Laptop for charity

dulpit

Hey all,

My mother has set me a task to get a new laptop for the charity she volunteers in. They are currently using an old (OOOLLLLDDDDDDDDDD) Windows 7 desktop that is painfully slow.

Requirements:

1. Laptop, but not that portable. Probably 17" screen, full HD resolution is all that is needed.
2. Needs to last a few years at least
3. Decent warranty would be handy (they wouldn't be the most tech savvy of users
4. Main use is to prepare accounts/etc, they use software like the red book (I think is what it is?). They would also do a little bit of printing/etc.
5. Budget is ~€800, but less if possible.

I did the briefest of searches on Dell's website, and found the Inspiron 17 3000 for ~€700 before you add in warranty. Is Dell the best way to go? They do not want to have to deal with addresspal, random online vendors, etc.

Appreciate the help!

17 inch laptops are pretty rare these - really limits choice

Amazon are far from a random online seller and offer great after-sales service

I'd recommend this 15.6 inch option for £500 / (€570 prob after Irish VAT)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Huawei-MateBook-2020-Multi-screen-Collaboration/dp/B083WXVJ13/ref=sr_1_1?crid=22SR8743U1D9M&dchild=1&keywords=matebook+d15&qid=1598964497&sprefix=matebook+%2Caps%2C206&sr=8-1

will handle those tasks with ease and the build quality (durability) would be way ahead of any Dell in a similar price range

antix80

Don't you hate when the one requirement you had was a 17" screen, and immediately someone recommends not buying a 17" screen

Just messing.

15.6 inch is the way to go. Maybe when screens were squarer and resolutions were low and laptops were bulky anyway it made sense to go for a bigger screen. You're best off buying a decent laptop, 23" external screen and wireless keyboard, mouse and printer -along with MS Office 365 subscription or standalone word and excel unless you don't mind free alternatives. These are things people often don't factor in when buying a laptop.

If you have €800 to spend on a laptop without peripherals, it brings you up to the mid-range bracket so you don't have to compromise on a rubbish screen or bad keyboard. You can usually compromise on webcam and speakers (although decent built-in speakers can be good for presentations).

For bookkeeping, I'd recommend a full-size number pad.

number pads are also increasingly rare.

probably only on 17 inch laptops really if even

an inexpensive usb number pad is fine to use

but unless you are doing large volumes the std 1 to 10 is actually fine tbh

antix80

glasso wrote: »

number pads are also increasingly rare.

probably only on 17 inch laptops really if even

an inexpensive usb number pad is fine to use

but unless you are doing large volumes the std 1 to 10 is actually fine tbh

Lightweight budget laptops usually sacrifice the numberpad to keep costs down.

On laptops for business use - particularly the sturdier types with DVD drives included, you'll probably expect a number pad.

Anyone used to working with one won't appreciate being told to make do with the number row. (less of an issue if an external keyboard and monitor is being provided)

ednwireland

https://www.dell.com/en-ie/work/shop/laptops/new-inspiron-17-3000/spd/inspiron-17-3793-laptop/bn37901#features_section

17inch, number pad, core i5, 8gb ram, 512gb ssd

€619 ex vat

€75 for a 3 year premium on site warranty

we have an office full of dells (inspirons, latitudes and precisions) ive used there warranties a few times guy turns up fixes it job done. our laptops would have had accidental damage warranty as well. had a few water (or coffee of beer ) damage laptops repaired no questions asked . got a full cracked case replaced as well with that.

new company owners use lenovo so cant wait to see how they work

i would say the i7 ones tend use the fans a lot

antix80

antix80 wrote: »

Lightweight budget laptops usually sacrifice the numberpad to keep costs down.

On laptops for business use - particularly the sturdier types with DVD drives included, you'll probably expect a number pad.

Anyone used to working with one won't appreciate being told to make do with the number row. (less of an issue if an external keyboard and monitor is being provided)

it's nothing to do with costs.

it's a size issue. you can't fit in a full sized keyboard and numpad with modern designs.

also even with a bigger laptop with a numpad the keyboard is not centred due to the presence of the numpad which many don't find good to work on

dvd drives have gone the same way in the interests of size and weight (and the fact that they are not needed by the vast majority of users anymore)

that's why for example the (starting at price) 2 grand Dell XPS 17 doesn't have a numpad

https://www.dell.com/en-ie/shop/laptops/xps-17-laptop/spd/xps-17-9700-laptop#hmx-spinner

antix80

glasso wrote: »

it's nothing to do with costs.

it's a size issue. you can't fit in a full sized keyboard and numpad with modern designs.

also even with a bigger laptop with a numpad the keyboard is not centred due to the presence of the numpad which many don't find good to work on

dvd drives have gone the same way in the interests of size and weight (and the fact that they are not needed by the vast majority of users anymore)

well to address your points..

1. it's can be a cost issue. It can also be by design. But 15.6" laptops have space for a numeric pad - my asus came with a non-standard, narrow numeric pad but it was better (in my view) than none at all.
2. don't they? I never heard this before.
3. i don't disagree. Business laptops usually still have them. And numeric pads. I think that's the type of laptop that will best suit the op.

antix80

glasso wrote: »

that's why for example the (starting at price) 2 grand Dell XPS 17 doesn't have a numpad

It's for gaming, not for business.

Horses for courses.

Sorry, i realise "Lightweight budget laptops usually sacrifice the numberpad to keep costs down." was confusing.. what i meant was, it's hard to find a number pad on a lightweight budget laptop - you'll end up paying more if you want one.

antix80

antix80 wrote: »

It's for gaming, not for business.

Horses for courses.

Sorry, i realise "Lightweight budget laptops usually sacrifice the numberpad to keep costs down." was confusing.. what i meant was, it's hard to find a number pad on a lightweight budget laptop - you'll end up paying more if you want one.

with respect the Dell XPS 17 is NOT a gaming laptop, nor is the XPS a gaming laptop line.

if you think that it is, your knowledge is a bit lacking.

antix80

glasso wrote: »

with respect the Dell XPS is NOT a gaming laptop.

if you think that it is, your knowledge is a bit lacking.

We're talking about a laptop that would suit a charity.

I recommended a numeric pad.

But please, tell me more about the Dell XPS.

"performance class graphics, your creativity can reign free"

seriously dude. Does that sound like a laptop you'd need for big red book??

NO - it's bookkeeping software. You want a numeric pad.

You're the one who chimed in "number pads are also increasingly rare. probably only on 17 inch laptops really if even"

Anyway, I'm done with ya. What you have in knowledge, you lack in common sense.

antix80

Fyi

As rare as hen's teeth

you don't really know what you're talking about re laptops even if you think you do

the XPS is a high-end line of laptops for professionals and creators (art & design - not gaming). it has a dedicated gpu for design work but they are only low-end/mid in the GPU spectrum. the screen is also of a higher quality than most gaming laptops for colour accuracy

you can get a dedicated gaming laptop for a 1/3 of the price. you would not buy XPS as a purely gaming option

I gave it as an example of the laptop design preference of a centred keyboard, not a recommendation for the OP

ozmo

> new laptop for the charity she volunteers in.

Talk to camara.org in Dublin, they take donations of laptops, refurb them and redistribute them - they were donating to Irish Students, maybe they will do a charitable organisation too.

Or If you want update your old laptop - as long as its not a celeron (uggh, slow), 4 (or better 8) gigs of ram and an Samsung ssd drive (amazon) will make it seem like a new again.

Windows 7 licence key from the back of the old laptop can be used in a Windows 10 installation (yup - old laptop win 7 key works for windows 10 still) and the install cds can be downloaded from Microsofts site.

antix80

glasso wrote: »

you don't really know what you're talking about re laptops even if you think you do

Calm down darling. Maybe you can start your own thread to discuss information not relevant to the op's requirements

Aodhan5000

Bought an ideapad laptop for the father from Lenovo recently. 15.6 inch screen and came with numberpad so if numberpad is a necessity might be a place to look.

Only thing I would say is if going for a 15.6 inch screen you may want a metal build/metal screen as this ideapad was all plastic which is fine for my dad as he's careful with stuff but may not be as fine for use in a shop where it may need to be more robust/have less flex.

dulpit

glasso wrote: »

17 inch laptops are pretty rare these - really limits choice

Amazon are far from a random online seller and offer great after-sales service

I'd recommend this 15.6 inch option for £500 / (€570 prob after Irish VAT)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Huawei-MateBook-2020-Multi-screen-Collaboration/dp/B083WXVJ13/ref=sr_1_1?crid=22SR8743U1D9M&dchild=1&keywords=matebook+d15&qid=1598964497&sprefix=matebook+%2Caps%2C206&sr=8-1

will handle those tasks with ease and the build quality (durability) would be way ahead of any Dell in a similar price range

Spoke with my mother, they're thinking they'll go with this, and will use the money saved to pick up a printer and keyboard/mouse.

To those who provided feedback, thanks! To those who want to fight over xps or not xps or how easy it is to find a numberpad, not so much...

ozmo

dulpit wrote: »

Requirements:

1. Laptop, but not that portable. Probably 17" screen, full HD resolution is all that is needed.

It seems the screen is the main requirement - they are very hard to find - but if you are using excel and word - a 1200 pixel high rather than a 1080p makes a nice, but not necessary, difference - definitely don't try save a few quid and go with anything less than 1080p as the software toolbar ribbons takes up so much screen space on smaller screens.

You can always us an external monitor and full keyboard and mouse with a laptop if screen or keyboard is not good enough - that's what I do.

You wont need an i7 or fancy graphics card for accounting software - just make sure its got an SSD (any size) and get lots of ram - 8G should be fine but since you asked - 16G would future proof it.

antix80

dulpit wrote: »

Spoke with my mother, they're thinking they'll go with this, and will use the money saved to pick up a printer and keyboard/mouse.

To those who provided feedback, thanks! To those who want to fight over xps or not xps or how easy it is to find a numberpad, not so much...

Well i gave advice on numeric pads because you said it was being used for accounts - and if you didnt want an ext keyboard you'd probably need a numeric pad. Feel free to use the advice or not.

Not sure why someone objects to recommending a numeric pad but thats boards i reckon.