Searching for laptop
Searching for laptop
Hi,
I’m planning to purchase a new computer for myself and my mother, and I’m quite outdated on tech. I’m still in the time when Intel Core processors were mainly i3, i5, or i7. If you can assist, that would be really helpful.
For me, I’m considering a model in the $400 to $650 range, and possibly up to $700 if needed. I don’t play much games—just occasionally I enjoy N64, Sims 3, or GTA 4 (I haven’t tried GTA V yet). My mother tends to prefer less demanding devices. We both just want something durable. I’d also like to carry it around often, but I’m not sure a 2-in-1 is the best choice. Windows 11 compatibility is essential. I’m unsure which laptops are still reliable anymore—experiences have shown otherwise.
My mother has been using a Chromebook until now, and it’s no longer supported. I’m thinking of getting her a new one, but if it’s Windows, she won’t need much in terms of specifications, just something dependable. This is frustrating because most budget laptops with lower specs seem to be less reliable too.
I believe I’m looking for a mid-range laptop or perhaps a more affordable business model. I love the Surface, though they’re quite pricey. MacBooks aren’t really my style either.
Ah, the screen size—seems like they’re getting too small nowadays. I usually prefer 14-15 inch displays. If I had to choose, I’d go for something around 13 inches.
Thanks in advance for any advice. I haven’t been here much lately, but I hope to help others once I get back on track. If I forget anything, just let me know and I’ll follow up.
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Guess I didn't look where I was supposed to for that. Here goes:
1.
What is your budget?
$400-$700
2.
What is the size of the notebook that you are considering?
13 if laplet and 14-15 inches for a laptop.
3.
What screen resolution do you want?
Uh...I don't know what is the standards of that today. I may go into the graphics field eventually, though. Doesn't have to be XPS, but not too bad either.
4.
Do you need a portable or desktop replacement laptop?
It needs to be portable and also may be my desktop replacement laptop as well. I will be carrying it around, that's for sure.
5.
How much battery life do you need?
Again, I don't know the standards. Minimum of a day of regular use, I'd think (Not watching videos 24/7)
6.
Do you want to play games with your laptop?
If so then please list the games that you want to with the settings that you want for these games. (Low,Medium or High)? I think even 10 year old laptops can handle the games I play: GTA 4, The Sims 3, and N64 emulator. Not a heavy gamer.
7.
What other tasks do you want to do with your laptop? (Photo/Video editing, Etc.)
Photo editing possibly as mentioned above, the video editing I do is converting VHS to DVD sometimes, and I do fix people's computers often, so I will be using programs in that area as well such as HDD scanners. Oh and I do audio editing as a hobby, not professionally, with Audacity.
8.
How much storage (Hard Drive capacity) do you need?
I think I can be flexible with that, as a hard drive is replaceable. I can get a good 1 TB SSD separately for much cheaper than if it comes with the PC.
9.
If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post their links:
The last time I bought a computer was from dell.com. I have no experience in that.
10.
How long do you want to keep your laptop?
As long as possible. My old laptop lasted 12 years.
11.
What kind of Optical drive do you need?
DVD ROM/Writer,Bluray ROM/Writer,Etc ? I think most laptops no longer come with one. I'll probably use one via USB. Speaking of which, I'd like some USB ports...
12.
Please tell us about the brands that you prefer to buy from them and the brands that you don't like and explain the reasons.
I prefer Asus, Dell, and Microsoft. Those are the ones I am familiar with and except for their cheaper laptops they have been quite reliable in my experience. Apple I've had negative experiences with and considering that they charge hundreds for the brand, I'd prefer not to go there.
13.
What country do you live in?
USA.
Thanks!
If moms were content on the Chromebook, I might think about trying it again. It’s the same environment she’s used to, which is good. It seems that top-quality models fit within your budget, though likely one device at a time rather than multiple together. For laptops, I usually prefer Dell Inspiron or XPS, like that one. The gaming features mentioned might make the search a bit more challenging. It looks like you might be looking for something with a dedicated graphics setup.
Here are some choices based on your budget:
Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop
HP Pavilion Gaming 15
MSI GF63 THIN 9SCX-005
Lenovo L340
ASUS VivoBook
Acer Aspire 5
ASUS TUF FX505DT
Thank you for the ideas, but those are gaming laptops. I don't mind them much, though the weight is quite heavy. The Vivo could work, though it seems to be their Inspiron version, similar to how Zen matches XPS. I'm considering a Vostro for myself right now and an Inspiron or Vivo for my mom.