Assistance w/ buying laptop

Discussion in 'Which Laptop should I buy?' started by GAX, May 3, 2016.

  1. GAX

    GAX

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    Hi All,

    I was hoping some of you might be able to assist me in selecting the right laptop for my purposes.

    I would use the laptop for Word Processing, Internet Browsing and Netflix/Streaming Video. I won't be Gaming at all.

    Wants:
    1. A full-sized keyboard (no number pad on the far right.)
    2. An HDMI port.
    3. No Celeron processors.

    If Possible:
    1. Full HD screen and/or IPS Panel.
    2. More than 4gb of ram (or easily expandable).

    The Kicker:
    I can't really spend more than $500.

    Any help you can provide is appreciated. I know the name brands and basic components, but I'm not knowledgable on the specifics.

    Thanks!

    - G
     
    GAX, May 3, 2016
    #1
    IBMPC8088 likes this.
  2. GAX

    IBMPC8088

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    You would like the Lenovo Thinkpad Edge. It can meet these needs and then some, with an AMD A6 or A8 CPU for you, a nice keypad to type on (most of the lenovo ultrabooks, laptops, and netbooks have keyboards that are pleasant to type on as a universal feature and a stable touchpad that doesn't jump around, and dual buttons).

    The RAM on it can be upgraded all the way up to 16GB, it has HDMI, wifi, ethernet, 3 usb ports, and the screen is nice (it's a little smaller at 13.3 inches, but if you're looking for a personal system it's decent to watch things on). I had a customer stop in with one the other day and it was enjoyable to work on and use, and I might consider getting one as a backup for the other lenovo T series system I have with my current collection next to the Asus lineup.

    Matter of fact, you can get one from Amazon with 16GB of ram already on it and a 250GB SSD drive for $390 with free shipping. If it meets your needs, it's a pretty darn good deal for the specs. There's a few sellers and links with it to check out, but I found this one: Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E455 A6-7000 16GB RAM 250GB SSD Hard Drive for $390

    (If you didn't need more than a standard 500gb hard drive or 8GB of ram on it, you can select an alternate choice on there to get the same system for $300 flat with s/h. Getting the SSD drive and double the ram is worth it, but if you need to spend as little as possible, you can get that same system for $90 less, and then just upgrade the hard drive and ram to what you need later when you're ready to if the price comes down to where you could do both for 40 or 50 instead).
     
    IBMPC8088, May 4, 2016
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    GAX likes this.
  3. GAX

    GAX

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    Thank you for all the information! That all sounds pretty good. I don't know much about AMD processors. How do they relate to the Intel ones? Are the A6 and A8 roughly equivalent to something, like the Pentium or Core ones?
     
    GAX, May 4, 2016
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    IBMPC8088 likes this.
  4. GAX

    IBMPC8088

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    You're welcome. :) And yes; it gets detailed but as a summary or quick reference, you can compare (on average) the performance of an A6 to an i3, an A8 to an i5, and an A10 to an i7. There's a lot of different factors involved, but that's an easy way to look at it for performance from a user standpoint. It'll get a little more technical when the Skylake processors are available from intel to replace the current Haswell ones, to where you'll see other arrangements from intel like dual i7's and such.
     
    IBMPC8088, May 5, 2016
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    GAX likes this.
  5. GAX

    Corzhens

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    I am using an HP so what I can recommend is an HP with the basic, not sure if the memory is 4GB but I think larger. That goes with the standard 500 GB of HHD for storage. Over here it would cost around $500 or so, not sure if it's the same price in your place. I think that recommendation of @IBMPC8088 is pretty good particularly if the costing quoted is in your area.
     
    Corzhens, May 6, 2016
    #5
  6. GAX

    OursIsTheFury

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    To be honest, prices vary from store to store. If you have a budget in mind, then I suggest you go to a local retail store and see what your money is worth, and what laptops are available. If you are lucky, one of their items would match most, if not all, of your qualifications, and you get the privilege of having warranty for an item you just bought in case there are some damages after you bought it. If there are multiple stores in the same area, I suggest you window shop for a better price, but the main reason to buy locally is to get a warranty, and usually these laptops have about a year's worth, that would mean free maintenance or repairs in case there is something wrong.
     
    OursIsTheFury, May 8, 2016
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  7. GAX

    Norjak71

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    If you are looking for expandable options laptops really aren't the best choice. The think-pad is a good suggestion for your budget but you could also try Acer as well. They are a reputable brand and have computers on the cheap as well. Your local Best Buy might be an option to poke around as well as they usually have models on display that are fit for budget needs.
     
    Norjak71, May 8, 2016
    #7
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