Computer.co.uk

I love doing articles featuring bargain basement cheap laptops.  This truly is where some of the best deals are found, yet most consumers completely overlook this category of computer.  How could you overlook a computer in the £300-£500 range that may just have 90% of the specs that notebooks twice their price have?

Let’s take the Acer X58c notebook as a prime example.  Would I want them handed out to IT people?  Absolutely not.  But are they perfect for a college student?  Pretty close!

What does £304.97 buy you?

• Processor - Intel Celeron 220
• RAM - 1 GB (installed) / 4 GB (max) - DDR2 SDRAM - 800 MHz ( 1 x 1 GB )
  
• Hard Drive - 160 GB - Serial ATA-150 - 5400 rpm
• Operating System - Microsoft Windows Vista Business / XP Professional downgrade
• Screen - 15.4′ TFT 1280 x 800 ( WXGA ) - Color Shine
• Optical Drive - DVD±RW / DVD-RAM
• Bluetooth - No
• Warranty - 1 year warranty

Now, let’s take a look at the specs for just a second.  Just about everything here looks on-par with the average £700+ notebook.  The only glaring differences?  The el-cheapo processor and the 1gb of ram that comes pre-installed.  While there isn’t much you can do about the processor, it will certainly do the job.  You can, however, lighten the load on it by installing more ram for an extremely nominal fee!  Ram is one of the cheapest upgrades you can make that will substantially improve your computer.

Now, for £305, is this computer an absolute steal for a university student?  Yeah, pretty much.  Just make sure to pick up that RAM for an upgrade!