Question Which laptop among these?
Question Which laptop among these?
I’m searching for a new laptop that fits my needs. My older model is an i5 9th gen with a GTX 1650, which tends to slow down over time and occasionally freezes. It’s about three years old now. I’m aiming for a budget-friendly option that offers a solid CPU and can handle light eSports like Valorant, CS GO, or Minecraft at 1080p 60fps. I need to compare these models and see which one best matches my priorities.
Sure, please share the links to each laptop you've considered. This will help us review their specifications and pricing, as well as discuss potential future upgrades. Including your location, budget, and preferred purchase site will also help the community suggest better options if needed.
I found several options for you. The Acer Aspire 5 is available with MSI gf63 thin. Fujitsu CH is also listed, though the original site wasn't located, so an Amazon link was provided. The Asus Vivobook Pro 14 OLED and Dell Inspiron 14 are available, with the Dell model not found on their official site, so an Amazon link was given. The Lenovo IdeaPad slim 5 fits within my budget, which is around 790 USD. For future upgrades, I expect to upgrade to more RAM or storage, possibly both, but I don't have any plans yet. My preferred places to buy are the manufacturer's market, Amazon, or Flipkart.
My choice is:
Asus vivobook pro 14 OLED (Ryzen 5 5600H, amd integrated graphics)
Dell Inspiron 14 5410 (I5 11320H, Iris XE)
You might want to upgrade the RAM in the Dell but not the Asus, so it seems you'd need to purchase the Asus with 16GB. I wouldn't suggest a laptop with 8GB if you're aiming for long-term use. OLED displays also need a bit more attention compared to other types, but they generally look very great.
I'm struggling to decide between these options honestly, for the precise reasons. This vivobook's version that fits my budget includes 8 gigs and the 16 GB model is way beyond my budget. Still, it would be the first OLED screen I'd consider if I also buy a laptop, and it's larger than my phone. What about the vivobook K15 OLED? It has a soldered stick and another for Expendables. The one I might choose has an i5 1135g7 and an iris XE, with 8 gigs of RAM that can expand up to 40 gigs (an unusual amount, though I probably won't exceed 20).
It's a solid laptop, offering better value compared to higher-end models but not matching the picture quality at this price. The choice really comes down to what matters most—prioritizing portability or performance. If you value mobility and the Asus Vivobook Pro is out of reach, I’d recommend the Dell Inspiron 14 5410. I’ve tried the 15-inch model; it’s stylish and well-made for its cost. The 14-inch version is easier to carry than a larger laptop. It’s not a top gaming machine, but the Iris Xe GPU should handle the games reasonably well, though you’ll need an extra 8GB RAM for dual-channel performance.
The system lists 40GB as the maximum for the Asus, considering the 32GB DDR4 DIMM limit and the 8GB already installed.
I didn’t focus much on it before, but I see you own a 9th generation laptop with an Intel 1650. Have you looked into ways to improve its speed? In my opinion, it should be sufficient for the games you mentioned. The 1650 definitely outperforms built-in graphics and is more capable overall.
I don't have a problem with the 1650, it's the i5 9th gen that i have issues with, the stuff that i have to do with my laptop (such as using MATLAB) sometimes makes it unresponsive (there's a bit of light stuttering everytime, but it sometimes goes with the faded window and the (not responding) when i load one data to another, which is kinda irritating.
Not to mention that I've tried thermal repasting and cleaning the fans on a monthly basis, but it still reaches around the 100 degree Celsius mark on the CPU when it comes to minecraft.
And that laptop (it's the 2019 edition of the acer Nitro 5, the 17.3 inch model) is bulky and huge, and around the 3Kg weight mark, so I'd want my next to be something light and small. I'm a day scholar so it takes me around an hour to commute to college, so I'd prefer something that doesn't break my shoulders along the way
I don't need gaming performance much because i have a desktop with a 3080Ti anyways, but i participate seldom in some of my college eSports competitions, thus the slight requirement.
I think you have an i5 9300H inside, my main worry is that most of these CPUs won't significantly improve what you already have. The 5600H and i5 1240P would be better options, though it depends on laptop cooling—especially for the latter. It seems your CPU might be throttling if it gets too hot. Having used laptops daily, I’m unsure how you managed with such a heavy 3kg device. The Asus Vivobook K15 is lighter than before, around 1.8kg, and the Dell Inspiron 14 is even lighter at about 1.44kg.
It is indeed 9300H, sorry for not explaining it earlier. For this specific case:
I found a paragraph on notebookcheck mentioning (for the aspire 5)
"The heat generation is comparable to other multimedia laptops. After our 60-minute stress test (running FurMark and Prime95), temperatures reached up to 43°C (109°F) at the top and 48°C (118°F) at the bottom. Although these numbers aren't ideal, they are acceptable as long as you don't put the device on your lap. At idle, the entire chassis remained cool, staying below 30°C (86°F)."
I wonder if that's sufficient? The display isn't impressive, but CPU performance is more important to me, especially since I've worked with average displays before.
I'm particularly drawn to the K15 model because the 1135g7 offers a very good TDP, which should also extend battery life.
Keep in mind the chassis temperature, not just the CPU temperature. The CPU reached 92°C for the package during the stress test, as shown in the screenshot near 'Stress test'. It throttled significantly when both CPU and GPU were active, but the CPU itself maintained performance better on its own.