Laptop for Uni!

[Calneon]

I want to buy a laptop before I go to uni, but I don't know much about them at all (as in which makes are best and what-not). I was hoping some of you could point me in the right direction. I'll be taking my main PC to uni so it doesn't need to play recent games, but it would be nice if older games and less demanding games such as Warcraft 3, Diablo 2, World Of Goo, stuff like that would work well on it. I want it to be light, small, and stylish, resolution doesn't matter much. Preferably the battery life should be quite long, and i'm looking to spend about £500.

Any recommendations?

[Vicious Horizon]

Well, if you want to play low-end things, DoW 1, Warcraft 3, JK:JA pre-2007 games, I'd actually recommend this Toshiba Satellite THOUGH, it CANNOT run Source games.. At all. Everything on this thing is good apart from the Intel 945 Chipset.

I think this girl's pretty cheap now atm, it was £500 2 years ago..

[Chalex4]

I would advise against Toshibas, since they are well known to be unreliable. I am also looking for a decent laptop for uni, but probably with a slightly larger budget since I want something that can play some decent games :p.

Anyway, I would say that Apples are too expensive for most people, and I to be honest the lack of right click would really get to me. So, in terms of a decent windows laptop, I would say look at the HP, Sony and Samsung ranges.

Out of the above, I would look mostly at the HPs, since they are very stylish and powerful. If you really want a customisable laptop, then also take a look at the OcUK custom range: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=959&catid=1236.

Keep us posted with what you like the look of, I will also let you all know what I'll be getting in the summer hols.

[Vicious Horizon]

Toshi's unreliable? :o I'll take your word for it XD

[Colonel Mitch]

I would advise against Toshibas, since they are well known to be unreliable. I am also looking for a decent laptop for uni, but probably with a slightly larger budget since I want something that can play some decent games :p.

Anyway, I would say that Apples are too expensive for most people, and I to be honest the lack of right click would really get to me. So, in terms of a decent windows laptop, I would say look at the HP, Sony and Samsung ranges.

Out of the above, I would look mostly at the HPs, since they are very stylish and powerful. If you really want a customisable laptop, then also take a look at the OcUK custom range: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=959&catid=1236.

Keep us posted with what you like the look of, I will also let you all know what I'll be getting in the summer hols.

Chalex..... BULLSHIT!

Ive had 2 toshibas. The oldest 1 is 4 and a half year old and still runs perfectly and now ive even got vista on it and thats smooth enough.

My newest laptop i got 2 and a hlaf years ago is a Toshiba and its still a vight spec for a laptop today and never had a problem.

I had a compaq first (there same company as HP) and the screen broke on it twice and then after a year and a half it killed the processor and then the motherboard died after i had that replaced :S

Ive had a sony vaio 2. Reasonably reliable (apart from stopped running from battery after about a year and a half) but fucking rip off in terms of performance/£.

Also, Toshiba Satellite.... You do realise thats basically EVERY laptop they make xD

Both of mine are Satellites lol.

Also btw chalex
Look at the samsung ranges

Do you no who samsung are the same company as? - TOSHIBA!

[Chalex4]

Fair enough, I'm just saying what I've heard! I've always liked the look of Toshiba's, so I guess I'll have to check them out when I think about my laptop.

[Colonel Mitch]

Basically that post was discrediting chalex from my experiences and advising Toshiba/Samsung are your best choices probably.

[Calneon]

Toshiba and Samsung are not the same company according to my rapid look at wikipedia. I see lots of names flying out here but no links to laptops! Any reliable review sites you know would be great.

Also, what do the processors equate to in terms of desktop CPUs? Is a laptop dual core 8400 the same as a desktop 8400?

[Target]

lol piers toshiba's have been awesome seems we've had to use them on occasion at lans and such, sony always a rip of for the price to performance, asus prob the best to go for if u want somethin for gaming and have th monies to spare

[Colonel Mitch]

Toshiba and Samsung are not the same company according to my rapid look at wikipedia. I see lots of names flying out here but no links to laptops! Any reliable review sites you know would be great.

Also, what do the processors equate to in terms of desktop CPUs? Is a laptop dual core 8400 the same as a desktop 8400?

Well I know that samsung hard disks are manufactured my toshiba and have seen a few samsung stickers inside my toshiba laptop.

A T8400 will have teh same clock speed as the desktop model but a lower FSB and cache.

So basically, no the desktop version is better, but facter in EVERY laptop uses laptop parts, so chances are your going to get 1 with the same bus/cache anwyay.

[Colonel Mitch]

If your after links ill look on pc world soon n see. (Their online prices are cheaper than store and if u print off online page theyll give it too u at online price in store).

Overclockers, microdirect and scan dont usually have a very good choice of laptops, apart from OCUK but theirs are more focused to high end high price.

Ive got all mine from Frys www.frys.com, but this is american and I used to get everything i could from their texas store which was MASSSSSIVE and stocked EVERYTHING you could plug in xD

They were cheap too, though even if u were going to the states with the $-£ being shit it wudnt be much better value anyway.

(This isnt a reccomendation for PC World, but experience of around here at least shows there isnt really much alternative)

EDIT: Also http://www.tsstorage.com/tsst/index_e.html - Thats the Toshiba Samsumg Storage homepage.