It is a want as opposed to a need with her!! I am not sure where she gets her expenive tastes from ...lol
A friend of the family has one and keeps raving about it :twisted:
I bought my sons a laptop each for Christmas and they were over the moon, after looking around and some help from the guys in the office here's what they ended up with;
Its sold out now, but I'm sure the people at that site would be happy to point you to a similar model.
Added;
is another great site.
I know several people who have been v happy with laptops purchased.
Basically a decades old debate
PC Vs Apple
By PC, generally mean a Windows based computer - though there are dedicated 'camps' for/against PCs and Apples.
For most people, a good 'traditional' PC will suffice for most needs, with purchase being usually cheaper and an extensive set of software available.
One thing that you'll probably need to be aware of with respect of most laptops sold nowadays is the 'crapware' that gets installed before you buy. Most people seem to suffer with, but complain that their new machine isn't as fast as they thought that they were getting. (We regularly end up spending at least an afternoon most months sorting out friends and families new computers)
Therefore whatever you end up buying it's worth having a look at
(alternatively just type "decrapify" into a search engine like Google)
(Given that Apple are much more controlling of their hardware/software, this is less of an issue)
Hope this helps
I don't know if the scheme is still running, or if you're eligable, but a couple of my friends got govt grants for free laptops. The details were on the , along with lots of other offers and ideas. Just do a search for 'laptop'.
NB... it's worth subscribing to his weekly email to find out about all sorts of savings. ;-)
I had a top of the range HP cost me nearly a grand 3 yrs ago.... mother board died over heated when playing blu-ray films and playing world at war 2.... i did think if i bought a good one from one of the best companies it would last me now it's in the garage waiting to hear back from HP as it seems to be a common fault!!
From what i have heard over the last couple of yrs acers have come a long way and have a good name now
As for your daughter wanting a mac.... well i'd love one as well lol i do see them as being very very good but what you get for your money spec wise well it's not a lot
In an ideal world I'd suggest a Brabantia aquabowl or titan but I don't think she'd be impressed with an ironing board as much as others would (she'll grow in to it don't worry). :lol2:
So going along with the others I'd ask why a macbook? They are getting closer and closer to the usual lappy - intel chipsets etc and obviously run with a linex based os which again you can run on a normal lappy too. It all depends on what she wants it for, email, msn, FarceBook, MyArse Twatter video/image manipulation, online gaming or even homework?!.
Some one's already mentioned Acer Aspires, you should also consider one of the Asus range too. Both have good specifications, and not expensive (£350-£400 compared to a macbook £850) especially if someone has a history of dropping them!
I have to agree with everyone above I'm afraid!
Mac's - while very good - are pretty much only really worth the extra expense if you're going to use their capabilities to the full. It's a whole new o/s to learn too - although bloody kids would prolly work it out a damn sight quicker than me. That said - who do the kids go to for help when it all goes boobs up. Won't really be a problem with a PC.
The other thing was the fact that she dropped the last one! I know accidents happen, but dropping a £1600 Mac is going to hurt a LOT more than dropping a £375 Acer. That said there may be something in the fact that she may take more care of it because it's that much more expensive. On the other hand, it depends whether she knows the value of a pound.
*Him*
I'd recommend Ebuyer as a seller I've been using them for years after they were able to sell stuff cheaper than some of the trade places. Not just cheap though service is good there.
Not sure the Becta scheme still exists as the Gov't has axed the organisation completely. If it's still there then get your claim in quick as they're winding down. I got a nice Toshiba under that scheme and it looks nice as well as doing what I need.
seems they're now only offering if you disabled or special educational needs. It's a damn shame they're closing this scheme as it was aimed at bringing up the performance of the poorer kids under achieving their potential and for the money possibly the cheapest way of bring the kids up a grade.
We have had a Toshiba laptop and the battery kept on needing to be replaced and did not like it. When it comes to Acers we have had one and the thing just went right after its warranty. From experience our best experiences have been with HP, Compaq, Sony, and Apple. The only drawback to Apple besides the price is the fact it is difficult to find software for it because most of it made for Windows and what is made for it tends to be more expensive. Personally I would opt for a Windows based laptop with a minimum of 3 GB SDDRAM, somewhere between 250 GB - 500 GB hard drive, 512 MB graphic card, and an AMD dual core processor.
and the man at shop has found that the motherboard died :S
