Is This a Good Deal +Laptop?

[rusko]

My employer has teamed with Dell through a government scheme to increase pc's with internet access to everyone. The amount you pay each month is taken off before tax and ni, saving me 33%. Its basically a loan deal, at the end of the deal you either keep the pc paying the market price at the time or returning it to Dell.

One of the machines is a Dell Inspiron 510 m
1.7ghz processor with centrino
1024mb 333mhz ddr ram
60 gb hd
15" sxga tft screen
video memory up to 64mb system shared
8x dvd+rw drive
Built in strereo sound sigmatel 9750
2 speakers
xp home
ms works 7
norton av with 36 months upgrades
56k/v.92 modem
10/100 ethernet lan on motherboard
2.36 kg
2200 intel pro wireless card
s-video 7 pin mini din port for tv out
firewire 1394
3 yrs international next business day on site warranty
deluxe nylon carry case
kensington slim microsaver security lock
128mb usb memory key
370 Dell on-line training courses

I've listed the above as every Dell is a different package.
This would cost me £24.87(less tax + ni £16.67) a month for 36 months.
Cost of hiring pc over 3yrs £599.83
Other machhine is a Inspiron 6000 2.13 @ £30.05(20.14)

What i would like to know is this a good deal and a good laptop?

[mathare]

My last place had a similar deal and you will generally find that even though it is technically a loan you will be allowed to purchase the PC for a nominal sum at the end of the loan period

[markwales]

Tesco are starting this in October :yikes: You aren't a fellow employee are you Rusko?

The Tesco deal seems slightly different, there is no mention of a fee at the end of the 3 years, or should I say, there is no mention on the staff flyers!!!

I'm considering using the option for a decent laptop, with a view to upgrading every 3 years. Whilst keeping the current desktop.

[mathare]

Many firms will start doing this as it is part of a government scheme to get more IT into the home, hence the tax breaks on it.

I think it is a good deal but when it came out last year at my old place I had just resigned (or was just about too) and if you leave the scheme early you have to pay all your instalments at once.

Officially all the schemes are loans and you have to pay the market value at the end of the loan or give it back but the lenders don't want it back so they are attractively priced to get you to keep it. When I talked to the guys running our scheme they said prices were normally in the £50-£100 region at the end of the 3 year period if not lower.

If you are thinking about getting a new PC to replace an existing one (which I wasn't when our scheme came out, I had just built one) or a laptop to go alongside a desktop or vice versa I would say it is worth it, as long as you get a decent spec machine and good support for the money. Work out how much it costs you a month and multiply that by 36. Then shop around to see what you could get for that cash in the shops/online to get an idea of the value

[GlosRFC]

Had a similar scheme at my last place about 3 years ago. Not aware of any problems and it's a cheaper way (or was at the time) of getting a good deal.

[Win2Win]

For the advertised £599, I wouldn't near it. It has no graphics whatsoever so will be very slooooooowwwww. I'd never buy one unless it had at least AGP graphics, but most new ones have the latest PCI-Express (IE. http://www.ajp.co.uk/?show=wide_info&id=Z71A-E )

Any shared memory systems are basically 2yo models, they haven't been made mainstream for that long.

[bigcumba]

Looks reasonable Rusko, the only thing is the shared video memory, don't expect to be able to play the latest games on it. If that's not a problem, then you have a bargain - I just had a look at the Dell site to piece together a similar package based on the same model, and I'm up to £1161 before adding the 3 year next day on site warranty option - that costs around £200 as well!

[rusko]

For the advertised £599, I wouldn't near it. It has no graphics whatsoever so will be very slooooooowwwww. I'd never buy one unless it had at least AGP graphics, but most new ones have the latest PCI-Express (IE. http://www.ajp.co.uk/?show=wide_info&id=Z71A-E )

Any shared memory systems are basically 2yo models, they haven't been made mainstream for that long.

The 6000 model is same spec except for Pent M 2.13 533 Mhz FSB, 400mhz mem, 15.4 WSXGA LCD screen and a 128mb ddr ati mobility Radeon x 300 video memory.

I also costed up on the Dell site and got up to over £1000, Dell say that compared to the price on their site i(basic rate taxpayer) would be saving £655.17.