Buying a Laptop: The current Generation

Pigwidgeon · 24-09-2012 4:34pm

Hi didn't want to start yet another what laptop should I buy thread so I just thought I'd post in here.

I'm currently looking for a new laptop, willing to spend €5-600 on it, I've my current laptop for nearly four years so I'm completely out of the loop as to what brands are even good.

I don't want a net book but then I don't want an overly large laptop either as I'll be carrying it around quite a bit. My current one is a 15" screen and weighs nearly 3kg, so I'm looking for something a lot more portable than that. I was thinking of something around 13/14"

I'd mainly be using it for college work, so things like powerpoint/word etc, internet and downloading so I don't need anything too powerful.

Does anyone have any recommendations of something that might suit?

Monotype · 24-09-2012 4:51pm

What about this one?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-Series-NP535U3C-13-3-Ultrabook/dp/B008KGXMF6/

Just under the €600 mark... actually probably slightly over it when you count the extra VAT.

About half the weight of your previous laptop, weighing about 1.5kg.

The processor wouldn't be very powerful now, especially against the Intel CPUs, but it should handle any basic stuff without problem and the graphics processing side should be reasonable.

richiek67 · 25-09-2012 1:05pm

Sorry if this question has been asked before but I', m looking around for a laptop that has an i5 or i7 core, would prefer quad as it will last . Would like it to be HP too as I presently have one for the last few years and I like HP!
My son has started secondary so there's a bigger demand on time for the laptop plus my wife is also in on the act too!!
I play the odd game now and again so BF3 failed to run on the present laptop, though it loaded ok was very jumpy with the graphics so I'd imagine something like an i5 might do here. Other than that the laptop will be used for the normal jobs...
Spending, well, I guess 7-800 euro. Wheres the best place, online? Not sure I like PC world too much....
Are these laptops cheaper without windows?

Cheers Folks

Rich

BostonB · 25-09-2012 1:08pm

Its not the processor that determines if you can play games but the graphics chipset.

Torqay · 25-09-2012 1:28pm

richiek67 wrote: »

Spending, well, I guess 7-800 euro. Wheres the best place, online? Not sure I like PC world too much....
Are these laptops cheaper without windows?

Yes they are significantly cheaper.

Configure the Optimus IV to your needs.

Full HD 1920x1080, Core i7 Quad, 8 GB RAM, GTX 660M GPU w 2 GB, 128 GB SSD. 3 yrs warranty. 707 Sterling (without OS) and it has a 2nd bay to fit an additional HDD.

You'll save 100 Pound if you order w/o Windows and this baby will play pretty much anything you'll throw at it.

richiek67 · 25-09-2012 3:59pm

Hi Torqay, Thanks for that. I just might go ahead with that. Wonder what the shipping to Ireland is?

Cheers

Rich

RUCKING FETARD · 25-09-2012 5:58pm

£19

richiek67 · 25-09-2012 9:45pm

Are there places in Dublin that do good deals on laptops like this??

jamescd · 27-09-2012 12:52am

Thoughts on this http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0083GJEXC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE ? Just under 440 euros.

Getting it for my parents. No gaming at all. Just the usual internet browsing stuff, word, etc. but they'll also be watching a lot of videos on it.

Torqay · 27-09-2012 10:29am

This Fujitsu comes with the same processor and you save €50

flanree · 30-09-2012 10:17am

looking at buying this fella for graphic design work, seems like a great spec for a grand, what do y'all think?

And any feedback on the retailer?

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Asus_N56VM-S4034V_Core_i7_Windows_7_Laptop_N56VM-S4034V/version.asp?switchc=e#specs

Torqay · 30-09-2012 11:22am

flanree wrote: »

looking at buying this fella for graphic design work, seems like a great spec for a grand, what do y'all think?

And any feedback on the retailer?

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Asus_N56VM-S4034V_Core_i7_Windows_7_Laptop_N56VM-S4034V/version.asp?switchc=e#specs

The Optimus IV from PC Specialist costs the same with a Core i7 3610QM, 8 GB RAM, 750 GB HDD, full HD display. But you'll get a GTX 660M with GDDR5 VRAM, it has a 2nd HDD bay (if you want to fit a SSD) and a 3 yrs warranty is included in the price.

danthefan · 30-09-2012 3:08pm

Are PC specialist a reputable site, anyone experiene of their products? Looking to buy a laptop for college/work mainly, looking for around a 14" screen and really would like it to not weigh very much. Core i3 and 4GB RAM would be required, graphics not important as long as it can play video. Budget of about €550-€600.

Thinking about this one, any ideas of how good it is?

http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/Samsung_535U_13.3_Windows_7_Laptop_in_Silver__NP535U3C-A01UK/version.asp#specs

Torqay · 30-09-2012 4:12pm

danthefan wrote: »

Are PC specialist a reputable site, anyone experiene of their products?

PC Specialist is a reseller for Clevo laptops in the UK. Some people around here seem to be quite happy with their purchase.

danthefan wrote: »

Thinking about this one, any ideas of how good it is?

http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/Samsung_535U_13.3_Windows_7_Laptop_in_Silver__NP535U3C-
A01UK/version.asp#specs

The AMD A6 APU scores similarly to a Sandy Bridge dual core Pentium B960 in processor benchmarks. The integrated GPU should be better though.

danthefan wrote: »

Looking to buy a laptop for college/work mainly, looking for around a 14" screen and really would like it to not weigh very much. Core i3 and 4GB RAM would be required, graphics not important as long as it can play video. Budget of about €550-€600.

PC Specialist's Ultranote w 14" display, Core i3 2370M, 4 GB RAM, 250 GB HDD costs €593 (or €608 w 128 GB SSD). 3 yrs warranty and OS installation DVD included.

flanree · 30-09-2012 6:13pm

Thanks Torqay, have you seen any reviews of this chassis/build anywhere?

Torqay wrote: »

The Optimus IV from PC Specialist costs the same with a Core i7 3610QM, 8 GB RAM, 750 GB HDD, full HD display. But you'll get a GTX 660M with GDDR5 VRAM, it has a 2nd HDD bay (if you want to fit a SSD) and a 3 yrs warranty is included in the price.

Torqay · 01-10-2012 12:21am

flanree wrote: »

Thanks Torqay, have you seen any reviews of this chassis/build anywhere?

I believe it's the Optimus IV is based on the Clevo W150ER, review here.

I find the complaint about the "sub-four hour battery life" quite hilarious. You don't buy a Core i7 quad/GT 650M combo if you're expecting exceptional mobility. And no, you won't get 4 hours out of the Asus N56VM either.;)

longhalloween · 01-10-2012 12:56am

Torqay wrote: »

I believe it's the Optimus IV is based on the Clevo W150ER, review here.

Are these laptops upgradeable? Any idea how easy it is to swap out the cpu/gpu?

Torqay · 01-10-2012 1:13am

longhalloween wrote: »

Are these laptops upgradeable? Any idea how easy it is to swap out the cpu/gpu?

They have their own forum, you might have a better chance there to get an answer to that question.

Serephucus · 01-10-2012 7:19am

As far as I know, there isn't an MXM variant of the 650M, so you won't be able to upgrade that, but Clevo is usually good for providing lots of support in their BIOS, so upgrading the CPU (as long as it's within thermal limits of course) shouldn't be an issue. Then of course you have the standard memory and hard drive upgrades.

flanree · 02-10-2012 12:16am

bit the bullet and ordered an Optimus IV, cheers for the info torqay, here it is...

Chassis & Display Optimus Series: 15.6" Matte Full HD LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU) Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Mobile Processor i7-3610QM
(2.30GHz) 6MB
Memory (RAM) 8GB SAMSUNG 1600MHz SODIMM DDR3 MEMORY (2 x 4GB)
Graphics Card NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660M - 2.0GB DDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 11
Memory - 1st Hard Disk 128GB KINGSTON V200 SSD, SATA 6 Gb (300MB/R,
190MB/W) (Special Offer)
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive 8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)
Memory Card Reader Internal 9 in 1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD: Mini, XC
& HC/MS: Pro & Duo)
Thermal Paste ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND (£9)
Sound Card Intel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack
Network Facilities GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® N135 802.11N
(150Mbps) + BLUETOOTH
USB Options 3 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT AS STANDARD
Battery Optimus Series 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (5,200 mAh/76.96WH)
Operating System Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit w/SP1 - inc DVD
& Licence (£79)
Office Software FREE Microsoft® Office Starter 2010 (Limited
functionality Word & Excel)
Keyboard & Mouse INTEGRATED UK KEYBOARD WITH NUMBER PAD
Mouse INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam INTEGRATED 1.3 MEGAPIXEL WEBCAM
Warranty 3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year
Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery 2 - 3 DAY DELIVERY TO REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (£19)
Build Time Standard Build - Approximately 9 to 11 working days
Price (excluding VAT) £691.05
Price £829.26

richiek67 · 03-10-2012 5:41pm

Hi Flanree, Did you get a hard drive with that, 7200rpm by any chance, don't see it above?
Leme know how you get on as I may go down the same road..

Cheers

Rich

Torqay · 03-10-2012 6:04pm

richiek67 wrote: »

Hi Flanree, Did you get a hard drive with that, 7200rpm by any chance, don't see it above?

He got a 128 GB solid state disk instead.

If you want to add a 2nd HDD, better get a 5.400 rpm drive to reduce the battery drain. Speed doesn't matter for storage.

flanree · 04-10-2012 12:01am

I went for the SSD to keep the noise and heat down as much as the speed. Do you reckon a 5400rpm hdd is the way to go for added storage?

Torqay · 04-10-2012 10:23am

flanree wrote: »

I went for the SSD to keep the noise and heat down as much as the speed. Do you reckon a 5400rpm hdd is the way to go for added storage?

Purely for storage? Yes.

If you want to install games on the platter drive, some really benefit from greater speed, ditto if you're using it as swap file location to "save" the SSD (although I much prefer a RAM disk for that).

richiek67 · 05-10-2012 2:02pm

well the 7200 was intended towards the game end of things purely. Is the SSD better in this regard then. I take it the rd/wr is much faster on the ssd being solid state?
Perhaps I should therefore get the ssd and a 5200 drive in the second slot. yes?

BostonB · 05-10-2012 2:12pm

Vastly faster. Look here.

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/260772-14-faster

Monotype · 05-10-2012 2:16pm

Read on solid state drives, a good one that is (choose carefully and don't believe specifications), could be 500MBps. Hard drives are below 200MBps. Probably below 150MBps for a laptop one. It's not hugely noticeable in games. More noticeable when you use a system afterwards that doesn't have one!

Torqay · 05-10-2012 2:18pm

richiek67 wrote: »

well the 7200 was intended towards the game end of things purely. Is the SSD better in this regard then. I take it the rd/wr is much faster on the ssd being solid state?
Perhaps I should therefore get the ssd and a 5200 drive in the second slot. yes?

To be frank, when you're using a 45W max TDP quad core processor and a GTX 660M, battery drain is hardly much of a concern.

So in the end it doesn't matter whether you're getting a 5k4 or 7k2 HDD.

Monotype · 05-10-2012 2:24pm

Some of the 7200 laptop drives can be noisy though. Not sure what they're like now, but this was certainly the case a few years ago.
With power management features though, many hard drives will shut themselves down when they're inactive.

matrim · 06-10-2012 10:56am

Just ordered the below laptop from PcSpecialists.

Went for the extra ram because I want to be able to run VMs and went for the 7200 second hard drive becuase I plan to dual boot, with Linux on the SSD / and ~300GB or second hard drive and Windows on 200GB of the second hard drive.

Chassis & Display
Optimus Series: 15.6" Matte Full HD LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Mobile Processor i7-3840QM (2.80GHz) 8MB
Memory (RAM)
24GB SAMSUNG 1600MHz SODIMM DDR3 MEMORY (3 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660M - 2.0GB DDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 11
Memory - 1st Hard Disk
120GB INTEL® 330 SERIES SSD, SATA 6 Gb/s (upto 500MB/sR | 450MB/sW)
2nd Hard Disk
500GB WD SCORPIO BLACK WD5000BPKT, SATA 3 Gb/s, 16MB CACHE (7200 rpm)
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)
Memory Card Reader
Internal 9 in 1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD: Mini, XC & HC/MS: Pro & Duo)
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND (£9)
Sound Card
Intel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack
Network Facilities
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® ULTIMATE-N 6300 (450Mbps)
USB Options
3 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT AS STANDARD
Battery
Optimus Series 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (5,200 mAh/76.96WH)
Power Lead & Adaptor
1 x UK Power Lead & 120W AC Adaptor
Operating System
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit w/SP1 - inc DVD & Licence (£79)

Buying a Laptop: The current Generation

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