There's nothing in your OP that says you wanted an Ethernet port, but anyway it does have one which you would have found out if you had Googled the model specs. PC World often get specs wrong. It's hardly difficult getting in touch with them though, is it?
When I was looking for a refurb laptop at PC World I was constantly having to check what they had written. I think I was lucky to buy the one I did due to them leaving out half the specs which probably had put earlier prospective buyers off. Their loss my gain.
Again if you care to Google Asus brand reliability, you will find it is highly rated.
You don't really know that W8 is a dog's breakfast. I think that if you check historical releases of Windows operating systems, exactly the same conflict of opinions will be there as there are now for W8. I take these negative opinions with a pinch of salt. You could always buy it with W7 instead anyway. Have a word with PC World if you are serious about buying the laptop, I'm sure they'll try to be accomodating.
There's nothing in your OP that says you wanted an Ethernet port, but anyway it does have one which you would have found out if you had Googled the model specs. PC World often get specs wrong. It's hardly difficult getting in touch with them though, is it?
When I was looking for a refurb laptop at PC World I was constantly having to check what they had written. I think I was lucky to buy the one I did due to them leaving out half the specs which probably had put earlier prospective buyers off. Their loss my gain.
Again if you care to Google Asus brand reliability, you will find it is highly rated.
You don't really know that W8 is a dog's breakfast. I think that if you check historical releases of Windows operating systems, exactly the same conflict of opinions will be there as there are now for W8. I take these negative opinions with a pinch of salt. You could always buy it with W7 instead anyway. Have a word with PC World if you are serious about buying the laptop, I'm sure they'll try to be accomodating.
Thanks for your reassurance. I didn't mean to offend , just putting some opinions out there to test the water. That ASUS looks pretty good to be fair. I'll ask my dad about the price point. Thanks for your help again.
Sorry to be a party pooper, but any laptop bought would need to be home delivered, but alas that one is not, according to the on line specs. Like you say, I could phone up PC World and have a word with them about my options, or seek the same model from another supplier.
"I live 250 miles away from him, it'll mean quite a lot of telephone support."
Don't forget to have a tape recorder next to the phone with some awful copyright free music on it, so that you can put him 'on hold' for 20 minutes for that real PC user experience!
"I live 250 miles away from him, it'll mean quite a lot of telephone support."
Don't forget to have a tape recorder next to the phone with some awful copyright free music on it, so that you can put him 'on hold' for 20 minutes for that real PC user experience!
Very funny.
Now, which laptop do you recommend, getting back to the point.
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So, to sum up so far, the Asus that evil c recommended is looking the best bet as of yet, but I welcome any other suggestions.
Is that the Asus S56CA-XX024H? If so, Pixmania list it but are currently out of stock.
It looks like a good spec for the price.
A slight mystery which perhaps Evil C can explain - it's described as being an ultrabook but it's got a decent sized screen and a DVD drive. I thought ultrabooks were high-end netbooks? ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrabook ) BTW this question is in no way meant to be a detraction, it seems to be a good product.
A slight mystery which perhaps Evil C can explain - it's described as being an ultrabook but it's got a decent sized screen and a DVD drive. I thought ultrabooks were high-end netbooks? ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrabook ) BTW this question is in no way meant to be a detraction, it seems to be a good product.
Ultrabooks can still have Disk Drives and a 15.6" screen, providing they have a slim design, based on one of the Intel architectures (e.g. Sandy Bridge) and have reasonable battery life.
The requirements do actually vary by architecture as to which defines an Ultrabook. AMD have their own equivalent known as a 'sleekbook' which again has different minimum requirements.
That Asus (I've no experience of this make anyway and can't vouch for their reliability) apparently, has no Ethernet port.
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When I look at the reviews of a laptop with W8 installed, there is almost certainly a comment that W8 is a dogs breakfast. So many choices. If it were me, I'd probably take the plunge, but as it is for my dad I don't want him to be put off by a bad experience.
This is so true. I've been in the market for a new desktop all-in-one for a couple of months now, but the customer reviews have been putting me off. You find so many where customers have been delighted with the product, but find the pre-installed Windows 8 either difficult or just plain annoying.
I suppose going for touch screen is the answer, then you actually need W8. But touch screens are so much more expensive, and would I really want it on a large screen desktop ? It's an easier decision to make on a laptop/netbook.
Yeah if your prepared for the stupid amount of mouse mileage.
Windows 8 is all over the place for mouse.
There are various techniques available to reduce that problem. For example, you could create desktop shortcuts for the programs and documents that you most frequently use, then you wouldn't need to use the Metro home page.
Thanks for your reassurance. I didn't mean to offend , just putting some opinions out there to test the water. That ASUS looks pretty good to be fair. I'll ask my dad about the price point. Thanks for your help again.
Sorry to be a party pooper, but any laptop bought would need to be home delivered, but alas that one is not, according to the on line specs. Like you say, I could phone up PC World and have a word with them about my options, or seek the same model from another supplier.
Another perm. Dad is probably going to need a word processing package. if you are prepared to find and install a free one that works with W 8 - no problem.
if however you want one coming with the computer (plus a spread sheet) there's an issue. W7 machines from PCW anyway came/come with Office starter for free. The W8 machines in PCW have no free word processor - you have the option to buy Office. The difference i think was £60...or less for that if you buy the PCW pack with other things in it for more . Just a trap not to fall into unknowingly - they are recouping some of the money lost on offering W 8 cheaply by charging for office.........
Note: this is opinion - you may find your experience different. I have to support a network of a dozen computers, and am the main source of unofficial IT support to a large group of ccolleagues, family and friends. I have used DOS, and Windows since 3.1, and including NT, 2000, ME, XP, Vista and 7. So I do have experience.
I installed consumer previews of 8 and hated it. I now have one PC running it to replicate faults and issues to give better advice, but try as I might I cannot find it a good system by any measure - certainly when compared to Windows 7. It is slower to navigate, makes your PC a more closed system, and I find it ugly. If you get a touchscreen, Windows 8 has some advantages. But otherwise, I MY OPINION, go for Windows 7.
The W8 machines in PCW have no free word processor
Does W8 include WordPad, as previous versions of Windows have? It's simple, but it is a word processor. (It's in the Accessories section of the Start menu in W7.)
Note: this is opinion - you may find your experience different. I have to support a network of a dozen computers, and am the main source of unofficial IT support to a large group of ccolleagues, family and friends. I have used DOS, and Windows since 3.1, and including NT, 2000, ME, XP, Vista and 7. So I do have experience.
I installed consumer previews of 8 and hated it. I now have one PC running it to replicate faults and issues to give better advice, but try as I might I cannot find it a good system by any measure - certainly when compared to Windows 7. It is slower to navigate, makes your PC a more closed system, and I find it ugly. If you get a touchscreen, Windows 8 has some advantages. But otherwise, I MY OPINION, go for Windows 7.
Another perm. Dad is probably going to need a word processing package. if you are prepared to find and install a free one that works with W 8 - no problem.
if however you want one coming with the computer (plus a spread sheet) there's an issue. W7 machines from PCW anyway came/come with Office starter for free. The W8 machines in PCW have no free word processor - you have the option to buy Office. The difference i think was £60...or less for that if you buy the PCW pack with other things in it for more . Just a trap not to fall into unknowingly - they are recouping some of the money lost on offering W 8 cheaply by charging for office.........
First things first though, although getting a word processor should be simple enough.
Does W8 include WordPad, as previous versions of Windows have? It's simple, but it is a word processor. (It's in the Accessories section of the Start menu in W7.)
Yes it does. Just type WORD on the start screen.
I use LibreOffice 4.0 here that has a full blown wordprocessor.
The spec for the Asus S56CA-XX024H is:
Processor: Intel Core i3 1.8GHz
Operating System: Windows 8
RAM: 4GB
Graphics card: Intel HD 4000 integrated
Screen resolution: 1366 x 768
Screen size: 15.6"
Hard drives: 500GB SATA II; 24GB SSD
Optical disk drive: DVD Super Multi 8x
Memory card reader: SD card
USB: 2 x USB 2.0 + 1 x USB 3.0
Ethernet: No
WiFi: 802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth: Yes
Video outputs: VGA, HDMI port
- I thought that info might help if you're comparing other models.
The spec for the Asus S56CA-XX024H is:
Processor: Intel Core i3 1.8GHz
Operating System: Windows 8
RAM: 4GB
Graphics card: Intel HD 4000 integrated
Screen resolution: 1366 x 768
Screen size: 15.6"
Hard drives: 500GB SATA II; 24GB SSD
Optical disk drive: DVD Super Multi 8x
Memory card reader: SD card
USB: 2 x USB 2.0 + 1 x USB 3.0
Ethernet: No
WiFi: 802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth: Yes
Video outputs: VGA, HDMI port
- I thought that info might help if you're comparing other models.
That info was all posted on the PC World web site, the link which I've seen.
Another person not having a clue what there talking about.
This win8 bashing is sooooo boring.
It's not really Win 8 bashing, it's Metro bashing and the lack of an in-built alternative.
Dump Metro with a free independent utility, and Win 8 is overall excellent. It's probably worth my £25 over Win 7, but I wouldn't have paid any more than that for it as an upgrade.
Comments
When I was looking for a refurb laptop at PC World I was constantly having to check what they had written. I think I was lucky to buy the one I did due to them leaving out half the specs which probably had put earlier prospective buyers off. Their loss my gain.
Again if you care to Google Asus brand reliability, you will find it is highly rated.
You don't really know that W8 is a dog's breakfast. I think that if you check historical releases of Windows operating systems, exactly the same conflict of opinions will be there as there are now for W8. I take these negative opinions with a pinch of salt. You could always buy it with W7 instead anyway. Have a word with PC World if you are serious about buying the laptop, I'm sure they'll try to be accomodating.
Thanks for your reassurance. I didn't mean to offend
Sorry to be a party pooper, but any laptop bought would need to be home delivered, but alas that one is not, according to the on line specs. Like you say, I could phone up PC World and have a word with them about my options, or seek the same model from another supplier.
Other suppliers to try include Amazon, Argos, Dabs, EBuyer, John Lewis, Laptops Direct and Tesco Direct but that's far from being a complete list.
Don't forget to have a tape recorder next to the phone with some awful copyright free music on it, so that you can put him 'on hold' for 20 minutes for that real PC user experience!
Thank you. I'll have a look around.
Now, which laptop do you recommend, getting back to the point.
=
So, to sum up so far, the Asus that evil c recommended is looking the best bet as of yet, but I welcome any other suggestions.
It looks like a good spec for the price.
A slight mystery which perhaps Evil C can explain - it's described as being an ultrabook but it's got a decent sized screen and a DVD drive. I thought ultrabooks were high-end netbooks? ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrabook ) BTW this question is in no way meant to be a detraction, it seems to be a good product.
Yeah if your prepared for the stupid amount of mouse mileage.
Windows 8 is all over the place for mouse.
If you play a game 'Find an application in a very silly way' all day long then yes. But if you actually use a computer to have something done then no.
Ultrabooks can still have Disk Drives and a 15.6" screen, providing they have a slim design, based on one of the Intel architectures (e.g. Sandy Bridge) and have reasonable battery life.
The requirements do actually vary by architecture as to which defines an Ultrabook. AMD have their own equivalent known as a 'sleekbook' which again has different minimum requirements.
This is so true. I've been in the market for a new desktop all-in-one for a couple of months now, but the customer reviews have been putting me off. You find so many where customers have been delighted with the product, but find the pre-installed Windows 8 either difficult or just plain annoying.
I suppose going for touch screen is the answer, then you actually need W8. But touch screens are so much more expensive, and would I really want it on a large screen desktop ? It's an easier decision to make on a laptop/netbook.
Another perm. Dad is probably going to need a word processing package. if you are prepared to find and install a free one that works with W 8 - no problem.
if however you want one coming with the computer (plus a spread sheet) there's an issue. W7 machines from PCW anyway came/come with Office starter for free. The W8 machines in PCW have no free word processor - you have the option to buy Office. The difference i think was £60...or less for that if you buy the PCW pack with other things in it for more . Just a trap not to fall into unknowingly - they are recouping some of the money lost on offering W 8 cheaply by charging for office.........
I installed consumer previews of 8 and hated it. I now have one PC running it to replicate faults and issues to give better advice, but try as I might I cannot find it a good system by any measure - certainly when compared to Windows 7. It is slower to navigate, makes your PC a more closed system, and I find it ugly. If you get a touchscreen, Windows 8 has some advantages. But otherwise, I MY OPINION, go for Windows 7.
This of course is the original dilemma.
First things first though, although getting a word processor should be simple enough.
Yes it does. Just type WORD on the start screen.
I use LibreOffice 4.0 here that has a full blown wordprocessor.
The Asus model above is end of line stock and not available from most areas, according to PC World Customer Support.
They have a Sony Vaio, Samsung and Toshiba at that price point, all with Windows 8. I've still got to check those models out.
Processor: Intel Core i3 1.8GHz
Operating System: Windows 8
RAM: 4GB
Graphics card: Intel HD 4000 integrated
Screen resolution: 1366 x 768
Screen size: 15.6"
Hard drives: 500GB SATA II; 24GB SSD
Optical disk drive: DVD Super Multi 8x
Memory card reader: SD card
USB: 2 x USB 2.0 + 1 x USB 3.0
Ethernet: No
WiFi: 802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth: Yes
Video outputs: VGA, HDMI port
- I thought that info might help if you're comparing other models.
That info was all posted on the PC World web site, the link which I've seen.
http://www.dell.com/uk/business/p/inspiron-17r-5720/pd?refid=inspiron-17r-5720&baynote_bnrank=0&baynote_irrank=0&~ck=baynoteSearch&isredir=true
(second model on the right, but got it for £359)
and this
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00573Y2RC/ref=ox_ya_os_product
as my dad said he wouldn't be comfortable with a touch pad.
Again. Thank you all for the help and advice.
Another person not having a clue what there talking about.
This win8 bashing is sooooo boring.
It's not really Win 8 bashing, it's Metro bashing and the lack of an in-built alternative.
Dump Metro with a free independent utility, and Win 8 is overall excellent. It's probably worth my £25 over Win 7, but I wouldn't have paid any more than that for it as an upgrade.