LeeM
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Registered: 26th Sep 05
Location: Liverpool
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My girlfriend needs a new laptop for Uni work, it needs to be able to run multiple word excel and Internet windows without lagging. obviously my go-to would be a MacBook but she's got a £500 budget.
Best I've found that's not a chunky looking pos is http://www.ebuyer.com/391901-samsung-535u3c-ultra-laptop-np535u3c-a01uk
Has anyone noticed anything better? Currys/pcworld had an asus ultra book last week or so for around £500 but can't seem to find it anymore.
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nathy_87
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Registered: 14th Aug 08
Location: West Mids. Drives: koda Fabia VRS 5J
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Samsung Laptop-Amzazon.
Acer Laptop-Amazon.
The Whole Bloody Range 
Obviously just be aware, some will be refurbs. The first two I posted aren't.
[Edited on 21-11-2012 by nathy_87]
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LeeM
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Registered: 26th Sep 05
Location: Liverpool
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Well yeah I know how to search for laptops and organise by price, I'm after finding out what's best for the money in people's experience.
The first 2 you posted are an 11" which is probably too small for anything and a 15" which isn't really portable enough to take to Uni.
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nathy_87
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Registered: 14th Aug 08
Location: West Mids. Drives: koda Fabia VRS 5J
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So wtf do you want then? Jeeze.
11" too small, 15" too big?
Ipad?
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LeeM
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Registered: 26th Sep 05
Location: Liverpool
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13" like the one i posted, ipad wont handle multiple word and excel let alone a load of safari tabs
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LeeM
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Registered: 26th Sep 05
Location: Liverpool
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another concern i have with that one i posted is performance of the AMD over an i3/5
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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An old shit laptop could meet the needs you've specified. I wouldn't be too concerned about being able to have a few docs and internet tabs open, hardly pushing the boundaries.
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LeeM
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Registered: 26th Sep 05
Location: Liverpool
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well it was on her dell thats just given up. my old lenovo struggled with it as well.
i want something that will do it without slowing down at all.
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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I'd put that down to user error personally, but I would think that any modern laptop could more than cope with your requirements. I understand you're looking for the best for your money however, which I can't really advise anyway so I'll shut up.
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LeeM
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Registered: 26th Sep 05
Location: Liverpool
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cheers
any computer I've ever used word on has been slow as shit as soon as you open multiple documents (apart from my mac...)
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LeeM
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Registered: 26th Sep 05
Location: Liverpool
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oh another thing to add, a good battery life would be good too, one thing ive definitely noticed is cheaper ones only last a couple of hours according to their spec lists
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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Samsung or Toshiba laptops are pretty robust, you can usually get good deals on those brands from places like eBuyer (or me).
Dell are OK but are very 'plasticy' and things start breaking soon after the warranty has expired.
Avoid:
- cheap brands like Packard Bell, Medion
- anything AMD
- anything with a Celeron or Pentium CPU
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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Missus got a Samsung laptop with AMD and whilst the build quality is good, the thing struggles playing youtube whilst browsing in chrome. Defo intel and not base spec. Other than that you'll be fine.
Hers was INCREDIBLY cheap though tbf.
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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quote:
Originally posted by LeeM
any computer I've ever used word on has been slow as shit as soon as you open multiple documents (apart from my mac...)
Doing something wrong or you've got a load of background cack loaded. My 4 year-old Dell handles Office 2010 without any issue; had 6-10 Word and Excel documents opened + Chrome and a load of tabs and it hasn't battered an eyelid.
Personally i would see WTF is wrong with the current one, chances are nothing. But if you want to splash cash then my choices would be Dell, followed by Samsung and Sony for price vs spec.
Edit - As mentioned, stick with Intel based laptops. And make sure you shop around and use cash back sites. If you know anyone that works at Tesco or other supermarkets that stock laptops then see if you can use their store card - i saved nearly £80 when i purchased my Dell.
[Edited on 21-11-2012 by Dom]
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A2H GO
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Registered: 14th Sep 04
Location: Stoke
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My Dell's been indestructible, 4 years old now, would defo have another, glad we went for the 17 inch too, bigger the better. 
EDIT: Actually the charger failed quite early on and even having bought 'genuine' replacements, none of them actually charge the battery which is annoying when you accidentally pull the cable out when you're in the middle of something
[Edited on 21-11-2012 by A2H GO]
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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quote:
Originally posted by Sam
Samsung or Toshiba laptops are pretty robust, you can usually get good deals on those brands from places like eBuyer (or me).
Dell are OK but are very 'plasticy' and things start breaking soon after the warranty has expired.
This is rubbish Sam. Anything apart from the very cheapest isn't plasticky and the reliability of them is better than anything else I've seen. Even if they do break out of warranty it's really easy to get bits.
I look after hundreds btw and it's always stuff like Sony or acer that come back broken, with difficult to find parts. Sony are especially shit.
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LeeM
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Registered: 26th Sep 05
Location: Liverpool
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her current one is a dell which is all cracked where the plastic meets, the battery has died so it only works on the charger, and now if it boots at all it crashes 5 or 6 times before its useable. its 3 or 4 years old so due an upgrade.
she really likes my macbook hence me looking at ultra books and not big chunky horrible plastic things.
having a hard time finding a decent looking intel iX one though
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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quote:
Originally posted by John
quote:
Originally posted by Sam
Samsung or Toshiba laptops are pretty robust, you can usually get good deals on those brands from places like eBuyer (or me).
Dell are OK but are very 'plasticy' and things start breaking soon after the warranty has expired.
This is rubbish Sam. Anything apart from the very cheapest isn't plasticky and the reliability of them is better than anything else I've seen. Even if they do break out of warranty it's really easy to get bits.
I look after hundreds btw and it's always stuff like Sony or acer that come back broken, with difficult to find parts. Sony are especially shit.
Not rubbish, just my opinion which I am entitled to. 
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fazza
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Registered: 7th Feb 08
Location: Plymouth
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we find sony are shit and end up with loads of issues.
They do look the best though imo, do love the vaio laptops.
Tend to sell alot of ASUS in the shop I'm in
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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You are entitled to it but it's wrong.
For that budget I would be going for (and do all the time) whatever refurb (one that's been sent back) you like the look of best, with 3 year NBD warranty.
I'd link you up but there are loads depending on what size/model you like best.
Forgot to add dell refurb if that wasn't clear 
[Edited on 21-11-2012 by John]
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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quote:
Originally posted by John
You are entitled to it but it's wrong.
According to you.
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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I've worked for Dell so know exactly what breaks in real life, I've also been dealing with hundreds out in the field for years, through most of their range, plus use more than 1 type personally + deal with loads of other manufacturers to compare with.
One subject I do have a fair amount of experience in, not just one here and there.
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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Who am I to have an opinion that differs to yours eh John. It's not like I have over 16+ years experience working in various IT roles in the past dealing with all sorts of brands or anything.
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Not enough to deal with any of dell's range that's built from metal and not plastic.
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LeeM
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Registered: 26th Sep 05
Location: Liverpool
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So metal dells dont feel plasticy, glad we've established that but I'm not gettin a dell after the last one.
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