Buying a Laptop: The current Generation

Mat the trasher · 13-10-2012 5:34pm

Torqay wrote: »

Why did you pick the 3520M? The quad i3632QM is a lot cheaper (also 35W max TDP) and much faster.

If the UltraNote is not available in time, did you check the Inferno?

Much better graphics than the Ultranote...

I had a look at it, but its the same on the delivery time at the moment. On the processer just picked the last on the list for posting, which of the processers would be have the best preformace?

cheers,

Mat

Mat the trasher · 13-10-2012 5:43pm

This maybe?

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Toshiba_Portege_Z930-108_13.3_Core_i7_Windows_7_Pro_3G_Ultrabook_in_Steel__PT235E-00E037EN/version.asp

Torqay · 13-10-2012 7:04pm

Mat the trasher wrote: »

I had a look at it, but its the same on the delivery time at the moment. On the processer just picked the last on the list for posting, which of the processers would be have the best preformace?

cheers,

Mat

The 3840QM of course, but it's a 45W max TDP processor, I'd say the 3632QM is the better choice. Much easier on the battery.

Torqay · 13-10-2012 7:10pm

Mat the trasher wrote: »

This maybe?

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Toshiba_Portege_Z930-108_13.3_Core_i7_Windows_7_Pro_3G_Ultrabook_in_Steel__PT235E-00E037EN/version.asp

The price is insane.

Only two cores in the Core i7 3667U (Passmark score 3560). A regular Core i5 3210M beats the performance hands down (3913).

agimcgale · 15-10-2012 11:51am

Girlfriends laptop has packed in and I have to buy a new one today (can't wait to order online as she needs it tonight for college)

Is there anything better around the 350-400 mark that I could pick up at lunchtime today in Dublin city centre?
http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/5087585/c_1/1|category_root|Office%2C+PCs+and+phones|14418968/c_2/3|cat_19780850|Laptops+and+netbooks|14419039.htm

Any recommendations would really be appreciated!!!

Torqay · 15-10-2012 11:59am

agimcgale wrote: »

Any recommendations would really be appreciated!!!

Go ahead, 5 left at Liffey Valley.

Good deal for B&M store. Although the CPU is only a 1st gen. Core i3 it should be fine for the usual college stuff.

agimcgale · 15-10-2012 1:40pm

Torqay wrote: »

Go ahead, 5 left at Liffey Valley.

Good deal for B&M store. Although the CPU is only a 1st gen. Core i3 it should be fine for the usual college stuff.

Cheers!

matrim · 18-10-2012 1:46pm

Anyone else who ordered an Optimus IV from Pc Specialist recently hear back about their order. Seems they had a stock shortage for a fortnight at the end of September / start October, which delayed orders.

From looking at their forums it looks like they're up to orders around the 29th September now.

geecee · 18-10-2012 8:47pm

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I have the UX32a which i've upgraded to 10GB of RAM as of yesterday, from reading online I thought I would be stuck at 4GB, but it's not true.

Hi Alanstrainor
Have you a link to the memory that you bought for your UX32A?
Thanks!

geecee · 18-10-2012 9:51pm

geecee wrote: »

Hi Alanstrainor
Have you a link to the memory that you bought for your UX32A?
Thanks!

By the way, I just bought one of these UX32As (down to 800 in PCW now)and i am annoyed at how loud the hard disk is... is yours the same?

Any recommendations for a suitable SSD drive?

Torqay · 19-10-2012 12:19am

geecee wrote: »

Any recommendations for a suitable SSD drive?

256 GB Samsung 830 Series stock clearance sale, €162 at CU... Simply the best.

muppeteer · 22-10-2012 3:10am

Hey, I've read back a few pages and it seems pcspecialists are often recommended around here. I'm just wondering if I've missed anything glaringly obvious when searching for a laptop with a bit of gaming grunt, as I've been out of the pc loop for a few years. Seems to be the best I can do for sub 1k price when compared to dabs, komplett, dell and a few others.
I left out an SSD for the moment as it's an extra €73 for the 120GB, but there's a second bay as far as I know for later additions.
I also added the 300Mbps wireless adaptor over the 150Mbps one, but I don't know if it is necessary or not for an extra €11.

Chassis & Display
Optimus Series: 17.3" Matte Full HD LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i5 Dual Core Mobile Processor i5-3210M (2.50GHz) 3MB
Memory (RAM)
8GB SAMSUNG 1600MHz SODIMM DDR3 MEMORY (2 x 4GB)
Graphics Card
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660M - 2.0GB DDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 11
Memory - Hard Disk
500GB SERIAL ATA II 2.5" HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE (5,400rpm)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)
Memory Card Reader
Internal 9 in 1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD: Mini, XC & HC/MS: Pro & Duo)
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND (£9)
Sound Card
Intel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack
Bluetooth & Wireless
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® ADVANCED-N 6235 (300Mbps) + BLUETOOTH
USB Options
3 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT AS STANDARD
Battery
Optimus Series 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (5,200 mAh/76.96WH)
Power Lead & Adaptor
1 x UK Power Lead & 120W AC Adaptor
Operating System
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit w/SP1 - inc DVD & Licence (£79)
Office Software
FREE Microsoft® Office Starter 2010 (Limited functionality Word & Excel)
Anti-Virus
BULLGUARD INTERNET SECURITY - FREE 90 DAY TRIAL
Keyboard Language
INTEGRATED UK KEYBOARD WITH NUMBER PAD
Notebook Mouse
INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam
INTEGRATED 2.0 MEGAPIXEL WEBCAM
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Insurance
1 Month Free Laptop Insurance inc. Accidental Damage & Theft
Delivery
2 - 3 DAY DELIVERY TO REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (£19)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 9 to 11 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £764.00 including VAT and delivery. ~€940

Unique URL to re-configure: http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/quotes/optimusIV-17/qvwshkMEbV/

flanree · 22-10-2012 11:00pm

So I ordered my pcspecialist.co.uk laptop (below) on Oct 1st and it finally arrived today. That was with the standard build not the express option. I'm typing this from it and she's an absolute beauty. Thanks again Torqay for your recommendation. The 3 weeks was a hard wait but well worth it. Arrived well packed, not overloaded with extra software/discs etc. Usual installation manual etc. Really nice build quality, monitor hinge is really solid. No dodgy gaps in the case or keyboard, no dead pixels. Its REALLY quiet too, the SSD is amazing and boots up in seconds. Its so quiet that the keyboard starts to sound loud. The only thing that bothers me is the click button on the touchpad makes a rather loud click. Compared to the silence from everything else the click button sounds like your squashing an oil can. I'm using a mouse now anyway so not a problem. The CPU fan kicked in for a minute but its a very gentle whispering breeze. The dispay is amazing, its hard to find this kind of resolution on a laptop, super crisp and a great black, really wide viewing angles so great for graphic design (why I bought the laptop). The graphics card is really smooth, yer bog standard streaming flash clips look like crystal clear divx files, very cool. The onboard speakers have plenty of juice but obviously dont deliver bass without a subwoofer. She feels a little lighter than I thought it would and doesn't get too warm.

I highly recommend these guys for a laptop, I'd say the build time is from high demand. As I checked my order status it was in 'pre production' for nearly the whole time. Expect about a 3 week turnaround if youre buying from them.

flanree wrote: »

bit the bullet and ordered an Optimus IV, cheers for the info torqay, here it is...

Chassis & Display Optimus Series: 15.6" Matte Full HD LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU) Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Mobile Processor i7-3610QM
(2.30GHz) 6MB
Memory (RAM) 8GB SAMSUNG 1600MHz SODIMM DDR3 MEMORY (2 x 4GB)
Graphics Card NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660M - 2.0GB DDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 11
Memory - 1st Hard Disk 128GB KINGSTON V200 SSD, SATA 6 Gb (300MB/R,
190MB/W) (Special Offer)
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive 8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)
Memory Card Reader Internal 9 in 1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD: Mini, XC
& HC/MS: Pro & Duo)
Thermal Paste ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND (£9)
Sound Card Intel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack
Network Facilities GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® N135 802.11N
(150Mbps) + BLUETOOTH
USB Options 3 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT AS STANDARD
Battery Optimus Series 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (5,200 mAh/76.96WH)
Operating System Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit w/SP1 - inc DVD
& Licence (£79)
Office Software FREE Microsoft® Office Starter 2010 (Limited
functionality Word & Excel)
Keyboard & Mouse INTEGRATED UK KEYBOARD WITH NUMBER PAD
Mouse INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam INTEGRATED 1.3 MEGAPIXEL WEBCAM
Warranty 3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year
Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery 2 - 3 DAY DELIVERY TO REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (£19)
Build Time Standard Build - Approximately 9 to 11 working days
Price (excluding VAT) £691.05
Price £829.26

matrim · 23-10-2012 8:23am

flanree wrote: »

So I ordered my pcspecialist.co.uk laptop (below) on Oct 1st and it finally arrived today. That was with the standard build not the express option. I'm typing this from it and she's an absolute beauty. Thanks again Torqay for your recommendation. The 3 weeks was a hard wait but well worth it. Arrived well packed, not overloaded with extra software/discs etc. Usual installation manual etc. Really nice build quality, monitor hinge is really solid. No dodgy gaps in the case or keyboard, no dead pixels. Its REALLY quiet too, the SSD is amazing and boots up in seconds. Its so quiet that the keyboard starts to sound loud. The only thing that bothers me is the click button on the touchpad makes a rather loud click. Compared to the silence from everything else the click button sounds like your squashing an oil can. I'm using a mouse now anyway so not a problem. The CPU fan kicked in for a minute but its a very gentle whispering breeze. The dispay is amazing, its hard to find this kind of resolution on a laptop, super crisp and a great black, really wide viewing angles so great for graphic design (why I bought the laptop). The graphics card is really smooth, yer bog standard streaming flash clips look like crystal clear divx files, very cool. The onboard speakers have plenty of juice but obviously dont deliver bass without a subwoofer. She feels a little lighter than I thought it would and doesn't get too warm.

I highly recommend these guys for a laptop, I'd say the build time is from high demand. As I checked my order status it was in 'pre production' for nearly the whole time. Expect about a 3 week turnaround if youre buying from them.

Apparently a lot of the wait was that they were sold out of the Optimus case.

My order was built yesterday and is with DPD now. Hopefully should have it tomorrow

Mat the trasher · 26-10-2012 12:12pm

Overkill?
Any critique?

Chassis & Display
UltraNote: 14" Glossy HD LED Backlit Widescreen (1366x768)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Mobile Processor i7-3632QM (2.20GHz) 6MB
Memory (RAM)
16GB KINGSTON HYPER-X GENESIS 1600MHz SODIMM DDR3 (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
Intel® HD Graphics 4000 Video Memory Technology up to 1.7GB
Memory - Hard Disk
240GB INTEL® 520 SERIES SSD, SATA 6 Gb/s (upto 550MB/sR | 520MB/sW)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
Ultra Slim 8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)
Memory Card Reader
Internal 9 in 1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD: Mini, XC & HC/MS: Pro & Duo)
Sound Card
Creative Sound Blaster® X-Fi™ Surround 5.1 PRO External (£69)
Bluetooth & Wireless
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® N-2230 (300Mbps) + BLUETOOTH
USB Options
2 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT AS STANDARD
Battery
UltraNote Series 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (48.84WH)
Power Lead & Adaptor
1 x European Power Lead & 65W AC Adaptor
Operating System
NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Keyboard Language
INTEGRATED UK KEYBOARD
Notebook Mouse
INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam
INTEGRATED 2.0 MEGAPIXEL WEBCAM
Warranty
3 Year Gold Warranty (2 Year Collect & Return, 2 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour) (£69)
Dead Pixel Guarantee
1 Year Dead Pixel Guarantee Inc. Labour & Carriage Costs (£19)
Insurance
1 Month Free Laptop Insurance inc. Accidental Damage & Theft
Delivery
2 - 3 DAY DELIVERY TO REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (£19)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 9 to 11 working days Quantity1

Oregano_State · 26-10-2012 12:17pm

Mat the trasher wrote: »

Overkill?
Any critique?

Chassis & Display
UltraNote: 14" Glossy HD LED Backlit Widescreen (1366x768)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Mobile Processor i7-3632QM (2.20GHz) 6MB
Memory (RAM)
16GB KINGSTON HYPER-X GENESIS 1600MHz SODIMM DDR3 (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
Intel® HD Graphics 4000 Video Memory Technology up to 1.7GB
Memory - Hard Disk
240GB INTEL® 520 SERIES SSD, SATA 6 Gb/s (upto 550MB/sR | 520MB/sW)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
Ultra Slim 8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)
Memory Card Reader
Internal 9 in 1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD: Mini, XC & HC/MS: Pro & Duo)
Sound Card
Creative Sound Blaster® X-Fi™ Surround 5.1 PRO External (£69)
Bluetooth & Wireless
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® N-2230 (300Mbps) + BLUETOOTH
USB Options
2 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT AS STANDARD
Battery
UltraNote Series 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (48.84WH)
Power Lead & Adaptor
1 x European Power Lead & 65W AC Adaptor
Operating System
NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Keyboard Language
INTEGRATED UK KEYBOARD
Notebook Mouse
INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam
INTEGRATED 2.0 MEGAPIXEL WEBCAM
Warranty
3 Year Gold Warranty (2 Year Collect & Return, 2 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour) (£69)
Dead Pixel Guarantee
1 Year Dead Pixel Guarantee Inc. Labour & Carriage Costs (£19)
Insurance
1 Month Free Laptop Insurance inc. Accidental Damage & Theft
Delivery
2 - 3 DAY DELIVERY TO REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (£19)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 9 to 11 working days Quantity1

I was thinking of getting something along the lines of this. How much for this build?

Mat the trasher · 26-10-2012 12:22pm

Oregano_State wrote: »

I was thinking of getting something along the lines of this. How much for this build?

Its £940 inc vat. but I'm looking to order it on a 3 day build which is another £99 + vat, want to have it next weekend, but it won't allow me order the short delivery as the cases are still not in I think.

Torqay · 26-10-2012 1:56pm

Mat the trasher wrote: »

Overkill?

Maybe... depends on your requirements.

If you're a photographer working with huge raw photo and video material or if you're doing 3D modelling then you're certainly on the safe side.

Mat the trasher wrote: »

Any critique?

Adding 16 GB RAM costs you €145, if you buy aftermarket, a 16 GB kit (2x8) costs €80.

The 240 GB Intel SSD costs €151 more than the basic configuration, for the same money, you'll get a 256 GB Samsung Series 830 which is the better choice. And you'll be left with a 250 gig HDD which you can put into a 2.5" caddy.

All worth considering.

Tranquilitysea · 28-10-2012 12:20am

Interested in Lenovo G580 Core i 3 - cheapest on offer from Dabs.ie. Is that Site reliable ? ( previous Posts don't inspire confidence ) but if reliable how long is the wait from Order date. Thanks.

Monotype · 28-10-2012 8:35am

I've ordered from dabs loads of times and the one time that there was an issue, it was solved quickly. Wait time can be variable if the item is out of stock. If it's in stock, you should have it inside a week.

Edit: There's a lot of G580s on there. Beware that i3-3XXX is a generation newer than i3-2XXX. The newer generation comes with a small boost in processing power and considerable gains in graphics.

Tranquilitysea · 28-10-2012 11:22am

Many thanks Monotype for your reply. So many Laptops on offer means research is essential - and thats where the problem is - what to select . Then when that issue is solved next problem - where or who to buy from - and Boards.ie is essential reading in that regard. Help is almost immediate ( your good self ) and who better to advise than Boards members who have
the experience to fall back on. I note your suggestion re latest G580's.

Many thanks again. JON.

Mat the trasher · 01-11-2012 1:17pm

Mat the trasher wrote: »

Overkill?
Any critique?

Chassis & Display
UltraNote: 14" Glossy HD LED Backlit Widescreen (1366x768)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Mobile Processor i7-3632QM (2.20GHz) 6MB
Memory (RAM)
16GB KINGSTON HYPER-X GENESIS 1600MHz SODIMM DDR3 (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
Intel® HD Graphics 4000 Video Memory Technology up to 1.7GB
Memory - Hard Disk
240GB INTEL® 520 SERIES SSD, SATA 6 Gb/s (upto 550MB/sR | 520MB/sW)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
Ultra Slim 8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)
Memory Card Reader
Internal 9 in 1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD: Mini, XC & HC/MS: Pro & Duo)
Sound Card
Creative Sound Blaster® X-Fi™ Surround 5.1 PRO External (£69)
Bluetooth & Wireless
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® N-2230 (300Mbps) + BLUETOOTH
USB Options
2 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT AS STANDARD
Battery
UltraNote Series 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (48.84WH)
Power Lead & Adaptor
1 x European Power Lead & 65W AC Adaptor
Operating System
NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Keyboard Language
INTEGRATED UK KEYBOARD
Notebook Mouse
INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam
INTEGRATED 2.0 MEGAPIXEL WEBCAM
Warranty
3 Year Gold Warranty (2 Year Collect & Return, 2 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour) (£69)
Dead Pixel Guarantee
1 Year Dead Pixel Guarantee Inc. Labour & Carriage Costs (£19)
Insurance
1 Month Free Laptop Insurance inc. Accidental Damage & Theft
Delivery
2 - 3 DAY DELIVERY TO REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (£19)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 9 to 11 working days Quantity1

Ordered late on Tuesday night, as of 10:40 today its in dispatch, ordered with 3-4day fast track.
Will have a report early next week on how it feels if anyone is interested.
Oh and dumped the expensive sound card for basic.

Cina · 09-11-2012 1:19pm

How on earth is the Inferno so cheap? Is there a catch here that I'm missing?

Oregano_State · 09-11-2012 1:32pm

I'm thinking of getting the Dell XPS 13 at Christmas. My OH is american so she can get it over there, and they're shipping the new version with Sandy Bridge processors now, which is what I was waiting for.

I'm looking at the Core i5 version, with the 256GB SSD for 1299 dollars, for 1016 euro.

It's pricey, and doesn't have a full HD screen, but the chassis looks amazing and it's ultra portible. I can always put it through the TV if I'm watching stuff at home, and I've never found 720p to be bad quality.

...thoughts?

RUCKING FETARD · 09-11-2012 5:26pm

^^^ you mean ivy bridge?

Id buy a luminous pink lappie if it meant better spec, wouldnt spend that money for 720p.

On phone so cant check pc specialist to compare.

Lombardo86 · 09-11-2012 5:28pm

New Acer Windows 8 Aspire S7 seems great.. touch screen, SSD i5 processor.
Expensive but i like the thin-ness and look of it.

Anybody got any comments?

http://gizmodo.com/5952833/acer-aspire-s7-review-this-is-how-windows-8-should-feel-almost

Oregano_State · 11-11-2012 8:09am

RUCKING FETARD wrote: »

^^^ you mean ivy bridge?

Id buy a luminous pink lappie if it meant better spec, wouldnt spend that money for 720p.

On phone so cant check pc specialist to compare.

yes, I meant ivy bridge, woopsie. I'll have another look at PC specialist, I haven't made my mind up yet.

Dinarius · 21-11-2012 1:53pm

I'm considering a laptop from PC Specialist. I have to have Firewire (Camera connection) Apart from that, I just want somthing I don't have to think about changing for a long time!

Any feedback on this spec, much appreciated....

Chassis &
DisplayVortex Series: 15.6" Matte Full HD LED Widescreen (1920x1080)Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Mobile Processor i7-3840QM (2.80GHz) 8MBMemory (RAM)
8GB SAMSUNG 1600MHz SODIMM DDR3 MEMORY (2 x 4GB)Graphics Card
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 670M - 1.5GB DDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 11

Memory - 1st Hard Disk180GB INTEL® 520 SERIES SSD, SATA 6 Gb/s (upto 550MB/sR | 520MB/sW)

DVD/BLU-RAY Drive8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)Memory Card Reader
Internal 9 in 1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD: Mini, XC & HC/MS: Pro & Duo)Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLINGSound Card
Intel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack
Network Facilities
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® N135 802.11N (150Mbps) + BLUETOOTHUSB Options
3 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT AS STANDARDFirewire1 X 1394a FIREWIRE PORTBattery
Vortex Series 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (5,200 mAh/76.96WH)
Power Lead & Adaptor1 x UK Power Lead & 120W AC Adaptor
Operating System
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit w/SP1 - inc DVD & Licence (£109)

Anti-Virus
BULLGUARD INTERNET SECURITY - FREE 90 DAY TRIAL

[/B]
Standard Build - Approximately 8 to 10 working daysPricing Information
Price (excluding VAT)£1,098.33Price£1,318.00

Total Order price (Ex VAT)£1,098.33
Total Order Price£1,318.00
-
Thanks.

D.

Lombardo86 · 21-11-2012 3:06pm

Lombardo86 wrote: »

New Acer Windows 8 Aspire S7 seems great.. touch screen, SSD i5 processor.
Expensive but i like the thin-ness and look of it.

Anybody got any comments?

http://gizmodo.com/5952833/acer-aspire-s7-review-this-is-how-windows-8-should-feel-almost

Anybody?!

mrdmb · 25-11-2012 4:44pm

Am considering buying a new laptop..
is it better to buy a used Alienware m11x or a new samsung or Lenovo with intel i5 processor?

Monotype · 25-11-2012 8:14pm

mrdmb wrote: »

Am considering buying a new laptop..
is it better to buy a used Alienware m11x or a new samsung or Lenovo with intel i5 processor?

Inferno.

Deedsie · 27-11-2012 11:10pm

Hi,

Sorry i am not the most computer literate person out there. Does the below spec look ok? And at a price of £771 delivered is it good value and could i get better value anywhere else but pcspecialist.co.uk?

Chassis & Display Optimus Series: 15.6" Matte Full HD LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU) Intel® Core™i5 Dual Core Mobile Processor i5-3320M (2.60GHz) 3MB
Memory (RAM) 8GB SAMSUNG 1600MHz SODIMM DDR3 MEMORY (2 x 4GB)
Graphics Card NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660M - 2.0GB DDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 11
Memory - 1st Hard Disk 500GB SERIAL ATA II 2.5" HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE (5,400rpm)
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive 8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)
Memory Card Reader Internal 9 in 1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD: Mini, XC & HC/MS: Pro & Duo)
Thermal Paste STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card Intel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack
Network Facilities GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® ADVANCED-N 6235 (300Mbps) +
BLUETOOTH
USB Options 3 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT AS STANDARD
Battery Optimus Series 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (5,200 mAh/76.96WH)
Power Lead & Adaptor 1 x UK Power Lead & 120W AC Adaptor
Operating System Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit w/SP1 - inc DVD & Licence (£79)
Office Software FREE 60 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 2010 Professional Edition
Anti-Virus NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Keyboard & Mouse INTEGRATED UK KEYBOARD WITH NUMBER PAD
Mouse INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam INTEGRATED 1.3 MEGAPIXEL WEBCAM

pjjk90 · 13-12-2012 2:54pm

Hi all, looking to get a new laptop, and was thinking of getting this, does anyone have any comments on it?

Kolido · 15-12-2012 5:46pm

Anyone use elera.ie before. What would they be like on customer service, delivery times?

kippy · 15-12-2012 11:40pm

Kolido wrote: »

Anyone use elera.ie before. What would they be like on customer service, delivery times?

I've used them in the past, not much in the past two years or so, mind, and never had any issues. Delivery times were as per any other site once the item was in stock or available.

Steviemoyne · 28-12-2012 2:39am

Hi all I'm thinking about buying a new notebook in the new year and was wondering if any of you had any advice on where to go to buy one.

Main uses: Intensive MMO gaming and software development / game design.
Needless to say that for the above I'd need a graphics card able to handle the load along with good processing speeds.

I was thinking of spending anywhere from €500 to €650.

Looked at pc specialists after being directed here and the inferno does seem like an option, benchmarks for the Nvidia GT 650M appear to be very reasonable (almost 50 fps on far cry 3 on medium so I can imagine it would be even higher for the likes of world of warcraft).

Ram doesn't matter. I can always upgrade that after the fact. The graphics card seems to be the main focal point these days with processors tending to be around or higher than the 2.5GHz mark.

I suppose my main question is if the inferno is my best bet for gaming or is there better out there for similar price?

Amprodude · 31-12-2012 1:03am

Hi I was thinking of getting the below laptop. I am hoping to get it cheaper elsewhere but wondering is there any laptop out there that has better specs than this and is slightly cheaper?

Thanks in advance.

http://www.pcworld.ie/Product/TOSHIBA-Qosmio-X870144-173andquot-Laptop-Silver/312613/301

peejay1986 · 31-12-2012 4:46pm

Looking for a new laptop in or around the 600 mark. Spotted this on Amaon. Only available today.

Even considering its integrated graphics, it still seems far better than anything out there in the same price range. Can anyone spot any glaring negatives?

I'm aware the resolution isn't great but it's consistent with laptops of this price range.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-K55A-15-6-inch-Laptop-Aluminium/dp/tech-data/B009REFFS2/ref=de_a_smtd

Thanks in advance.

Tir Chonaill · 29-01-2013 4:08am

I am buying a new laptop and not sure what make to go for I have narrowed it down to either an apple macbook or a hp. I would appreciate any advice. Also if I went for the macbook can i put microsoft office on it?

Oregano_State · 29-01-2013 12:09pm

Tir Chonaill wrote: »

I am buying a new laptop and not sure what make to go for

1. I have narrowed it down to either an apple macbook or a hp. I would appreciate any advice.

2Also if I went for the macbook can i put microsoft office on it?

1. I'd stay away from HP, personally, as I've found them over-priced and prone to break easily. I'd recommend Toshiba and Asus if you're going for a windows machine.

2. Yes. You can split the hard-drive and run Mac OS on one half, and Windows on the other, and choose which you want to boot on start-up. It's a little messy though. Otherwise, you could just run the Mac OS version of Office on tha mac, which is a bit different to the windows version, but file-wise is compatible AFAIK.

Personally I'd go for an Asus, as they have the 'premium' look and components, as well as the build quality, without being ridiculously priced.

KonFusion · 30-01-2013 8:06pm

Gonna pick this up in the next few days.

http://www.saveonlaptops.co.uk/Lenovo_IdeaPad_Z370_1341189.html

Any comments/critique?

Any other recommendations of similar or better spec for a similar price range?

Thanks folks.

Monotype · 30-01-2013 8:22pm

It's a last generation CPU. But for what you're paying, it's actually pretty good. There was a time when 13.3'' laptops were so expensive.
Features seem reasonably good - HDMI and eSATA are handy features to have.
Closest I see in the price region is the Asus 14'', but not really much benefit there.
http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/Asus_X401_Windows_8_laptop__X401A-WX350H/version.asp

KonFusion · 30-01-2013 8:29pm

Monotype wrote: »

It's a last generation CPU. But for what you're paying, it's actually pretty good. There was a time when 13.3'' laptops were so expensive.
Features seem reasonably good - HDMI and eSATA are handy features to have.
Closest I see in the price region is the Asus 14'', but not really much benefit there.
http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/Asus_X401_Windows_8_laptop__X401A-WX350H/version.asp

I'm getting it VAT free too, if that makes a difference.

All I'm going to be using it for is some scripting and browsing, pretty much.

I read quite a few reviews about the ASUS touch pad being awful, and that the space bar was very sticky & unresponsive, so while it's slimmer and lighter (which I'd prefer) I didn't see much greater benefit over the Lenovo.

KonFusion · 31-01-2013 1:17pm

Actually is this any better?

It's Ivy Bridge

http://www.saveonlaptops.co.uk/Lenovo_G580_1296596.html

Edit: Scratch that, it's a bigger screen.

purplecow1977 · 03-02-2013 2:21pm

Looking to buy my parents a laptop as the other one broke.

Requirements:
15.6" monitor.
Will be used for simple Office documents & day to day browsing/YouTube.
Play CDs/DVD

Any suggestions? What price am I looking at? Under 400€?

I'm kind of broke at the minute so would like to keep price minimal!

This one looks good
http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/5088993/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7COffice%252C%2BPCs%2Band%2Bphones%7C14418968/c_2/3%7Ccat_19780850%7CLaptops%2Band%2Bnetbooks%7C14419039.htm

Torqay · 04-02-2013 8:39am

15.6" PB EasyNote, Core i3 3110M, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB HDD, €345 @ laptopsdirect.

The processor is a helluva lot faster than the Celeron. Even with the extended warranty (€35) and some extra RAM, it should be within your budget.

purplecow1977 · 10-02-2013 11:37pm

As i said above, Ii want to get my parents a laptop, but to be honest I don't have the money at the moment. Is it possible to buy a laptop somewhere and pay it off monthly or so?

Vegeta · 13-02-2013 11:47pm

Torqay wrote: »

15.6" PB EasyNote, Core i3 3110M, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB HDD, €345 @ laptopsdirect.

The processor is a helluva lot faster than the Celeron. Even with the extended warranty (€35) and some extra RAM, it should be within your budget.

Looking for a laptop for my parents too, unfortunately that one above is now sold out as that is perfect specs wise.

My dad would manage better with windows 7 though.

Any suggestions for me?

BobCobb · 14-02-2013 12:00am

Vegeta wrote: »

Looking for a laptop for my parents too, unfortunately that one above is now sold out as that is perfect specs wise.

My dad would manage better with windows 7 though.

Any suggestions for me?

Hello, just thought I'd let you know:
I clicked that link as I'm thinking of buying a laptop myself...it says that it's sold out but if you look under i3 laptops it seems to be there again.

h2005 · 19-02-2013 3:58am

Hi guys I`m looking for a laptop for in around 500 suitable for photoshop, dreamweaver etc any recommendations?

Buying a Laptop: The current Generation

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