Laptop Help

[Charlie Brown]

It looks like my trusty HP is dying after five years of good service.

I do everything on my laptop - invoices, emails, facebook, DJ, store my music, pictures, edit videos, play games and surf the web.

It cost a fortune but has done me proud. I'm a bit anxious because I have a gig on Saturday and it's my backup. 99% chance I can get it fixed tomorrow as a temporarily measure but I need something safe for long term.

Any suggestions as to what you guys us?

No more than £800/900. I have been toying with Apple but I think I want to stick with Windows.

Cheers in advance. :beer1:

[Danno13]

You can spend as much as you like, but your main problem is...



I do everything on my laptop - invoices, emails, facebook, DJ, store my music, pictures, edit videos, play games and surf the web.

No matter what the spec, that is a serious gamble!

Even if you re-formatted this one and got a cheap PC for all the office work, you'd probably get years more out of it and have no issues if you used it purely for DJing.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

I agree with Dan. I have one PC (desktop) that is the "office" computer and for general web stuff. Then two laptops dedicated for DJ use only (one is backup but also runs the photo presentation when needed).

[Booche]

Same as Dan and Steve here.

2 laptops for business, 1 pc for general use (surfing web, emails, abit of gaming, etc etc and 3 pc's for designing (even tho one is hooked up for media use)

[deltic]

all mac here,would never go back.

[Charlie Brown]

I know but a good solid business HP laptop has done the trick.

If you spend a serious amount on a good machine, I've found you can get away with anything?

What do you use guys?

http://www.lambda-tek.com/componentshop/index.pl?prodID=B122763&viewSpec=y#productTop

It's a basic machine now but sturdy and strong...that's what I'm after.

[Cowlinn]

There's no other alternative with such a high budget. (http://www.apple.com/uk/macbookpro/)

[BeerFunk]

The first question that springs to mind is... what exactly is wrong with the current laptop? Is it beyond ecomonical repair?

I agree with what some of the others have said - you'd be better with more than one machine, don't throw all your eggs into one basket etc.

[Charlie Brown]

My current machine is fine. This is the fourth time the charger has failed on me. It overheats very easily but I should be able to pick one up tomorrow.

I have meaning to get another laptop for some time and this evenings tragedy prompted me.

Matty - I would love one, but I can't splash out two grand yet. I need something with a big screen. My current screen is 17 inches - I don't really want to go below that. Cheers for tempting me anyhow. :D

[Cowlinn]

My current machine is fine. This is the fourth time the charger has failed on me. It overheats very easily but I should be able to pick one up tomorrow.

I have meaning to get another laptop for some time and this evenings tragedy prompted me.

Matty - I would love one, but I can't splash out two grand yet. I need something with a big screen. My current screen is 17 inches - I don't really want to go below that. Cheers for tempting me anyhow. :D

Fair enough if you need a big screen.

[Charlie Brown]

Fair enough if you need a big screen.

Why, don't you think I do?

I've just got used to a 'bigger screen' - going back would make me feel odd. :D

[Cowlinn]

Why, don't you think I do?

I've just got used to a 'bigger screen' - going back would make me feel odd. :D

It would feel odd for a while, yes, but you'd get used to it, and you know my thoughts on the whole Windoze / Mac thing.

If it were me i'd sacrifice the screen size for the Mac OS, but that's just me, you may be different :)

[Charlie Brown]

It would feel odd for a while, yes, but you'd get used to it, and you know my thoughts on the whole Windoze / Mac thing.


Huh, no?

I don't...care to tell me? ;) ;) ;) :D

[WWDJ]

There are a few on here that can pre-empt my reply.

Macbook Pro 13

Ok, the screen is small but you really don't notice it too much when you are DJing and if you want to do serious work on it, connect it to an external monitor.

Mine gets used almost exclusively for DJing, DJ prep and on a few websites, Amazon, Itunes, BBC News, MDD. I know I will get criticised even for this!!!

[Booche]

Charlie have you actually thought this through before posting ?

You say limit is £800/£900 and then you post a link to a laptop what spec's are to a £200 machine (nowadays) but actually costs £1237.90 :eek:

Get all your crap off the other laptop and strip it back to nothing and you will see a HUGE difference.

[Charlie Brown]

Okay...

What sort of ram/memory/etc do I need to be going for?

I'm utterly clueless.

[Cowlinn]

Okay...

What sort of ram/memory/etc do I need to be going for?

I'm utterly clueless.

Totally depends what OS you're running.

[Booche]

My lowest is duel core 4gb ram with nothing on apart from notepad and VDJ.

Oh and a custom background (company logo for when i take it to show slideshows or images to Wedding meetings etc).

But i then remove anything i have put on and i make sure i make a folder on the esktop and put things in there OR i use a memory stick with the slideshow on and with images in.

[Matty12]

Apple Macbook or pro

[Charlie Brown]

Charlie have you actually thought this through before posting ?

You say limit is £800/£900 and then you post a link to a laptop what spec's are to a £200 machine (nowadays) but actually costs £1237.90 :eek:

Get all your crap off the other laptop and strip it back to nothing and you will see a HUGE difference.

Nah, trust me. It has served 5/6 hours a day for years. It's time to put it to one side and invest in something else. I'm not planning on getting rid of it but you can't even put Vista on it because it has such a low memory.

[Cowlinn]

Nah, trust me. It has served 5/6 hours a day for years. It's time to put it to one side and invest in something else. I'm not planning on getting rid of it but you can't even put Vista on it because it has such a low memory.

...and why would you want vista on it?

[Booche]

Nah, trust me. It has served 5/6 hours a day for years. It's time to put it to one side and invest in something else. I'm not planning on getting rid of it but you can't even put Vista on it because it has such a low memory.

Then upgrade the memory and hdd and save £700 lol im guessing the processor isnt the best BUT if ts purely for backup and odd use then i cant see why it would be a huge thing.

[Booche]

...and why would you want vista on it?

Deffo dont put vista on it uses too mny resources, i have it on my home pc and damn i wish i hadn't and i shall be changeing it soon back to xp.

[Cowlinn]

Deffo dont put vista on it uses too mny resources, i have it on my home pc and damn i wish i hadn't and i shall be changeing it soon back to xp.

Vista is quite possibly the worst OS on this planet. Stick with XP, or from what I've heard Windows 7 is supposed to be OK.

[Charlie Brown]

...and why would you want vista on it?

Or Windows seven?

I thought that was the 'thing to have' now?

I'm clueless.

[Cowlinn]

Or Windows seven?

I thought that was the 'thing to have' now?

I'm clueless.

I told you what "The thing to have" was in post #7 ;)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Why are people who use Macs such bores about them?

[WWDJ]

Why are people who use Macs such bores about them?

Have you used a Mac Darren?

TBH, Windows 7 is ok, Mac OSX is ok too. Neither are perfect, but for DJing, OSX is stable and does a great job, not that I had any troubles with XP

The Macbook Pro has a light up keyboard too which is great for working in the dark!

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Have you used a Mac Darren?



I don't own one, but have used one, yes.

I own an Iphone and an Ipad and my statement still stands.

[Charlie Brown]

Ideally, I would like something that does everything. :o

[Glenski]

Charlie

With your money, get yourself a cheap PC for your business and other work and then clean-up your current laptop and soley use it for DJing !!

Upgrade the hard drive and memory and run Win 7 for sure :)

With the money you have left, you could buy a backup laptop which would do the job :)

At least 4GB ram (64-bit OS though) and a 500GB HDD should do the trick, and maybe get another type of power supply, if you keep having these problems...

Also get your laptop serviced inside (cleaned out, the fans etc and maybe have the CPU re-seated).

Thank you

Glenn

[Ecstatic Events]

I have no troubles with XP - Plenty of RAM - CLEAN, CLEAN machine (for DJ use only) and for MOBILE DISCO use - Bob's your uncle!

I am tempted by a Macbook pro - But then I'm sure I will think I'm a much better DJ because I have one :eek:

[Cowlinn]

I don't own one, but have used one, yes.


Long term? Not just using it for an hour or so.

Have you ever owned a mac?

[soundtracker]

Have you ever owned a mac?

I do, and its proved to be very useful these last few days.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Long term? Not just using it for an hour or so.

Have you ever owned a mac?

Yawn...

No, I have never owned or had the inclination to own a Mac. I have 3 desktop machines, 3 laptops and a netbook. The wife has a laptop and the kids both have laptops. All run fine and are virus free. They range in price from £200, right up to £1200. I run my business off them, produce video, DJ, run online businesses without issue or hassle. Some are XP, some are Vista and some are Windows 7.

They work.

Next question.


I do, and its proved to be very useful these last few days.

Matched with an umbrella, they can do wonders to keep you dry, eh Pete? :p

[soundtracker]

Matched with an umbrella, they can do wonders to keep you dry, eh Pete? :p

Bit windy for the brolly mate!:p

[Cowlinn]

I do, and its proved to be very useful these last few days.

Never heard that one before ;)

[soundtracker]

Never heard that one before ;)

You want to get out more!

Oh and just to add, I've been running vista for over two years without a single problem. However I have had to drive backwards and forwards to The Mac Shop in Birmingham several times during that period to have my son's Mac repaired.

[Charlie Brown]

Cheer guys.

I hope this charger will work...otherwise I have lost thousands of emails, receipts and a ton of music.

Yes, it should be backed up....I've learnt my lesson.

[Cowlinn]

Cheer guys.

I hope this charger will work...otherwise I have lost thousands of emails, receipts and a ton of music.

Yes, it should be backed up....I've learnt my lesson.

You do half learn your lessons the hard way, Charlie.:muppet:

[Excalibur]

Cheer guys.

I hope this charger will work...otherwise I have lost thousands of emails, receipts and a ton of music.

Yes, it should be backed up....I've learnt my lesson.

Charlie, you never cease to amaze me! Fifty quid for an external HD, connect it to your lappy once a week, and put it back in the drawer. Simples.

Do not despair too much, if you take the lappy to a good repair shop, they can rescue the data, as long as the drive isn't faulty, ( and even if it is, sometimes ).

Charlie, if I understand it right, is the only issue that the lappy has a dead power supply, and a flat battery? Both solvable without drama.


And finally Charlie:
Gig machines are just that-Gig machines.
I'm presently stripping down my old laptop, which used to be like yours. It ran day to day jobs, and was used to download music at gigs, and sometimes play music.

I've now got a second one to do the day to day work, and even on Vista, the performance increase on the old one is staggering! I had it sat yesterday in the living room, trying to make it crash, hiccup or stutter while running Karaoke on VDJ.

Time was when I daren't search for a track while playing one, because the graphics would freeze. Worst I could make it do was to pause the graphics on the screen, while running the monitor no problems.

Keep us posted, ask for help, and please please please take advice from those who know about these things. ( Not me, I'm still learning ) ....

And finally, ask Vectis what he regards as vital.

Backup, backup, backup!

[wensleydale]

Backup these days is so easy there's no excuse.
Back up the bulk of data to a USB key/HDD etc and then keep "live" documents in a Dropbox auto backup "cloud" type service.

[Charlie Brown]

If I treated myself to a Mac....can I use microsoft word etc?

[Vectis]

If I treated myself to a Mac....can I use microsoft word etc?

Yes, but you'd need the OS/X version.

Or iLife, which is the Apple equivalent and, IMHO, MUCH better (and it opens/saves office formats).

If you do go this route, be aware that the built-in mac mail product is as good as Outlook for standalone environments, so no need to buy the ridiculously overpriced version of office.



If you're seriously considering macbook, look here:
http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/mac?mco=OTY2ODY2NQ

Refurbs come with full warranty etc. and are very keenly priced. There's a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo Macbook Pro with 13.3" and 4GB RAM for £799 today :)

Stock changes daily.

I've had LOTS of gear from refurb and never an issue with anything. Highly recommended.

[Jiggles]

Martin don't you mean iWork. ;). I find that that office suite is far better than office. PowerPoints (key notes) that look stunning and look like pro videos when played. I find for mac there is always an equal or better equivalent to software. :)

[Daryll]

I had to laugh at this thread , mega this huge that.

From the VDJ web site4.


# First, it was designed to run on i486 computers at 400MHz and 64Mb of RAM, so any computer that's still alive today should be able to run it without a glitch.
# Second, for more than 10 years, we are still to hear someone report a bug or a crash on it.

Win XP can see and use 4GB memory. That amount is reduced by the motherboard architecture and the chip set being used.

The default Windows memory organization is 2GB for the OS and 2GB for the application. The /3G switch simply reallocates that to 1GB for the OS and 3GB for the application.

You need something to run a DJ program , not the financial affairs of a small country.

Daryll

[Clifford DJ Services]

Charlie have you actually thought this through before posting ?

You say limit is £800/£900 and then you post a link to a laptop what spec's are to a £200 machine (nowadays) but actually costs £1237.90 :eek:

Get all your crap off the other laptop and strip it back to nothing and you will see a HUGE difference.

I thought that, how did they come up with the pricing there!

I got an decent laptop for £320, i core 5, 3gb DDR3 if that means anything to anybody, was a refurb though

[Digital Jack]

If you don't know how to open up your laptop to get shot of the accumulated dust etc take a look here http://www.tim.id.au/blog/tims-laptop-service-manuals/


Yes , there are manuals for Apple laptops too.

Loads of manuals for lots of various laptop makes and models, lots of handy advice too.

[Larry B Entertainment]

Long term? Not just using it for an hour or so.

Have you ever owned a mac?

Why does this "Have you owned one" nonsense always have to pop up somewhere. Why would you try something out, find out that it isn't right for you and then buy it just in the hope that you will grow to like it ?

I had a Mac Book Pro loaned to me for a week so I could have a go with it. I hated everything about it. There isn't even a simple delete button.

I am still on XP here and will be as long as Microsoft continue to support it. Will move to windows 7 when I absolutely have to.
There is too much hype about macs and even people I speak to that have owned them for years say they cant understand what all the fuss is about.

[mattydinx]

Being a MacBook Pro user, i'm going to recommend you buy....a normal Windows based laptop!
If all you're going to use it for is DJing it would be a waste of money for you to get a mac.

Yes I think my mac's great, but I got it specifically for my music production needs, if I simply wanted a computer for general office tasks, email and web browsing I'd probably have chosen a windows based laptop.

You can get a Windows 7 laptop, dual/quad core processor (new i5 perhaps?) 4GB ram, 500GB HDD with a 15" screen for well within budget, and a darn sight less than you could get the equivelant mac for.

Windows 7 is pretty darn stable and reliable, I even dual boot my mac with Windows 7 for when i'm at work or out on site providing IT support.

Yes mac's are great, and yes it'll do all the things you currently do on a windows-based laptop, but if you're struggling to justify their price tag then they aren't for you.

[Charlie Brown]

I'm off to buy a lappy today - can anybody tell me what processor is good?

I'm aiming for something with 3gb memory+, 500gb+, minimum 15inch screen and that's about it.

What's intel core etc?

Sorry for the questions, I'm a dumb blonde when it comes to things like this.

Cheers in advance.

[Booche]

I'm off to buy a lappy today - can anybody tell me what processor is good?

I'm aiming for something with 3gb memory+, 500gb+, minimum 15inch screen and that's about it.

What's intel core etc?

Sorry for the questions, I'm a dumb blonde when it comes to things like this.

Cheers in advance.

i3 or i5 processor, Also what is it going to be used for ?

BLONDE :eek:

[Charlie Brown]

:lol:

Are they the best ones Dave?

I need it as a general lappy for surfing, emails and occasionally playing it at gigs. I'm going to get somebody to strip my current laptop to use it as a gig machine.

Thanks :)

Is this a steal? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290584712983#ht_2340wt_1139

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-g6-1014sa-4gb-quad-core-laptop-charcoal-grey-10179702-pdt.html

http://www.dixons.co.uk/gbuk/acer-aspire-5745dg-15-6-laptop-black-08702326-pdt.html

[Booche]

:lol:

Are they the best ones Dave?

I need it as a general lappy for surfing, emails and occasionally playing it at gigs. I'm going to get somebody to strip my current laptop to use it as a gig machine.

Thanks :)

Is this a steal? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290584712983#ht_2340wt_1139

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-g6-1014sa-4gb-quad-core-laptop-charcoal-grey-10179702-pdt.html

The dodgy world one isn't bad spec BUT isn't one of the newest processors although it would comfortably cope with what you throw at it :)

The ebay one is only a dual core but again if its going to be for general use and "Odd" gigging then should cope but again id tend to look at a slightly better processor.

Pauls laptop he got is really nice and really good spec :)

[Charlie Brown]

This one then?

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/sony-vaio-vpcec4s0e-wi-white-laptop-08702395-pdt.html

or

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-envy-17-1050ea-17-3-laptop-with-beats-audio-silver-06487037-pdt.html

[Booche]

This one then?

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/sony-vaio-vpcec4s0e-wi-white-laptop-08702395-pdt.html

or

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-envy-17-1050ea-17-3-laptop-with-beats-audio-silver-06487037-pdt.html

The Sony seems to be the better of the 2 plus its got more memory so should help with what you want it for :)

[Charlie Brown]

Cheers Dave. You're a bobby dazzler.

[Cowlinn]

This one then?

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/sony-vaio-vpcec4s0e-wi-white-laptop-08702395-pdt.html

or

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-envy-17-1050ea-17-3-laptop-with-beats-audio-silver-06487037-pdt.html

What's your budget, Charlie?

[Charlie Brown]

Well I could wait another week and spend a grand but I'd rather not.

I'd love to get something for £500/600ish.

I've considered a mac but I'm not sure whether I'd get on with the OP system.

[Cowlinn]

I've considered a mac but I'm not sure whether I'd get on with the OP system.

What makes you think you wouldn't?

[Charlie Brown]

I dunno.

I could never work macs at school.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

I wouldnt have an intel chipset if you paid me...AMD all the way for me.

Stretch an extra £100.... http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/17144447/Hewlett-Packard-Pavilion-dv6-3141ea-AMD-Phenom-II-Quad-Core-N930-2-0GHz-6GB-500GB-15-6-inch-DVD-SM-Windows-7-Home-Premium-64-bit-La/Product.html?_%24ja=tsid:11518%7Ccat:17144447%7Cpr d:17144447

[mattydinx]

We've just got a load of Lenovo stuff in at work and they're just amazing little machines.

Try this one out for size: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/250005

[Charlie Brown]

Thank you so much guys.

In the end, I went with this. £599 at PC World.

http://www.oyyy.co.uk/product.php/128308/sony-vpc-eb3j0e-notebook-intel-core-i3-370m-?utm_source=affwin&utm_medium=aff&utm_campaign=General&awc=3136_1310393144_d258657d0ee45cdd67084a430dc1a3 96&jssCart=a7d92dee8c0816b29173e15bbdb5307b

[Jiggles]

I wouldnt have an intel chipset if you paid me...AMD all the way for me.

Stretch an extra £100.... http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/17144447/Hewlett-Packard-Pavilion-dv6-3141ea-AMD-Phenom-II-Quad-Core-N930-2-0GHz-6GB-500GB-15-6-inch-DVD-SM-Windows-7-Home-Premium-64-bit-La/Product.html?_%24ja=tsid:11518%7Ccat:17144447%7Cpr d:17144447

You see I would stay well away from AMD cores. Of the PCs that i have seen that run those all state there speeds but in reality for them to run at those speeds means overclocking them! Also you get a better bang for buck with and Intel processor!

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Thank you so much guys.

In the end, I went with this. £599 at PC World.

http://www.oyyy.co.uk/product.php/128308/sony-vpc-eb3j0e-notebook-intel-core-i3-370m-?utm_source=affwin&utm_medium=aff&utm_campaign=General&awc=3136_1310393144_d258657d0ee45cdd67084a430dc1a3 96&jssCart=a7d92dee8c0816b29173e15bbdb5307b

You gave them a large tip didn't you?

[Larry B Entertainment]

You gave them a large tip didn't you?

What £599 for something retailing at £418 :eek:

[Dynamic Entertainment]

You see I would stay well away from AMD cores. Of the PCs that i have seen that run those all state there speeds but in reality for them to run at those speeds means overclocking them! Also you get a better bang for buck with and Intel processor!

Ive found nearly the complete opposite. Ive had plenty of issues with Intel, and none with AMD....

Anyway...moot point as Charlies got his lappy ;)

[Charlie Brown]

No, I paid £400 odd from them but it's £599 at PC World.

[Digital Jack]

Don't forget , you can clone the hard drive with a program such as Acronis True Image Home.
Then you can up the hard drives' capacity to 500 gb (i think that's the largest capacity you can currently get for a laptop).
You can then keep the original hard drive at home - safe and sound.
It saves having to lug an addition external drive around with you , well , that depends on how much capacity you require I guess.

[DJ Jules]

I wouldnt have an intel chipset if you paid me...AMD all the way for me.



Now, normally I'd agree with you (2 PC's and a laptop at home for general use with various AMD cores), but for performance use with a USB controller and/or USB soundcard you should stick to Intel. There are known issues with using ASIO USB sound cards on AMD chipsets - check the support forums for most of the major software/hardware manufacturers...

My own personal experience reflects this - 4 laptops and 2 desktops in the house and I've only ever been able to get stable configurations with Numark, Denon, Behringer and Hercules ASIO sound cards and both Virtual DJ and Traktor (v1) on the Intel machines.

Julian

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Now, normally I'd agree with you (2 PC's and a laptop at home for general use with various AMD cores), but for performance use with a USB controller and/or USB soundcard you should stick to Intel. There are known issues with using ASIO USB sound cards on AMD chipsets - check the support forums for most of the major software/hardware manufacturers...

My own personal experience reflects this - 4 laptops and 2 desktops in the house and I've only ever been able to get stable configurations with Numark, Denon, Behringer and Hercules ASIO sound cards and both Virtual DJ and Traktor (v1) on the Intel machines.

Julian

Well Julian....it appears your right....checker the Serato website and they don't support AMD....funny, but I've not had a single problem in 3 years (touch wood) .... Although it looks like ill have to move I've to Intel if I replace laptop in the future....just to be on the safe side.

I'll stick with AMD for non-dj purposes in the future ;)

[Charlie Brown]

Well this laptop didn't happen. I received an email from the chap explaining they had to cancel the order because my postal address wasn't confirmed with PayPal? :confused:

Anyhow...just had a moment of madness and treated myself to this. Not sure whether it was wise. I'll let you know what I think!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130538081210&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_2064wt_1199

[Cowlinn]

Well this laptop didn't happen. I received an email from the chap explaining they had to cancel the order because my postal address wasn't confirmed with PayPal? :confused:

Anyhow...just had a moment of madness and treated myself to this. Not sure whether it was wise. I'll let you know what I think!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130538081210&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_2064wt_1199

Why people buy things of that value from eBay I will never understand.

[Charlie Brown]

It's from the Curry's/PC world outlet. Any problems, I can return it to them. 12 month warranty and elsewhere it was £900+ going onto a grand. http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=Sony+VPCF12S1E

Bit of a silly statement mate. ;)

[Cowlinn]

It's from the Curry's/PC world outlet. Any problems, I can return it to them. 12 month warranty and elsewhere it was £900+ going onto a grand. http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=Sony+VPCF12S1E

Bit of a silly statement mate. ;)

Not a silly statement at all. Why not buy it from Currys website? Or your local branch?

[Charlie Brown]

Not a silly statement at all. Why not buy it from Currys website? Or your local branch?

Because I want to save £250. :daft:

[Cowlinn]

Why are Currys selling it for £250 cheaper on ebay?

[Charlie Brown]

Because that's why it's called the 'currys outlet'

It's simple business - their overheads are greater in a branch. They have to rent the building, maintiance, staff, heating, electricity but on a eBay store their outgoings are next to nothing.

[Cowlinn]

Because that's why it's called the 'currys outlet'

It's simple business - their overheads are greater in a branch. They have to rent the building, maintiance, staff, heating, electricity but on a eBay store their outgoings are next to nothing.

I still don't understand why it's cheaper than their website. Never mind in store I understand that. What's the difference between eBay and their own site.

Bearing in mind they'll have to pay eBay fees on that :confused:

[Charlie Brown]

If you buy something from their website and you don't like it - you can simply return it to any store. If you buy a product from their eBay store, YOU have to send it back to them (which a lot of people won't bother doing because it's a lot of much hassle - more money for Currys)

They are cutting down costs because you don't receive the customer service you'd expect in store or from their website.

It could also be an exclusive offer which in turn, advertises their outlet. This will intice people to visit more often, therefore buying more goods.

Psychological as well - people think they are getting a better deal because eBay is an 'auction site' Also, the payment method (paypal) is a lot easier/people will think bugger it.

Parting with cash or filling out your card details is a lot more daunting/traumatic than popping your password in and pressing 'confirm.' People may pull out halfway through entering there details - Paypal is an impulse quick method that doesn't require much thought.

It's hard to explain but I know what I mean.

AND - it's an OUTLET :lol:

[Cowlinn]

If you buy something from their website and you don't like it - you can simply return it to any store. If you buy a product from their eBay store, YOU have to send it back to them (which a lot of people won't do because it's too much hassle)

They are cutting down costs because you don't receive the customer service you'd expect in store or over their site.

It could also be an exclusive offer to their outlet. This will intice people to visit more often, therefore buying more goods.

Psychological as well - people think they are getting a better deal because eBay is an 'auction site' Also, the payment method (paypal) is a lot easier/people will think bugger it.

Parting with cash or filling out your card details is a lot more daunting/traumatic than popping your password in and pressing 'confirm.' People may pull out halfway through entering there details - Paypal is an impulse quick method that doesn't require much thought.

It's hard to explain but I know what I mean.

I see some logic in that. Fair enough, point taken.

You'll have to let us know how you get on with it:) :beer1:

[Charlie Brown]

I see some logic in that. Fair enough, point taken.

You'll have to let us know how you get on with it:) :beer1:

Phew!

Good night sir! :)

[DJ Jules]

That's an impressive specification laptop for that money (i7 Core, 6Gb RAM). I've bought plenty through other outlet stores on eBay without any issues at all.

The other reason why it's cheaper on eBay is because they're competing with other sellers on eBay for business. If they priced it the same as their own website, it'd look expensive by comparison. As to the question 'why undercut their own website?' It's because they're losing revenue to people buying cheap laptops on eBay, so they need to get in on that business (and their competitors are doing the same - search for Tesco and Argos' outlets), regardless of the cost of doing so.

Just one thing to note though - a lot of the time goods sold through eBay are customer returns or open box products which they couldn't put on the shelf in their main store anyway - though I believe the listings (legally) should state if this is the case.

Incidentally, my main playout laptop is an HP EliteBook 6910p, which still retails at about £1300, but I got 2nd hand on eBay for £270 (ex business use) in perfect working order through an outlet store for a major business laptop provider!

Julian

[Charlie Brown]

Outstanding Laptop. Really neat, super fast, blue ray etc.

I'd recommend it to anyone.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Outstanding Laptop. Really neat, super fast, blue ray etc.

I'd recommend it to anyone.

After a couple of days? ;)

[Charlie Brown]

After a couple of days? ;)

After three hours.

I was up and running within 15 minutes, Microsoft office download and Anti virus took 5 minutes.

The full HD screen is fab and the sound is 'crystal clear'

It's bound to be fast with a Intel i7 processor and 6GB memory.

The casing and overall built quality is very good with one of the easiest keyboards I've ever used. It's nice to have a separate keypad for the numbers.

So yeah, at the moment I'm really chuffed. :)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Charlie 'Missed the point' Brown. :sj:

I'm glad it's working for you CB, but you are recommending something after only a couple of hours!

[Charlie Brown]

I see what you mean. :)

I'll let you know in a few months then. ;)