[Closed] What laptop would you recommend for about £400?

Been looking at this recently too for my Auntie. Currently torn between 2 Acer machines. One with an Intel i3 and 8gb ram and 1TB HDD,or an i5 processor, 4GB and 750GB. Still not decided.

I bought my in-laws an Asus k55a after trying several. Even though it's only a dual core, it came with 8GB RAM so it's still very nippy. I also like their fast boot (has a small amount of SSD-type storage for booting).

I also like Lenovo - Have a 11.6" Thinkpad one at home.

I tend to buy on keyboard first, then screen, then the rest of the specs.

I've never been very happy with the build of Acer, at the £400 end, but they are all getting better at keyboards now they tend to use the Apple-style keys.

Cheers chaps, looks like ill have to have a play on a few and see . Good call about the keyboard too.

Buy a chromebook and save £200

One that helps you post in the correct forum... 😆

2nd hand macbook. Will last you three times more than any cheap windows laptop.

Build quality over spec for me - go and play, and buy the most robust one.

For build quality I'd go for Lenovo every time - in fact I do. The first one I bought was also the first computer I ever upgraded because I hadn't managed to break it before it felt slow.

Will last you longer than a 2nd hand macbook, and be faster and more upgradable.

2nd hand macbook. Will last you three times more than any cheap windows laptop.

This. You could get a 13" 2010 Macbook 2.2 or thereabouts for about £400. Throw a solid state drive in it, max out the memory and it'll run sweet for another 5 years.

Build quality over spec for me - go and play, and buy the most robust one.

This if you're buying new (otherwise advice above).

I've been impressed with the build on cheap lenovo.

Not Cliff Richards.

This. You could get a 13" 2010 Macbook 2.2 or thereabouts for about £400. Throw a solid state drive in it, max out the memory and it'll run sweet for another 5 years.

Do people really spend £400 for a 4 year old second-hand laptop with a small screen, no warranty, and then spend £100-£200 upgrading it?

Personally, I'd get a Lenovo / Dell.

Look at the reconditioned laptops PCWorld do. Very happy with mine c.30% discount like for like spec. Find them online.

Or have a look at the Dell Refurb store, you should be able to get a better spec for your money and they still come with 12months warranty.

I bought one from there recently and cannot tell the difference from a 'New' one and saved about £80.

Do people really spend £400 for a 4 year old second-hand laptop with a small screen, no warranty, and then spend £100-£200 upgrading it?

Yep. I sold my old 5-year-old 13" for £375 last year. Laptops are meant to be small; plug your monitor into it when you're working from home. And stuff doesn't break if you treat it right, so forget "warranties". Further upgrades are optional, but beneficial and can be done at any time. I dislike most Apple products but am a big fan of their laptops and OS. Consider it.

I'm really happy with the Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 11" I bought for around that price. It flips round into a tablet which is sometimes useful. It was bought as a second PC / travel laptop though so I'm happy with the screen size compromise. Lenovo do a 13" Flip for similar money I think with a more normal size keyboard...