Which laptop for uni + sims3 £400 budget

[The History Man]

Ok. My daughter is off to uni in a few weeks and will be getting a laptop. Needs to be full size, run the usual MS office, and handle SIMS3 game? Budget is maximum of £400. Cheaper the better.

My laptop is a satellite a30 from around 2003 so a little out of touch here :facepalm:

Please can anybody recommend anything or do I just take a chance on a reputable make like my old toshiba. Still running and doing its thing.

Thanks

 

[The History Man]

This ? http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/laptops-n ... 4-pdt.html

 

[ajm]

In my experience Toshiba aren't at all more reliable than average - only so-so at best. Other than avoiding HP/Compaq like the plague, I don't have much advice - it's a lottery and you never really know until a few years down the line which were the reliable models (by which time they've long since been out of production anyway.)

John Lewis usually provide 2 year warranties on computers which is well worth having, particularly for a laptop, particularly one owned by a student!

Perhaps the one thing I'd mention is the CPUs in the cheapest laptops - these tend to be slow, and worse still inefficient which means they produce a lot of heat; a very bad thing indeed in the confined environs of a laptop, and usually results in a shortened lifespan.

 

[The History Man]

Thanks. So on my budget?

 

[Koupe]

There's a place near me that does ex-corporate recon PCs and laptops - they tend to be pretty reliable and robust, and the shop does a fresh Windows install before selling them on with a warranty. Excellent value, if you're not bothered about having the very latest gear. Maybe worth checking if there's a similar outfit near you?

 

[The History Man]

That sounds good. If it was me no problem but you know what 'youngsters' are like. She wants a new one for her new life at University! Bless her.

 

[daugs]

if the budget is £400 she may have a choice between a better spec refurb or new lower spec, as mentioned above the slower processors can be frustrating particularly given how every bit of software these days likes to see if it needs an update via web just when you are doing something else, does she have know-how to manage it to avoid it slowing down - life is about choices and budget ?

work wise I've had Toshiba, Dell and IBM (now effectively Lenovo) all lasted ok, IBM always being good, had a personal HP one bought cheap and case broke after 3 years............

I bought new one after HP broke and got a Lenovo ideapad - core i3 from John Lewis (warranty and customer care being better than other places could mention in my experience), this was earlier this year with hindsight maybe an i5 but was on a budget and already more than £400.

 

[highlandsflyer]

I would consider upping the budget a little to get something with a 17" LED screen. Makes working much easier, and if it will double as a TV a 17" is viewable nicely in the average student halls size room.
http://www.dabs.com/products/toshiba-sa ... &src=3

 

[The History Man]

Good thinking Batman!

 

[hamster]

Second the advice here...bought a cheap compaq a couple of years ago, it spends all its time spinning its HDD madly with the processor struggling. I keep all files on a NAS, so it just seems that Win7 is too much for it.