Laptop and camcorder

[alb0679]

Hi all. I'm looking at purchasing a laptop in the January sales and would like some advice. I work away quite a lot and spend a lot of time stuck in hotel rooms. I would like a laptop, but the spec is simple. I do not require it for business and all i need it to do is store photo's of the family and play dvd's and basic games. I have a budget for this of around �300, so if anyone knows what to go for and where to go for it that would be great. Also I'm buying a new camcorder in January, should I go for a dvd camcorder or one with a recordable drive. Any suggestions ? Thank you. Alb

[vehelpfulguy]

Any current laptop you buy will be able to do the things you want such as photos, DVDs etc

Games may be a different matter. Most laptops are for "office" work so have very basic graphics capability.

You say basic games so you may be OK, but it may be worth asking on a "gaming" forum for more advice in this area as graphics on a laptop is a complex subject.

There is a Gaming section on answerbank so maybe try there. Good idea if you can list some of the games titles you may want to play.

Note that some of the cheaper laptops have slow CPUs so that may effect the playing of DVDs and Games.

Some companies do "Entertainment" laptops built for watching DVDs, playing games, music etc. It may be worth paying a bit more to get one geared for entertainment.

He is a HP entertainment laptop as an example (I know it is outside your price range, just using it as an example)

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/ho/WF25a/ 21675-38187-38191-38191-38191-80637290.html

[vehelpfulguy]

In terms of what to buy and where to buy it, well some suggestions.

Go for a "name" make. Places like PC World, Currys etc do "no name" laptops that do have a poor quality reputation. Dont let the staff talk you into buying one of them.

Go for Toshiba, HP, Compaq, Sony, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, that sort of brand.

Avoid Advent and Packard Bell (which may be PC World only I think) .

Plenty of places now sell laptops online, some you may not normally consider.

Look at Dell, Argos, Tesco, Woolworth, Staples, Asda and so on.

Be careful of "fake" reductions from places like PC World, Currys. Some of these companies have specific laptops they hold back till after Xmas so they can be in the sale. They may look as though they are reduced but probably aren't.

I have a Staples shop near me and they seem to have good deals on PCs, laptops etc.

Hard to give advice on specific models till we see what is in the sales after Xmas.

No doubt we will get bombarded with adverts for laptops from Boxing day onwards.

This is a good site for finding deals (on everything not just laptops)

http://www.hotukdeals.com/

[ACtheTROLL]

vhg makes a good point .... as it's for you wait till after xmas - see what offers are in the sales.

another option would be something like these
http://www.archos.com/products/gen_5/archos_60 5wifi/index.html?country=global&lang=en
but you can't play games

However - the old model 1 PSPs are selling for �80-90
will play games, movies photos and tunes
can easily be kept in a pocket ..... and played on a train or at your table in the hotel restaurant (I hate eating alone)