Laptop or computer

[ali2010]

I am looking to surprise my husband and buy him either a laptop or computer for his birthday.  I'm pretty hopeless with computers so don't even know where to start.  The only thing I use computers for is COL, facebook and ordering the food shopping!  My husband will use it for downloading music, putting photos on etc and will need a disc drive.  Can anyone tell advise me if a desktop or laptop will be most suitable? And can anyone make any recommendations - probably looking to spend about £350

thanks

[JeffandAnnie]

It depends whether your OH sitting with his laptop on his knee every evening in front of the TV will annoy you I'm a Dell fan and have had them at work and home for years.

[JohnK]

I second that , but it might be a bit tight for £350!

[JeffandAnnie]

http://outlet.euro.dell.com/Online/SecondaryInventorySearch.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=dfh&cs=ukdfh1&puid=550ea0c2
http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=n0015m14&model_id=inspiron-15-3520&c=uk&l=en&s=dhs&cs=ukdhs1&
Second is a great price but reviews aren't so good   saying that, Dell customer service is excellent ime (sent a new power pack within 24 hours and didn't want the old one back) so might be worth a punt?

[JeffandAnnie]

Sorry that seconD link didn't go to the right place! Try this http://www.dell.com/uk/p/popular-laptop-deals

[ali2010]

Have been looking on Dell website and also Argos.  There seems to be some offers in Argos

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5087815.htm

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5086816.htm

Do either of those look any good?  Also it only has windows 7 not 8 - we probably would hardly use windows other than for doing CV's etc, would windows 7 be good enough for this?

thanks

[JeffD]

It does not matter if its 7 or 8 for your documents, win7 and 8 are the operating system not the Office package. Personelly and I am an IT tech I would not install Win 8 on a desktop or laptop, but it is good for mobile devices with a touch screen. Rumour is that microsoft already talking about releasing win 9 soon which will be for desktops and laptops.

Dell make great basic PC's and laptops try to get something with at least an i5 processor  and you wont go far wrong

[ali2010]

JeffD - sorry I'm going to show my ignorance now - but have the computers I've put on my previous post got an i5 processor ?  Sorry I don't know what that means!!

[JeffD]

Hi, just had a look and you will not be able to have i5 for your budget. the second Argus link is for i3 which is OK if you are on a budget. If you look on the Dell UK website they do a 15" i3 Inspiron for £399, a bit more than Argus but a larger screen.

 i3,i5,i7 processors are the good processors from Intel .processors are the chip which is basically the computer about the size of large postage stamp, the rest of the computer is so you can access this and store your data.

hope this helps

[ali2010]

Hmm still no further forward but have been looking at some laptops on John Lewis

http://www.johnlewis.com/Shopping/Comparison.aspx?ARA=Electricals&CAT=Laptops+%26+Netbooks&SCT=Laptops+%26+Netbooks&PRT=Laptops&PRTID=398&OM-PageNumber=1&OM-SortOrder=0&ComparisonSkus=231817625|231740152|231740078|231740051

Can anyone tell me if any of these computers might be ok?

thanks

[Wenco18]

I have a 15" Dell Inspiron and I love it - been using it for 3 years up to now