Help with buying a 2nd hand laptop pleasey....

[netn00b]

the wife wants to buy a 2nd hand laptop as her main pc is somewhat old, slow and probably on its way out (cd rom drive just stopped working).

looking as ever on ebay for something suitable....make not an issue more a reasonable spec so she can take it around the house and play her tycoon games....Rollercoaster 1 2 and 3, Zoo Tycoon 2 etc  so nothing new and nothing with huge graphic or memory needs.

currently she has seen and like the look of http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190545720287&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_1156

Now i am way out of date on processors, apart from in the old days not wanting to touch anything with the word Celeron in it !!

So these new Core Duo, or i5 or etc etc mean nothing to me...so any idiots guide would be helpful in which type we should be looking for....

I am also assuming that most laptops still use system ram for the graphics and only high end ones may have a dedicated graphics card/ram like a normal pc....

thanks

netn00b

[Rik]

I'm not the best person to advise as I'd never buy anything on eBay, but the one question I'd ask the seller would be what is the battery condition. If it's failing, they can cost a chunk of cash to replace.

[Simon]

Would they tell you?

[netn00b]

yeah the cynic in me agrees with Simon !

she's just found this one to....  http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270764134208&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_788wt_1140

i think i'm more interested in knowing we're buying a good spec model hence wanting to understand more about Dual Core, Core 2 Duo, i3 and i5 etc in the rankings of current intel processors.

my knowledge goes back to 486 SX16 and 486 DX 25s  


EDIT : Windows 7 64 bit - how compatible with older games is it ?  Can u run it in 32 bit mode ?

[Gary]

Thats an entry level CPU, tbh I would spend more and get something with a bit more horsepower, that's just my opinion an i3 Processor should suit you fine.

[Glenn]

If you are looking at Dell's then take a look at their Outlet

[Gary]

This is not bad for the price http://www.amazon.co.uk/TOSHIBA-C660-108-i3-370M-Genuine-Windows%C2%AE/dp/B004DK7YR0/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1308566176&sr=8-9 It will keep you in good stead with the processor and you wont be looking to upgrade soon and you have a guarantee as well. Always get a little more than you need so your machine will last that bit longer before every day programs are straining it. 64 bit is fine to use, and most programs have caught up with it now and it will run 32 bit anyway, things have moved on quite a bit and 64bit is common now. Even my FF browser is 64 bit on my machine.

[netn00b]

thanks for the links and info.

problem is £350 is way out of the budget for this machine.

hence e bay and a 2nd hand one.  budget is more like £200 top whack.  she has seen a few of the sorta thing she is interested in - Dell range go on ebay for £150 ish.

there is a big difference between us spending £150 and £350.

also she does nothing that should tax a new-ish machine.  Facebook, Facebook games, and some old solo player like the tycoon ones i mentioned.  so a new one at £350 is overkill.

i think for our budget we wont get an i3 processor one it will need to be the best of the duo core or whatever they are called.....

[Technical Ben]

You might be able to get a new laptop for £250. Free delivery for these on Ebuyer... http://www.ebuyer.com/product/241595 and http://www.ebuyer.com/product/250961

Same models AFAIK but either an Intel chip and board, or an AMD chip and board to choose from. 64bit windows 7 too.  
There is nothing wrong with second hand, I just don't have the experience to recommended anything. Especially with laptops, parts tend to wear out or fall off too.

Oh, wait, I just seen PCWorld does Refurbs. DABS.com does too, but does not have many. The PCWorld stock seems enough to maybe find something?
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/refurbished-laptops/703_7366_70436_xx_xx/xx-299-criteria.html?sSortInfo=price-asc

This one in particular? http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/packard-bell-easynote-tj65-au-031-refurbished-laptop-03885310-pdt.html

[Gary]

The thing is to have enough graphics power as well, Flash player asks for 128mb gfx card these days. and uses it where it can for hardware acceleration, if you are leaving it to a core 2 duo in a laptop architecture greatly helps but really cpu cycles are your friend on a low budget with shared gfx.

[netn00b]

Thanks Ben will check out those links.


Gary - can u translate your last sentence ! 

ie:

'......if you are leaving it to a core 2 duo in a laptop architecture greatly helps but really cpu cycles are your friend on a low budget with shared gfx.'

[pctech]

In a laptop its best to get the fastest CPU you can afford.

[Technical Ben]

I don't think those games would tax a single core, let alone a duo core or modern chipset. Granted, integrated graphics are problematic, but not much you can do about it with laptops, and a limited budget.

[netn00b]

is a celeron processor in a laptop these days any good ?

ie Intel Celeron Dual Core T3500 2.1GHz

and what about AMD ? i always stayed clear of them - had one desktop AMD and it was not good at all.


What about this one......wife just spotted it----15 mins to go on e bay !!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200619917007&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_1898wt_1140

[Lance]

That one didnt seem too bad in my opinion but it went for more than your budget anyway.

I think my recommendation would be to get a desktop rather than laptop for your budget, or to save a few more months and get something new or at least more powerful second hand.

[netn00b]

nope she wants a laptop for using around the house etc


anyone comment on my previous post re: celeron processors....

thanks

[Glenn]

Personally I wouldn't buy a laptop with a Celeron CPU. If you don't mind a refurb laptop, then taks a look on Laptops Direct they have plenty for sub £250.

[Gary]

nope she wants a laptop for using around the house etc


anyone comment on my previous post re: celeron processors....

thanks

Slow and under powered is how I see celeron, I agree with lance you need to save more cash, what you are buying with your cash is going to be frustratingly slow the games she plays wont tax the core as Ben says but Windows 7 and background tasks will, let alone running antivirus etc and being able to scan in real time without your machine feeling like you picked it up and ran through treacle

Core 2 Duo would be the way to go, but save up and you can get an i3 for not much more new. CPU architecture (the build) makes all the difference at the same speeds. The Sandybridge chips that came out recently now are so much more powerful at the same speed compared with say a core 2 duo. You want the machine to last a few years I take it and a celeron will struggle. I have a friend with a low budget laptop and facebook runs slow on it, its not just about the game, its the whole package. Remember even the browser will be eating ram and CPU cycles before you start playing.

[Gary]

Personally I wouldn't buy a laptop with a Celeron CPU. If you don't mind a refurb laptop, then taks a look on Laptops Direct they have plenty for sub £250.

Good idea they have some good deals there now and then.

[cavillas]

Check out BigPockets  This is one machine but they do stock many others, well worth checking for cheaper computers

[Glenn]

They are good laptops Alf, we use them at work, I would get rid of Vista in favour of Win 7 or XP though.

[Gary]

They are good laptops Alf, we use them at work, I would get rid of Vista in favour of Win 7 or XP though.

Agreed, Vista ticking over uses 1.5Gb ram, so you have not got much left spare, 64 bit and 4GB ram so that it can access all the ram unlike 32 bit is the way to go. XP is way to old and insecure now, 7 would be my choice.

[Glenn]

Quick, Argos have core i3 laptops for sale on ebay £243.98
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/toshiba-c660-laptop-intel-core-i3-380m-2gb-ram-243-98-argos-outlet-store-ebay-re/963187

[netn00b]

thanks all, most useful

will check that deal Glenn !