I don’t want the kids to use our “nice” laptop and the old laptop is now pretty much at the end of its life. iPads don’t cut it for some of their homework and so what should I be looking at? Doesn’t have to be super fast or a gamer – just reliable and ideally cheap.

http://bit.ly/1QbQjvB

Just bought my parents one, really rather good for the money!

I’d be looking at a refurb dell on ebay, got a really nice machine from lapodo on there.

What’s up with the old one? Is it physically tired, or would a software reload sort it out?

Physically tired, a little broken, a dead battery and running XP! We’ve been through a number of laptops since but they have had more terminal problems whereas this brute has kept hobbling along.

Do not spend 300 pound on an acer one as it may be the same as my work one and it’s **** shite!

Picked one of these up for my father in law recently and it is very good BUT small screen. They get great professional reviews if you look. £90 with 12m warranty.

Laptop Link

Chromebook?

We just bought a box open/grade A HP Envy with A10/12gb/2gb nVidia/1tb for £303, I have spent £40 on 240gb SSD and will swap it out this week. It is heavy, but reminds me of a Mac book pro case – mainly metal on top and lid.

All from laptopsdirect.

-edit- it goes twice as quick when I removed all the crappy free software…