I need help to buy a laptop

[ArsenicAlice]

I have no clue about what to get or where from.

My laptop is from 2008 and has Windows Vista on it. I only use a tablet for going online and apps on my phone and my work computer but I want my own. Not a clue what to get, can Mumsnetters help?

I need the Windows software package, internet access and that's about it really.

Any ideas please? Thanks.

Not the cheapest but here's a link to get you started:
Windows 11 laptops - Cheap Windows 11 laptop deals | Currys
I'll look at the spec for my work one and get back to you.

@SkunkCostFallacy That would be fab Skunk thank you.

Have you got a John Lewis near you? Maybe pop in there and ask, they have a big selection on display classed into basic / decent / properly high powered (IYSWIM). The staff can advise you on specification, you might get away with a fairly basic one. Then look at price, size, weight etc. Microsoft Word etc you can either get on subscription for about £8 a month including virus protection, cloud storage etc or a plain copy for about £100 from microsoft or £20 elsewhere but none of the extras.

I've just bought a mid range one, i5 chip, 16GB memory, 512GB storage, I want it to last a few years.

This is exactly the spec that I came to say! Mine was is a Lenovo idea pad in blue and was £375 from amazon and is great. Had windows 11
I do data entry so need a keypad and got the 15” one.

Runs office, email internet fine!

https://amzn.eu/d/aK9JX8i this is without the number key pad.

What do you actually want to do with it ?

If you just want windows and the www why bother with anything other than a tablet ?

If you want to do stuff like spreadsheets, word docs etc then you will need more than just windows and www. You need MS office or some equivalent as well.

Generally notebook PCs these days are used for 3 things.

General Business related activities, spreadhseets/wp/programming etc.
Games.
Specialist applications. So design tools, photoediting etc.

I recently bought my DN a Lenovo chromebook from here:
https://www.tekshop.co.uk/laptops/home-laptops

Read this to help determine what you need
https://techreviewadvisor.com/how-to-choose-the-right-laptop/

I would probably wait for Win 12 as well, which may be in by the end of the year.

Last time MS released Win 11 there were some chips it was not released on. So you might end up getting a notebook that is not compatible. Unlikely but not totally impossible.

@fatgirlswims , that a great deal on amazon!

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I can't wait for Windows 12, I have an ancient one on Vista, and I need something for September. I'm going back to university for a postgraduate course.

Our John Lewis has closed 4 years ago.

Yes I know I need the Microsoft software, I just forgot to mention it.

I want a keypad, so a tablet is no use for doing things like spreadsheets and documents.

I'll check all these ideas out though, so thank you all!

Maybe google online notebooks student discount.

You should be able to get a discount on stuff like office if you are a student.

As promised:
AMD Ryzen 7 77 30U with Radeon Graphics (2.00 Hz)
16.0 GB RAM
64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
No pen or touch input

If you are going to uni you will likely get a microsoft office login from there with Word, Excel etc so no need to buy your own.

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it

I forgot to say it's an HP Pavilion, 16" screen, and it does have a keypad.

When our pet computer man was here or a month or so ago, he recommended Asus (think that's the spelling).