Laptops that fit in typical handbags have 10in to 12in screens, while a bedside table drawer will probably manage a 13.3in screen (mine does). (The December 2005 issue of PC Pro magazines had a group test of “bargain” notebooks at £799.)Īny Windows 8.1 laptop you buy now will get a free “in place” upgrade to Windows 10, which should leave your programs and data intact. I expect you spent much more a decade ago, probably from £650 to £1,500. Today, Windows laptops start at around £159.99, and you can get reasonable machines for £200 to £400. Manufacturers and retailers are therefore keen to clear old stock. Sales are down compared with last year, when they were boosted by people replacing PCs running Windows XP, and have been further depressed by people waiting for the launch of Windows 10 on 29 July.

You’ve picked a good time to buy, because Windows laptops are cheap at the moment. I love CDs, but an external CD/DVD player is something I’ve considered. I want to run Microsoft Word (I like the fancy features), Excel with macros (I tried Google docs but the sheets I’m working with are too large / sophisticated for it), web stuff - the usual browsing, YouTube, blogging etc - and music. I’d like something that is a good size for a handbag / bedside table drawer (I am in a flat and storage space is premium). That said, I’m hankering for a laptop, but I don’t know where to start: it’s 10 years since I last bought a computer! It’s saved me quite a bit not having an internet connection (and associated phone line) over the last three years. I have a smartphone for basic things like web browsing and checking emails, and for anything else I head for the local library with a USB stick. A few years ago, my computer packed up, so I transferred everything I wanted to an external hard drive and got rid of it.

Laptops with microsoft word installed