desperately need help in choosing laptop

[zabrak]

I don't want a gaming laptop, as I'll have my desktop PC for that shit.

I just need a laptop for business, but it also needs to be pretty fast as well


http://portland.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=laptop&s=100&sort=pricedsc


Can you guys help me choose one from that link?



my budget is $400-600, I just don't know which one to choose one, you know

Like, what about this one for $500:

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/clt/4973419469.html

"Intel Core-i7 Processor running at 2.0 Ghz
AMD Radeon HD 7470
120 GB SSD drive (OS intalled), 1 TB storage HD
8 GB DDR3 SDRAM
17.3 inch Display
Full size keyboard with keypad
DVD Drive
4 USB Ports
Sturdy, Business Class Laptop"

I think it's from 2011, is $500 way too much for thowe specs?


There's a variety of other laptops in the $400-$600 price range of course, help me decide bros!

 

[64K]

Will you only be running MS Office or is there other software that it will need to run too for work? Is a 17.3 inch screen important to you or would 15.6 inch screen do? Is fast boot time important to you? Depending on your needs it may be that you can get a new laptop with a warranty within your budget.

 

[zabrak]

Will you only be running MS Office or is there other software that it will need to run too for work? Is a 17.3 inch screen important to you or would 15.6 inch screen do? Is fast boot time important to you? Depending on your needs it may be that you can get a new laptop with a warranty within your budget.

Looking for a computer that doesn't drain too much battery, really. A laptop with a decent battery life, yet also has good specs too from $400-$600

 

[krusha03]

Do you need a portable laptop or a desktop replacement. For me a business laptop needs to be small (12" - 14"), lightweight (<2kg), have long battery life (>6 hours) and has a msata slot to add SSD while retaining the HDD. This led me to the 13.3" Acer Travelmate P633 with 8 cell battery that has 12 hours battery and its less than 2kg.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Acer-Tr...478?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51ce32b47e
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Acer-13-3-T...596?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f345a7af4

You can add a 256GB SSD for $105
http://pcpartpicker.com/mr/newegg/crucial-internal-hard-drive-ct256m550ssd3

and another block of 4GB ram for $25

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

 

[Solaris17]

17" screens are the worst possible idea for battery life or everyday use imo. the screen destroys the battery. and given the amount of flex those panels have being wider I see alot of broken 17's in the shop from "just opening it"

 

[thebluebumblebee]

I think it's from 2011, is $500 way too much for thowe specs?

I sure think so. (I heard someone say not to buy a laptop over 2 years old and I concur) And I would personally run from that listing due to the conflicting information it contains.
What's important to you? Screen size? Screen resolution? Battery life? Portability? (ties in with screen size) Speed - CPU? Speed - storage? (ie, SSD, SSHD or HDD)
This Toshiba Satellite S55t-B5152 Signature Edition Laptop looks pretty nice ($500), but it comes with a 5400 rpm HDD. If boot times are not all that important, then this would be okay and you could upgrade to a SSHD or SSD latter.
BTW, with these 5th gen CPU's, Intel is calling dual core, hyper-threaded CPU's i3, i5 and i7. Go figure.

 

[krusha03]

I sure think so. (I heard someone say not to buy a laptop over 2 years old and I concur) And I would personally run from that listing due to the conflicting information it contains.
What's important to you? Screen size? Battery life? Portability? (ties in with screen size) Speed - CPU? Speed - storage? (ie, SSD or HDD)
This Toshiba Satellite S55t-B5152 Signature Edition Laptop looks pretty nice ($500), but it comes with a 5400 rpm HDD. If boot times are not all that important, then this would be okay and you could upgrade to a SSD latter.
BTW, with these 5th gen CPU's, Intel is calling dual core, hyper-threaded CPU's i3, i5 and i7. Go figure.

For ULV cpus it has always been i3 2c/4t no turbo i5 2c/4t with turbo and i7 same as i5 but with 1MB more cache. Also I don't see why you wouldn't buy older generation laptop if the price is good

 

[Kursah]

The Dell 3540 is good, it does have 2 GPU's, but won't use the AMD one unless you do game. Which it does pretty well with. It was a refurb sale for arond $450 direct from Dell at one point, which is almost $100 less than I paid for mine a year ago (using it right now).

Slap an SSD in it, and you have a very fast and potent laptop. The battery still holds up to 5 hours worth of use, was about 7.5 when new and I've used and abused the heck out of this laptop. I appreciate that it has more metal than other laptops in this price-range. I also upgraded my RAM to 8GB, but last i check the $450 one was 8GB RAM and 500GB SSHD. I have a 1TB SSHD, which works okay, but if you want speed get an SSD and then a USB3 HDD or replace the DVD drive with an HDD caddy (will consume more battery this way).

If you buy refurb from Dell it comes with a 1-year warranty too. Here's my source: http://www.gaminglaptopsjunky.com/r...ood-thermals-and-battery-performance-for-500/

I've been uber impressed with mine...it has held up to a lot of abuse, travel, business use, gaming, virtualization lab, etc... I dual boot Win 8.1 and Ubuntu 14.04. I've ran up to 5 VM's on it at once. I've played Star Citizen (at 720P and low settings) and Elite Dangerous (1080p, med/hi settings).

This laptop gets the job done. The drivers are old, and if you don't need gaming capabilities, you will have less to mess with to make newer AMD drivers work as you'll primarily use the Intel iGPU, which itself is very efficient and pretty powerful.

Thermals are decent too. I can suggest this as a good option after over a year of abuse on mine.

 

[thebluebumblebee]

OP, you say that this is for business. How important will it be to your business? Will you be dead in the water without it? That is the other reason to consider new - an insurance program that replaces or fixes your laptop with in a set period of time. That's a big part of buying a laptop.

 

[azngreentea01]

Maybe an ASus Zenbook

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SGS7ZH4/?tag=tec06d-20

• Intel Core M 5Y10 (0.80GHz)

• 8GB Memory 256GB SSD

• Intel HD Graphics 5300

• 1920 x 1080

• Windows 8.1 64-Bit

http://www.anandtech.com/show/9117/analyzing-intel-core-m-performance

 

[zabrak]

ALRIGHT BROS THANKS FORTHE INPUT

It seems to me that it'll come down to these options:

Acer 1:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BPYSHQY/?tag=tec06d-20

Acer 2:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FJYL4C0/?tag=tec06d-20


Toshiba:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP5AXMQ/?tag=tec06d-20

Dell:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GRGAE16/?tag=tec06d-20


I just Amazon links to conveniently provide you guys specs

Which one has the best specs?

My debit card is out and ready to use just awaiting which laptop you guys would recommend.

Thanks!

 

[kn00tcn]

what does business mean? it's hard to guage battery life, it depends on usage including manually underpowering it yourself (also, buy spare batteries)

i suppose one thing to look at is if the cpu is weak or low power, that MIGHT mean more battery life... but if they design it to be thinner & lighter, they would put in a smaller battery, cancelling out the possibility of increased battery life

(I heard someone say not to buy a laptop over 2 years old and I concur)

i7-2670qm, gtx570m, 17" 1920x1080, battlefield with various options on ultra, this was made in late 2011, bought in june 2012

i cant concur unless it's not i7 & not dedicated gpu

 

[krusha03]

ALRIGHT BROS THANKS FORTHE INPUT

It seems to me that it'll come down to these options:

Acer 1:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BPYSHQY/?tag=tec06d-20

Acer 2:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FJYL4C0/?tag=tec06d-20


Toshiba:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP5AXMQ/?tag=tec06d-20

Dell:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GRGAE16/?tag=tec06d-20


I just Amazon links to conveniently provide you guys specs

Which one has the best specs?

My debit card is out and ready to use just awaiting which laptop you guys would recommend.

Thanks!

Depends on what you want to do. Are the Dell specs correct? Because that was mentioned with an i5 dedicated card and FHD screen. The one posted there is the slowest and worst choice of the 3.

The toshiba has:
Faster CPU
FHD screen

The acer has:
More expanding options
Removable battery
better battery life
smaller footprint (more portable)

Just make sure you get the Acer with the 8 cell battery

 

[Liquid Cool]

I wouldn't buy any of those listed because I'm not a fan of Acer or especially Toshiba's cheap build quality. The Dell unit is over-priced, I purchased a Core i5-4200 for $50 less from Dell. Tigerdirect has an HP ProBook 450 with a core i3(4005u) model for $369.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-ProBook-...019?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35e247c903

I go through A LOT of laptops...I usually troll Slickdeals until I see Dell refurbished Latitudes are on sale, or I buy 2012 models from eBay. Personally, I like the older i5's from Sandy/Ivy Bridge on eBay the best. They're literally giving away the Dell Latitudes(ie: e6530) and the HP Elitebooks on there.

The laptop in my sig cost $215 brand new on eBay. A $25 chip from China, 4GB's of ram, and an SSD later...I have $350 into it.

The Asus UX305 that was linked to appears to be a nice unit.

Best,

Liquid Cool

 

[zabrak]

what does business mean? it's hard to guage battery life, it depends on usage including manually underpowering it yourself (also, buy spare batteries)

i suppose one thing to look at is if the cpu is weak or low power, that MIGHT mean more battery life... but if they design it to be thinner & lighter, they would put in a smaller battery, cancelling out the possibility of increased battery life


i7-2670qm, gtx570m, 17" 1920x1080, battlefield with various options on ultra, this was made in late 2011, bought in june 2012

i cant concur unless it's not i7 & not dedicated gpu

It's just using MS Office bri, but I want a laptop that'll last me a while, so that's why I'd like to buy one relatively recent and good, as opposed to one from lile 2010-2011

 

[zabrak]

Depends on what you want to do. Are the Dell specs correct? Because that was mentioned with an i5 dedicated card and FHD screen. The one posted there is the slowest and worst choice of the 3.

The toshiba has:
Faster CPU
FHD screen

The acer has:
More expanding options
Removable battery
better battery life
smaller footprint (more portable)

Just make sure you get the Acer with the 8 cell battery

Hmm interesting. Can you pleaae link me to a site where I can purchase the Dell in question? Ebay etc, I didn't see anywhere to buy the laptop from your link

Thanks!

 

[krusha03]

I wouldn't buy any of those listed because I'm not a fan of Acer or especially Toshiba's cheap build quality. The Dell unit is over-priced, I purchased a Core i5-4200 for $50 less from Dell. Tigerdirect has an HP ProBook 450 with a core i3(4005u) model for $369.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-ProBook-...019?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35e247c903

I go through A LOT of laptops...I usually troll Slickdeals until I see Dell refurbished Latitudes are on sale, or I buy 2012 models from eBay. Personally, I like the older i5's from Sandy/Ivy Bridge on eBay the best. They're literally giving away the Dell Latitudes(ie: e6530) and the HP Elitebooks on there.

The laptop in my sig cost $215 brand new on eBay. A $25 chip from China, 4GB's of ram, and an SSD later...I have $350 into it.

The Asus UX305 that was linked to appears to be a nice unit.

Best,

Liquid Cool

The acer travelmates are anything but cheap. Actually acer has come a long way in the past 5 years. the case is magnesium alloy and 2 year warranty vs 1 year of that unit. Also it has faster cpu, better battery life and it's smaller

Hmm interesting. Can you pleaae link me to a site where I can purchase the Dell in question? Ebay etc, I didn't see anywhere to buy the laptop from your link

Here
http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnline...arch.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dfb&cs=28&puid=af7d2a0b

It's just using MS Office bri, but I want a laptop that'll last me a while, so that's why I'd like to buy one relatively recent and good, as opposed to one from lile 2010-2011

Are you gonna be on the move often? Is battery life important? If yes go for the acer since its portable and has 12 hour battery life otherwise go for a 15 inch model. Personal experience has shown that carrying a 15" workstation around is a pain in the ass.

 

[zabrak]

I wouldn't buy any of those listed because I'm not a fan of Acer or especially Toshiba's cheap build quality. The Dell unit is over-priced, I purchased a Core i5-4200 for $50 less from Dell. Tigerdirect has an HP ProBook 450 with a core i3(4005u) model for $369.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-ProBook-...019?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35e247c903

I go through A LOT of laptops...I usually troll Slickdeals until I see Dell refurbished Latitudes are on sale, or I buy 2012 models from eBay. Personally, I like the older i5's from Sandy/Ivy Bridge on eBay the best. They're literally giving away the Dell Latitudes(ie: e6530) and the HP Elitebooks on there.

The laptop in my sig cost $215 brand new on eBay. A $25 chip from China, 4GB's of ram, and an SSD later...I have $350 into it.

The Asus UX305 that was linked to appears to be a nice unit.

Best,

Liquid Cool

M right I see.

Can that HP laptop compete with the other laptop's specs, though ?

 

[Kursah]

Read this link I had in my first response, should help you find a good deal on a Dell direct from them:

http://www.gaminglaptopsjunky.com/r...ood-thermals-and-battery-performance-for-500/

This is how I mine. Worked great, saved me quite a bit of $$$ too.

 

[zabrak]

The acer travelmates are anything but cheap. Actually acer has come a long way in the past 5 years. the case is magnesium alloy and 2 year warranty vs 1 year of that unit. Also it has faster cpu, better battery life and it's smaller



Here
http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnline...arch.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dfb&cs=28&puid=af7d2a0b


Are you gonna be on the move often? Is battery life important? If yes go for the acer since its portable and has 12 hour battery life otherwise go for a 15 inch model. Personal experience has shown that carrying a 15" workstation around is a pain in the ass.

Hmm that link doesn't seem to work unfortunately, mind re-linking?

Also, would you think that the Dell's specs are superior to the Toshiba's and Acer's?

Thanks!

 

[zabrak]

Read this link I had in my first response, should help you find a good deal on a Dell direct from them:

http://www.gaminglaptopsjunky.com/r...ood-thermals-and-battery-performance-for-500/

This is how I mine. Worked great, saved me quite a bit of $$$ too.

Huh I see, thanks


http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnline...Xd3982559bba9f192766fe10acc76a589&AID=7102866

I'm having trouble finding one that jumps out at me, which one should I select?

Thanks!

EDIT:

http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnline...arch.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dfb&cs=28&puid=6d942ad9


this one for example, I'm having trouble finding a link to purchase it


EDIT PART DEUX:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Latitu...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item234d89a1ff

This seems to be the one priced at $528

Two questions:


1. How good would the battery life be (it doesn't say unsurprisingly )?

2. Is it superior to the previous laptops based on bang/buck?


Thanks!

 

[Liquid Cool]

krusha03...I said that 'I' don't buy anything Acer, what others do with their capital is their choice. My comment in regards to flimsy build quality was in relation to the Toshiba models.

Although...I do agree with you Acer has come a long way in the last 5 years...and frankly, the other companies I mentioned...Dell and HP, their build quality has declined. Lenovo is heading down this path as well.

From my perspective...it's a weird world when I'm considering an Acer or an Asus over Dell and HP....but that's just me and I'm nuts.

.

Liquid Cool

EDIT: That Latitude 3000 seems like a solid unit. Nice spec's for the price.

 

[zabrak]

krusha03...I said that 'I' don't buy anything Acer, what others do with their capital is their choice. My comment in regards to flimsy build quality was in relation to the Toshiba models.

Although...I do agree with you Acer has come a long way in the last 5 years...and frankly, the other companies I mentioned...Dell and HP, their build quality has declined. Lenovo is heading down this path as well.

From my perspective...it's a weird world when I'm considering an Acer or an Asus over Dell and HP....but that's just me and I'm nuts.

.

Liquid Cool

EDIT: That Latitude 3000 seems like a solid unit. Nice spec's for the price.

Hmm yeah, would you suggest it over the final laptops I narrowed it down to? Gonna buy one tomorrow afternoon, might as well choose one

 

[Kursah]

My battery life is quite good, I was able to eek out 7.5 hours when it was new... I didn't do the best with maintaining my battery and it's lost some life...but I still get over 5 hours when I'm browsing/document editing.

As-far-as how it holds up to other laptops, that might require some research on your part. The i5 is potent, its easy to get to the RAM and HDD for upgrades. The system is limited to 8GB system RAM, which is fine for what it'll be used for...if I can game, do virtualization, work and school...you'll have no issues.

I spent months researching a $500 budget laptop over a year ago that could do some gaming and be reliable, I came up with this 3540 for $525 with code from Dell Outlet, the i5/4GB/1920x1080, and it's been a beast. A little finicky with the AMD drivers, but as you said gaming isn't your big priority so that isn't a problem...though I was able to sort out my issues and get it resolved and get great performance. Even with that, I gotta say this has been a very solid laptop to work and play on, for the price it's super tough to beat...apparently still.

It works really well with Linux as well...Ubuntu supported from 12.04 and up.

Edit: By battery life being quite good, I compare it to many laptops in this price range...3.5-5.5 hours is usually the average. It's no ultrabook or Macbook on battery life, but that should be expected.

 

[Liquid Cool]

I'm trying to cook at the moment....

Although...I wanted to just add quickly...that If you're considering buying from the Dell outlet, just wait until a sale comes on. They go on sale regularly.

Once the sales start...pick the unit with the best specs that fits your needs. I wouldn't be in a rush...if you wait, you'll get a good deal.

Until then, research them for yourself and decide 'exactly' what you want.

Patience is worth more to me than gold.

Best,

Liquid Cool