Staff Laptop Information
The information here is for University staff, if you're a student and you want more information about laptops, take a look at Student Laptop Information
Staff Laptop Recommendations
We've been working with suppliers recommended through the Universities and Colleges Information Systems (UCISA) scheme to identify a range of quality laptop suitable for our staff. We've found a selection offering specifications for a range of uses as well as good value for money. CIS has recently undertaken a framework agreement with suppliers, and after a lot of negotiations, and testing recommends Dell, We therefore recommend them on the following grounds:
- Maintenance and support - our suppliers have proven after-sales support and guarantee spare parts availability
- Performance - the recommended laptops all make use of the latest chipsets.
- Compatibility - all these laptops can support the Managed Desktop Service and the campus-wide wireless service.
- If you feel that any of the laptops shown below, do not meet your requirements, then please contact a member of the CIS team, and we can advised you on the best options available with Prices
All recommended laptops:
- Have built in wireless (WiFi) capability
- Come with Ethernet connectivity
- Are Bluetooth enabled (except the Netbook)
- Have the option to use with a docking station (except the Netbook)
- Are suitable for MDS usage
- Have built in encryption
All our prices include the administration charge for configuring the machine to function on the University network and a 3 year on site warranty, representing a saving against the cost to purchase the same equipment from an external supplier.
By purchasing one of our recommended laptops you'll be making sure you get the most out of the range of MDS services we provide. We cannot guarantee to support any Laptops that differ from these models.
Recommended Laptop models
The key to choosing the best laptop for your needs is to understand what tasks it is most suited to perform. With this in mind, our range of recommended laptops includes:
- A basic laptop
- A general laptop
- A High specification Large Screen Laptop
- An ultra lightweight model
- A small, light Netbook
- Appropriate docking stations
- A range of additional equipments
Standard Laptop
Dell Latitude E5430
Intel I3 2.10 Ghz Processor
14" LED TFT Screen
4 Gb 1600 Mhz DDR3 Memory
320 Gb Hard Disk Drive
Optical DVD +/- RW Drive
Intel HD Graphics 3000
Dell Wireless 380 Bluetooth and Intel N6205 Wireless
3 years on site support
Weight is 2.04Kg with 4 cell Battery
Carry Case
full specification can be found at:
Cost is £578 (inc VAT)
A Keyboard and Mouse can be supplied at an extra cost of £25 (inc VAT)
Higher Specification Laptop
Dell Latitude E5430
Intel I5 2.60 Ghz Processor
14" LED TFT Screen
4 Gb 1600 Mhz DDR3 Memory
320 Gb Hard Disk Drive
Optical DVD +/- RW Drive
Intel HD Graphics 3000
Dell Wireless 380 Bluetooth and Intel N6205 Wireless
3 years on site support
Weight is 2.04Kg with 4 cell Battery
Carry Case
full specification can be found at:
Cost is £692 (inc VAT)
A Keyboard and Mouse can be supplied at an extra cost of £25 (inc VAT)
Large Screen Laptop
Dell E5530
Intel I5 2.60 Ghz Processor
15.6" LED TFT Screen
4 Gb 1600 Mhz DDR3 Memory
320 Gb Hard Disk Drive
Optical DVD +/- RW Drive
Intel HD Graphics 3000
Dell Wireless 380 Bluetooth and Intel N6205 Wireless
3 years on site support
Weight is 2.4Kg with 4 cell Battery
Carry Case
full specification can be found at:
Cost is £692 (inc VAT)
A Keyboard and Mouse can be supplied at an extra cost of £25 (inc VAT)
The small, light, competatively priced laptop
Dell Latitude E6330
Intel I5 2.60 Ghz Processor
13.3" LED TFT Screen
4 Gb 1600 Mhz DDR3 Memory
320 Gb Hard Disk Drive
Optical DVD +/- RW Drive
Intel HD Graphics 3000
Dell Wireless 380 Bluetooth and Intel N6205 Wireless
3 years on site support
Weight is 1.6 Kg with 4 cell Battery
Carry Case
full specification can be found at:
Cost is £838 (inc VAT)
A Keyboard and Mouse can be supplied at an extra cost of £25 (inc VAT
Docking Stations & Additional extras
Docking Stations (or Port Replicators) give you the option to 'convert' your laptop to a desktop PC, so you can use your laptop as a PC anywhere. The Dell range of Laptops which we recommend have docking stations and we'd recommend them for use in an office setting as they're particularly useful if you need to use your laptop regularly.
A further benefit of using a docking station is that extended use of a laptop for continuous periods of time can lead to you sitting incorrectly (laptops cannot be set up ergonomically as recommended by Health and Safety practitioners) - a docking station can be used with a keyboard and mouse and can therefore be set up properly.
Finally, using a laptop with a docking station also offers the following benefits:
- A cost saving as you avoid the need to purchase both a laptop and a PC.
- A reduced risk of data duplication due to there being no need to synchronise two piece of hardware.
- A further cost saving as there is a reduced need for multiple software licences.
- A reduced environmental impact through production, running, maintenance and disposal of only one piece of electronic equipment.
Additional extras:
Docking Stations - £64 plus VAT
Monitors - Details fof Monitors can be found at:
Ordering Procedure
If you have any queries about any of the recommended laptops and accessories or would like to purchase any of the items shown, please contact the IT Service Desk on 41515 or via itservicedesk@durham.ac.uk
Note: Prices quoted are subject to change. VAT at 20% is shown in the current price. We make every effort to update these pages regularly however these prices should be taken as a guide. These prices are only for laptops purchased for University use and do not apply to equipment required for personal use.