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advice on purchasing a non-mac laptop please

whiterussian [Edit] [Delete] 49 replies 18:46, 13 October '09

the lcd screen on my macbook has broken and as insurance etc is taking a while to sort out, i'll probably have to buy another laptop for the time being.

what i need is just something to get me through my final year: i only need basic stuff like being able to watch films and writing essays (and listen to music).

i've been thinking of this one because it's cheap, and easy to carry around: http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/laptop-inspiron-10?c=uk&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

do you reckon this will be too small to comfortably watch films on? keeping in mind that the macbook, which is what i'm used to, is only about 13.3" or something like that.

also, not being used to PCs, what kind of "extras" would i actually need? like virus protection etc.

any other advice that would be useful?

thanxxxxxxxxx

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  • LOL

    Zapsta | 13 Oct '09, 18:53 | X
    • Helpful post:

      I have a Dell and it's a massive piece of shit. Don't get a Dell.

      Zapsta @Zapsta | 13 Oct '09, 18:54 | X
      the_dazzled and tiramisu this'd this
      • ok, wise one, what should i get then?

        whiterussian @Zapsta | 13 Oct '09, 18:57 | X
        • Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

          I don't know. Not a Dell.

          Zapsta @whiterussian | 13 Oct '09, 19:01 | X
          • thanks, you've been most helpful

            whiterussian @Zapsta | 13 Oct '09, 19:05 | X
      • i've always said so

        mine went into total meltdown recently, i had to pay £76 for a new hard drive

        tiramisu @Zapsta | 14 Oct '09, 18:39 | X
  • if it's going ot be fixed anyway

    why don't you get one of those mini ones for 99 quid from hmv?

    countzero | 13 Oct '09, 19:10 | X
  • There's some good advice here...

    http://drownedinsound.com/community/boards/social/4198418

    whacksiddy | 13 Oct '09, 19:14 | X
    • ok that is useful but i have one question after reading that

      does "netbook" mean "doesn't play dvds"?

      whiterussian @whacksiddy | 13 Oct '09, 19:34 | X
      • Yeah I think netbooks dont have DVD drives.

        whacksiddy @whiterussian | 13 Oct '09, 19:37 | X
        • bugger

          whiterussian @whacksiddy | 13 Oct '09, 19:38 | X
  • maybe look for a escond hand mac book?

    saying as you know macs anyway?

    vigo | 13 Oct '09, 19:20 | X
    • basically i'm living off my student loan for another 8-9 months which is also the time that i need this laptop for

      after that i'll be able to afford a brand new macbook, but hopefully i'll have the insurance etc sorted out before that time and that'll cover it. but my screen on my current macbook is more unusable by the day and i can't really wait much longer to have a usable one.

      whiterussian @vigo | 13 Oct '09, 19:27 | X
  • ok so re the dvd drive situation with netbooks

    there are external dvd drives on ebay for pretty cheap, so maybe i'll just go for that, unless someone has a very good reason why i shouldn't?

    whiterussian | 13 Oct '09, 19:54 | X
    • just buy a new mac from the apple store and take it back every 13 days till you get your original one fixed...

      or.

      Buy a new mac, then sell your broken one once it gets fixed.

      or

      buy a replacement LCD screen and fit it yourself (it's cheaper than a new laptop) - google around

      afterskoolklub @whiterussian | 13 Oct '09, 20:25 | X
      • yeah it won't really get "fixed", i might (hopefully) get it covered by insurance so i can buy a new one though

        i did google a bit for the replacement of lcd screen but to be honest it looks like more than i would be confident enough to handle.

        whiterussian @afterskoolklub | 13 Oct '09, 20:40 | X
        • Well just buy a monitor and plug it into the video out.

          New monitor should be about £100 for a nice large jobbie.

          Or splash out and buy an LCD TV that has a video input and then use that.

          TheoGB @whiterussian | 14 Oct '09, 15:52 | X
  • what's your budget russian?

    blaaast | 14 Oct '09, 00:11 | X
    • preferably no more than £300

      this is going by the prices on the dell website, where the cheapest ones are £199 and the next ones are about £249

      whiterussian @blaaast | 14 Oct '09, 15:35 | X
      • As said above,

        the Dell Inspiron Mini range doesn't have DVD players inbuilt. But at the starting price, you could easily get an external USB DVD player, be left with a nice portable netbook, and have some dosh left over from £300.

        After owning a Mac, a 15" Dell Inspiron (the cheapest Dell with a built in DVD player) will seem a bit unrefined.

        Or you could consider getting a second hand full laptop.

        Or just get your existing screen fixed and save even more money, probably.

        Or purely for the task of watching films, could you consider a cheapo portable DVD player (from £50 from Argos), if you're wanting to hang on for a while until you splash out for a new laptop?

        For loadsa good legit free software, see the stuff I posted, linked above by whacksiddy.

        TheWza @whiterussian | 14 Oct '09, 16:16 | X
        • no dont get a dell!!!

          Gizzy @TheWza | 14 Oct '09, 16:18 | X
          • Because?

            Links to facts are welcome.

            Anyone who wants to say don't buy from X, needs to come up with a decent reason beyond the purely anecdotal.

            [sorry, but if you keep shouting the same unsubstantiated, unhelpful line, without some kind of valid reason, I'll just keep copy & pasting the same words of reproach]

            TheWza @Gizzy | 14 Oct '09, 16:24 | X
  • use your university's PCs?

    nebbie | 14 Oct '09, 00:23 | X
    • i do that when in uni.

      however, for watching films and stuff (which is a bit essential for my course) i need to be able to use a computer outside of the library, and ideally even at home.

      whiterussian @nebbie | 14 Oct '09, 15:34 | X
  • D

    Gizzy | 14 Oct '09, 15:52 | X
  • dont get a dell!!!!

    Gizzy | 14 Oct '09, 15:53 | X
    • Or do.

      Dell sell mega loads of PCs, so it's natural that they're gonna have more people pipe up to talk about their bad experiences, compared to most other manufacturers.

      I've had a desktop and a laptop from the and they've been absolutely fine. But that's just me.

      Anyone who wants to say don't buy from X, needs to come up with a decent reason beyond the purely anecdotal. Links to facts are welcome.

      TheWza @Gizzy | 14 Oct '09, 16:19 | X
      • The build quality of Dell computers is appalling

        You don't need a graph to see that their PCs and laptops are placticy pieces of crap. Unless they're singling me it.

        Zapsta @TheWza | 14 Oct '09, 16:27 | X
        • *out

          Zapsta @Zapsta | 14 Oct '09, 16:27 | X
          • FURTHERMORE

            you wouldn't dismiss a review in a magazine or trade paper and say "Well clearly that review doesn't count for anything - they only reviewed on laptop. It's purely anecdotal". No, you wouldn't, because that would be retarded. What you're saying now = no less retarded.

            Zapsta @Zapsta | 14 Oct '09, 16:44 | X
            • A decent review is not anecdotal.

              And as such, I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand.

              Where have I intimated as much, let alone said that outright?

              Plenty of Dells get perfectly fine reviews.

              (Geez, this is beginning to sound like I love Dell. I don't, but for someone to come out and shout "Don't get one" with little or no good reason, is not helping the OP one jot).

              That said, reviews are a funny beast.

              Some are much more credible than others, depending on who's doing the reviewing.

              Now if you can please cut back on the ad hominem arguments, we'd stand a chance of getting somewhere without drowning out any good advice that might appear inbetween the cat-calling.

              TheWza @Zapsta | 14 Oct '09, 16:52 | X
              • Pretty sure -

                PRETTY SURE - that my argument wasn't ad hominem. Certain, in fact. So if you want to steer clear the libel, I'd appreciate it.

                Zapsta @TheWza | 14 Oct '09, 17:06 | X
        • yeah my dell pcs have always worked fine

          no problems

          brusma @Zapsta | 14 Oct '09, 16:29 | X
      • Interestingly, a quick google

        seems to suggest they've upped their game in recent years. They had a properly horrible reputation around 3 years ago, and I still hear diabolical anecdata from friends and family every so often.

        Any reason you've taken exception so?

        I have an ASUS laptop, which is still fully functional after five years. Obviously it'd be nuts to jump from this single fact to conclude that they are all super reliable, but I find the longievity of mine to be utterly staggering.

        fidel_catstro @TheWza | 14 Oct '09, 16:32 | X
        • 'Zactly.

          I have a Dell Dimension destop from something like 8 years ago, that's still working fine on it's initial Windows XP install.

          I have a Dell XPS M1330 bought nearly two and a half years ago has worked flawlessly and is still on it's initial Windows install.

          You're always gonna hear from folk with problems. The satisfied customers are less likely to shout and wail.

          One other thing: (in admittedly very broad terms) the people more likely to buy a cheap laptop (a part of the market in which Dell is succesful) are the people less likely to be particularly computer savvy. The follow on from this is that their computer will likely end up running like crap 'cos it'll be clogged up with all kinds of rubbish software and toolbars etc. But guess who gets the blame? More savvy users are able to wring life out of cheaper hardware.

          TheWza @fidel_catstro | 14 Oct '09, 16:44 | X
      • they sell loads of pcs

        because they look good and people stick with what they know the same reason microsoft is so popular is because it got there first so to speak it doesnt necessarily mean they are the best

        Gizzy @TheWza | 14 Oct '09, 17:09 | X
  • they are shit

    seriously there probably ok for a little while but spending the same amount of money or even less you can get a much better pc or laptop, i personally liek lenovos and they are about the same as dells in price if not cheaper. as for a laptop i would recommend an acer laptop or a toshiba

    Gizzy | 14 Oct '09, 16:31 | X
    • oh you did *not* just knock dell

      and then recommend acer?

      (good lord this is the nerdiest discussion I've had for a long time...)

      fidel_catstro @Gizzy | 14 Oct '09, 16:34 | X
      • nerd and proud

        least my laptop isnt a shitty dell!

        Gizzy @fidel_catstro | 14 Oct '09, 16:35 | X
        • still

          acer - probably the most god-awful, unreliable, PC-World-Flogged shite. Horrid.

          fidel_catstro @Gizzy | 14 Oct '09, 16:37 | X
          • PC world dont even get me started!

            and acer rock!

            Gizzy @fidel_catstro | 14 Oct '09, 16:38 | X
    • I agree with Acer they are sound laptops

      although the issue there is to get one with an optical drive you might need to fork out a bit more than £300.

      wewerewerewolvesonce @Gizzy | 14 Oct '09, 16:37 | X
  • FFS HELENE, JUST BUY A FUCKING MONITOR

    PLUG INTO THE MAC.

    JOB'S DONE!

    TheoGB | 14 Oct '09, 16:46 | X
    Gizzy and whiterussian this'd this
    • I NEED IT TO BE PORTABLE

      i also didn't mean to this that.

      whiterussian @TheoGB | 14 Oct '09, 18:14 | X
      • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gK1e2TCFAA

        whacksiddy @whiterussian | 14 Oct '09, 19:57 | X
  • toshiba satellite pro

    that's what my work laptop is. and it's pretty great. might be a bit more than £300 though.

    Home laptop: IBM thinkpad. Wouldn't recommend it - not great for wireless capability (for some reason) and the design is pretty clunky.

    colon_closed_bracket | 14 Oct '09, 16:55 | X
    Bassdrum13 this'd this
    • i had this and it was crap.

      had to spend several hundred quid every few months just servicing it. in which time i could have bought a... mac.

      bsoucek @colon_closed_bracket | 14 Oct '09, 18:23 | X
  • why on earth is the insurance taking so long to sort out whiterussian?

    do you mean you home insurance or applecare? because if it's applecare, that'll take, like, a day.

    bsoucek | 14 Oct '09, 18:24 | X
    Bassdrum13 this'd this
  • I like the look of those Dell Minis

    They look very nice for the money, although i'm not sure i could cope with such a small screen for very long. Ive never heard of anyone slating dell reliability till this thread.

    I'm in need of a replacement computer too for between £200-£350, this thread is useful. I really want one of those minis the more i look at them

    irrikky | 14 Oct '09, 19:14 | X
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