What are laptopsdirect.ie like?

StereoSound

I'm looking at an Asus core i5 laptop on here and want to know what these guys are like to deal with? I know they are UK based with an irish domain. The laptop is cheaper there then anywhere else.
I've decided to flog my already new 3 week old corei3 laptop on adverts because it can't be upgraded and I hate that fact, everything is soldered in and makes me feel like I've been done.

Thanks

Alanstrainor

Lots of laptops have gone the soldered in route, it's far from uncommon these days.

As for laptopsdirect, they've been around a long time, and I haven't heard much against them in recent years. I'd say they'll be fairly alright.

Nonoperational

They're fine.

StereoSound

StereoSound wrote: »

I'm looking at an Asus core i5 laptop on here and want to know what these guys are like to deal with? I know they are UK based with an irish domain. The laptop is cheaper there then anywhere else.
I've decided to flog my already new 3 week old corei3 laptop on adverts because it can't be upgraded and I hate that fact, everything is soldered in and makes me feel like I've been done.

Thanks

You will find lots of mixed reviews online but I will tell you about my experience.

I needed to get a laptop for college a few weeks ago and I needed something good because I am studying computing. I could not afford to get something locally for the money I had available so I took the chance with laptopsdirect. I ordered a laptop which was (refurbed laptop)
http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/a1-refurbished-toshiba-satellite-l50-c-22l-intel-core-i5-5200u-8gb-1tb-15.-a1-pskwne-09w082en-w10/version.asp

It was despatched the next day and arrived from England three days later. The laptop even though a refurbished laptop was still in its orginal packaging and there wasn't a mark on it. Also was only 400 last week.

So basically I found them great to deal with but I haven't had a problem so I cant comment on their customer service.

Akrasia

The majority of laptops have soldered on processors these days, but even if they're socketed and can be changed, you're going to find it difficult in terms of thermal capacity and bios software, and other than the ram or HDD/SSD the vast majority of laptops are too much trouble to upgrade than they're worth

Your laptop might have a socket that can accept an upgraded CPU, but the Bios might not support the higher clock speed/different number of cores.
Also, the heat sink and fans might not be rated for higher performance, especially if it was originally specified as a low power variant designed to maximise battery life, not speed.

You're better off buying the laptop you need than buying a lower specced one and hoping to upgrade it. And definitely consider manufacturer refurbished laptops. You can get a last year model in practically new condition for half the price of a new current gen laptop. The improvements in speeds and technology are incremental, but there is such a big performance gap between the models of cpu that you're way better off going for last years i5 over this years i3.

If you're looking at AMD chips, A4s are like Celerons, A6s are like Pentiums, A8s are like i3s and the A10 is between an i3 and i5 but could be slightly better at gaming due to the better gpu (although newer intel HD graphics are pretty decent and the gap between the radeon and intel integrated graphics are closing)

Akrasia

Akrasia wrote: »

The majority of laptops have soldered on processors these days, but even if they're socketed and can be changed, you're going to find it difficult in terms of thermal capacity and bios software, and other than the ram or HDD/SSD the vast majority of laptops are too much trouble to upgrade than they're worth

Your laptop might have a socket that can accept an upgraded CPU, but the Bios might not support the higher clock speed/different number of cores.
Also, the heat sink and fans might not be rated for higher performance, especially if it was originally specified as a low power variant designed to maximise battery life, not speed.

You're better off buying the laptop you need than buying a lower specced one and hoping to upgrade it. And definitely consider manufacturer refurbished laptops. You can get a last year model in practically new condition for half the price of a new current gen laptop. The improvements in speeds and technology are incremental, but there is such a big performance gap between the models of cpu that you're way better off going for last years i5 over this years i3.

If you're looking at AMD chips, A4s are like Celerons, A6s are like Pentiums, A8s are like i3s and the A10 is between an i3 and i5 but could be slightly better at gaming due to the better gpu (although newer intel HD graphics are pretty decent and the gap between the radeon and intel integrated graphics are closing)

Actually with the U processors there wouldn't be that much of a difference between a 6th gen I3 and a 5th gen I5. Unless you are talking about the HQ/MQ processors which are built for more upmarket machines.