New laptop suggestions
New laptop suggestions
Hi there,
My wife owns a PS5 and mostly plays games like Far Cry, Fallout, Skyrim, and Outerworld. She also has an old PC she enjoys using for Sims, House Flipper, and The Tenants. Her current machine is failing, so she wants a replacement but prefers a laptop over upgrading her desktop. I’ve told her a desktop would be better if budget stayed the same, but she’s firm on it. With a £500 budget, could you recommend a laptop that would work well for these games and future titles? She needs something that can handle upcoming releases too—anything with higher specs should be possible on the PS5, while others might need a console. Thanks!
Dippy
With that budget you're targeting entry-level laptops, but your upgrade options are limited. You're not making significant progress toward future-proofing. Still, please clarify the details so we can confirm your requirements regarding your budget.
Yeah, if the upgrade focuses on usability and accommodates those less popular, low-demand titles, it shouldn't be out of reach to locate a laptop that fits that need. As previously noted, you'll mainly be exploring entry-level options.
In my experience, I have access to a nearby MicroCenter and some familiarity with component swapping and research. I want to share what I found...
Most contemporary laptops have their main parts soldered onto the board, which means they weren't built for easy replacement or upgrades. This was especially true in the 13-15 inch range I was checking. In my case, I discovered a reasonably priced Dell that came with an 8th generation i5 processor, a standard HDD, and only half the RAM I needed.
I conducted some research to confirm that both the hard drive could be replaced and the RAM wasn't soldered in.
I bought the laptop for around $400, upgraded it with compatible RAM and an SSD, and it was ready to go for about $500. Its integrated graphics would handle very basic or older games quite well. I've played Soulstorm and Civilization on it—though the latter tends to behave poorly if you don't adjust settings like small map size and fewer civilizations.
Currently, my only missing piece is a USB3 port. At the time of purchase, I didn’t see much need for it, but now I’d wish I had one. It’s not a major concern right now, and it might be something I can get next time. My old laptop has been in good condition for nearly a decade and will continue to serve its purpose with the buyer. I just hope this new one lasts about half as long.