Gaming / photoshop laptop

judymadeline

Prominent
Sep 13, 2017
2
0
510
Hi,
I am looking for a new laptop and probably don't want to spend over £300.
I would be using it for word processing, Microsoft office etc. But also for gaming and using photoshop. I would like to have a decent memory and battery life preferably.
I'm not too familiar with all these different specs so wanted some opinions from people who are more tech savvy than I am
 
Solution
Microsoft Office will make a big hole in that budget but fortunately, the Opensource Community has developed LibreOffice and it's free of charge. It works on existing MSOffice files and is able to create new ones. Except for the lack of an Access equivlent it does the job well.

For your purposes, and assuming you're in the UK, your nearest Staples is a good place to go. They don't try to sell you extended guarantees or dubious unnecessary anti-virus programmes as extras because they aren't on commission. Expect some change out of £250 for a decent Acer. If you need a CD player, but a USB powered unit because modern slim laptops don't have them.
Microsoft Office will make a big hole in that budget but fortunately, the Opensource Community has developed LibreOffice and it's free of charge. It works on existing MSOffice files and is able to create new ones. Except for the lack of an Access equivlent it does the job well.

For your purposes, and assuming you're in the UK, your nearest Staples is a good place to go. They don't try to sell you extended guarantees or dubious unnecessary anti-virus programmes as extras because they aren't on commission. Expect some change out of £250 for a decent Acer. If you need a CD player, but a USB powered unit because modern slim laptops don't have them.
 
Solution

judymadeline

Prominent
Sep 13, 2017
2
0
510



Hey thanks for answering!
Do you have any suggestions on what types of graphics cards or CPU to look out for?
 
Unfortunately, I just re-read your original post and find I missed the word "gaming". That probably puts your budget way out if you're looking for anything but a stock GPU.

Also, I was in my local Staples this afternoon and it's been taken over and now named Office Outlet. The new owners' policy is to force the staff to sell any extra or service they can on a target basis. Staff aren't happy about it but it's there to stay. Sorry about that amendment.

To help others help you, what are the names of the games you want to play.
 


I have to say £300 isn't going to get you very far. A quick run-down on Amazon UK, saveonlaptops and eBuyer reveals that, unless you're willing to consider refurbished computers, it's going to be stripped-down, gutted-out laptops running on Celeron or Pentium N-series CPUs with integrated graphics units that won't be able to power PhotoShop - and forget about gaming at any level.

If you can somehow dig up another £100, then this 15.6" Lenovo is worth looking at:
http://www.ebuyer.com/767998-lenovo-v110-laptop-80tl000puk

The i5 CPU will handle PhotoShop, and the HD 520 IGP will allow you to play games like Minecraft, WoW and LoL.