Please recommend a nice slipm laptop or netbook for me

[Snowgirl1]

I've got a Toshiba Satellie Pro C660 which DH bought for me a couple of years I ago. I really don't like it. It's too big and too heavy and ugly, ugly, ugly. DH is in IT so I suspect that it's got lots of RAM or something techy inside which made it great value for money.

All I want a laptop for is surfing the net and sending emails. I can touch type, so prefer a keyboard to a tablet.

I'd like something slim, light and good looking (wouldn't we all ), that doesn't squash the arm of the sofa and that I could take on holiday if I wanted to. Any suggestions please?

Watching with interest as I'm in a similar position. My six year old Sony Vaio is slowed down immensely and freezes a lot so looking to replace it.

I'm looking at the Lenovo yoga 11" laptop for the DTs. Had a look at one at the weekend and they are nice and slim, lightweight and can fold right back so almost tablet like.

Thanks Glittertwins, I'll have a look at the Lenovo yoga - it sounds like it might be the best of both worlds.

Does anyone have any other suggestions? I'm clueless about techy stuff and don't really want to ask DH as I don't think he gets my desire to have an aesthetically pleasing laptop

Bought my daughter an Asus Vivobook which is small (around 11" I think), light and has a touchscreen as well as a normal keyboard. Once you've mastered Windows 8 it's really good!

The Asus vivobook looks like an option too. I think I'm going to have to go and have a look at a few of these in the flesh.

After a friend's Asus died two weeks after the 12 month warranty ran out and was irreparable, I personally won't be getting one.

Don't know your price limit but a MacBook Air fits your requirements.

Southeastdweller yes, you're right. What I really want is a MacBook Air - but I'm put off by it being a Mac and the price tag

Another vote for the MacBook Air

New Acer Chromebook: www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/laptops-netbooks/laptops/chromebooks/acer-c720-wifi-chromebook-ash-21774145-pdt.html - £198.99 from PC World. Same size at a MacBook Air, but 1/4 of the price. It's a speedy machine. In terms of setup, you need a wireless password to connect to your network and a google (gmail) account to login - that's it.

MacBook Air doesn't fit the requirements - it's well above the requirements which are surfing the net and writing emails - the only thing it has going for it is size and weight compared with the current Toshiba. One requirement that isn't specified is the ability to use the device outside of the house or where you don't have access to a WiFi network - clearly, at that point, you won't be able to browse the net or send email.

Chromebooks are Google's offering. There's no hard disk, there's no Windows or Mac OS, etc. It's just a browser running on the machine. As your DP's in IT and sounds techy, he should be able to explain the pros and cons.

But if you have permanent access to a WiFi network and everything you do is in the browser, the Chromebook is perfect. Install Google Chrome on your PC. If you can do everything you want in there, you're good.

Did you know you can get refurbished Mac's at a slightly discounted price on the Apple website?

Thanks studyinghard the price tag of the chromebook is certainly appealing. I'll reluctantly ask DH of the pros and cons of the chromebook (although my confidence in his ability to put my criteria above his techy desires has been dented as I asked him for a light, slim laptop for surfing the net and sending email and he got me the Toshiba Satellite Pro) whilst still hankering after the aesthetics of a Macbook air

Southeastdweller I'm going to keep my eye on the refurbished Macs - if I can't find anything else I like, a small discount off a refurbed Mac is better than a poke in the eye.

studyinghard I don't know where the OP lives but at least almost everywhere in the U.K there's wi-fi and I think you're oddly downplaying the aesthetic qualities of Mac's.

I find a screen of 11" or 13" is too small, having had netbooks and smaller screens in the past, so prefer a 15" screen. 17" is often a bit big for carrying round.

For Christmas we have bought DD a Lenovo 15.6" laptop. It's lovely looking - a shiny blue colour. Not overly light I wouldn't think though - Lenovo ime aren't light. Spec:
AMD A6
1TB hard disk
4GB memory

The MacBook is lovely though - its the price range that is always the stumbling block.

Ds has the google chromebook and its great.

Agree Southeastdweller, and the fact that you can use your phone as a hotspot if it's capable.

Apple often have a Black Friday deal - just the once a year discount day thing. I assume it must be coming up - maybe this Friday?