Whats the best laptop I can get with £300?

[LJ29]

Just after some advice on the above please?

As you wrote laptop (rather than netbook) I assume you are after a screen of 12" mininmum.

Any specific plans for it ?

Any priorities ?

I'm perhaps asking vague questions but what I'm thinking of is that some people like to multitask, checking mail in the background while browsing, or playing music while using a machine for word processing, etc.

Some of the more recent machines have been 'cut down' to meet Microsoft restrictions (when MS wanted to stop supply of Windows XP, lots of people were still demanding XP over Vista, and machines from Asus and EEE were produced using linux or Win XP, but MS stipulated a maximum of 1 GB of RAM and a limit on the CPU speed, so these 'netbooks' and 'nettop' machines would be OK for streaming video or browsing or some other application but would not be ideal for multitasking and might be considered sluggish against machines running Vista (now Windows 7) costing 150 to 300 pounds more.

So - would Windows 7 be important to you, or would XP be OK ? Are you likely to want it to store oodles of files (so it would need a bigger Hard Drive for lots of video/TV shows) and would you want it to be used for primarily browsing, or more office-related work ?

If it seems I'm being nosy, it's only to get some idea - had seen a laptop on Staples in the sub 250 (+VAT) price bracket, but with only 1 GB of RAM, so may be slow for some types of application... IYSWIM

Hi Webdude, I mainly use my PC for surfing the net, storing photos (thousands of them)and some general office work but I would like to be able to download more films and music as my current PC is just too old for it (bought in 2003). I'm not very techie at all so not sure about aalot of stuff.

Also my kids are just starting school so I want to be able to encourage them to use it.

Right - I know nothing about laptops but just happened to be on Ebay website and one of the 'daily deals' on the homepage is a new Dell Inspirion laptop with Windows 7, and RAM 2GB. The screen is 11.6 inches and it says that at £299.00 it is half the normal price.

Don't know if anyone can tell us if this is actually a good deal?

I thoroughly recommend this ASUS laptop (but a bit over your budget), with 4gb of RAM and windows 7 it is excellent vfm, I bought it just after christmas and am so, so pleased with it

The best value I can find (but 29 quid over your budget!) would be the first one on this page:

www1.euro.dell.com/uk/en/home/laptops_great_deals/fs.aspx?refid=laptops_great_deals&s=dhs&cs=ukdhs1 N.B. This particular deal expires on 3rd March. (Dell are always doing good offers, though, so don't feel like this is a one-off-mega-deal!)

The processor is basic, but still adequate for what you're describing doing with the laptop, and I'm pretty confident that this is the best spec machine that you're going to get for that price range.

Thanks, advice much appreciated.