Laptop for a teenager

[tumpymummy]

For Christmas we have decided to get the children laptops (age 11 and 13yrs). Now they are both at secondary school they need to do more and more homework on a computer and I am tired of them borrowing mine! As a family we have an Imac and macbooks, but for schoolwork it seems like a windows laptop would be fine for them. I think they are too young for macbooks as they aren't cheap. I've seen ultrabooks at PC world, laptops with touch screens.
Mine can't be the only teens getting laptops for Christmas, I was just wondering what other people have bought/are going to buy?

[ImperialBlether]

Don't buy the Hewlett Packard Pavilion.

[PrimalLass]

Try the Dell outlet. They go quickly though so you can't hang around.

[tumpymummy]

That's funny ImperialBlether, that is exactly what I am typing on at the moment, as that is what I use for work.
Why do you say that? I have had it for 6 months now, and don't have any complaints. Apart from the trackpad which I don't like, so I have added my own mouse.

[ImperialBlether]

I'm using it too! Do you find the zoom works quite randomly, so that you're hovering over something or other and it goes up to 500% or down to 10%? I have to change the zoom every ten minutes or so. Drives me nuts.

[tumpymummy]

Do you mean the zoom on the trackpad? I cant get on with the trackpad at all. That's why I plugged in my own mouse ; no problems now. I actually think it has a good keyboard for typing, just a rubbish trackpad.

[ImperialBlether]

That's probably it; it's just too sensitive. I do use a separate mouse if I'm typing a lot; I should use it all the time, I suppose.

[HesNotAMessiah]

Remember your kids are used to smart phones and tablets, they are the kids in the Windows 10 adverts.

I'd be tempted to get them the touch screen convertible thingies.

Lenovo make some nice ones, though if you're hoping for a 15 inch screen they are a little pricey.

[AuntGertrude]

I've used an HP Pavilion for the last four years with no problems.