So...DS would like "a gaming laptop Mum" for Xmas.

[DeloresJaneUmbridge]

The problem is I really do need both my kidneys....and the laptops in question seem to start at £900 ....I needed a lie down after researching them.

So ...DS is our only child. He is 15 five days before Xmas and his birthday is sorted. However, he doesn't know what he wants for Xmas at all beyond this gaming laptop. He is autistic and has very narrow interests...which is another topic all in its own!

Now for the first time ever we could actually afford to buy him a gaming laptop BUT I feel that amount of money on a child/teen at Xmas is almost immoral. We wouldn't generally spend even a third of that at Xmas to do everything. We are not of the worthy "look how little we can spend" people as we love Xmas....but I just feel this is a step too far.

Sooo....do your teens like gaming via PC/laptop?

What do they use?

Could he get away with a standard laptop? He uses Steam for gaming.

My DS has Aspergers he would say yes you need to spend that much.

I did pay quite a bit more for his PC but he always asked for what he wanted irrespective of the price. I got off so lightly up until he was 14.

I won’t buy it if he wants it and you can afford it.

Honestly you'd be better off getting an average prefab gaming PC for the same price. Then you could get him upgrades for future presents. A laptop is more likely to get broken, stolen, or something happen to it. It's also not that easy to maintain. A laptop would last 2-4 years on average, where as with upgrades a pc can be for life. Ask him what kind of games he's looking at playing before you go buying anything though. If you get something not up to spec it will end in tears.

Have you looked on the PC Specialist website. I’m not a gamer but did build my own bog standard computer for everyday from their website, knowing nothing really about computers - I didn’t even realise at the time that gamers tended to use high powered systems and that this was what the company specialised in. I found them only because someone recommended them to me as a company.

All I can say is that the whole process from start to finish was brilliant -the price I paid compared well with places like PC World, Curry’s etc and my computer which is now 3 years old. has been absolutely the best one we’ve ever had. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from them again.

My advice would be have a look on their website before you look elsewhere.

A second hand laptop could be another option. Usually HP , Asus ones can be found at a lower price. Just have a look at here to see if you can find one that fits your budget.