Buying a new laptop

[Toby]

I thought we had a thread for this already but I can't find anything. Happy for it to be merged if one exists.

I've had a refurbished Macbook for coming on 3 years and I think it's just about done its time. The battery can barely hold charge and now I think the power connection is burnt out as it is often failing to charge.

I'm in two minds about what to do now. I'm not willing to pay the price of a brand new Macbook, but I do like the physical build quality of them and would much rather have something of that solid sort of build rather than flimsy plastic shit of most other manufacturers. Even a refurbished model that was four years old when I bought it has almost lasted me longer than my previous laptops combined. I don't need anything particularly powerful as I do almost everything through a web browser these days, with the exception of occasionally using Photoshop/InDesign (and for all the ability I have with those, I could probably just as easily use something much simpler).

So I care a lot more about how the thing feels to use than I do about its technical specs or anything like that, and I just wanted to see if there were any recommendations for other options before I look at another refurbed Macbook?

[Boydy]

Why do you need it to not be 'flimsy plastic shit'? What do you do with it? Throw it around?

[Toby]

I don't need it to be anything.

[Pepe]

I like the thin Dell, don't remember the name. XP maybe?

[Benny]

Is this for use for work? If so, could they not help with the costs of a laptop? I'm a big believer in 'you pay for what you get', so I would always try and get a real budget stretching option.

[Toby]

There's the Dell XPS range, but they appear to cost more than brand new Macbooks.

Dell might be a good shout though, I'll have a look at their cheaper models.


Is this for use for work? If so, could they not help with the costs of a laptop? I'm a big believer in 'you pay for what you get', so I would always try and get a real budget stretching option.

No just personal.

[John Arne]

My 8GB Surface Pro 3 has been excellent. Would recommend.

[Toby]

Isn't that just a tablet and doesn't it cost about £800?

[Reg]

Could have a look in Currys or similar if it's mainly about the feel etc.

[Toby]

Could have a look in Currys or similar if it's mainly about the feel etc.

This will be an online purchase...

http://i.imgur.com/85jtXOb.png

[SvN]

Why's this place been so dead today?

[Toby]

Magic must have work to do.

[Pen]

I also have a refurbished macbook that I've had for three and a half years (it's a 2010 model) and still runs really well and the only problem I have with it is that it's not compatible with the new Apple tv without and app. Have you thought about getting a new power cord and maybe a SSD drive if your use is so 'light' and if the computer still works well otherwise.

[Magic]

Magic must have work to do.

:nodd:/:(

Why don't you try an HP Envy? I've dropped mine when it was on right on the corner expecting it to shatter in to a million pieces but because it's aluminium I've just got a nice crumple zone impact and it works beautifully still.

[Toby]

I also have a refurbished macbook that I've had for three and a half years (it's a 2010 model) and still runs really well and the only problem I have with it is that it's not compatible with the new Apple tv without and app. Have you thought about getting a new power cord and maybe a SSD drive if your use is so 'light' and if the computer still works well otherwise.

I'm on my second power cable already, but it's the actual connection on the laptop itself that is acting up now. It doesn't seem like it'd be worth the cost of replacing that. It works for now but I have to fiddle with it for a bit before it does, and slight movements can knock it out of place.


:nodd:/:(

Why don't you try an HP Envy? I've dropped mine when it was on right on the corner expecting it to shatter in to a million pieces but because it's aluminium I've just got a nice crumple zone impact and it works beautifully still.

The laptop I had before this was an HP, which did the delightful thing of failing about six weeks out of warranty. Having heard similar stories from several others I've been very wary of them since, but maybe that's unreasonable.

[hfswjyr]

I've had this Asus for 4 years now, and it still goes like a beast (other than the battery). Would recommend if you're looking for build quality.

[TG09]

Here is the link fella.


http://www.thethirdhalf.co.uk/showthread.php?84-I-T-Help-Desk&highlight=i.t+desk



Dell XP laptops are a good soild make, goto their website, i think they have deals on it now and then.

Get a laptop with about 4gb min RAM at least a 1TB disk space. Dedicated graphics card if you are wanting to do any gaming or graphics work, otherwise get a built in card.

[ScousePig]

If anyone could recommend me a good laptop for around the £4-500 mark then their reputation could take an almighty boost.

[TG09]

If anyone could recommend me a good laptop for around the £4-500 mark then their reputation could take an almighty boost.

http://www.dell.com/uk/p/inspiron-13-7359-laptop/pd?ref=PD_Family


or this one has more RAM in it.
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/hp-pavilion-15-ab269sa-15-6-laptop-white-10137876-pdt.html

[ScousePig]

Thanks. The first one looks a bit small; is that what the kids have these days?

[TG09]

Thanks. The first one looks a bit small; is that what the kids have these days?

Before I left for New Zealand I got my ASUS laptop from here - http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/asus_x555ld_5th_gen_core_i7_4gb_1tb_15.6_inch_wind ows_8.1_laptop_x555ld-xx1024h/version.asp

I like ASUS, never had a issue with it, good prices from this site too.

[Toby]

Here is the link fella.


http://www.thethirdhalf.co.uk/showthread.php?84-I-T-Help-Desk&highlight=i.t+desk



Dell XP laptops are a good soild make, goto their website, i think they have deals on it now and then.

Get a laptop with about 4gb min RAM at least a 1TB disk space. Dedicated graphics card if you are wanting to do any gaming or graphics work, otherwise get a built in card.

Cheers. I don't need that much storage though, as I say most stuff I do is online and any films etc I have on external drives. I'd rather have a small SSD than a bigger slower one built in. The tech specs aren't really what I'm concerned about.

[ScousePig]

Went in to work today to pick up my new work laptop but I also need a new personal one and I'm going to pick it up soon from here: https://m.cclonline.com/category/101/Laptops/

As usual though, I don't really know what to go for. I want a powerful one which runs FM really well, and I don't want to spend more than £400 really. I've been using my girlfriend's HP one which I like so HP is an option.

[phonics]

I'd get a Surface in that case if I were you. Much better than having a dumpy laptop burning your nuts off as you sit in front of the telly playing that 15th season of mediocrity.

[ScousePig]

I've got my lap table (or whatever it's called) which I use when I'm working on the sofa so I don't put it on my lap. But anything you can recommend is great.

How would this do:
https://m.cclonline.com/product/197403/N1A92EA-ABU/Laptops/HP-250-I55200U-4GB/500GB-W10-HOME/NOT02204/

[phonics]

Personally, I hate HP and Dell with a passion.

[Magic]

I have an HP ENVY 15-u001na x360 Convertible PC and can confirm it's a fucking piece of shit, and it's more than twice the price of that one.

EDIT: Yeah, that ^^^

[Spammer]

Anyone had any problems with Dell?

Quite a few people seem to seriously dislike them I'm not sure why.

[Magic]

My little step brother also bought an HP really recently with a non-removable battery, John Lewis replaced it three times because it kept dying really quick and BSOD before they fully refunded him.

[ScousePig]

How about one of these:

https://m.cclonline.com/product/213574/X556UB-XX039T/Laptops/ASUS-X556UB-XX039T-i5-6200U-8GB-1TB-Nvidia-GeForce-940M-Windows-10-Laptop/NOT03082/

https://m.cclonline.com/product/199459/X555UJ-XO070T/Laptops/Asus-X555UJ-15-6-inch-Notebook-PC-Core-i5-6200U-2-3GHz-8GB-1TB-DVD-SM-WLAN-BT-Webcam-Windows-10-Home-nVidia-GeForce-920M-with-2GB-VRAM-/NOT02234/

Though they're both top end of my budget.

[ScousePig]

What's the crack with Microsoft office on these laptops - do I need to buy that separately?

[phonics]

Those are okay but I'd recommend checking to see if you can find one with an i7 rather than an i5 within your budget.

[Giggles]

What's the crack with Microsoft office on these laptops - do I need to buy that separately?

I've never seen one with office preinstalled. I think you just pay around £5 a month (I pay €7) for it now. Gives you one PC download, one tablet, and one phone.

[Giggles]

Those are okay but I'd recommend checking to see if you can find one with an i7 rather than an i5 within your budget.

Could be a bit overkill if it's only for work or FM. I've one with an A10 and FM runs like a dream. Though he would be future proofing a bit I suppose.

[ScousePig]

Could be a bit overkill if it's only for work or FM. I've one with an A10 and FM runs like a dream. Though he would be future proofing a bit I suppose.

I honestly only need one for work and that runs FM well. Even FM I barely play but I want it as an option. I don't want to be spending hundreds more than necessary.

[ScousePig]

Are Asus laptops generally okay?

[Mike]

My only recommendation with laptops is ignore the hard drive in for fully and budget for buying a SSD to put in it yourself, along with one of those usb housing cases for the old laptop to go in.
Putting an SSD in mine was a real eye opener.

[Giggles]

Yep. I was a late convert to SSD but they are class. Such a difference.
ScousePig I've had four Asus devices (1 laptop, 2 tablets, and a TV box) and all have been very well put together. If the internals are what you need then I wouldn't worry about build quality.

[ScousePig]

What's this SSD business?

[Mike]

Solid State Drive.
They're brilliant. I'm a full on 100% convert.
I have one in my laptop and then my desktop has one in for Windows, FM and normally another game. A second drive for installing everything else and a third for downloads.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Mine just has Windows and then shit that I forget to change the installation path of.

[ScousePig]

Is it just a drive you can take out and swap over or something?

[phonics]

Is it just a drive you can take out and swap over or something?

An SSD is just a Hard-Drive but it's not made up (or is made up, I can't remember) of moving parts so it can write/read the disk quicker.

[Mike]

Is it just a drive you can take out and swap over or something?
Most laptops changing the hard drive is really simple.

[ScousePig]

Are there any SSD laptops you'd recommend?

[Magic]

Lol also to say they had to put a 200 quid SSD in my already 800 quid laptop. Would have been cheaper with a Surface Pro.

But yes no SSD no life.

[Davgooner]

Are there any SSD laptops you'd recommend?

HP are doing some models with SSDs in now. This is quite tasty:

http://www.ebuyer.com/749657-hp-250-g5-laptop-x0n33ea-abu?mkwid=s_dc&pcrid=51467863979&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=Cj0KEQjw8pC9BRCqrq37zZil4a0BEiQAZO_zrE6nIxno js4e90pvW_hGGJ1G6rjRBcal_Cd6cyayZdgaAszh8P8HAQ

There's an i3 model kicking about as well.

[ScousePig]

https://m.cclonline.com/product/201039/20EV000TUK/Laptops/Lenovo-ThinkPad-E560-15-6-inch-Notebook-Core-i5-6200U-2-3GHz-8GB-1x8GB-192GB-SSD-DVD-RW-WLAN-BT-Webcam-Windows-7-Pro-64-bit/Windows-10-Pro-64-bit-RDVD-Intel-HD-Graphics-520-Black/NOT02420/

What does that look like in comparison to the others I linked? It's a notebook but does it matter?

[ScousePig]

HP are doing some models with SSDs in now. This is quite tasty:

http://www.ebuyer.com/749657-hp-250-g5-laptop-x0n33ea-abu?mkwid=s_dc&pcrid=51467863979&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=Cj0KEQjw8pC9BRCqrq37zZil4a0BEiQAZO_zrE6nIxno js4e90pvW_hGGJ1G6rjRBcal_Cd6cyayZdgaAszh8P8HAQ

There's an i3 model kicking about as well.

Is that the same as this:

https://m.cclonline.com/product/213414/X0N33EA-ABU/Laptops/HP-250-G5-15-6-inch-Notebook-PC-Core-i5-6200U-2-3GHz-8GB-256GB-SSD-DVD-RW-WLAN-BT-Webcam-Windows-7-Pro-Media-Upgrade-to-Windows-10-Pro-HD-Graphics-520-Asteroid-Silver/NOT03079/

How about the i7?

https://m.cclonline.com/product/213272/X0N34EA-ABU/Laptops/HP-250-G5-15-6-inch-Notebook-PC-Core-i7-6500U-2-5GHz-8GB-256GB-SSD-DVD-RW-WLAN-BT-Webcam-Windows-7-Pro-Media-Upgrade-to-Windows-10-Pro-HD-Graphics-520-Asteroid-Silver/NOT03033/

[Boydy]

https://m.cclonline.com/product/201039/20EV000TUK/Laptops/Lenovo-ThinkPad-E560-15-6-inch-Notebook-Core-i5-6200U-2-3GHz-8GB-1x8GB-192GB-SSD-DVD-RW-WLAN-BT-Webcam-Windows-7-Pro-64-bit/Windows-10-Pro-64-bit-RDVD-Intel-HD-Graphics-520-Black/NOT02420/

What does that look like in comparison to the others I linked? It's a notebook but does it matter?
Doesn't 'notebook' just mean laptop?

[Davgooner]

Aye.

Scouse, not sure what you're going to be using it for, but short of high-end production stuff or gaming you probably don't need an i7. Crack on with the i5/8GB model.

[ScousePig]

Aye.

Scouse, not sure what you're going to be using it for, but short of high-end production stuff or gaming you probably don't need an i7. Crack on with the i5/8GB model.

And it'd run FM well? Is the graphics card decent?

All being well I'll get it from my shop as it's only down the road and I can pick it straight up.

[Magic]

HP are shit I thought we went over this already.

[Boydy]

And it'd run FM well? Is the graphics card decent?

All being well I'll get it from my shop as it's only down the road and I can pick it straight up.

That's just integrated graphics so they won't be particularly good, no. You won't get a proper graphics card in a laptop unless you're spending almost twice the price.

[Giggles]

Doesn't 'notebook' just mean laptop?

Notebook means small screen. Normally around 11".

[ScousePig]

I just want one that will run FM well in case I ever play it, and I can use it for work related stuff and the internet obviously.

[Davgooner]

Surely FM isn't particularly graphics intensive?

[Boydy]

They have a 3D match engine these days.

[Davgooner]

Wankers.

[ScousePig]

So not FM friendly?

Seriously, I just need a laptop that is decent and will run FM well should I feel the need to dabble.

[Magic]

Scouse tell us your requirements again not sure we've got it yet.

[ScousePig]

It appears not as none of you technical boffins have agreed upon a laptop for me yet. I thought Dav had cracked it but apparently not.

I really could do with it for next week.

[Magic]

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/hp-250-g5-intel-core-i5-6200u-8gb-256gb-ssd-dvdsm-windows-7-pro-15.6-inch-f-x0n33ea/version.asp?tduid=e9fc865ec3d7520743c1faa425cb3ed9&utm_source=HotUKDeals_1018132&utm_medium=tradedoubler

?

[Boydy]

Didn't think browsing hotUKdeals would fit with your middle class status.

[Magic]

:S

[Boydy]

What is that?

[Giggles]

It appears not as none of you technical boffins have agreed upon a laptop for me yet. I thought Dav had cracked it but apparently not.

I really could do with it for next week.

Nobody will agree but any of them would do.

[Boydy]

Asking for help and then bitching that no one's sorted you out yet is poor form.

[ScousePig]

Nobody will agree but any of them would do.

If that's true then that's fine, but I'm not sure without checking.

Shut up Boydy you bitch.

[Magic]

Oh for fuck's sake just buy one already you fucking retard.

[ScousePig]

I'm actually a bit low on cash :hennorz:

Fuck your smilies too.

[Magic]

Needs it by next week, demanding suggestions.

SHORT ON CASH.

#meme

[Magic]

Well my piece of shit laptop caved in, the power button has finally broken after it was dropped last year. I got a new one, an HP ProBook 650 seems to be a bit of a beast except it has a shite screen, a fucking CD player and a Display port (extreme lols). It's miles better design though, no touch screen and feels a lot better put together.

[Raoul Duke]

A CD player? What's that?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Grandad.

[CJay]

My wife needs a new laptop. Her current one is a 7 year old monster from Samsung that doesn't have a functioning battery and moves at snail pace.

All she needs it for is Microsoft Office and browsing, basically. Any suggestions? There should be something around that does all that for a decent price, but there's so much choice. I'm thinking £300-£350 max. What's good for that price?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Thinking of either an XPS 13 or a new Razer Blade Stealth.

Thoughts between the two? Anything else I should be contemplating?

I want it to be portable (light) and capable of playing games but it doesn't need to be a monster.

[CJay]

Real talk - why do nearly all Windows laptops have a numeric keypad and an off-centre trackpad? :moop:

[Boydy]

Yeah, I don't get why they try to cram in numeric keypads. Just make the main keyboard a decent size.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Cheers for the help, lads.

I've decided on this anyway:

http://www.razerzone.com/gb-en/gaming-systems/razer-blade

I'll be ordering it tomorrow or Wednesday when my money finally clears.

[Adamski]

My work laptop is an HP Elitebook. I bet it'll run FM like a fucking dream but doubt I can get it on.

[Giggles]

There's too much work shit on my work laptop now so I wouldn't mind buying one for FM so long as it was quick and lightweight.

[Adamski]

I bought a Toshiba about 18 months ago with a fairly big screen as I fancied that for FM. It's a little too bulky and a bit clunky, don't have the time or inclination to format it so it just tends to sit there.

Best FM for me was on my MacBook before it pegged it.

[Giggles]

It does seem to run well on a Mac but it'd never be an option as they're a complete rip and I hate the software for doing anything else on it. Though a Windows machine that matches the fast and lightweight/portable is probably going to be Mac money anyway. I might just stick to the Touch version on the tablet.

[Raoul Duke]

Dell XPS 13
HP Spectre x360
Lenovo Yoga 910

...are the current Windows laptops to checkout (all fairly expensive though)

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I bought the XPS 15 as the Razer Blade was sold out when I went to buy it.

I went for the 16GB RAM with 512gb SSD.

I love it bar the keyboard which is fucking tiny, despite there being a lot of room to fit a larger one in.

http://bpc.h-cdn.co/assets/16/11/768x512/gallery-1458067300-dell-xps-laptop-05.jpg

I'm typing like a fucking Grandma because if I try touch typing I make a shit ton of mistakes.

[Baz]

Send that back.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Send that back.
I've actually been thinking of doing so, especially now that the Razer Blade is back in stock.

[Smiffy]

What's the cost of the Razer Blade, Mahow? Looks tasty.

EDIT: 1750, it can remain looking tasty.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What's the cost of the Razer Blade, Mahow? Looks tasty.

EDIT: 1750, it can remain looking tasty.

It's also just gone back out of order :(

I've arranged for Dell to pick my XPS up on Wednesday and I've just order the QHD Razer Blade Stealth.

It actually has a decent sized keyboard.

[hfswjyr]

How much of that 1750 was spent on making the keyboard light up in rainbow colours?

Looks like a beast of a laptop - and I'm jealous because I can't afford it.

[Magic]

My work laptop is an HP Elitebook. I bet it'll run FM like a fucking dream but doubt I can get it on.

What's the specs on it? Mine is a ProBook but with 12GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD fitted.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

How much of that 1750 was spent on making the keyboard light up in rainbow colours?

Looks like a beast of a laptop - and I'm jealous because I can't afford it.

http://www.razerzone.com/gb-en/gaming-systems/razer-blade-stealth

I went for that one instead, 4k display with a 512GB SSD.

[Baz]

Moving on from Mahow's mega laptop, I bought this for £400 in June 2013:
ASUS K55A-SX376H red, Intel® Core™ i5-3210M Dual Core Processor, 15.6" HD Screen, Microsoft Windows 8 64-bit, 8GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB HDD, DVD Rewriter, Integrated Graphics.

No games are played. Just some light work software, word processing, web browsing, e-mails - that kind of office nonsense. It's gone a bit turd though, notably since the FREE UPGRADE TO WINDOWS 10 but maybe it's just coincidence.

Anyway, it's over three years later and laptops seem cheap. How much would it cost me to get one either as good as that one or, preferably, a bit better? Feel free to make suggestions with links and stuff. :p

[Raoul Duke]

It might be worth looking into swapping the HDD for an SSD. That'd be the main difference you could make. That'd be pretty cheap to do if you want to give it another year.

[Baz]

It might be worth looking into swapping the HDD for an SSD. That'd be the main difference you could make. That'd be pretty cheap to do if you want to give it another year.Mike has a history of doing this. I'll get him on it. :thbup:

How much is a good one likely to cost? Doesn't need to be any bigger than the current one.

[Mike]

Mike has a history of doing this. I'll get him on it. :thbup:

I'm bloody good eh

[Danny]

Mike has a history of doing this. I'll get him on it. :thbup:

How much is a good one likely to cost? Doesn't need to be any bigger than the current one.

The Samsung 850 EVO is rated pretty good from what I saw having a cursory look the other day. 500GB was only $165 on Amazon too.

[CJay]

Is there such a thing as a good notebook-sized laptop that isn't 2-in-1 for less than £600? 13" or smaller preferably. Everything either seems to be a hulking 15.6" or a terribly specced 13".

Curry's website is truly awful.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Zenbook UX305's.

[CJay]

Zenbook UX305's.

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/asus-zenbook-ux305-13-3-laptop-black-10140912-pdt.html

This one? Looks a good shout I have to say. Specs are nice. Anyone got any competition?

[CJay]

http://www.trustedreviews.com/asus-zenbook-ux305-review

That reads as the most negative 9/10 ! review ever. That processor doesn't fill me with confidence in future proofing.

[ScousePig]

Hi again lads :wave:

So I was looking again at laptops to suit my needs, particularly for FM.

https://m.cclonline.com/product/219409/20EV003QUK/Laptops/Lenovo-ThinkPad-E560-15-6-inch-Notebook-Core-i5-6200U-2-3GHz-4GB-1x4GB-256GB-SSD-DVD-RW-WLAN-BT-Webcam-Windows-10-Pro-64-bit-Intel-HD-Graphics-520-Black/NOT03361/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAhZPDBRCz642XqYOCpb8BEiQANUcwTzCkI6J 1NGhhNJtZ8WBmaNhTI__iMAjzUiiLfWjEXBoaAhUc8P8HAQ

The problem with that is only 4GB Ram - is that adequate?

https://m.cclonline.com/product/222537/NM7JN/Laptops/Dell-Latitude-3570-15-6-inch-Laptop-Intel-Core-i5-6200-8GB-RAM-1288GB-SSD-Intel-HD-520-Wi-Fi-BT-Extended-Battery-Windows-10-Professional-64bit-/NOT03415/

8GB Ram but only 128GB SSD and no optical drive. Is that okay?

http://www.ebuyer.com/762764-acer-travelmate-p658-m-laptop-nx-vcyek-003

More expensive and still not sure it has an optical drive, and only 128GB SSD.

The first one looks good to me but only if 4GB Ram is sufficient, and Lenovos are okay.

[ScousePig]

http://www.ebuyer.com/759609-dell-latitude-15-5000-e5570-laptop-vr6p5

Not quite sure why that Dell is 300 quid more than the other one?

[CJay]

I wouldn't buy something with only 4gb. I'd say it would struggle a bit with a big FM game.

[Kikó]

I bought a Lenovo Yoga 710 and love It. Never thought the touch screen hybrid would be something I'd need but it's great for browsing.

[ScousePig]

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/asus-republic-of-gamers-gl55-2vx-15-6-gaming-laptop-black-10146360-pdt.html

This looks decent?

[Mike]

https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/notebooks/cosmosXT-15/
But upgrade the ram to 8GB and switch to an SSD?

No chance at all of having a desktop pc?

[Adamski]

I bought a Lenovo Yoga 710 and love It. Never thought the touch screen hybrid would be something I'd need but it's great for browsing.

That looks great. 20% off just now too.

[Giggles]

That Yoga doesn't look bad. Was going to buy a TV in the next while but that's more tempting instead. Work laptop has too much crap on it.

Currys want €1049 but Lenovo direct are €880.

[ScousePig]

I bought a Lenovo Yoga 710 and love It. Never thought the touch screen hybrid would be something I'd need but it's great for browsing.

8GB Ram Windows 10, 256GB SSD, i7 processor. Seems to have everything I need. I was only looking at 15" screens earlier, is the 14" okay? A few people saying the fan is too loud.

Do you play FM on it?

[ScousePig]

Mike, I don't think a desktop PC is really suitable at the moment.

[Raoul Duke]

If you're buying a new laptop (and FM is the most intensive thing you'll run on it) , the minimum requirements are:

- i5 or i7 processor
- 8GB RAM
- SSD
- You don't need an optical drive. Everything is available from Steam/downloading and worst case just get an external drive

As with anything like this, the more you put in the more performant/future-proff your system will be. But don't look at anything less than the above unless you're just browsing the internet with it.

[Giggles]

It's the HD letting mine down and making it slow. The SSD would need to be the system drive for it to effect FM though wouldn't it? The ones you see with 1TB HD & 150GB SSD, the solid state would only be for photos and other media wouldn't it?

[Kikó]

8GB Ram Windows 10, 256GB SSD, i7 processor. Seems to have everything I need. I was only looking at 15" screens earlier, is the 14" okay? A few people saying the fan is too loud.

Do you play FM on it?

I've played Fm16 on it and it works fine. I doubt there is much system demand difference.

I don't hear the fan at all. The screen size is fine for what I need it for.

[Magic]

I went from a 15" screen to a 15" screen, the only difference was the resolution and I still struggle with 1378 or whatever it is compared to 1920.

[Giggles]

I went from a 15" screen to a 15" screen, the only difference was the resolution and I still struggle with 1378 or whatever it is compared to 1920.

Big change.

[Magic]

It's a subtle but big difference.

[Raoul Duke]

It's the HD letting mine down and making it slow. The SSD would need to be the system drive for it to effect FM though wouldn't it? The ones you see with 1TB HD & 150GB SSD, the solid state would only be for photos and other media wouldn't it?

Yeah. OS on the SSD and storage on the HDD.

[Giggles]

Yeah. OS on the SSD and storage on the HDD.

I'd probably better just stump up for a bigger SSD then. I need decent graphics too. The work laptop can't play videos I record on my phone.

[Magic]

It's worth checking what kind of SSD is in it too, as they can vastly differ in performance.

[Raoul Duke]

Yeah, you don't even need that much space. Most things are cloud-based now and the need to keep music/videos isn't really there if you stream everything.

[Giggles]

It's worth checking what kind of SSD is in it too, as they can vastly differ in performance.

See when it gets to that stage, I just glaze over and I'll buy what the man in the shop tells me to.

[Raoul Duke]

See when it gets to that stage, I just glaze over and I'll buy what the man in the shop tells me to.

http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-ssds/

[Magic]

See when it gets to that stage, I just glaze over and I'll buy what the man in the shop tells me to.

Why wouldn't you get it online?

Just stick the details in here:

http://ssd.userbenchmark.com

And it'll tell you where it ranks. Some of the manufacturers are sticking shite SSDs in and branding it as SSD - SUPER PERFORMANCE! When it's not that much greater than a standard HDD.

[Giggles]

Yeah, you don't even need that much space. Most things are cloud-based now and the need to keep music/videos isn't really there if you stream everything.

That's true. I have very little media these days at all. Between Google Photos and Spotify I'm even only using 17GB total on my phone that I've had for 9 months. A 128GB stick would cover anything needed anyway if you were into physical copies.

[Giggles]

Why wouldn't you get it online?

Just stick the details in here:

http://ssd.userbenchmark.com

And it'll tell you where it ranks. Some of the manufacturers are sticking shite SSDs in and branding it as SSD - SUPER PERFORMANCE! When it's not that much greater than a standard HDD.

I wouldn't trust anything that size shipping without damage. Same goes for a TV.

[Magic]

Really? Freak.

[Giggles]

Really? Freak.

I know a few fellas in courier companies. The more expensive a package looks, the rougher the treatment it gets.

[Baz]

http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-ssds/Mike put the runner-up in my wife's laptop yesterday. She's not set it all back up yet but the bootup time went from about 200 seconds, to less than 20. :drool:

[Mike]

It's 13 seconds Baz, not that I timed it.

[Magic]

13 seconds is ages.

[Raoul Duke]

From cold boot to usable desktop it isn't particularly.

[Giggles]

Yeah exactly. It's one thing having the desktop appear but if it's actually usable in 13 seconds then that's lightning.

[Dquincy]

Stupid question - is screen size measured on the whole lid or just the physical screen? (Ie. Not including the frame).

[Magic]

:D

It's just the screen size.

[ScousePig]

If you're buying a new laptop (and FM is the most intensive thing you'll run on it) , the minimum requirements are:

- i5 or i7 processor
- 8GB RAM
- SSD
- You don't need an optical drive. Everything is available from Steam/downloading and worst case just get an external drive

As with anything like this, the more you put in the more performant/future-proff your system will be. But don't look at anything less than the above unless you're just browsing the internet with it.

Thanks, it will be the most intensive game I imagine. Kiko's is looking good at the moment but I have a good idea what I'm looking for now.

[Danny]

Mike put the runner-up in my wife's laptop yesterday. She's not set it all back up yet but the bootup time went from about 200 seconds, to less than 20. :drool:

I got that one for xmas :drool:

[ScousePig]

http://www.ebuyer.com/757579-lenovo-thinkpad-e560-laptop-20ev003euk

This has 4GB on the main bit but in the specifications it says 8GB. It seems to have everything I want.

[Spammer]

This is probably the best place for this...

What would I need to buy to get my laptop screen put onto my TV? I have a HDMI cable which does the trick but it's a right faff having to piss about with wires. Surely there's some wireless thing I could buy? I'm sure there is but I'm not clued up on this stuff.

[Magic]

What content do to want to put? Local media? The whole screen?

[Boydy]

A Chromecast?

Is it a smart TV?

[CJay]

If you're just wanting to play films / tv shows you have on your laptop then setting up Plex and getting an Amazon Fire Stick is a good idea.

[Giggles]

Depends if he has the 6 months free to figure out how to set that fucking Plex thing up.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:cab:

It's seriously easy.

[Giggles]

It is once you've done it before I'm sure. I've never had a home network.

[-james-]

I got a surface pro 4 recently. It's great and I think should definitely be bought over an iPad, and probably a macbook too. The wi-fi seems to drop intermittently sometimes though which is very annoying.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

It is once you've done it before I'm sure. I've never had a home network.

I went in fresh having never had a home network, it really was easy and quick.

[Magic]

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/hp-laptop-intel-core-i5-6200u-256-gb-ssd-8gb-ram-15-6-display-349-98-ebuyer-2590087

[Samadini]

That is a really good deal and those in the comments whinging about the resolution are gimps. 768 is still absolutely fine for what it would be used for.

[Magic]

350 quid omg not full HD!!!111

:harold:

Mine is the same and it's fine tbh spec >>>> resolution.

Edit: yes I did complain about 1366 res but mine was 800 quid and I came from a 1920 screen.

I'd be all over that for £350 when you see some of the shit that's available for that price elsewhere.

[Samadini]

Yeah totally, the specs tick so many boxes. If I had the money, I'd be buying it as I need to buy one soon. Was holding out for Dino's Surface Pro. :(

[Magic]

ScousePig
Giggles

[Giggles]

ScousePig
Giggles

What?

[Magic]

I thought you wanted a new laptop?

[ScousePig]

Been to Curry's and looked at the one Kiko mentioned:

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/lenovo-yoga-710-14-2-in-1-black-10146250-pdt.html

I definitely liked the touchscreen option, probably a good silly question but does that work with games like FM?

I'm just trying to see what the difference between that and the 510, which has a lot more reviews (and generally positive ones):

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/lenovo-yoga-510-14-2-in-1-black-10146249-pdt.html

[ScousePig]

Thanks Magic but after looking around I think I'm happy with spending the extra money on one of the above and keeping it for a good chunk of time.

[Spammer]

If you're just wanting to play films / tv shows you have on your laptop then setting up Plex and getting an Amazon Fire Stick is a good idea.

Aye that's basically it. Is Plex free software? How much is a fire stick?

A mate had Chromecast and i seem to remember having to play things through Chrome in order for it to work. I don't have Chrome anyway actually.

[ScousePig]

Looking again at those two above, the older model (510) has a graphics card but the 710 doesn't say anything.

[CJay]

Aye that's basically it. Is Plex free software? How much is a fire stick?

A mate had Chromecast and i seem to remember having to play things through Chrome in order for it to work. I don't have Chrome anyway actually.

Plex is free. Download it on your laptop and it will find all your media and attempt to organise it on your own Plex server - if you've named stuff properly it usually works quite well. Then you download the app on your Fire Stick / Apple TV / tablet / whatever and stream whatever you want from your server.

A Fire Stick costs like £35. Often cheaper in sales.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

http://www.razerzone.com/project-valerie

https://cnet4.cbsistatic.com/img/2emL4NEjFxexFEwfvWp9RU0D1rI=/770x433/2017/01/05/db922c88-850a-489c-8e1a-1fb00e9fd040/flrazervaleriestill.jpg

Scenes.

Might be a bit much in a lecture hall though, it would keep people away from me though.

[Disco]

You'll be sweating buckets from trackpadding all the way across the fuckers so I would say that's pretty nailed on.

[Offshore Toon]

The jokes on you 'cause you'll need at least one screen dedicated to keeping tabs on all the phone numbers you're gonna get.

[Offshore Toon]

Is PC Specialist still the best place to go? Looking for a laptop that runs FM without ridiculous loading times.

[Disco]

Ebuyer is worth checking.

[Giggles]

Yeah what does it take to run this smoothly? I've only got 3 English divisions and 2 Irish but I'm showing half a star under PC performance but it meets the specs.

I know it's not great but it should be better with 5 divisions loaded.

http://i.imgur.com/oPlOeuH.png

[Disco]

You've all tried the Rendering Mode option right?

[Offshore Toon]

Its not for me, but I'll pass that information on.

[Giggles]

You've all tried the Rendering Mode option right?

The what?

I'll have a look through the preferences. Do they effect the game as a whole or just the match bit?

[Disco]

No idea (never tried it) but all the later games default to GPU rendering so if yours is underpowered then you can try Software rendering. I'd imagine it'll affect some of fancier graphics but might also speed it up a bit.

[CJay]

Any of you men have advice for buying a monitor? Looking on Amazon as I've got a few vouchers to spend. My price range is around £150 or so. I know I'm not going to get anything amazing for that price, but I should be able to get something that isn't a dud, at least. Main uses are video, casual gaming, and text editing. Any particular feature I should look out for? Or particular brands I should avoid? Ideally it will have 2 HDMI ports, and speakers don't matter to me. 24in - 27in.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Monitors/BenQ-GW2760HS-Widescreen-Multimedia-Speakers/B00BPL0558/ref=sr_1_15?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1487345246&sr=1-15&keywords=computer+monitor

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AOC-23-8-Ultra-Thin-Monitor-I2481FXH-x/dp/B015510P76/ref=sr_1_12?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1487345426&sr=1-12&keywords=computer+monitor

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LG-24MP58VQ-Monitor-1920x1080-HDMI/dp/B01BFH1712/ref=sr_1_32?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1487345686&sr=1-32&keywords=computer+monitor

Thoughts?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BDBWE0Y/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_57

[CJay]

Oh that's nice. The bezels are so thin. :drool: Do you have that one, Mahow?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Yeah, it's lovely.

Speakers are awful but as are all monitor speakers.

[Raoul Duke]

I'm pretty sure that's what I have too. Tidy bit of kit, but yeah the speakers are a bit scratchy. I just use headphones with it anyway.

[CJay]

Nice. Think I might go for it. Thanks for advice, chaps. :thbup:

[Giggles]

What is the best brand of printer to get these days that doesn't shaft you down the line for ink?

[Giggles]

None of you cunts have a printer?

[Spikey M]

I do any printing I need at work at the tax payers expense. Thug lyfe.

[Boydy]

I was considering getting a printer recently so I would also like to know, if that helps, Giggles?

[Giggles]

I was considering getting a printer recently so I would also like to know, if that helps, Giggles?

Well if someone PM's you a suggestion then you can let me know.

[Danny]

We have the Canon PIXMA MG7120 as the wife wanted something to print photos with. We certainly get shafted on ink.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

All printers are cunts and the work of the devil.

There's no sense to them.

[Raoul Duke]

It's mostly cheaper to buy a new printer than it is to buy new inks

[Dquincy]

All printers are cunts and the work of the devil.

There's no sense to them.

I can think of one.

[Samadini]

Yeah totally, the specs tick so many boxes. If I had the money, I'd be buying it as I need to buy one soon. Was holding out for Dino's Surface Pro. :(

I'm ready to buy one now and nothing I can find is as good as that deal was.

If anyone has seen anything recently for £400 max, let me know.

[Giggles]

What's the difference between the Dell Inspiron laptops and their XPS laptops? Is it just design or am I missing something like using cheaper and poorer quality internals in the Inspiron?

I've been looking at getting a new one and the 15" Inspiron with an i7 (7th gen if that matters), 16GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD is €900, but the XPS 15 with an i7 (7th gen), 8GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD is €1549. The latter looks nicer but not 650 quid nicer. Does the cheaper one have a shit screen or shit SSD/RAM or something?

EDIT:
Looking more at it, the full specs are:

Inspiron 15 5000 (http://www.dell.com/ie/p/inspiron-15-5567-laptop/pd?oc=cn55716&model_id=inspiron-15-5567-laptop)
7th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-7500U Processor (4M Cache, up to 3.5 GHz)
16GB Single Channel DDR4 2400MHz, up to 16GB
256GB Solid State Drive
AMD Radeon™ R7 M445 Graphics 4G GDDR5
15.6 inch LED Backlit Display with Anti-Glare FHD resolution (1920 x 1080)

XPS 15 9560 (http://www.dell.com/ie/p/xps-15-9560-laptop/pd?oc=cnx95602&model_id=xps-15-9560-laptop)
7th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-7700HQ Quad Core Processor (6M cache, up to 3.8 GHz)
8GB DDR4-2400MHz; up to 32GB (additional memory sold separately)
256GB PCIe Solid State Drive
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 with 4GB GDDR5
15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge display, Non-touch

I see more bells and whistles on each individual spec on the latter, so is it worth 650 quid more?



.

[phonics]

I can't remember which ones we've got around here but our Dell laptops are absolute nightmares. It's the silver one with the touchscreen and they are waaaaaaaank. I think they got 5 last year and 2 are already blue screening left and right.

[Giggles]

I can't remember which ones we've got around here but our Dell laptops are absolute nightmares. It's the silver one with the touchscreen and they are waaaaaaaank. I think they got 5 last year and 2 are already blue screening left and right.

I found some more specs and edited above. Definitely don't want anything with touch, I even hate those mousepad things.

[phonics]

A GTX 1050 in a laptop? Jesus christ does it come with water cooling or something? That things an absolute beast.

Do you play video games that aren't FM? If not and you just use it for general browsing, watching stuff etc. then I'd go with the former.

edit: I just saw the 256GB SSD. That is sex. No idea how much media you like to carry on a laptop but I'd reccomend getting a 1TB external alongside it and keeping all your media and stuff on that. Just install software to the SSD.

[Giggles]

A GTX 1050 in a laptop? Jesus christ does it come with water cooling or something? That things an absolute beast.

Do you play video games that aren't FM? If not and you just use it for general browsing, watching stuff etc. then I'd go with the former.

Yeah I asked about getting a new work one and he said I can stick one up to €1000 on the credit card. It'll be my personal one too so I was going to put the other 500 to it myself for the XPS or just have the first one for free. Definitely would only be FM I'd be playing on it.

The only one above it in the Inspiron 5000 range is €928 which is the same as the €900 one but it has a "2TB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive" instead of the SSD, but I believe SSD's are the only way to go now. Pity there's not a 512GB option in the range as I've just checked this one and I've used 280GB.

[Giggles]

There's this too. Half the RAM but has a 1TB drive as well as the 256GB SSD.

http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/hp-omen-15-ax208na-core-i7-7700hq-8gb-1tb-256gb-ssd-geforce-gtx-1050-2gb-1jl21ea/version.asp

[phonics]

Avoid HP like the plague, they use the cheapest parts and are full of bloatware.

[Giggles]

Avoid HP like the plague, they use the cheapest parts and are full of bloatware.

Actually yeah. This one is a HP and it's gone to shit in 2 years.

I could probably get away easily with a 256GB drive as I've 1TB of OneDrive storage and I can use an external if needs be anyway.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Don't get the XPS 15, I ended up returning mind after a week due to the keyboard.

[Townsend]

Noin howndred und nointy noin euro.

[Giggles]

Noin howndred und nointy noin euro.

Hilarity.

[Giggles]

Went for an XPS after, hopefully I can manage the keyboard alright. Couldn't find a gaming one for under the €1300 mark that hasn't a shit screen.

[Giggles]

It's finally in the country after a long fucking wait, hopefully it'll arrive tomorrow. Anyone any recommendations for a good wireless mouse?

[CJay]

I'm hoping to get the Logitech MX2 (iirc). All the top tech people seem to love it. There's a more slimline mobile version as well, or the previous generations which at cheaper. The mx2 only came out this year I think.

Do you not like trackpads?

[Giggles]

I'm hoping to get the Logitech MX2 (iirc). All the top tech people seem to love it. There's a more slimline mobile version as well, or the previous generations which at cheaper. The mx2 only came out this year I think.

Do you not like trackpads?

Depends on the trackpad but in my own error I never checked what was on the XPS before I bought and I see now it has no buttons. If it doesn't have an actual mechanical press for the buttons then it would drive me insane. The first thing I turn off on any laptop is the pad tap to click.

[mugbull]

Depends on the trackpad but in my own error I never checked what was on the XPS before I bought and I see now it has no buttons. If it doesn't have an actual mechanical press for the buttons then it would drive me insane. The first thing I turn off on any laptop is the pad tap to click.

Interesting, that's what I turn on first. If i'm already using a trackpad then i just go all in, don't want to be pressing down to click. Might as well use a mouse at that point

[CJay]

Yeah, you don't need buttons on a trackpad. It actually confuses me when I have to use one with buttons. Apple trackpads are miles better, but apparently Windows laptops have gotten better recently. I didn't realise top end laptops still had buttons.

[Giggles]

Interesting, that's what I turn on first. If i'm already using a trackpad then i just go all in, don't want to be pressing down to click. Might as well use a mouse at that point

That's why I want to buy a mouse.

I inadvertently drag stuff all the time with those stupid touch ones. Worst thing about my work HP one is that you can't save it that it has to be clicked so you have to go into the control panel every time you switch on to change it.

I used to love the little ball/stick thing they had on the IBM ThinkPads.

[Giggles]

It does click thankfully. Might still get that mouse though.

https://youtu.be/xCb3KlaQAKI

[Giggles]

What's this Thunderbolt 3 port about? Most searches I've done seem to refer back to plugging in apple stuff, but it looks like a USB-C port. Is it just a standard one of those with a marketing name?

[CJay]

It's a faster USB C port.

[Giggles]

Happy days. Must get a few C to C cables.

[Giggles]

The touchpad on the XPS isn't actually that bad as touchpads go. The touch to click is a whole lot less of a pain than it is on my HP one that I use for work, but for all the gestures they have it's shite that they don't have one for middle click (like the way you can click the scroll wheel on a real mouse to open a link in a new tab in Chrome).

[Boydy]

I'm looking for something with a decent screen, SSD and decent battery life.

http://www.argos.co.uk/product/6552624

That looked perfect but they seem to be out of stock. :(

Any suggestions?

[Boydy]

What shops can I actually go into to buy a laptop? Pretty much the only place I can think of is Curry's.

[SvN]

I always use pcspecialist.co.uk

[Boydy]

The custom built ones? I was looking at their laptops - are they any good? I like how with your normal name brands I can read proper reviews.

[Giggles]

What shops can I actually go into to buy a laptop? Pretty much the only place I can think of is Curry's.

Do you have Harvey Norman or DID there?

That said, online will be better. I just bought direct from Dell.

[Boydy]

Also, the fact that it's 2017 and there are still so many 1366x768 screens about is disgusting.

[Boydy]

Do you have Harvey Norman or DID there?

That said, online will be better. I just bought direct from Dell.

Harvey Norman only seems to sell furniture judging by their website? What's DID?

[SvN]

I use PCSpecialist for all of the PCs and laptops in my office. There's 3 laptops that are 4 years old* and 3 desktops that are anywhere between 3 years and 6 months old. All still run great and have never had any issues.

*I did upgrade the laptops by installing an SSD about a year ago.

[Giggles]

Harvey Norman only seems to sell furniture judging by their website? What's DID?

DID Electrical, though it may only be here.

I'd have a check of Harvey Normans site if they operate there. They definitely do stuff like laptops, TV's, etc as well as the furniture.

EDIT - yeah I see now. There seems to be loads more stuff on harveynorman.ie than is on the .co.uk one.

[CJay]

I'm looking for something with a decent screen, SSD and decent battery life.

http://www.argos.co.uk/product/6552624

That looked perfect but they seem to be out of stock. :(

Any suggestions?

It’s in stock on Amazon. Probably more expensive than at Argos though. It’s probably got the best combination of decent screen and specs at this price range. I looked for quite a while for my wife before she told me she didn’t want to spend that much, at which point I told her she may as well just stick with her current crap one in that case. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01NCU9BYJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_vQUWzbYQ6WKHF

[CJay]

Also, the fact that it's 2017 and there are still so many 1366x768 screens about is disgusting.

FHD + 8gb ram + decent processor + ssd for under £500 is very hard to find. There seems to be a compromise in one of those factors with every laptop.

[Giggles]

The RAM would probably the best one to scrimp on and so long as you can expand it. That said, it's about a decade since I bought RAM so it could be expensive now.

[Boydy]

It’s in stock on Amazon. Probably more expensive than at Argos though. It’s probably got the best combination of decent screen and specs at this price range. I looked for quite a while for my wife before she told me she didn’t want to spend that much, at which point I told her she may as well just stick with her current crap one in that case. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01NCU9BYJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_vQUWzbYQ6WKHF
Yeah, £100 more though! Bit annoying when I know I could have had it for the Argos price.


FHD + 8gb ram + decent processor + ssd for under £500 is very hard to find. There seems to be a compromise in one of those factors with every laptop.
Yeah, it seems to be that way.

I did find it on Debenhams (https://www.debenhamsplus.com/p/1196782/acer-swift-sf314-51-31ne-core-i3-7100u-8gb-128gb-ssd-14-inch-windows-10-laptop-in-gold?refsource=DEadwords&refsource=Deadwords&gclid=CjwKCAjwo4jOBRBmEiwABWNaMZlOxbT94BG447LRdbym rQQl_38YrNeyt_1eYXZQ7_3t3XwVJWVNTxoCZ_MQAvD_BwE) for £510 but it's the gold version. Not sure about that.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I'd rather pay the extra cash from Amazon.

Although you would look devilishly cute with it.

[Boydy]

I use PCSpecialist for all of the PCs and laptops in my office. There's 3 laptops that are 4 years old* and 3 desktops that are anywhere between 3 years and 6 months old. All still run great and have never had any issues.

*I did upgrade the laptops by installing an SSD about a year ago.

That's pretty impressive they're still going well. What models did you get?

[Giggles]

What's my best way to connect a laptop to the TV to play games? There is a HDMI port on it, but is there something better that I can use from that Thunderbolt port?

[CJay]

What's my best way to connect a laptop to the TV to play games? There is a HDMI port on it, but is there something better that I can use from that Thunderbolt port?

HDMI. Your thunderbolt ports are USB-C. If you had a USB-C monitor you could connect it and probably get display and power out of the single cable. At least that’s how it is on the new MBPs.

[Giggles]

HDMI. Your thunderbolt ports are USB-C. If you had a USB-C monitor you could connect it and probably get display and power out of the single cable. At least that’s how it is on the new MBPs.

Grand job, I think I've a HDMI cable laying around and all.

I might buy a monitor at some stage anyway so as I'm not hogging the telly.

[Boydy]

https://www.cclonline.com/product/239260/1WY59EA-ABU/Laptops/HP-250-G6-15-6-inch-Notebook-Core-i5-7200U-2-5GHz-8GB-256GB-SSD-DVD-Writer-WLAN-BT-Windows-10-Pro-64-bit-HD-Graphics-620-/NOT04488/

That looks pretty decent but I can't find any indication of battery life.

[CJay]

https://www.cclonline.com/product/239260/1WY59EA-ABU/Laptops/HP-250-G6-15-6-inch-Notebook-Core-i5-7200U-2-5GHz-8GB-256GB-SSD-DVD-Writer-WLAN-BT-Windows-10-Pro-64-bit-HD-Graphics-620-/NOT04488/

That looks pretty decent but I can't find any indication of battery life.

http://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/getpdf.aspx/c05468499.pdf?ver=1.0

Page 8.

[Boydy]

Up to 12 hours? Holy shit.

[CJay]

I’d be very surprised if that is a real world test. That’s probably best possible case i.e. lowest brightness setting, etc.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Indeed, it's probably closer to 8 in a real world test.

[Boydy]

Yeah, obviously you won't get the full amount. But the best claim I've seen before that was 10 hours. So even claiming that many is impressive, assuming all the manufacturers' claims are just lies.

[CJay]

From reviews it seems like you could easily expect 6 hours plus.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/HP-250-G5-SP-X0N33EA-Notebook-Review.181969.0.html

Looks like a good choice. I have no idea why they’ve slapped a vga port on it, though.

[Boydy]

That's the G5. I can't seem to find any proper reviews for the one I linked (the G6).

[CJay]

Fair point - thought it was just a different processor. It shouldn't be a worry, anyway. You going for it?

[Boydy]

Yeah, think I'm going to.

[Boydy]

Ordered it. Holding you responsible if it's no good, CJay.

[CJay]

Ordered it. Holding you responsible if it's no good, CJay.

:D

My real advice is to buy a MacBook Pro.

[Boydy]

I need Windows.

[Pepe]

I thought you could install Windows on Macs nowadays.

[Boydy]

What would be the point?

Also MacBook Pros are far too expensive anyway.

[Giggles]

What would be the point?

Also MacBook Pros are far too expensive anyway.

They can boot either once you do. But yeah, when I was looking lately I was shocked by how expensive they are.

[Boydy]

I was shocked by how much some of the high end Windows laptops were too. Some of the 'best laptops' reviews lists I was looking at had ones that were £1500+

[Giggles]

I was shocked by how much some of the high end Windows laptops were too. Some of the 'best laptops' reviews lists I was looking at had ones that were £1500+

Mine was €1700 (though I didn't pay the VAT and got it for around €1350), but even in that range there always seems to be a compromise. Screen was mine.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I paid just under £1500 for mine.

512GB SSD and 4k monitor though.

[Spikey M]

My laptop is going massively on the go slow at the moment. Football Manager was almost unplayable last night. I’m going to defrag, clean the hard drive etc today but at 5 years old I think it’s knackered.

Anyone seen any good offers? I don’t need anything fancy, my current one was only £300

[Mike]

Spend £80 and stick an SSD in. It’ll feel like new and get you another year out of it.

[Spikey M]

Yeah, I’m not poncing about with the thing. I had to google what an SSD was and I’m still not sure. Unless it’s plug and play it’s a no go.

[niko_cee]

Replacing the HD with an SSD is piss easy (I managed it following this (https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/ssd-upgrade-tutorial)). Paid £110 for a 480gb ssd and it has improved the thing a lot. New lease of life and all that. Stuck a bit more RAM in for good measure as well, which set me back about £40.

Had to replace the keyboard at the same time which was a more mixed exercise on the success front.