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Other Discussion Boards => Technology & Information => Topic started by: Thork on December 05, 2013, 09:48:16 PM

Title: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 05, 2013, 09:48:16 PM
Ok guise, time to get all geeky.

I need a laptop for my brother's xmas present. Budget is £800 (US$1300).

It needs:
A disk drive so he can run his games.
An SSD (can be 80gb or more)
Pref 8gb of Ram.
Windows.

He will mostly use it for internet and playing his games. They tend not to be top of the range brand new, but I want to get him something nice.

What do you guys suggest? I'd like somthing that looks awesome like a macbook air or a sony viao or something but I also would like a bit of bang for buck and the aforementioned isn't going to give me that. Anyone got any good ideas please? I'm not really a laptop person.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Shane on December 05, 2013, 10:07:40 PM
What. I just wanna ask you a single unrelated question then I will go away. You spend 1300 dollars on family members xmas presents? Th*rk is generous as fuck.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 05, 2013, 10:21:55 PM
What. I just wanna ask you a single unrelated question then I will go away. You spend 1300 dollars on family members xmas presents? Th*rk is generous as fuck.

No. Its his xmas and birthday combined (they are close & I haven't seen him since his birthday) and I'm going to half the bill with my Mum (also his mum obviously) and I will be able to get it VAT free.

So its not quite as generous as first meets the eye.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Lord Dave on December 05, 2013, 10:27:10 PM
Avoid any of the touch screen crap.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 05, 2013, 10:27:54 PM
Avoid any of the touch screen crap.
that isn't as helpful as I suspect you intended it to be.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: juner on December 05, 2013, 10:38:32 PM
Screen size?
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Lord Dave on December 05, 2013, 10:39:33 PM
Avoid any of the touch screen crap.
that isn't as helpful as I suspect you intended it to be.
Avoid windows 8 too.  But that's nearly impossible.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 05, 2013, 10:42:01 PM
Avoid any of the touch screen crap.
that isn't as helpful as I suspect you intended it to be.
Avoid windows 8 too.  But that's nearly impossible.
Please get out.

Screen size?
Not tiny, he has to play games, but no real preference.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: juner on December 05, 2013, 10:42:43 PM
I'd suggest a Dell Latitude 3000 series, customize it yourself.

He'd be better off with a MBA and external drive depending on his gaming needs.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 05, 2013, 10:46:47 PM
MBA?

Googling dell now ...
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: juner on December 06, 2013, 12:25:31 AM
MBA?

like a macbook air...

Googling dell now ...
They have good support and I'd recommend them, at least the Latitude and XPS lines.  Highly configurable.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: bj1234 on December 06, 2013, 01:34:54 AM
I personally would avoid Dell.  I have had personal issues with their customer service.  We got my dad a laptop years ago for Christmas we also knew that he was rough on his stuff, so we purchased the accidental damage warranty on top of it.  We were told it would cover any sort of accidental damage from dropping to spillage for 2 years.  Well a little over a year later, he spilt his coffee all over it.  When we sent it in for service, they wouldn't cover it because of liquid damage.  I just feel that they are not honest with their sales tactics.

For brands, I would recommend Asus or Toshiba.  I had a Toshiba laptop for 8+ years before it finally went out.  I currently have an Asus X550C laptop that I like.  I build all my desktops with Asus motherboards and have not had any issues with the brand. 

Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Vindictus on December 06, 2013, 08:37:45 AM
Avoid any of the touch screen crap.
that isn't as helpful as I suspect you intended it to be.
Avoid windows 8 too.  But that's nearly impossible.

lol, good luck with that. The market is saturated with W8 + touch screen machines. There are a few brand around that don't have these features, but they're typically gaming laptops in excess of $1300.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Blanko on December 06, 2013, 12:26:54 PM
Avoid any of the touch screen crap.
that isn't as helpful as I suspect you intended it to be.
Avoid windows 8 too.  But that's nearly impossible.

I don't think there's any reason to get Windows 7 over 8, unless you're too stupid to get rid of Metro.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 06, 2013, 05:14:54 PM
Avoid any of the touch screen crap.
that isn't as helpful as I suspect you intended it to be.
Avoid windows 8 too.  But that's nearly impossible.

I don't think there's any reason to get Windows 7 over 8, unless you're too stupid to get rid of Metro.
This. Now the start bar is back, 8 is actually superior in many ways. Just get rid of the metro and you are away.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Lemon on December 07, 2013, 12:40:19 AM
He will mostly use it for internet and playing his games. They tend not to be top of the range brand new, but I want to get him something nice.

What do you guys suggest? I'd like somthing that looks awesome like a macbook air or a sony viao or something
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 07, 2013, 05:28:20 AM
He will mostly use it for internet and playing his games. They tend not to be top of the range brand new, but I want to get him something nice.

What do you guys suggest? I'd like somthing that looks awesome like a macbook air or a sony viao or something
I guess you read what you want to read.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: juner on December 07, 2013, 05:30:50 AM
He will mostly use it for internet and playing his games. They tend not to be top of the range brand new, but I want to get him something nice.

What do you guys suggest? I'd like somthing that looks awesome like a macbook air or a sony viao or something
I guess you read what you want to read.

Did you decide?
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 07, 2013, 05:32:15 AM
Did you decide?
No. I saw an awesome Sony Viao with the exact specs I wanted for the price ... but the viao is a note book ergo no disk drive.

I'l do some serious shopping this weekend.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: juner on December 07, 2013, 05:34:26 AM
Did you decide?
No. I saw an awesome Sony Viao with the exact specs I wanted for the price ... but the viao is a note book ergo no disk drive.

I'l do some serious shopping this weekend.

If it has everything, get it and go with an external drive.  They can be had for $40 or less and used as desired.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 07, 2013, 05:39:00 AM
Did you decide?
No. I saw an awesome Sony Viao with the exact specs I wanted for the price ... but the viao is a note book ergo no disk drive.

I'l do some serious shopping this weekend.

If it has everything, get it and go with an external drive.  They can be had for $40 or less and used as desired.
He plays games. Is he supposed to have the disk drive danginling off the sofa all the time? There will be a disk in the drive probbaly 80%of the time. External is a mess.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: juner on December 07, 2013, 05:44:06 AM
Ah, no bueno.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: xasop on December 07, 2013, 05:56:54 AM
Why exactly is a HDD necessary for playing games?
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: markjo on December 07, 2013, 08:46:09 AM
He plays games. Is he supposed to have the disk drive danginling off the sofa all the time? There will be a disk in the drive probbaly 80%of the time. External is a mess.
How about a thumb drive for the games?  They're pretty cheap these days.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Snupes on December 07, 2013, 10:16:17 AM
Why exactly is a HDD necessary for playing games?

Some people play games on discs.

Don't ask me why, I don't even know
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: beardo on December 07, 2013, 11:08:31 PM
Install Gentoo.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Fortuna on December 08, 2013, 08:13:06 AM
Just get a MacBook Air you whore.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 10, 2013, 10:36:55 PM
I have a discount code for Dell, so I think I'm going to go with ...

XPS 15 (http://www.dell.com/uk/p/xps-15-l521x/pd?oc=cnx1526&model_id=xps-15-l521x)

A few months ago it was £1200. I'm gonna be able to pick it up for about £500.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Vindictus on December 11, 2013, 02:02:32 AM
I have a discount code for Dell, so I think I'm going to go with ...

XPS 15 (http://www.dell.com/uk/p/xps-15-l521x/pd?oc=cnx1526&model_id=xps-15-l521x)

A few months ago it was £1200. I'm gonna be able to pick it up for about £500.

I've had terrible experiences with Dell.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 11, 2013, 05:15:10 PM
I have a discount code for Dell, so I think I'm going to go with ...

XPS 15 (http://www.dell.com/uk/p/xps-15-l521x/pd?oc=cnx1526&model_id=xps-15-l521x)

A few months ago it was £1200. I'm gonna be able to pick it up for about £500.

I've had terrible experiences with Dell.
I saved £700 today. That's a pretty good experience so far.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Fortuna on December 12, 2013, 12:19:27 AM
I have a discount code for Dell, so I think I'm going to go with ...

XPS 15 (http://www.dell.com/uk/p/xps-15-l521x/pd?oc=cnx1526&model_id=xps-15-l521x)

A few months ago it was £1200. I'm gonna be able to pick it up for about £500.

I've had terrible experiences with Dell.
I saved £700 today. That's a pretty good experience so far.

But you wouldn't have bought it without the coupon, so you actually lost £500.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Vongeo on December 13, 2013, 10:22:54 PM
I got a lenoviva y510 Idea pad for 800, but that was cyber monday.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 14, 2013, 09:45:59 PM
So I just got an e-mail from Dell. They cancelled the laptop because they ran out of stock.

I'm furious. they didn't even contact to offer alternatives or anything. Just cancelled my payment.

Dell are going to get an irate phone call on Monday.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Rushy on December 14, 2013, 10:00:44 PM
Dell are going to get an irate phone call on Monday.

I'm sure Dell, which gets most of its money from government contracts, doesn't give two shits about how many irate phone calls you give them.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 14, 2013, 10:05:14 PM
Dell are going to get an irate phone call on Monday.

I'm sure Dell, which gets most of its money from government contracts, doesn't give two shits about how many irate phone calls you give them.
But they have made a very powerful enemy! :'(
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Rushy on December 14, 2013, 10:19:45 PM
I've had terrible experiences with Dell.
I saved £700 today. That's a pretty good experience so far.

I'm furious. they didn't even contact to offer alternatives or anything. Just cancelled my payment.

Dell are going to get an irate phone call on Monday.

Came back to lol at the situation.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Thork on December 14, 2013, 10:27:44 PM
I've had terrible experiences with Dell.
I saved £700 today. That's a pretty good experience so far.

I'm furious. they didn't even contact to offer alternatives or anything. Just cancelled my payment.

Dell are going to get an irate phone call on Monday.

Came back to lol at the situation.
>o<
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Vindictus on December 14, 2013, 10:28:45 PM
So I just got an e-mail from Dell. They cancelled the laptop because they ran out of stock.

I'm furious. they didn't even contact to offer alternatives or anything. Just cancelled my payment.

Dell are going to get an irate phone call on Monday.


I told you. Dell, never again.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: xasop on December 15, 2013, 04:37:08 AM
This is literally the best thread ever.
Title: Re: Laptop needed
Post by: Pete Svarrior on December 15, 2013, 05:13:35 PM
(http://cdn2.insidermonkey.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Dell-Inc..jpg)