Laptop Buying Advice

[Iron Sights]

Right, straight to business.

I need a laptop for my younger sister that she will need to occasionally take with her, when she starts college.

Main uses are:
web browsing, word processing, possible light gaming

I came across this deal on comet:
£329
DELL DEL50109747 15.6"


i3-370m
3 GB
320GB
ATI Radeon HD 5650 *NOT INCLUDED*

While the dedicated card isn't really necessary, it came within my budget of around £300-350.
I'm also aware that the new line of AMD llano laptops are coming to market...

So should I wait or should I buy this now?

*I need to get a laptop before the end of August.*


Many thanks as always

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

That is a very good deal TBH!!

The Mobility Radeon HD5650M should be around the same speed as the IGP in Llano laptops:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Rad...G.54675.0.html

There will be Llano laptops with an additional discrete card but these will probably be over £450.

For that price I would get the laptop.

Don't forget you can get cashback too:

http://www.topcashback.co.uk/comet/

http://www.quidco.com/comet/

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

For instance you can get a refurbished laptop cheaper:

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/hp-i...-outlet/971782

However,the Dell is brand new and comes with a decent graphics card for a laptop.

[Iron Sights]

Just an update DO NOT buy Laptop thinking it has a dedicated HD 5650 because its doesnt. The laptop arrived today without the gpu. Now off to return it

bah..

Spoke to them on the phone and they had no idea, complete idiots? Still, after nailing home the message they got it in the end.

[Iron Sights]

Here is one for the hexus boffins:


Intel i3-380M(2.53GHz)
320 GB SATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM)
2 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz (1 DIMMs)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD
6 Cell Primary Battery, 48W


or for £20 more I can get:


i3 Intel Core i3-2310M (3M Cache, 2.10 GHz)
3 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz (2 DIMMs)
500GB Serial ATA (5400RPM)
Intel HD Graphics 3000
6 Cell Primary Battery, 48W

For light gaming which one is better.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

The second one is faster but the IGP is still not that great. You are looking at around HD5450 level performance AFAIK.

[qinyanggl]

I think the 4320s from HP is quite decent
HP ProBook 4320s £399 delivered, less £100 HP Cashback = £299 @saveonlaptops:
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/hp-p...laptops/980960

Need to go through the cashback procedure with HP, but I think it is worth it. Battery life is not so good, but is on par with the mainstream laptops.

[Iron Sights]

but for other than gaming is the 1st one better?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

but for other than gaming is the 1st one better?

The second processor might be a tad slower but battery life is probably better in the second laptop and it has more RAM and a bigger hard disk.

[Iron Sights]

I see, well I will look over it some more then. I just saw this

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?...0M+%40+2.53GHz

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?...0M+%40+2.10GHz

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

You linked to the same CPU twice. I had a look on the website and it seems the Sandy Bridge Core i3 is faster.