laptop

[mrshenda]

My mam demands a laptop for Christmas. All she would want it for would be buying useless items from the Internet or finding Al martino or David Whitfield for my dad.
No computing needed. No sheets, no bills to log, nothing, just surfing.
I have probably 250 quid for this for Christmas for them. Anything over this and I am buggered. Please help me out here. I have read so many previews I am punch drunk and don't know what to do. Please take into account she is 71 and he is 74. My dad is still trying to get his head around the new HD remote control so go steady here.

[ArgusVision]

Try www.newegg.com and look at their netbooks. Cheap,light, made for surfing.

[fooman]

Try www.newegg.com (http://www.newegg.com) and look at their netbooks. Cheap,light, made for surfing.

true....but horrid for typing on if you have fat, clumsy fingers, or poor eyesight!

i love mine for travel, or in the car.....but no way could i use it as my everyday system.

[ArgusVision]

@foo
- Point taken... but he's on an almost unrealistic buget for a new laptop. I don't think she'd appreciate used.

@mrshenda
- If anyone demanded anything specific from me for Christmas, I'd get 'em socks. (That includes my kids.)

[ArgusVision]

You might also try www.woot.com and sellout.woot.com (http://sellout.woot.com) . You have to check them regularly as the item(s) being sold change daily, but they often have geat deals.

[ieee488]

Since the OP mentions quids, I'm guessing he isn't in the USA.

For $250 USD, he isn't going to find anything new, unless it is a netbook which will be hard on old eyes. Most of the laptops on Woot tend to be manufacturer refurbished. Does that constitute "new" in the OP's eyes???

I have noticed that since this summer used laptop prices on eBay have gone up a bit. Must be the holiday season.

I have had good luck with the purchase of a Dell Latitude D620 on eBay. It was my mistake that I didn't know about the nVidia video chipset problem, but that was my fault. So far, so good with it.

[Debra.S]

250 quid is just under $400 USD, correct? There's a lot you can do with that amount if you're willing to go with a refurbished product (Overstock is great for that, not sure about their international shipping policies though), but even if you want to buy new, you should be able to buy something.

I'd suggest going to local computer-repair places and asking thier advice. You should be able to get a good idea of how to get what you want for the price you have.

[ArgusVision]

ieee488, to most folks, if it comes in a box and looks shiny, it's new...

[ieee488]

ieee488, to most folks, if it comes in a box and looks shiny, it's new...

I bought a refurbished printer from Staples, and the box was clearly marked as such. Don't know whether people will be bothered by the words "refurbished" or whether they'll even notice.

[uRock]

Moved to the Cafe.