Notebooks What to buy with £300 or maybe $460

Hi there i am after a bit of advise seen as its been a while since i have found the need to purchase a new laptop, I am currently use an Emachines E440 and have a MSI Wind U130 netbook somewhere. the laptop would be used mainly for MS Office, internet, watching films and maybe Football Manager but no other games. It must have a DVD drive and be of 14" or 15"

I'd consider 2nd hand in the UK but only up to £150.

I am due to go to America in June for a couple of weeks hence the "or maybe $460" part.

As technology has moved on considerably i am stuck with a couple of questions that im hoping someone could assist me on;

1. Would i be better off buying in the USA? Would i get that much more for my cash? (being military i expect i could get a better discount on a laptop out there than i can here)

2. I take it i should limit my searching to Core i3s and at least 3rd gen if going 2nd hand?

3. Would something as old as the like of a Latitude E6410 or a Thinkpad T420?

4. Do you have a laptop in mind?

Thanks for taking the time to read and (if you do) give your opinions. I have had a look round but they seem to be making packed lunch boxes out of thicker and more durable plastic, hence me looking at the Latitude and thinkpads.

 

Personally I love the dell latitudes. Have worked with them the last 7 years.

Check out the dell outlet store. You don't have to be a business to buy from there.

If considering the latitude try and stick with 3rd generation and above so an Exx30 that way you get USB 3.

if you are flexible on size and dvd I can't recommend the e6230 enough. can always get an external dvd and there are plenty of deals on ebay with these.

Plus being a Dell loads and loads of spare parts available on eBay.

 

I already have an external DVD that i bought when i got the MSI and while it worked i found it annoying having to carry an extra item, so would be avoiding the 6230.

With the Latitude stuff are all the main (breakable) components easy to swap out? any issues with whitelists? (came across that problem with the lenovos)

Cheers

 

Then I would check out the E6330, next size up and has a drive slot.

Never come across an Lenovo type whitelists when adding hardware. Machines are pretty serviceable and as i said loads of parts on ebay.

 

Will check that one out. Cheers

 

Latitudes are very serviceable indeed in my experience, I've always found working with them a pleasure. Unlike Inspirons...

 

http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-tp300lads31t-touch-p-8177.html

This may interest you. (they do a military discount too. From my understanding they are very very good on delivery.

They are apparently a great company to work with too. I heard a story where they delievered a G75 Laptop a few years back to someone who only had a 4 hour window to pick it up from a place they arranged to collect it.

 

I have found a (well in my opinion) a decent spec laptop on gumtree:

Could i ask what people would be looking at paying for a Latitude E6330 with a i5-3320M and 8GB RAM?

I think i have my answer already and have asked about postage costs.

 

I'd like to pay about £220 for that.

 

I'd buy a bicycle.

 

Dont buy things via postage on Gumtree! That's a super quick way to get scammed!

 

If you do, whatever you do, pay with PayPal. But better, don't do it, as Parge says!

 

Got two already, but WTF has that got to do with a laptop???

 

Hmm, i was thinking the price they are asking is a bit on the cheap side or i'm not sure is it a good deal or are they trying to hide something???

No dramas about buying via gumtree and paying with paypal. You get the same protection as buying off egay.

 

Simple misunderstanding. Three hundred, divided by 50. Plus 3. Divided by 3. Equals 3.

You need a third bicycles my friend.

Now you understand?

 

Ah, but i've always worked on "twice the half of two and a half" is better.

 

To each their own. *tips hat*

 

One thing to remember:

In the US, you will have to pay tax on top of whatever you find. In other words, if you find a laptop that you like for let's say $450, don't forget to add ~8-10% (dependent where you're headed, it could be more) on top for taxes. Everything, and I mean everything, is displayed ex. VAT there as it's easier to just add "x" per cent per state rather than adjusting their pricing accordingly. That has been my experience with ~7 months of living there.

 

Ah well hopefully a military discount would negate the vat. Cheers

Although I think I'll be picking up a 2nd hand unit now.

 

Ah well ended up going for a Thinkpad E530 with an i5 3210M processor and 8Gb RAM. Description was really in-depth and no generic cut and paste specs.

Got it for just over £150 incld postage. Cheapest that i could see an i5 processor one sell for.