Help me choose a laptop!

[Chris W]

Originally Posted by paulyoung666

do they

yep... " and @ are swapped round, and on some of them the \ key is next to backspace instead... very weird. Oh and you get a $ and euro sign instead of $ and £. Typing on a german keyboard is odd as well cos they have z on the top row cos it is so commonly used... i was back to the old one finger typing!!

[SMHarman]

but you can buy replacement keytops and reconfigure the keyboard.

My home PC has a US keyboard but is configured to think it is UK. Works the sam, just that above the 3 key a different symbol exists, but if i press shift 3 i get a £ symbol (if that makes sense).

The keyboard is similar, biggest gripe is the enter key is long and narrow like a shift key, not big and fat. Not as wonky as a french keyboard. Now they are weird.

[John Smiths]

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/N...a.html?NNB-166

What about that? A bit over your budget (about £930 inc. vat)...and also no wireless card, but like people have already said, £30-£50 for a pcmcia. I bought my laptop from novatech a couple of months ago. I have had no complaints at all....although if you are using it to travel, then you may want to opt for the centrino technology ones as the battery life is not great to say the least.

[John Smiths]

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/N...a.html?NNB-170

from the same site...a centrino laptop...check out the site for their entire range, some good laptops:

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/NBranges.html

[Richard M]

Thanks for the info, but I'm pretty set on getting the other one.

[John Smiths]

Originally Posted by Richard M

Thanks for the info, but I'm pretty set on getting the other one.

Fair enough....which one??

[Richard M]

This one:
http://www.simply.co.uk/pricerunner/...ters/index.htm

[KingPhoenix]

What about this one?

http://www.timecomputers.com/showpac...hp?prodid=9844

I know its a TIME, but its gotta be as good as, if not better, than a weird unknown brand

systemax = £727.33
AMD XP 2200
256Mb PC2100 DDR
40GB DMA 100 Hard Drive
DVD/CDRW Combo
15" Screen
1 x Firewire
2x USB 2.0 Ports
1 x PCMCIA
64Mb Graphics

Time = £849
AMD XP 2600
512Mb DDR
40 GB Hard Disk
DVD-Rw/CD-Rw Drive
56k Modem
32Mb Graphics
10/100 Ethernet port
15" TFT
Firewire Port
4 x USB 2.0 Ports
Tv-Out (play dvds straight onto tv)
Built in Wireless Card

SO for an extra £122
Your getting

Processor = 400 higher
Ram = 256 Higher
Ports = extra 2 x USB 2.0 / Internal Wireless card / 10/100 Ethernet card / 56k Modem / TV- Out
Drives = DVD-Rw

Id like to see you buy those extra bits for the original laptop for £122

an ethernet, modem, and wireless would set you back around £80 on their own... let alone the fast processor and more ram

Or theres this option, which is almost the same spec, apart from the DVD drive isnt DVD-Rw, only DVD/CD-RW
http://www.timecomputers.com/showpac...hp?prodid=9841


HTH

[Richard M]

Damn KP, you've got me thinking now!
It is a Time though...

[paulyoung666]

no please anything but time , please dont do it , pretty please , tbh i wouldnt buy off them in principle after the last fiasco

[zovat]

Originally Posted by paulyoung666

no please anything but time , please dont do it , pretty please , tbh i wouldnt buy off them in principle after the last fiasco

Until recently I would have agreed wholeheartedly with that - but I have a mate who recently (well 4 months ago) bought a time laptop - he had to call support a couple of times with windows type issues (I told him to put a proper operating system on but he wanted windows) and they were great They even got an engineer out when a key stopped working (he didn't tell them he dropped a portable stereo onto the keyboard mind you )

[KingPhoenix]

The only reason i bought a time into the equation is because you were looking at a totally unknown brand...

If you do go for the Time laptop, let me know and ill give you a few names and numbers to call in the event anything goes wrong

And just incase anyone has a time pc and is currently having problems........ did i mention the store support line before?? i.e. the number the store phones up incase they need help dealing with you or your machine... if not its 01282 775533

[KingPhoenix]

Originally Posted by zovat

Until recently I would have agreed wholeheartedly with that - but I have a mate who recently (well 4 months ago) bought a time laptop - he had to call support a couple of times with windows type issues (I told him to put a proper operating system on but he wanted windows) and they were great They even got an engineer out when a key stopped working (he didn't tell them he dropped a portable stereo onto the keyboard mind you )

Somehow i dont think its was a time laptop..... not if they got an engineer out, time stopped doing on-site engineers in 1998 and havent offer it since

[Pea-Pod]

This is a nice laptop http://www.itreviews.co.uk/hardware/h540.htm

[John Smiths]

Originally Posted by Pea-Pod

This is a nice laptop http://www.itreviews.co.uk/hardware/h540.htm

A bit more than what Richard M wants to pay, me thinks...