Laptop: $500-$700 Desktop replacement

[Acert93]

I am looking for advice on a laptop purchase. I have looked at these 3 from Costco as they have solid warranty/service.

$500 -- Dell Inspiron 17R Laptop Intel® Core™ i5-3210M 2.5GHz RED

$700 -- Toshiba Satellite S875 Laptop, Intel® Core™ i7-3630QM 2.4 GHz

$750 -- Dell Inspiron 17R Laptop Intel® Core™ i7-3632QM 2.2GHz

Any better deals out there?

My intention is to replace the HDD with a SSD, probably a Samsung 840 Pro 256GB.

My primary uses are productivity and research (Microsoft Office, BibleWorks, FireFox with Zotero) and browsing. Secondary uses would be infrequent video editing (but would like to do more as the kids are getting old) and web design. I like my wife's 17" Dell which is essentially a desktop replacement. I don't have a lot of desk space, hate cable clutter, don't need much upgradability, won't likely do any gaming, prefer something quiet, etc. Being able to take it with me on a lecture or 2-3x a month take it from the bedroom office to the living room or dining room is why I would prefer a laptop.

I currently have an underpowered Netbook (11.6" with a single Core Solo processor, cannot even play Youtube well) and my Dell XPS M1330 is dieing again (bumpgate).

I have a desk with 1-2 extra displays, KB/MS tray. I have a bias against Dell hence I am leaning toward something other.

The i5 above looks tempting at the price point (especially considering a $250 SSD upgrade) but I worry only 2x CPU cores won't be cutting it in 3-5 years (the projected life of the purchase). e.g. I have shied away from digitizing our movies onto our NAS because our computers are so slow.

The only things these are missing of interest to me is a BDR drive.

Ps- I like Windows 7, have little interested in Windows 8.

 

[Blazkowicz]

That i5 is a damn fast processor, with two cores and four threads, it will work at every task you throw at it.. Except that your video encoding and editing is pretty much the only one home use case where the i7 QM will be much faster.

Looking up TDPs on ark.intel.com is pretty interesting, so the first laptop has an (up to) 35 watt CPU, second one 45 watts, third one 35 watts but an additional nvidia GPU you don't need (too weak for CUDA work, I think)
Maybe the first laptop is the one that heats the least. SSD removes some more heat. The flipside is that heating sessions from the video encoding will be longer than with the other ones (but still, these specs would be decent even in a desktop)

Also, the SSD just makes it a ton faster for everything else and you can reuse that HDD in another laptop or the NAS.
So I would choose the i5 laptop + SSD. You get a crazy fast computer right now rather than maybe-I'll-need-this-CPU-in-the-future.

Just a nitpick, it would be nice to be able to do triple screen (laptop + your two external monitors). Intel graphics does support it but two displays have to be displayport (including the internal monitor) so you need a laptop with a displayport connector, which you can't seemingly get - maybe it's to be found on some "business line" laptops. Hmm yeah not a biggie if you're using keyb+mouse and laptop put on the side, closed.

Another brand which is crazy cheap like Dell is Lenovo, well reputed.
As for Windows 8 it should not be bad if you install Classic Shell or similar. It's a bit like a service pack to Windows 7 and the end of support is in the year 2023 rather than 2020.

 

[UniversalTruth]

It is very good that you like Windows 7. Particular annoying is this spam advertisement over there- "Windows 8 is Beautiful, fast, and fluid" Really, whom and why are they telling it?

As for the laptops- I compared my sister's 15 inch Asus with my 17 inch Acer and it looks like my laptop is just negligibly bigger in terms of overall size but the experience is much better because of the more normal display size.
17 inch laptop being a Desktop replacement is a myth. Nowadays, normal people buy for their Desktops at least 21.5 inch monitors. When moving from this size monitor to a 17 inch laptop you in fact realise how crappy the smaller one is.

The other remark- I don't like they don't know what a Blu-ray ROM optical device is...

If money is not a problem- better take the one with NV card http://www.costco.com/Dell-Inspiron-17R-Laptop-Intel®-Core™-i7-3632QM-2.2GHz.product.100026413.html
You would save 250 $ with the cheapest and less memory, but is it worth it? I think no

 

[Blazkowicz]

you'd have to buy an aftermarket bluray reader.
I suppose the connectors are standard, and form factor but you might as well double-check what you have once you get the laptop
http://www.ldlc.com/fiche/PB00143144.html

Another kind of implement is the hard drive bay that replaces an optical drive, I find it useful and funny. Using that to put a HDD in, and having a very small bluray drive on USB is an option.
http://www.amazon.fr/caddy-adapter-...246&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=laptop+bluray+drive

 

[Blazkowicz]

It is very good that you like Windows 7. Particular annoying is this spam advertisement over there- "Windows 8 is Beautiful, fast, and fluid" Really, whom and why are they telling it?

I think it's all not that important unless you want the glass theme. These OS actually are Windows 6.1 and 6.2. But yes, have Windows 7 if you want. An issue on some laptops though is no Windows 7 drivers are given so you might get fucked (no wireless driver or something), as silly as it seems.

 

[rockaman]

Why do you need a Samsung Pro SSD? If you're not doing heavy video editing or anything I've seen places like Wirecutter recommend to stick with the non-Pro models.

Also are you looking for games performance or not? Any brand preferences as to parts or laptop vendor?

I bought a laptop with my dad (for my dad) for $499 ($100 off reg. price): http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product...gb-ram-windows-8-np355v5c-a03ca/10225727.aspx

The APU was AMD A10, and Samsung brand laptop. It came with Windows 8 which was not the greatest thing, but the laptop quality is excellent (though I only was around it for a few days, had to travel).

If your computer uses are mostly browsing, maybe a small amount of gaming (the performance is quite good for gaming actually, better than my 325M Nvidia and has DX11 support), and a bit of grunt work on the side, I would highly recommend that laptop.

 

[Snyder]

Since you have already have 2 (big) external displays, keyboard and mouse on your main working desk (as it should be anyway from an ergonomic standpoint), my suggestion would be diametrically opposite to UT's: Don't go for the 17".

You will have an abundance of CPU power for your needs anyway, even from i3 dual core processors upwards, and you will be glad for the smaller size whenever you take the machine with you (The mentioned lectures, but even carrying it around in the house makes a difference), which in my experience far outweighs the smaller display in these cases.

Oh, and I'm not really a friend of those consumer models...
For example, I just configured a Lenovo Thinkpad T430 (the "real" business line) with the following parts for $749:

ThinkPad T430 -  1 Year Depot Topseller Warranty    
Processor: Intel Core i5-3230M Processor (3.20GHz, 3MB  Cache, 1600MHz) 
               with Intel HD Graphics 4000    
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit)    
Display Type: 14.0" HD+ (1600 x 900) LED Backlit AntiGlare Display,
                    Mobile Broadband Ready    
System Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000    
Total Memory: 4 GB DDR3 - 1600MHz (1 DIMM)    
Hard Drive:320GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm    
Ultrabay:DVD Recordable    
System Expansion Slots:Express Card Slot & 4-in-1 Card Reader    
Battery:6 Cell Li-Ion TWL 70+    
Power Cord:90W AC Adapter - US (2pin)

Two advantages (apart from the sturdy build and overall good quality):
* Docking Station Port. If you hate cable clutter, a docking station is a godsend. Just chuck your laptop in there and everything's connected.
* Possibility of mSATA SSD in addition to your HDD. Just don't buy the one Lenovo offers...same goes with the otherwise recommended RAM upgrade.
* A non-glare display. (Sorry, please, no flamewars! I had to put it here )

 

[Acert93]

Some food for thought. Thanks guys. We are in the process of moving but I do need to make a decision. I do think I missed a good deal on the i5 in the OP. Oh well!

 

[rockaman]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152377

Laptop with an i7 for 800 USD.

It's cheaper than some counterpart MSI laptops because the GPU memory is DDR3 rather than GDDR5.

 

[UniversalTruth]

How much of this price is for the operating system?

I don't like that they force you with Windows 8.

And the other objection- the ridiculously slow and annoying 5400 rpm hard drive.
This is so bad- the worst hard drive they can put there but the marketing shouts loudly with capital letters its "awesomeness"

Why, why and why

 

[Miksu]

For example, I just configured a Lenovo Thinkpad T430 (the "real" business line) with the following parts for $749

That's a good price. Here the low end T430 starts from 1300€: http://shop.lenovo.com/fi/en/laptops/thinkpad/t-series/t430/

 

[Snyder]

That's a good price. Here the low end T430 starts from 1300€: http://shop.lenovo.com/fi/en/laptops/thinkpad/t-series/t430/

Yeah, the byzantine pricing rules in their online shop have always stumped me...e.g. here in Austria the T430 starts at ~990€ in the lenovo shop, but often you can get them even cheaper through resellers. (only seems not just right now ).
Two things to keep in mind though when comparing: the EU prices are incl. VAT and usually with a 3 year warranty.