O/T Toshiba or Compaq Lap Top?

[Christies Child]

My daughters lap top has finally gone to that place in the sky and she needs to replace PDQ for Uni.
Looking at either a Toshiba Satellite C660 or a Compaq CQ62 as an affordable repalcement (these poor students!) and would appreciate some advice from my fellow SV fanatics!

Ta....

[The Bay]

I use a Toshiba Satelite with Windows 7 for work. Heavy use and has never let me down so far in 9 months.

Paid £329 from PC World, may be cheaper now.

Just my personal experience, but my dearly beloved had a Compaq that went pop after about 15 months.

Remember to add on cost of anti-virus, office etc.

[Keith]

Paid £329 from PC World...

...Remember to add on cost of anti-virus, office etc.

Open Office
http://www.openoffice.org/

AVG
http://free.avg.com/ww-en/homepage

So, £329 then!

[Christies Child]

Have to say that she's been leaning towards the Toshiba as she's been told that their reliability is better AND (as much as I hate big stores like PC World ) she can take it back same day if something happens and explain (hopefully to a technician) the problem rather than somebody on the end of a 'phone in India or wherever...


I've been using the Free Edition of AVG and had no concerns so far

[greenshrimp]

I had a Toshiba Equium and it went pop after 18 months. Ended up taking PC World to court to get some money back - wouldn't touch them again.

John Lewis get the best reviews for electronic equipment, will price match and tend to be cheaper anyway (or at least you'll get a better spec for the same price as PC World). If she has a John Lewis where she studies, they'll more often fix or replace VERY quickly should she have problems and more often than not at no cost. They normally deliver for free within a couple of days.

[The Bay]

We use ES-NET Nod 32 antivirus on all our machines which I recommend.

I use my laptop for alot of intensive audio and other programmes, and it always runs the lot, plus a number of tinternet pages all at once no probs.

Windows 7 is also excellent - hated it at first, but really like it now.

[Gnasher]

Paid £329 from PC World...

...Remember to add on cost of anti-virus, office etc.

Open Office
http://www.openoffice.org/

AVG
http://free.avg.com/ww-en/homepage

So, £329 then!

I used to use free AVs on my laptop and installed free versions on family computers. That is until one of them was hit with a root virus which the free versions don't protect you from. Myself, I use the talktalk version of kaspersky that's included with my account and if I need to install a free version, I use the Microsoft AV which protects more than any of the other freebies.

As for laptop brands, avoid PC World own brand (advent?) but I've worked on lots of both makes and nothing bad to say about either.

[CASS]

2 x Dell's and one Advent at our gaff. The Advent was the most expensive and the most problamatic.(Pile of shite to be honest) one of the Dell's has had to have a new hard drive £30
but still ok for a 5 year old.

[Gnasher]

Also take a look in the dell outlet, supposedly refurbished machines but they're all perfect and fresh out of the factory at up to half price.

[Heysham_red]

Open Office
http://www.openoffice.org/

AVG
http://free.avg.com/ww-en/homepage

Used AVG for years, not had a problem.

Used openoffice throughout Uni, now use google doc which is very handy because I currently only have a netbook at home. As for PC world, I don't have a good word to say about them.

PS don't get a mac! there over priced!

by the way slightly off topic in this off topic. I decided to move from an iphone to a HTC/android. So far I'm very happy with my choice.

[George Dawes]

Used AVG for years, not had a problem.

same as me

[Keith]

PS don't get a mac! there over priced!

They are expensive...

...but they are quality!

A Lada & a Merc are both cars, doesn't mean that Mercs are overpriced!

[P/T Indie]

CC did you get a Laptop in the end?

I might look into getting one in the next couple of weeks and was wondering which you went for and if it was ok.

Also has anyone got an ipad? and if so do you like it or is it just a giant iphone which you can't really take anywhere.

[Christies Child]

CC did you get a Laptop in the end?

I might look into getting one in the next couple of weeks and was wondering which you went for and if it was ok.

Also has anyone got an ipad? and if so do you like it or is it just a giant iphone which you can't really take anywhere.

Yes, bought a Toshiba from Amazon which was my daughters prefered option and as she was paying for it...........

Performs very well

[P/T Indie]

Cheers for that I googled Toshiba reliability and found some good write ups about how they compare in reliabilty tests/surveys so I am leaning that way as well.