Can you recommend a laptop

[soyamocha3]

I need a new laptop. My current Sony Vaio is very old now and I have had quite a few problems with it in the past, so want to buy something else.

I only want it for sending emails, storing photographs, booking holidays, youtube and generally looking up various things and so I don't really need to buy one of those ?1000 Mac jobs - that look fabulous by the way. Can anyone recommend a laptop. I have been looking on the John Lewis site and some of the less known brands do not always have fabulous reviews.

Thank you

[DirtyBox]

I would recommend you go to PC World or Currys or somewhere like that and take a look at some in the flesh. I have a Vaio and they pretty solidly built but my wife bought a Samsung online and it feels very flimsy in comparison.

[Sue]

I'm also needing a new laptop to replace my old Dell.

I suggest you google "laptop reviews" (John Lewis will only have reviews of the ones they sell, which is a very limited range) and then also as suggested above go to PC World to look at them in the flesh.

My OH bought one online without seeing it first and the keyboard is very flimsy compared to my Dell.

You don't need to spend a fortune to get something decent. Just make sure it meets all your present (and foreseeable future) needs and doesn't have any bad reviews.

[Seabag]

I'm using my iPad with a Logitech key board for such things, it's light and to be honest I use it more than my Mac Book Air laptop

Or my son has a Google chromebook thingy, it does all those things you want and they start at about ?200 I think

[ED - NAGAIUTB]

If storing photos is a priority then I'd save some money for a cloud storage subscription (Dropbox, One Drive etc).

As Seabag says, Chromebooks are good value for money.

[spitfire]

I often use the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 for work (I'm an IT consultant). They're very good and you get the best of both laptop & tablet. Haven't recommended a Microsoft product in years but this one is worth mentioning.

Also you can get a refurbished Mac under warranty for a very good price from the Apple website if you want to go down that route.

[Jeremy]

Never used a Chromebook so couldn't comment. IMO iOS/Android devices tend to become defunct rather quickly, so would avoid as your main computer. Macs are good (I have one) but overpriced, and I'd only recommend if you need some specialist software.

Meanwhile my 6 year old Win7 machine is still pretty nippy, and is more stable than my MacBook Pro. So I would definitely go for windows (although the surface pro is out of your budget, and I suspect overkill for your needs).

ED - NAGAIUTB : isn't OneDrive free?

[johnie]

I'm using an HP Envy with a fifteen inch touchscreen, running Windows 10, and it's great. I use it with a mouse and keyboard during the day (I'm a software developer), then use it as a TV in the evening, when the touchscreen comes into its own.

I'd recommend you get something with a hybrid SSD /HDD, or if you can afford it a full SSD. Everything is so much quicker. I've the hybrid drive, and full shutdown to back to the desktop is about 45 seconds.

[kford]

Get a 2nd hand or refurbished MacBook Pro or Air from a reseller. Will come with a guarantee too. Here's a cute yet powerful 13" MacBook Air for ?399:

http://www.portableuniverse.co.uk/Apple+Laptops/Apple+MacBook+Air+13inch+Intel+Core+i5%2C+4GB%2C+128GB+SSD+MD760BA+%282013%29.html

[ed_pete]

My two-penneth

To a large extent I think that laptops are priced as a commodity i.e. you get what you pay for though there is some brand premium.

I would try before you buy as some have a more solid feel than others.

Buy as much RAM as you can afford (at least 8GB)

Get the fastest processor you can afford (ideally Intel i5 or i7)

As others have said get one with a hybrid drive or an SSD though bear in mind that in terms of capacity you will get less compared to a normal hard drive.

If you buy a Mac (new or second hand) then bear in mind that you if you have software packages on your VAIO that you want to continue using (assuming that you have the original disks) then they probably won?t be compatible.

[Mustard]

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm using my iPad with a Logitech key board for

> such things, it's light and to be honest I use it

> more than my Mac Book Air laptop

>

> Or my son has a Google chromebook thingy, it does

> all those things you want and they start at about

> ?200 I think

I love my IPad Air and wondered which Logitech keyboard you use. Use the IPad much more than than my Macbook.

[soyamocha3]

Thank you so much to everyone for all this really useful information. Everything updates so fast and it has been a few years since I have been on the market looking for a laptop. I have an Ipad Air and use a Logitech keyboard too by the way - seems a few people have gone up this route. I also have an Ipod that has all the apps etc on so I am not short on gadgets :) With all this advice I am well equipped so thanks so much.

[Loz]

ed_pete Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> My two-penneth

>

> To a large extent I think that laptops are priced as a commodity i.e. you get what you pay for

> though there is some brand premium.

> I would try before you buy as some have a more solid feel than others.

> Buy as much RAM as you can afford (at least 8GB)

> Get the fastest processor you can afford (ideally Intel i5 or i7)

> As others have said get one with a hybrid drive or an SSD though bear in mind that in terms of

> capacity you will get less compared to a normal hard drive.

>

> If you buy a Mac (new or second hand) then bear in mind that you if you have software packages on

> your VAIO that you want to continue using (assuming that you have the original disks) then

> they probably won?t be compatible.

I'd write my thoughts, but they'd pretty much just reiterate everything ed_pete says here, except that I don't think you need the fastest processor (a good quality mid-range is fine), but memory is crucial and it's worth getting as much as you can.

[cavendishdevere]

I have a had a lot of laptops in my time and bought a lot for other people in my office.

Good brands: Acer, Asus, Lenovo

Brands I have had problems with: Samsung and HP

Get loads of RAm (8GB +) at least an i5 processor, a SSD and use dropbox, google or something else to put most of your stuff in the cloud.

http://www.which.co.uk/ have a good laptop review section.

[malumbu]

Worth waiting for special offers from Lidl no computing stuff at present www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?action=showDetail&id=38680

We were persuaded to buy a Macbook about ten years ago. Never got any good use out of it and then found out that the software was no longer supported.