Recommended Laptop for Uni?

[Cola]

Ideapads are as rubbish as all the other consumer stuff. Not at all comparable to Thinkpads.
Owl covers some good points. Generally most people could easily suffice with a slightly older pc, since not a lot has happened on main stream processors the later years, with the exception of some minor things and lower power consumption of course. Personally I use a T440P that I've had for 2 years now. I bought it used back then when it was already two generations old. It's more beefy than many other laptops, but the cooling is really good and the fact that Lenovo didn't really have to restrain itself on space within it, means that they have probably spent those engineering hours other (better) places. For instance the hinge mechanism which still works as when it was brand new...

TL;DR
You (and 90% of everyone else with a new consumer laptop) can most probably do with a Thinkpad from a few generations ago.

With 600£ I'd probably buy something like this and save the rest of the money, or maybe find a nice T470 instead.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lenovo-ThinkPa...SwdnZaNwtz


I wouldn't go back as far as a T430 today, as they are becoming a bit dated. T440 or after would be my recommendation.