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Laptop advice

edited September 2011 in Not Sports Related
Seeing as you lot are normally very helpful, I thought I'd seek your advice once more.

I need to get a new laptop in the next couple of weeks for uni and was wondering if any of you had any recommendations. I do watch movies on my old laptop so I like a reasonable spec.
I also need to get a printer and Microsoft student bundle. I have a budget of around £700 for the whole lot. Hugely grateful for any advice as I'm a bit lost atm.

Thanks
Martin

Comments

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    Check out the manufacturers websites for student discounts.
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    I am a Mac user, generally at this time of year they offer packages for student's including microsoft programmes formatted for Mac if you shop around.

    Also, Apple also offer a large discount to students with an extended warranty, best place to look is on the website directly.

    Otherwise there are hundreds of good deals on laptops these days - and for a budget of £700.00 you should be able to find something with a high spec.
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    If you're a student at Uni, go and speak to your University IT department.  They'll have preffered suppliers and will be able to get you an excellent deal which you wont be able to get in the shops.
    All the main London Uni's offer this service to students.
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    12% discount via apple for students. Also the refurbished machines are a good deal
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    Avoid Dell as I know so many people who have had problems
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    Cheers people. Very helpful.
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    Check the Computing section of www.hotukdeals.com as regularly they come up. Mostly Dell ones though.

    I would also suggest to avoid HP as have had a couple of problems with them in the past
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    For software (Office, Windows etc) go to http://www.software4students.co.uk/  and its always worth paying a bit more to get the DVD.

    As for problems with Dells.  Laptops get a lot of abuse so will give more problems than desktops.  We have 3 Dells - 2 are 4 years old, 1 did 4 years at uni - all with no problems.  They are well built which is essential if you want it to last that long.  Get maximum memory.  I have seen HP printer/scanners for £40 on Amazon - should be fine.
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    If you're a student at Uni, go and speak to your University IT department.  They'll have preffered suppliers and will be able to get you an excellent deal which you wont be able to get in the shops.
    All the main London Uni's offer this service to students.
    What he said. They'll also know what software the course you're doing will be using, so can advise on the suitability of different hardware. Personally, I would recommend a Toshiba as they're decent quality for the price, but if the course largely uses Mac software then a Mac would make more sense.
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    Had a Dell laptop for over fours years, no real problems with it, had to change the HDD just recently. We use it everyday almost.

    Also got a toshiba laptop for my daugther a couple of years ago from her school. It has had a new psu and video card, she might use it once a week or so.
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    I started uni 2 years ago now, went straight into the Apple store with my student details. Got a MacBook with 2 GB extra memory and 3 year guarantee for just under £800.  Same price as I would've got a MacBook without any extras. Bargain. 
    Best thing about it is that you can partition your hard drive (split it in two) and install windows and all PC only programmes in that 2nd partition. So you have a 2 in 1 laptop!  
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    I can recommend the pub in Wycombe.. oh sorry, I thought you said lapdance
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    If I'm looking at hardware I tend to start at www.ebuyer.co.uk and www.novatech.co.uk.  Ebuyer sometimes do cheap deals and always have had great experience with customer service at novatech so you know if anything goes wrong they'll look after you.  Had my power supply blow last year and take out my processor in the process.  They replaced both with better versions and very little fuss.
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    Agree on software4students - full set of MS office for about £40. Windows 7 similar.

    Some HP inkjets can be dodgy - the printer suddenly stops recognising ink cartridges (OEM) and then the thing's junk. Have just replaced it at 18 months with an Epson SX425 (?), which uses compatible cartridges and was only about £50 in Argos. No problems so far.

    HP doing some good deals on laptops their site though. I have a cheap Compaq CQ60 laptop almost three years old, and it's never given me a problem - use it for work all day long and lug it everywhere and it's been great. And I've got arms like Popeye now too.
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    All great stuff guys, thanks for the tips.

    Oh and its the White Horse you're thinking of @DaveMehmet ;0)
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    I recommend a HP laptop. Very decent.
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    edited September 2011
    HP allegedly stopping production of hardware. - Spinning off their PC unit as a separate entity. - edit.
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