her creating a student account on the Lenovo website and see if that price drops a bit...

24-01-2021 3:29pm

GreeBo wrote: »

Huge budget for your requirements, buy two Chromebooks for that price.

You don't need a high spec to run office, chrome etc.

Nevermind the fact that full ms office is not even on Chrome, an actual decent chromebook is nowhere near 300/325 euro

Sonic the Shaghog · 24-01-2021 3:30pm

Well what's she studying? Big difference between needing one for word and something like software or video development

24-01-2021 3:31pm

Decoda wrote: »

if she's doing a masters then it might be worth her creating a student account on the Lenovo website and see if that price drops a bit...

I don't think that you can stack discounts anymore on Lenovo

CoBo55 · 24-01-2021 3:36pm

glasso wrote: »

sign up for the newsletter on the front page (stay connected in bottom left) and wait for 10% off code to arrive

then you can get this for 675

https://www.lenovo.com/ie/en/laptops/ideapad/ideapad-flex-series/IdeaPad-Flex-5-14ITL-05/p/82HS0031UK

new intel 11th gen i5's and i7's have much updated graphics power

in stock so delivery by courier should be quick

otherwise the hp above with the 4500u

What does W10 in S mode mean? I've seen it on a few laptops.

GreeBo · 24-01-2021 3:37pm

glasso wrote: »

Nevermind the fact that full ms office is not even on Chrome, an actual decent chromebook is nowhere near 300/325 euro

Define decent?
Decent entirely depends on the requirements, no point in having excess ram or cores sitting idle for example.

Is she planning on protein folding or browsing and writing documents?

You might have heard of OpenOffice perhaps?

Melanchthon · 24-01-2021 3:38pm

As other said what's her requirements.

I would buy a refurbished business class laptop from a reputable seller.

Take out the optical drive and put a SSD in it.
Upgrade RAM if needed, test battery.

Get windows 10 education from wherever she is doing the masters or buy a grey market key on eBay for a fiver.

Will have a decent machine for 240 euro.

24-01-2021 3:44pm

GreeBo wrote: »

Define decent?
Decent entirely depends on the requirements, no point in having excess ram or cores sitting idle for example.

Is she planning on protein folding or browsing and writing documents?

You might have heard of OpenOffice perhaps?

Ms Office is still the standard, particularly for education environments (masters course)

For example, there are a lot of Excel-specific features that are not in the free office suite equivalents

Build quality is a big factor to consider in buying a laptop and you don't get that in the cheapest models where you'll be looking at nasty screen quality, creaky plastic and poor keyboard and trackpad combos

24-01-2021 3:47pm

Melanchthon wrote: »

As other said what's her requirements.

I would buy a refurbished business class laptop from a reputable seller.

Take out the optical drive and put a SSD in it.
Upgrade RAM if needed, test battery.

Get windows 10 education from wherever she is doing the masters or buy a grey market key on eBay for a fiver.

Will have a decent machine for 240 euro.

going second-hand can be an option but there are at least a couple of considerations

- if portability is a factor the battery is going to be shot / 50% or less of original capacity. OEM battery replacement is expensive

-screen tech is going to be old a lot of the time and of poor quality even on business-class laptops

Carb · 24-01-2021 3:47pm

glasso wrote: »

sign up for the newsletter on the front page (stay connected in bottom left) and wait for 10% off code to arrive

then you can get this for 675

https://www.lenovo.com/ie/en/laptops/ideapad/ideapad-flex-series/IdeaPad-Flex-5-14ITL-05/p/82HS0031UK

new intel 11th gen i5's and i7's have much updated graphics power

in stock so delivery by courier should be quick

otherwise the hp above with the 4500u

Just to note that I hoped for the same regarding delivery for a desktop. Ordered on the 11th, shipped eventually on the 18th and has been in transit since. Only knew it was coming from the UK when I received the shipping notification. It still hasn't got out of the UK and I haven't received a scheduled delivery date.

Extra frustrating as I'm also waiting on a laptop from OCUK that I ordered on the 26th of December. It got caught up with DPD and was sent back. OCUK nonchalantly advised me yesterday that they hope to have it sorted out in the next couple of weeks so they were advised to keep it. Ordered from Amazon today instead to my aunt in the North.

Not directly relevant for the OP, but thought I would mention it in case there is any urgency.

24-01-2021 3:51pm

Carb wrote: »

Just to note that I hoped for the same regarding delivery for a desktop. Ordered on the 11th, shipped eventually on the 18th and has been in transit since. Only knew it was coming from the UK when I received the shipping notification. It still hasn't got out of the UK and I haven't received a scheduled delivery date.

Extra frustrating as I'm also waiting on a laptop from OCUK that I ordered on the 26th of December. It got caught up with DPD and was sent back. OCUK nonchalantly advised me yesterday that they hope to have it sorted out in the next couple of weeks so they were advised to keep it. Ordered from Amazon today instead to my aunt in the North.

Not directly relevant for the OP, but thought I would mention it in case there is any urgency.

it's possible on the otherhand but I ordered a device from Lenovo.ie last Sunday and received it on Tuesday morning. (had said ships in one week)

shipped from Holland through UPS courier

that laptop above is listed as "in stock"

Melanchthon · 24-01-2021 3:55pm

glasso wrote: »

going second-hand can be an option but there are at least a couple of considerations

- if portability is a factor the battery is going to be shot / 50% or less of original capacity. OEM battery replacement is expensive

-screen tech is going to be old a lot of the time and of poor quality even on business-class laptops

True and business class laptops, at least the ones I have had are heavy, they are heavy though because they are actually really well built my current laptop weight about 2.5 kilo but its built with a lot of metal and there is no flex in the screen and hinges are rock solid.

Agree about the screen, if I was doing anything artistic it would be an issue as the screens aren't great, for using Office its fine though and honestly if your seriously working on spreadsheets and so on you will want a large secondary screen anyway.

Agree about battery, replaced mine with non-OEM but still doesnt have a great capacity.

Carb · 24-01-2021 4:11pm

glasso wrote: »

it's possible on the otherhand but I ordered a device from Lenovo.ie last Sunday and received it on Tuesday morning. (had said ships in one week)

shipped from Holland through UPS courier

that laptop above is listed as "in stock"

That's interesting. I wonder if I just had unfortunate timing - perhaps circumventing the UK now. Mine was also in stock and was to ship in 1 to 3 business days. Also coming with UPS.

glic83 · 24-01-2021 4:14pm

Apologies I got the terminology wrong it's a postgrad, and then she is looking at going further in the subject, Leadership in Workplace Heath & Wellbeing, she won't be doing anything like video design but this is her budget and what she wants to get to do for the next few years, so research , full office suite stuff. I'll pass on the recommendations

24-01-2021 6:16pm

glasso wrote: »

sign up for the newsletter on the front page (stay connected in bottom left) and wait for 10% off code to arrive

then you can get this for 675

https://www.lenovo.com/ie/en/laptops/ideapad/ideapad-flex-series/IdeaPad-Flex-5-14ITL-05/p/82HS0031UK

new intel 11th gen i5's and i7's have much updated graphics power

in stock so delivery by courier should be quick

otherwise the hp above with the 4500u

this is what that laptop looks like, except the one above comes the new 11th gen intel cpu with XE graphics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99_gO4OPXmw

24-01-2021 6:25pm

CoBo55 wrote: »

What does W10 in S mode mean? I've seen it on a few laptops.

Windows 10 S just means that you can only install apps from the windows store

but it's a setting that can be turned off easily in 30 seconds to become Windows 10 (normal)

CoBo55 · 24-01-2021 8:07pm

glasso wrote: »

Windows 10 S just means that you can only install apps from the windows store

but it's a setting that can be turned off easily in 30 seconds to become Windows 10 (normal)

Thanks for that glasso, I don't use apps on my computers, with the exception of speedtest. Ms trying to Apple I suppose:pac:

24-01-2021 8:13pm

apps in windows are the exact same as any application you install, the only difference being that it's picked and installed from the windows store.

in fairness, it does provide an element of security as it's safer to install from there than from many sites

CoBo55 · 24-01-2021 8:16pm

glasso wrote: »

apps in windows are the exact same as any application you install, the only difference being that it's picked and installed from the windows store.

in fairness, it does provide an element of security as it's safer to install from there than from many sites

Ah shur where's the fun in that:D

New laptop required for Masters & working from home - 600 euro budget

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