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Cheap Laptops

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    #62
    ozmo
    Registered Users Posts: 3,845 ✭✭✭ozmo


    Originally posted by car

    PCGGRT786M
    VAIO PC Intel® Pentium 4® 2.66 GHz 40 GB hard disc drive

    costing 1,589.10

    Features:

    Intel® Pentium 4® 2.66GHz
    16" SXGA Onyx Black LCD
    DVD+RW/DVD-RW
    n VIDIA (GeForce FX Go 5600) 64MB NV31
    512MB
    40 GB hard disc drive
    ...

    I have a Sony PCG (AMD 1.3Ghz) I bought about two years ago - Still using it very often.

    Negative Points:
    -Took three weeks waiting for it to be in stock - they are polular.
    -My Video card is pants (8mb ati mobility m1 - yours is ok)
    -1.3Ghz was too slow to play any games - even ancient CounterStrike is unplayable.
    -A friend who had one scratched his mouse touch pad (in first month)- and they wouldnt replace it - even if he paid - after sales service is really really terrible in Ireland for Sony Vaios.
    -Firewire port is unusable for video capture- uses up too much cpu so tend to loose frames.
    -The bundeled software just clutters up Winxp - best to remove it all once youve played with it once - as you wont use the sony junk software (mp3 players etc) again.

    Plus Points:
    -Great value. (i paid 1300)
    -Lots of ports - TV out is brill for Divx movies :)
    -Reasonable battery life
    -The one above looks very cool - I might upgrade.. :)

    Are you sure the above includes Vat? - it looks a little too cheap..

    ozmo.

    “Roll it back”



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    #63
    blorg
    Registered Users Posts: 15,989 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    I've gone through four Vaio notebooks and have been very happy with them. Ergonomically I find them very good, certainly a lot better than Dell, on which I find the keyboards very bad. This sort of thing is at least as important to me as the specs. As long as you are not buying them from Peats or the Sony Store they are actually pretty competitive on price too (considering their spec, e.g. if you want Firewire, etc).

    One thing to watch with Sony - you had better hope that nothing ever goes wrong with the notebook, as their service is the worst I have ever experienced from any company, ever, ever ever. I had to send a Picturebook back for repair and they had it for six months (and couldn't escalate, lied to me several times, etc. etc.)

    Dell's service I would rank as second-worst, we are in the middle of a dispute with them at the moment, but they would have to really screw us over to have a shot at Sony's crown.

    I've also had a Compaq notebook which had to go back - they sent a courier around the next day and it was back within a week. With a desktop problem, they sent out a technical guy and fixed it on the spot. Excellent from a service point of view.


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    #64
    blorg
    Registered Users Posts: 15,989 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    Certainly that laptop sounds like an absolute bargain - is it inc VAT and where are you getting it from?


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    #65
    car
    Registered Users Posts: 266 ✭✭car


    i went through the sony site and it was costing around 1800 euros then i went on to the dabs and priced it there and it was cheaper 1500 euros.

    so do you think it's a pretty good deal or should i go up to Dublin and shop around up there.


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    #66
    car
    Registered Users Posts: 266 ✭✭car


    Sept 13) Inspiron 5100 2.66GHz
    Free Lexmark All-In-One X75 + Double Memory! EUR 1,142.40

    Total price-- EUR 1,382.30


    Standard Features - Inspiron 5100: 533 Mhz Processor Side Bus
    Equipped with Microsoft Windows XP operating system
    512KB on-die L2 cache
    ATI Mobility® Radeon 7500 performance graphics controller with 4x AGP support
    Internal 56Kbps V.92 capable modem and 10/100 Ethernet LAN on Motherboard
    One type I/II PC Card slot
    Built-in Stereo speakers
    Lithium Ion 12 cell (94Whr) battery
    Norton Anti-Virus 2003, Dell E-Support Solution Centre
    Dell Keyboard with Touchpad

    Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition (Why not upgrade to Windows® XP Professional?)

    Online Offer - Free Printer!: Free : All in one Lexmark X75 printer/copier/scanner

    Axim X5 Pocket PC: Not Included

    Extra Support & Service + Accidental Cover: 1 Year European Collect and Return Service (-EUR - EUR 299.00)

    Processor: 5100 with Intel® Pentium® 4 processor 2.66 Ghz

    Screen: 14.1" XGA (1024 x 768) TFT Colour Display

    Online Memory Promotion!: 512MB 266MHz DDR SDRAM (2x256MB) (Includes Free Upgrade from 256MB)

    Hard Drive: 20GB Hard Drive

    Home Installation: Not Included

    Portable back-up solution: Not Included

    Video Card: ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 W/32MB SDRAM

    Fixed Bay CD, DVD & CD-RW: Integrated 8x DVD/24x CD-RW Combo Drive (+ EUR EUR 60.00)

    Floppy Drive: Not Included

    Software: Microsoft Works 7.0

    OR DO YE THINK THAT THIS IS A BETTER DEAL OVER THE SONY LAPTOP. I REALLY DONT HAVE A CLUE. OH THE SONY PRICE DOES INCLUDE VAT BUT NOT DELIVERY.


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    #67
    blorg
    Registered Users Posts: 15,989 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    Unquestionably the Sony is a better deal, it's an infinitely better computer, and for only c. €100 more.

    - Screen is much bigger (16.1 vs 14.1) and higher resolution (SXGA against XGA for the Dell) - modern applications need more and more screen space, you have to run everything full screen these days at 1024x768
    - The Sony Onyx Black screens are meant to be pretty impressive
    - Hard drive is twice as big
    - DVD+-RW vs. CD-RW, much better for backup
    - Firewire (Dell may not have)
    - IMHO ergonomics on Sony laptops are much better

    All of these extra features are worth much more than €100 (to me, anyway).

    You won't get a better price on the Sony in Dublin, but I would advise trying to find that laptop in Dublin so that you can try it out (keyboard, screen, weight, size, etc.) One of the big problems with Dell is that you can't try it out (and then find that the keyboard is crap.) You may find the Sony very large/heavy with a 16.1" screen. Best way to judge this is to actually see one for yourself, I think it is impossible otherwise. Then again it may not be an issue if you are not moving it around that much.


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    #68
    byrnenj
    Closed Accounts Posts: 566 ✭✭✭byrnenj


    Available from Thursday October 9th...

    Lidl Notebook - 1499.99 euro:

    • AMD Athlon MP-M 2500+ (128KB Level 1 Cache, 512KB Level 2 Cache) on a 266 MHz FSB.
    • 512MB 400MHz DDR-RAM
    • 60GB 4200RPM Hard Drive
    • DVD+RW / CD-RW - 2.4x DVD+RW/R, 16x CD-R, 8x CD-RW
    • 64MB DDR Mobility Radeon 9600
    • 15.1" XGA (1024x768) TFT
    • Dolby 5.1 Sound, 2 speakers, 1 microphone - built in
    • 56k v.90 Modem
    • 4 in 1 card reader (Smart Media, Multi-media, Secure Digital, Memory Stick)
    • PCMCIA wireless LAN card - 802.11b + Antenna
    • spray-proof keyboard + touchpad
    • Ports - 1x Firewire, 3x USB 2.0, 1x PS2, 1x Parallel Port, 1x Mic. in, 1x Headphone out /SPDIF, 1x RJ45 (ethernet), 1x SVHS Video Out, 1x RJ11 (modem)
    • Software - Windows XP Home Edition, MS Works Suite 2003, Panda Anti-Virus, Cyberlink Power DVD 5.1, Pinnacle Studio Instant 8.4 SE (CD/DVD burning software), Pinnacle Studio 8.6 SE Lite
    • Addition Accessories - Opticle USB Mouse, various Video adaptors (to suit all TV adaptor flavours), 32MB USB Memory Stick

    Limited Availability, naturally


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    #69
    Imposter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,666 ✭✭✭Imposter


    Go to http://www.makromarkt.at/ Click Topangebote and then click the '2' in the main window. Should bring you to a v. cheap laptop. Spec is not too bad.

    Then flights to Vienna cost about 200€ with aer lingus and one nights accomodation should be about 50€. That comes to about 950€.

    And for that you get a laptop and a bit of a holier as well.:D


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    #70
    ozmo
    Registered Users Posts: 3,845 ✭✭✭ozmo


    Originally posted by byrnenj
    Available from Thursday October 9th...

    Lidl Notebook - 1499.99 euro:


    Is this really such good value considering the following cannot be upgraded

    Operates at 1.867Ghz, 266mhz Front Side Bus, Screen 1024x768

    These seem a lower spec than some laptops mentioned above??

    ozmo.

    “Roll it back”



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    #71
    byrnenj
    Closed Accounts Posts: 566 ✭✭✭byrnenj


    But it's an Athlon rather than a pentium, so it's comparable to a P4 2500Ghz.

    It's got a DVD+RW, 512 MB Ram, Good Graphics, large HDD. I'd say it is worth the money.


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    #72
    blorg
    Registered Users Posts: 15,989 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    I'd say the Sony is still pretty competitive; much better screen and dual format DVD writer for not much more money, and it's a Sony, which from an ergonomic point of view counts for a lot (you actually have to use these machines, and can't swap out the keyboard/mouse/monitor like you can with a desktop).


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    #73
    BArra
    Registered Users Posts: 4,030 ✭✭✭BArra


    have u got a link for the sony vaio u mentioned above on the sony or/and dabs site?

    cant find it on either and like the look of it

    cheers


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