WWYD? Laptop different spec than advertised

[chaosisawayoflife]

I bought this laptop today from argos. I've just looked at the box and noticed it's a slightly different spec from advertised. The main difference is that it is windows 8, when it was advertised as windows 7, and the processor is b960 instead of 950.
I haven't used windows 7 or 8 before so don't know the difference, but I have heard negative mumbling about 8.
So, what should I do? Return or keep?

ime Argos are dreadful when it comes to double checking stock with the descriptions. If you don't want W8 (which differs radically from W7, much more visual/less menu driven and tablet like) go back and complain. Either would take some getting used to. However bear in mind the one you have may be deemed higher spec.

What Lizs said basically!

Let me look into it for you. I know quite a number of OEMs offer (but probably don't publicise) free downgrades to Win7. I'll see what I can find about Toshiba policy. Your processor is better than you expected so I wouldn't complain about that, but I personally would rather have Win7 than 8 at the moment as you have to deal with all the bloody annoying teething problems if you get a new OS so soon after it's released - at least you do with Windows

Cannot find anything that implies that Toshiba will offer a free downgrade. Microsoft do, but only for machines that shipped with the pro version of Win8. Also downgrading isn't as straightforward as just popping in an installation cd - you would need to change BIOS settings, which is not something most non-techy users are familiar with doing - so if you're not keen on the idea of having Win8, I'd swap the laptop for one with Win7. That one was a nice choice for a decent price, other than the OS, though...

I'd keep it. The processor is higher spec than advertised, so that absolutely isn't worth complaining about, and if you haven't used either 7 or 8 before you're going to have to get used to a new OS anyway. If you're absolutely set on win7, return it, it's not as advertised so they'll have to exchange it, but to me it doesn't really seem worth it.

Thanks everyone. I think I'm going to stick with it and see how we go. As you say, both 7 and 8 would be a learning curve but I'm sure we'll get the hang of it.

7 and 8 really aren't that different underneath. Negative comments about 8 are just from people who can't cope with change, there's nothing actually wrong with it.

As you haven't used either version of Windows before then I really wouldn't worry too much.

Have you received a c850 or c855 and which did you pay for? The C850 with W8 is advertised at £279.99 today (sale flyer in paper) whereas the C855 with W7 is £329.99. At very least make sure you have got what you paid for and ask for a refund of the difference if needs be.

LIZS - just curious - the C850 web page still says 329.99 so did they have a discount code or say "in store only" (or could it have only been yesterday that price was valid) ?

Also, when I looked at the mobile page OP linked to it had a special offer (well, seems to have it for more than just that one) saying "Save �20 when you buy Windows 7 with your new Windows PC today. Offer ends 18 January 2013." (am assuming � is pound symbol on this iMac).

That implies that they are now selling Windows 7 to "downgrade" some machines. Perhaps not intended for this one if it had been running Windows 7 but even so, it is a little puzzling that they installed Windows 8 and for those wanting WIndows 7 would have to pay extra (less the 20 quid discount)... It would surely break Trading Standards on being wrongly described, and I would be asking Argos to provide a copy of Windows 7, and not a replacement laptop.

Having tried both, then when using mouse and keyboard (rather than a tablet/mobile for which Win 8 was designed) I found it clumsy and less easy. Admittedly I've not even used Windows 7 that much (gave my BiL my laptop in 2010 a few weeks after buying it, because of networking problems) but going to such a graphical only menu system is the opposite of progress in my view.

Windows 7 is more widely available, and is clearly written on the Argos description. If a family computer is going to be usable, then I hope for OP's sake that school / work also have Windows 8, else it will mean some things are quite different and awkward on Win 8.

I had an instance with Tesco Outlet on Ebay, selling me a Toshiba 40BV705 TV when the listing was actually for the 40BV702 I didn't bother to complain (they could send it for just 3 quid but it would probably have cost me 20 to send back the TV and while similar spec, was not identical, but still good enough as 4 HDMI ports all work, fortunately).

"dreadful when it comes to double checking stock with the descriptions"

It might be Toshiba though, which caused this. If they're going to install new OS, then they surely should make it some variation or new product number.

Could have been that a few container-loads arrived just before end of December but too late for Christmas Day and Argos decided to include them in new year sale to shift them as fast as possible because they could hang around for months if the hope had been to sell them before Christmas...

Just had a look at the flyer again - tbh very confusing. If you look [http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Search/ID72/33006169/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CTechnology%7C33006169/pp/50/q/GREAT+OFFERS+ON+COMPUTING.htm?tag=ar:homepage:editorialrowone:slot1:promo120offcomputing here]] The "recommended" C850 is £279.99 and they have 3 versions of C855's at £329.99 & £399.99 seemingly depending on the processor.

www.argos.co.uk/static/Search/ID72/33006169/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CTechnology%7C33006169/pp/50/q/GREAT+OFFERS+ON+COMPUTING.htm?tag=ar:homepage:editorialrowone:slot1:promo120offcomputing

508/7695 329.99 Black C855 1000GB HD, Intel Celeron single core B815, 1.6 GHz is listed alongside

508/7619 329.99 Silver ? C855 750 GB, Intel Pentium dual core B950, 2.1 GHz

Same in other respects, but the first is excluded from 30 day money back guarantee (no reason/explanation given), and has bigger HD but slower CPU.

Some of the online C855s (at 399.99) have the i3 CPU but while 7695 showed red and purple models, 7619 only showed the purple model... and there's another silver model C855 with i3, 500 GB HD, at 379.99 (reduced from 549.99)

I think the problem is a glut of Toshiba models which are similar but not identical, despite the C855 number! Hard on a retailer dealing with hundreds and thousands of products (like supermarkets, Argos) compared with a computer-only store.