How Much Do I Need to Spend

• 

  PVA on 25/05/2015 - 20:34

  8.1 isnt so bad, just use it for a little while and you will see, much better than 8.

  not many have a burner now, I was like you thinking I need one but realised I hadnt burnt a disk for ages - and a burner is like $50 for a usb one .

  I assume 20inch is too big, 13inch too small.

  this post has a few ideas , https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/195630
  via that I think this is good http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TOSHIBA-Satellite-15-6-S50-B00J-W… remember 15% off that and you pick up in store.

  Dell has a great 17inch unit with a dvd drive, http://www.dell.com/au/p/inspiron-17-5758-laptop/pd?ref=PD_O…
  $999 looks a good price. and plenty of power for you.
  I have a 5000 and think its fantastic http://www.dell.com/au/p/inspiron-15-5548-laptop/pd?oc=y5104… (got mine on the Dell Outlet for about half the new cost)

  not sure about any of them getting 10 hours on battery though.

  • 

    offal spokesman on 25/05/2015 - 20:37

    Great thanks.. doesnt need to run 10 hours on battery, i just leave it plugged in.

    yes, 20 too big… 15 -17 is ideal i think.

    The ones youve suggested look great, but seem more expensive than i really need?

    Thanks very much

    • 

      PVA on 25/05/2015 - 20:43

      for what you use it for you wont need much to be honest, the only thing maybe what screen resolution you want (do you want hi res for the movies or will 1366x768 do?).
      a Dell 300 has a burner and are really cheap, and will do what you want. $799 new, but the outlet has one for $679. http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/product…

      The specs of all these will at least give you some longevity out of it instead of a really cheap celeron based unit.

      maybe tell us the price you want , maybe easier to track something.

      • 

        offal spokesman on 25/05/2015 - 20:47

        Thanks very much… im not sure about "refurbished" bit concerend about that?

        In terems of $… lol im on Ozbargain… so, as little as possible :)

      • 

        PVA on 25/05/2015 - 21:36

        +1

        @offal spokesman:

        I bought my refurb last year, comes with new warranty, 15 days to return if you don't like it, unit was like brand new in the box, the only thing I could see was the power supply block was not in a plastic bag (but maybe they don't come in one).
        Myself I would not hesitate to buy one again - then again my laptop was $699, new was $1500 so bit savings.

        I looked at cheaper units on the DSE site via the link I gave you and once you go down to the $600 mark, specs drop off greatly, meaning you may be upgrading sooner so savings are negated.

        you could also post on whirlpool forums and ask there.

• 

  scrimshaw on 26/05/2015 - 01:46

  +2

  I would look into buying a more portable 13 to 14 inch unit, possibly one from the Dell outlet.

  The specs do not need to be anything high end, you're looking at mostly a budget range laptop and frankly with what you do, even a machine with a Bay Trail celeron would be adequate for your needs. Bay Trail-M machines run from between $220~$370 depending on how they are configured, but you definitely should get one with at least 4GB of RAM (or has the capability to upgrade the RAM).

  This Acer ACER Aspire 15.6" E5-511-P3YF with N3540 + 4GB RAM from this deal for e.g suits your needs fine for example and is $370.

  At 2.5KG however, it is not lightweight, it's really what I would consider to be a desktop replacement and not the type of device you'd take on a trip overseas.

  But if you want a bit of performance and possibly lightweight designs you're looking at around a $600 dollar spend for a Haswell-gen laptop (Core i3, Core i5's etc) from which you should probably source from Dell Outlet. The Dell Latitude series are tough, hardy yet lightweight laptops made for business and prosumers — have a look at them if you want your laptops well built and ready for travel.

  Recommendations in this category: DFO-2961571LT (Latitude 3340) $ 549

  • 

    offal spokesman on 26/05/2015 - 11:04

    Awesome thanks, looking at your suggestions now :) cheers

  • 

    mrmarkau67 on 26/05/2015 - 11:20

    +1 for Latitude
    +1 for Dell Outlet

    I've had great experiences with both.

    OP - consider how often you need the DVD burner. Maybe you could use an external one occasionally, and your laptop can then be slimmer and lighter.

  • 

    offal spokesman on 14/06/2015 - 11:54

    Cheers Mate, ended up getting this at $390 (shouldve acted faster - or slower) happy with it so far, thanks for your help.

• 

  offal spokesman on 27/05/2015 - 13:12

  Thanks again folks… any opinions on this?

  http://www.oo.com.au/Lenovo-B50-30-Laptop-15-6-_P254647C1397…

  • 

    scrimshaw on 27/05/2015 - 14:22

    That's a dual core version of the Atom (N2840). The Acer I linked to is better value as it has a processor that's a little better and has quad core (N3540).

    You can also pickup the Acer as well from a Dick Smith store. Would much rather buy from a brick and mortar store.

    • 

      offal spokesman on 27/05/2015 - 15:46

      cheers, see what you mean about the quad core, and definitely agree with Bricks and Mortar. think i might grab one.

• 

  offal spokesman on 12/06/2015 - 11:19

  Ok, so ive been really slow on this (i was trying a friends 2nd hander, but it wasnt any good). So i now have a couple of options and wondered if anyone could tell me which is better.

  http://www.thegoodguys.com.au/asus-f553ma-15-inches-pqc-4gb-…

  http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ACER-Aspire-15-6-E5-511-P3YF-W8-1…

  From what i can tell.. they much the same, so which is better Acer or Asus?

  Thanks folks

  • 

    mrmarkau67 on 12/06/2015 - 11:30

    They are very similar. Check them out in store. Laptops in this price range often have awful keyboards and trackpads.