Looking to Buy a Laptop, Need Help Choosing

**gamiseta** · #1 22nd Mar 2009, 04:35

I'm looking at buying a second hand Laptop and want to spend between $250-$450 give or take. The main thing I want to use it for is internet browsing and streaming

I dont know much about computers so can anyone recommend me a decent type of Laptop I should go for with that amount of cash and how I will know the Laptop isnt coming with Viruses and all that other computer mumbo jumbo I should look out for when buying a second hand computer...any advice I can get so I dont get ripped off will be good

Thanks

Edit- If anyone wants, can you recommend me something from this site that will suit my simple needs.

http://www.tradingpost.com.au/Comput...axonomy&State=

**4D(Fordy(Ford) Ollie** · #2 22nd Mar 2009, 04:50

To be sure you're not getting any unwanted things like viruses etc. your best bet is probably to buy from a company that does refurbs.

Dell make quite good computers, and are reasonably priced, they also refurbish old ones and sell them off at a cheaper price.

Click here for their "Dell Outlet" (Where they sell the refurbished models)

However as it's an outlet they don't always have very large stock..

Was there a particular reason you wanted second hand - not that I can think fo one really. Because for your budget you might be able to find a new laptop that would allow you to access the web and stream music and video perfectly well.

There are some great offers at Currys here But I don't know if you have Currys in Australia? I couldn't find anywhere to select a different country as I could with Dell...

But at least if you look on there it will give you an idea as to what you like and can afford, then you can have a look around locally and see what offers are on.

**gamiseta** · #3 22nd Mar 2009, 04:55

Yea because of my budget I didnt think I'd be able to find any decent new Laptops

Thanks for the links 4D, I'll give them a look

And nah I dont think Currys is in Australia, never heard of it

**4D(Fordy(Ford) Ollie** · #4 22nd Mar 2009, 04:58

Oh ok, that's a shame, I don't know what you're equivalent is, but theres bound to be somewhere with offers on at the moment.

Keep an eye on the Dell refurbs, you can really snap up deals there, just a shame they've got no laptops in at the moment, depends how quickly you want to buy one I suppose..

**gamiseta** · #5 22nd Mar 2009, 05:59

I'm thinking of getting the Inspiron Mini. Like I said earlier, the main thing I need it for is surfing the net and reading a fair bit and also streaming and watching things some times
http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/prod...&s=dhs#reviews

Do you think the Inspiron Mini's size might be a bit of an inconvenience for these sort of things, are there any other cons you can think of that makes the Mini not suit my simple needs?

**4D(Fordy(Ford) Ollie** · #6 22nd Mar 2009, 06:13

Apart from it's size I can't think of anything, if you were happy with the size, that could be an ok choice.

**gamiseta** · #7 22nd Mar 2009, 06:21

Cool, thanks a lot

**Hybr!d** · #8 22nd Mar 2009, 06:30

I would avoid second hand laptops personally. Laptops have a fairly short life as it is and a secondhand one will be old (obviously) and have no warranty. You could end up paying twice. Pay a little more, buy new and you'll have something that will last.

**4D(Fordy(Ford) Ollie** · #9 22nd Mar 2009, 06:46

Yeah, that's true actually I didn't really address that. Although it can be marginally better with a refurb rather than a private second hand buy, you'll still get much longer out of it new.

No troubles like that with the Inspiron Mini though, the ones you're looking at there are a new line.

**gamiseta** · #10 22nd Mar 2009, 07:09

Thanks for the help guys. Always handy