I need a new laptop. I have a price range of up to £500. I see a few of them with half tablet carry in which sounds good but are they. Dell is not an option as my last one has been sh1te so any other recommendations.

For 500 my first choice is Dell outlet as they have been great for me….

try ebuyer etc for specials

If you won’t be carting it around all over the place, have a look at the Acer Direct website. I bought one last yr with Win7 and it’s been great. But, the chassis is quite flexy so I wouldn’t want to be taking it here, there & everywhere. Could be because I got a 17.3″ screen.

What do you want to do with it?

I’m using an ACER Aspire 4810TZ (small footprint/screen but an 8 hour battery) which I’ve had for 3 years now.

Lovely piece of kit and easily the best laptop I’ve had, which is saying something as I’ve had (work) laptops since they were mains-powered – and once paid £4k for one (1994, pre-pentium as the pentiums were just too expensive…).

I will be using it for doing invoices mostly, bit if photoshop and pluging ambit into. I use the iPad for general looking at sh1te.

So it won’t be leaving the house very often.

VFM wise I’d go for a refurbished thinkpad. For new this looks a bit good on paper: http://www.medion.com/gb/prod/MEDION%C2%AE+AKOYA%C2%AE+P7621+17.3%22+Laptop+%28MD98027%29/30013796A1?wt_mc=gb.intern.StdProducts.welcome.on-ma&wt_cc1=3_1&wt_cc3=Top%20Core%20i5%20Laptop