ScoobyWon't

As per title, looking or a cheap laptop. Just needs to be capable of surfing internet and running messenger.

Any recommendations?

Semper

Price?

mykp

budget mate?

my idea of cheap might not be yours!

Jamescsti

PC world do laptops starting at about £280 for a 15 inch screen.
I've seen these new style laptops with small screens (around 9inch) for under £200, alternatively Ebay is your friend

David Lock

Do you mind one with a few million names and addresses on the drive? Plenty of these knocking around Whitehall, left in pubs or on car back seats

Shark Man

For a 17" laptop - large screen, numeric keypad) The £400 will get you a Dell Vostro 1710 or a Toshiba Equium)

Going down to the smaller 15" laptops will hover around the £280 for one which will have the same Intel T2370 or 2390 processor. Couple of quid more will get you one with a T5500 (or higher - higher the number, the better).

Just note that 2gig Ram minimum for Vista. It will work with 1 gig but will soon slow down and cry out for more once you start filling it up with junk-ware.

Quite a few refub'd Sony Vaios floating about the net, so keep an eye out on the like sof bigpockets and similar sites.

ScoobyWon't

Dirt cheap.

I expect FOC is out of the question It only has to be capable of running Internet Explorer and Messenger so I wouldn't imagine it would cost that much. £100 - £250, as it's for a 6 year old to use and abuse.

MJW

I managed to get a Hewlett Packard laptop (Intel Centrino 1.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM) with built in wireless & bluetooth for £116 on ebay, including a legal Windows XP licence. Like yourself it's just for web browsing & messenger & I got it for my daughter. The seller is called 'bargain-laptops' and they had other similar machines for sale.
[edit] I've just had a look at his ebay shop and there's plenty around the £100-130 mark

ScoobyWon't

If they are that cheap, I may get two! I know someone else who needs one so I'll take a look.

mykp

Heres a few under £300 notes

£234
Gateway MT6223B NotebookCeleron M440 1.86GHz 1GB RAM 80GB HDD DVD RW 15.4" screen Vista Home Basic & Works 8.5 Manufacturer Refurb 1 year manufacturer's warranty - MT6223B - www.microdirect.co.uk

£263
EEE PC 904 HD INTEL MOBILE - 80GB 1GB 8.9 NOOPT XPP BLK UK Windows XP - Ebuyer

£280
EEEPC901-W007X 8.9IN Intel Atom 1GB 12GB Bluetooth, WLAN N 1.3M Webcam Windows XP (Preloaded) - Ebuyer

£299
Fujitsu Siemens ESPRIMO Mobile V5535 VFY:V5535MPBC From Laptops Direct
(bought the wife one of these about 8 months ago, stuck 2gbytes RAM in it and put XP and and its brilliant. Vista sucks the life out of the lower spec machines)

Acer Extensa 7220-101G08Mi LX.EA40Y.036 From Laptops Direct

Samsung R60 Laptop NP-R60FY0C/SUK From Laptops Direct

Acer Extensa 5220-101G08Mi Laptop LX.E8706.015 From Laptops Direct

OllyK

1) BigPockets.co.uk :: laptops :: www.bigpockets.co.uk the excess inventory specialists
2) Google for reconditioned Laptops
3) Freecycle, I've seen a few older laptops given away on that

druddle

cheaplaptops.co.uk have a few good deals on there.

Dave

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

"the rig" on here gets rid of a few cheap laptops from time to time.........might be worth a PM

Shaun