Advicee on laptops please

[After Shock]

Well I have just sent my ACER Travelmate back to ACER after it became a complete nightmare. Now I'm wondering what to replace it with!! Just browsing the net and it's a nightmare.

Basically I want to pay £400 --- ish.
I'll use it for word processing.
Run PhotoShop on it.

Play/use the usual things. Surf the net.

I'd like something that runs quickly too.

I've been using my ipad lots and typing up "word" documents isn't that bad on it. I then email them to myself to open them properly in Word on my old laptop to read, edit, look up "stuff" from other files and web pages and so on. Having multiple windows open suits me.

So any thoughts on:

Touch screen laptops? A gimmick I won't use? Or are they great?

Or what is the difference in speed with all the "tetchy" stuff I'm reading.

These three look interesting. The first seems to do what I want but will it be slow and annoying so going up £100 to another level will be worthwhile?

HP Pavilion 15-n290sa 15.6" Laptop. £319.97

WILL I NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE.?


HP Pavilion x360 13-a000na 13.3-inch Convertible Notebook PC - (Intel Core i3 1.40GHz, 4GB RAM, 1TB HDD, Wi-Fi, Windows 8.1). £479.00

Asus X550CA-XX101H 15.6-inch Laptop (Intel Core i7-3537U 2GHz Processor, 4GB DDR3, 500GB HDD, DVD-RW, Windows 8). £454.00

The HP Pavilion x360 13-a000na Convertible Laptop, Intel Core i3, 4GB RAM, 1TB, 13.3" Touch Screen, Silver. TOUCH SCREEN ONE THAT LOOKS INTRIGUING,!

Thanks

 

[grober]

You could always buy a bluetooth keypad for the Ipad if its the typing that's the problem?
Buying guide: Find the best iPad keyboard | Macworld
If going for a laptop go for 15.6 inch screen and the fastest processor you can afford. The "feed in the slot" rather than the drawer type dvd drives can give problems with jamming.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Do you actually need a laptop rather than a desktop? as you have a tablet. for the same price you will get a machine far more powerful and better with Photoshop.

 

[grumpyoldgit]

Just one thought, have you used Windows 8 or 8.1 before? Good luck if you haven't, it's a completely different ball game. Older versions of Word aren't compatible with either so you have to buy the new one.

I encountered the problem when I bought a new Desktop 12 months ago. All new computers now have Windows 8 or 8.1 (Free upgrade for those with Windows 8) or of course the Mac operating system, which seem a lot pricier.

Can't comment on the Touch-screen. Even though the Desktop I bought included a touch-screen I opted for a standard monitor which reduced the price of the package. May be useful on a laptop though.

I still prefer my old laptop which runs Vista.

 

[renault12ts]

I'm on an HP Pavillion...does the job...super slim (though not Mac slim).

 

[After Shock]

I haven't played much with 8 but guess I'd better keep up with the "improvements" so that the next jump forward isn't going to be a big jump.

Vista drove me nuts! 7 was great and the ACER I returned ran 7. I decided against 8 a year or so ago until it had settled down.

Hmmm..... So that means my 2010 copy of Word won't run on it then? That must be £80 odd now too!!!

Hmmmm. More thinking.

 

[renault12ts]

I'm on 8.1. It works very well.

 

[After Shock]

Do you actually need a laptop rather than a desktop? as you have a tablet. for the same price you will get a machine far more powerful and better with Photoshop.

Was debating this one. I do use the laptop around the house and occasionally out and about. But will the tablet now replace this as I'm sat here typing away on the tablet now!!

 

[grober]

What Versions of Microsoft Office Work with Windows 8? - Compatibility - Windows 8

 

[IanA2]

Fed up with replacing laptops every 18mths (HP's & Tosh's, I have a pile ) I went all Mac and so far I'd say I was saving money.

 

[V12]

Get a dell with their 3 year on site warranty.
I paid less than 400 for mine. It has 8gb ram and a ssd drive.
It is super quick and very slim.
I use it most of the time hooked up to 2 x 24" monitors in my office at home or work.
The in built display isn't great quality compared to the current crop of super phones and tablets.
If the laptop display is your primary one then it may be worth spending more and getting something slightly better quality.

 

[V12]

http://www.hotukdeals.com/search?action=search&keywords=dell

 

[gaz_l]

Fed up with replacing laptops every 18mths (HP's & Tosh's, I have a pile ) I went all Mac and so far I'd say I was saving money.

Good point. If you're not a fanboi and don't have to have the latest hardware (and get your pants taken down by Apple on a yearly basis), I'd say Apple are a reasonable investment. I bought an original Mac Mini when they came out in 2005 and it did me for 5 years. I then bought an Atom-powered PC (which was cheap), which was quickly converted to Linux, and that only lasted a couple of years before I bought another Mac Mini in 2012. It's packing a quad-core i7, and although again it was fairly expensive (c.£700) you get what you pay for. I'm sure I'll get at least 5 years out of this one too.

I bought a Windows 8 machine for the Mrs. a couple of months ago, I though it was awful. It's now been reverted to Vista, which is far from perfect but I really can't be ****d with 8/8.1. Next time she's getting a MacBook..

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[IanA2]

Good point. If you're not a fanboi and don't have to have the latest hardware (and get your pants taken down by Apple on a yearly basis), I'd say Apple are a reasonable investment. I bought an original Mac Mini when they came out in 2005 and it did me for 5 years. I then bought an Atom-powered PC (which was cheap), which was quickly converted to Linux, and that only lasted a couple of years before I bought another Mac Mini in 2012. It's packing a quad-core i7, and although again it was fairly expensive (c.£700) you get what you pay for. I'm sure I'll get at least 5 years out of this one too.

I bought a Windows 8 machine for the Mrs. a couple of months ago, I though it was awful. It's now been reverted to Vista, which is far from perfect but I really can't be ****d with 8/8.1. Next time she's getting a MacBook..

Cheers,

Gaz

Agreed, our 2 MBP's and an Airbook are all around three years old now and going strong. I put 16GB RAM in one & upgraded it to SSD. I think it'll be going for strong for a few more years unlike every other machine I've ever bought.

 

[After Shock]

Well Apple annoy me but they make great stuff.

Typing on my IPad Air now is a joy. My kindle was a nightmare and died. Plus other things that didn't match up to the quality and performance of an iPad. Actually I like my iPhone 4 too. Can't see any point in getting an iPhone 5 however.

So.... Yes a mac book appeals but at £600+ starting point do I really need that. My computers seem to last a fair few years. Well until my last ACER but that's a different story.

The DELL laptops look appealing. Found myself looking at a refurb at £200 and £300. Are refurbs going to be reliable though???

Interesting hot deals link. Thanks.

 

[IanA2]

....I like my iPhone 4 too.

Fanboi....we're still on 3's

 

[V12]

My laptop was sold as a refurb. When I checked the dates once it had arrived I found it was 2 months old since manufacture and no one in the world would be able to tell it from new.

The whole thing feels like a good step up in quality compared to the previous Asus I had and Acer the mrs had.
Admittedly the Mac books look and feel nicer again but spec for spec the price was more than double at the time and the 3 year on site warranty is brilliant for piece of mind.

 

[After Shock]

Fanboi....we're still on 3's

Actually I would have kept my 3 if it hadn't died! Preferred the shape.

 

[After Shock]

My laptop was sold as a refurb. When I checked the dates once it had arrived I found it was 2 months old since manufacture and no one in the world would be able to tell it from new. The whole thing feels like a good step up in quality compared to the previous Asus I had and Acer the mrs had. Admittedly the Mac books look and feel nicer again but spec for spec the price was more than double at the time and the 3 year on site warranty is brilliant for piece of mind.

I am very tempted. I've spent to much time looking today though.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

What do you use Photoshop for? If you're not a whiz doing dead fancy stuff then consider a Chromebook.