You're looking for a new laptop, either used or new. Consider what features to prioritize and what to skip.
You're looking for a new laptop, either used or new. Consider what features to prioritize and what to skip.
Yes, I've seen the "Buying a new laptop" sticky, but it doesn't really fit. I'm more interested in general models of what to look for or avoid. The most recent one, a Dell-inspiron-3558 is an absolute turkey, even after Colif and others helped when the HD started to fail. The touchpad doesn't even work right, left side is ok, right side I have to hit with a hammer.
Do I need a name brand? I saw one last night on Amazon I'd never heard of that looked pretty good. Should I wait for Win 11, I hate 10 with a passion, 11 might be better, or not. What series are good or bad, are all Inspiron bad or just the one I got? Are Latitudes generally good, or should I avoid Dell. I'm not a power user, not a gamer, but I do have a lot of stuff. Now this might morph into my wife's too, or additionally and it sees regular use, lightweight, internet is the most taxing, but mine only sees a few weeks a year use. The projected laptop, not me and PCs, I'm always on one. Any years that are bad or I should avoid, I might go used, or max age. Or is that a really bad idea? Minimum speed/number of cores? Memory in G? Again, not a gamer, probably closer to a business use, even though it's personal, but I'd like decent speed/performance. 14" screen is kind of an odd need for me, which shouldn't, but might affect other things.
Last one I bought new I looked at in the store, but you can't tell much more, if anything more, in the store with no internet or the programs that you actually use, than you can on the 'net.
Yeah, there's a bunch of stuff here, but I figure you get the gist of it, generalities more than anything.
These days, I tend to stick to laptops sold by Lenovo, HP or Acer. Dell has become a disappointment compared to how they used to be and most all of the others are either troubled or overpriced for what you are getting, and then there's the funky-named Chinese off brands which I personally wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. When a brand isn't known there is usually a reason for it, at least when it comes to computer hardware and laptops, regardless of where it comes from.
If a laptop isn't sold by a company named Apple, Microsoft, Lenovo, HP, Acer, Dell, ASUS, MSI, Razer, Samsung, LG, Google or Alienware, I'd probably avoid it. I may have left somebody worthwhile out but those are the main players, and of those, I'd personally make every effort to ensure it was a Lenovo or HP first, Acer second and everybody else third, assuming the astronomical expense of Apple products AND the ginormous PITA of owning one of their products, puts them out of the conversation.
How much are you wanting, or willing, to spend on a laptop?
Lenovo, HP or Acer... interesting choice, I hadn't expected this. My MS software is extensive, yet Win 10 made me consider Apple. I was expecting what you mentioned about off-brand options, but hadn't really paid much attention. The price is important to me—I'm aiming for under 500-550, not a Ferrari but not a Yugo either. It's tough to decide without spending some time typing, especially since feel matters a lot in a laptop, and I don't want to repeat the mistakes of the last one.
The primary issues were identified with the previous unit. Efforts to resolve these challenges involved specific corrective actions, and the duration of use or purchase date was determined accordingly.
The main issue seems to be Windows 10. It has always been slow since I first got it about four years ago. The mousepad feels poor, it's positioned awkwardly for right-handed users, and the performance is even worse due to frequent updates from Microsoft. Early this year it became unbearable, even for my wife, and the hard drive failed. Now it has a new SSD with more memory, which boots faster but still feels slow. I really prefer my old 2005 Toshiba, which struggles with most internet tasks. The mousepad is a major problem. Trying to use my old Toshiba now is frustrating, like driving on the freeway in a Model T. My wife dislikes it now, but I need two. I’d like to wait for Windows 11 if possible, but my laptop isn’t very useful right now, so using the current one is acceptable.
For various reasons, including this one, I'm aiming for sizes like 14". Perhaps 13". Even though they appear to be priced higher.
So, I'm not insisting these are the precise models you need to focus on, nor am I suggesting you must pick anything in particular. However, based on your needs and the conditions you've mentioned, these options should be at least something to think about. In your search, aim for a 1080p screen, a 256-500GB NVME M.2 SSD, at least 8GB RAM, and a processor like the 10th or 11th Gen i5 or a 5000 series Ryzen. For a 13-14 inch laptop, you should expect to pay around $500 to $550. These could be worth looking into.
I only included Lenovo models because they fit the criteria and price range. There should also be HP, Acer, Dell options if you're open to them. Samsung and LG could be worth considering too if they match the requirements. ASUS, MSI, Alienware might not be ideal unless you're targeting gamers, as these systems often have short lifespans due to overheating and poor cooling.
[Link 1] https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-IdeaPad-La...08W4PJC8J/
[Link 2] https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-IdeaPad-Pr...841VC?th=1
Darkbreeze, your feedback is helpful. It provides some guidance, particularly regarding Mfr, processor, and memory, though it appears the current standard focuses more on memory. I was hoping for more insights from others, but this gives me a starting point I hadn't had before—knowing my previous purchase was disappointing. I've used a few Latitudes at work, which were well set up and seemed fine, though they’re around the price I’m targeting. While I’m not afraid of used items, I still don’t want to end up with something that’s too worn out.
I should also mention I’m not a big fan of Dell, but it seems they’re the main competitor in the market—like an 800-pound gorilla in the room that’s hard to overlook.
It really comes down to what you're doing with the machine or device. Usually we prefer 16GB or higher for desktop systems, but honestly, most users with entry-level or even lower mid-range laptops rarely run heavy scientific programs or process large video or photo files often. For the average person, 8GB should be adequate. Of course, 16GB would be better, and if you're using very demanding applications, more than 16GB might help. But if you mainly browse the internet and use light office software, 8GB is usually enough.