Any suggestions for a 'budget' laptop?
Any suggestions for a 'budget' laptop?
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UTH

Original Poster:

12,332 posts

208 months

Tuesday 7th December 2021
quotequote all
Mrs UTH is a teacher, so basically needs her laptop for internet use, emails, Word and Excel.....perhaps powerpoint, and that's about it.

Her current one is god knows how old, huge, slow, awful battery life etc.

We're currently renovating the house, so aren't spending lots on each other, so just wondering if it's even possible to get her a new laptop that won't break the bank but will fulfil the jobs above?

My initial thought it that it probably isn't because Microsoft Office on its own is a few hundred? But then I've not bought a new computer in about 20 years!

mmm-five

12,385 posts

314 months

Tuesday 7th December 2021
quotequote all
For Office...an annual subscription to Microsoft 365 Family is about £79.99 for up to 6 users....or £59.99 for a single user...on the Microsoft website.

You can get annual subscriptions for about £50 though ( e.g. this from Argos - just don't bother installing McAfee).

If you really only need a single user version, then you can find sellers offering keys for £30.


As for a laptop, then we'd really need to know your budget - as there's a world of difference between a £200 and a £500 laptop budget. Don't forget that there may also be discounts available for teacher...such as via https://www.theedustore.co.uk...and don't rule out a fully-warranted refurb from the likes of Dell, HP, Lenovo.

Edited by mmm-five on Tuesday 7th December 14:57

UTH

Original Poster:

12,332 posts

208 months

Tuesday 7th December 2021
quotequote all
mmm-five said:
For Office...an annual subscription to Microsoft 365 Family is about £79.99 for up to 6 users....or £59.99 for a single user...on the Microsoft website.

You can get annual subscriptions for about £50 though ( e.g. this from Argos - just don't bother installing McAfee).

If you really only need a single user version, then you can find sellers offering keys for £30.


As for a laptop, then we'd really need to know your budget - as there's a world of difference between a £200 and a £500 laptop budget.
Hmmm ok didn't know subscriptions were a thing!


Budget, I guess I'd be ok spending £350? Just trying to gauge if she'd be over the moon at me buying her a laptop, or would she be underwhelmed as she isn't overly bothered at how crap her current one is. Tricky one really, no point spending £500 for her to not hide her disappointment when she opens it. haha.

xeny

5,501 posts

108 months

Tuesday 7th December 2021
quotequote all
Teachers can often get office at a huge discount through work - well worth asking.

Laptops when new have great battery life - it goes downhill remarkably fast, so keep that in mind, there are no miracles.

Fermit

13,240 posts

130 months

Tuesday 7th December 2021
quotequote all
xeny said:
Teachers can often get office at a huge discount through work - well worth asking.

Laptops when new have great battery life - it goes downhill remarkably fast, so keep that in mind, there are no miracles.
Yes, IIRC Novatech are a big supplier to education. I believe Microsoft do education discounted licences too.

UTH

Original Poster:

12,332 posts

208 months

Tuesday 7th December 2021
quotequote all
Ok thanks guys, I'm thinking this might not be my most genius idea - she'll probably not even be very pleased and I'll probably miss out on some discounts she could have got herself rofl

Captain_Morgan

1,453 posts

89 months

Tuesday 7th December 2021
quotequote all
This place might be of use and just give her the cash and a small gift to unwrap?

Https://theedustore.co.uk