New Laptop Needed

[Rezident]

I’ve used PCs for around 30 years but I’ve never had a laptop. My girlfriend’s laptop is dying, I can’t even use it, I don’t have the patience, it takes forever just to boot up, she reckons it’s about 7 years old. Anyway she needs a birthday present so I want to get her a new laptop, nothing too flash but anything would be better than her legacy laptop but I know nothing about laptops or notebooks or netbooks or whatever they’re called now.

She needs:

Internet, email
Word/Excel
DVD drive
Storage for photos etc.

I would rather not spend loads on it as we have two high-end PCs for proper usage but she does love her laptop – and it really is appallingly slow. I’d rather not spend more than $350 - $400 max.

Any advice greatly appreciated,

Cheers.

 

[bupkus]

Glad to hear you can budget that much, otherwise I'd have recommended a linux distro designed for legacy hardware.

We just bought a NEW Aspire TimelineX AS5830T-6862 ( LX.RHM02.029 ) at Staples.com for $450+ tax. It hasn't been delivered yet but it's for a niece going to U of W.

I would look for either an i3-xxxM (first generation) or a P940 Intel cpu. Others may advise an AMD... I can't comment about AMD laptops right now cause I just don't know.
Vital question is need for portability.

 

[sgrinavi]

3 sub $399 i3 laptops



Gateway - Laptop / Intel® Core™ i3 Processor / 15.6" Display / 3GB Memory / 320GB Hard Drive - Satin Black
Model: NV55C49U | SKU: 2804985
Price: $379.99


Toshiba - Satellite Laptop / Intel® Core™ i3 Processor / 15.6" Display / 3GB Memory / 320GB Hard Drive - Black
Model: C655-S5212 | SKU: 2833077
Price: $399.99


lenovo IdeaPad Z560 (0914-42U) Notebook Intel Core i3 380M(2.53GHz) 15.6" Wide XGA 4GB Memory DDR3 1066 320GB HDD 5400rpm DVD±R/RW Intel HD Graphics

was: $449.99
NOW$399.99
save: $50.00

Ripped from SD

 

[Ultralight]

Stores like Staples are in the process of moving out current decent laptops for the new wave. A number of clearance items are available at this time.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Toshiba Satellite L750-BT4N22 15.6-in 2nd Gen Core i3 2.1GHz Laptop

Link above is to the deal website I found it in. Blazing hot deal for a current-gen laptop. Here's the direct link.