Worthwhile though if she is constantly spending £300 on new ones
Yes, but you've not taken into account the random power on-ing and off-ing, the failure to update the antivirus, the constant use of unsecured wifi hotspots, and a tendancy to visit sites with a great deal of spyware (need i say more)
Brand, Spec and Price - a combination of the 3 in search of performance and reliability
I agree with Glenn on this. A reliable brand is important, but so is the spec. It's got to cope with what you need it to do after all and finally a good price.
First, I would choose for its brand like DELL, Acer and Toshiba because I know that these brands are well-known for high-quality laptops . Then, I would choose for its specs, price and lastly its color etc....