I've got £400 to spend on a laptop but its got to be from John Lewis

[VivaLeBeaver]

I know I'd have more choice elsewhere but I have a voucher. Laptop is for dd, homework, facebook, the usual stuff.

I quite like the look of this one

www.johnlewis.com/231395884/Product.aspx

She like this

www.johnlewis.com/231395757/Product.aspx

Which is more expensive, but it has the i3 processor which I know is better. Is it worth the extra money though just for normal computing? Also I have a Toshiba and have been really happy with it. Is HP reliability as good? I had a Packard Bell laptop in the past which was shit and just kept breaking. I don't want a HP if they're similar.

If we're going to spend nearer £500 then there is also this Toshiba which I think I would prefer than the HP purely because I like Toshiba

www.johnlewis.com/231395874/Product.aspx

Slightly less storage but same price as HP and its a brand I rate as better. But then a bit of googling looking at general brand reviews sees a lot of them rating HP as better than Toshiba. I'm hoping JL might have them in the sale after Xmas and the prices come down a bit which would make those more expensive ones more attractive.

The first two come with the 64-bit version of Windows. The first one comes with 6gb of memory as well, which is why you want the 64 bit OS as it lets you use memory over and above the 3.5gb limit (or thereabouts) that the "normal" 32 bit OS has.

So that's a good thing for the first one with 6GB of memory, you get a big upside, but there's a downside for going 64 bit.... Some older hardware (printers and such) and some older software just won't work with it. If there's anything you're particularly concerned about then it should be checked up to see if it's compatible or not.

I,ve had 2 HP pavillion laptops and they have both been fantastic,1st one is now 4 years old and apart from a knackered battery is still going strong with no signs of wear and tear.2nd is six months old,fantastic bit of kit,had problems with it after a week and HP authorised a replacement after a quick phone call and even rang me the next week to make sure I had received it and everything was ok,will certainly buy another.Also got a HP printer which has been fab.

Well our printer is brand new so hopefully that should be fine and I can't think of any software she'd need. DH has an old pirate copy of Office so we've never had to pay for it on any computer. So worst case scenario that might not work and we have to buy Office.

So first Toshiba one has more memory but the HP one has an i3 processor but is more money. Hmmmm, well I don't have an i3 processor and I manage fine so I suspect she may get the cheaper Toshiba. Thanks.

"our printer is brand new so hopefully that should be fine"

That should be easy to double check by looking online, you don't want to face the additional cost of a new printer after making sure you get a good deal on the computer.

"DH has an old pirate copy of Office so we've never had to pay for it on any computer."

Mmmmm.

I'm sure that a number of the people who help people out in this technical forum rely on the sale of software to help them earn money. After giving our help how do you think it then feels to see people discussing stealing our work so casually? Imagine going into a shop asking for advice, getting lots of help and then on the way out making sure that you're heard discussing how to loot the shop. Please don't pirate software, it's a slap in the face to those that help on here, it could cost them their livelihood and in the end it's just not nice.

But that said there are plenty of free alternatives to Office which are completely legitimate and legal.

"So first Toshiba one has more memory but the HP one has an i3 processor but is more money. "

That's how it appears.

But that said 4gb is still a lot of memory, Windows is pretty wasteful of it but for "normal" usage it still should be plenty.

Personally I want as much memory in my machines as possible as I really work my machines quite hard. But then I'm not a "normal" user...

Ok, will double check the printer.

I get your point about the pirated office. I think dh is just annoyed that you have to buy it all again every time you get a new computer. But I think as dd is at school we should be able to buy it at a student rate which will be cheaper.

" I think dh is just annoyed that you have to buy it all again every time you get a new computer."

No you don't - unless it's still on the original computer. If you uninstall it on the original computer, or if that computer is dead, you can install it on the new one - you only have to buy it again if you want a new version, or if you want it on more than one computer (though having said that, the copy of Office Home and Student I got a few years ago can be legally installed on three computers)

Oh well that's kind of what we've been doing then. He bought it in the first place many years ago and somehow made a copy of it onto disc. Then every time we bin one computer he installs office off the disc onto the new one. But he definitely paid for the first copy. I just thought you weren't meant to reuse it for new computers.