Macbook on pigsback

scrgirl · 04-04-2020 11:09am #1

Would appreciate thoughts on this macbook refurb,
https://www.pigsback.com/en-ie/offer/437303/tech-market-ltd

IS it worth the money? What kind of performance could I expect, use for photoshop and Lightroom mostly as well as usual entertainment purposes

lordlame · 04-04-2020 11:12am

No, it’s ancient - core 2 duo cpu for example.

scrgirl · 04-04-2020 11:13am

lordlame wrote: »

No, it’s ancient - core 2 duo cpu for example.

thank you, what kind of spec should I be looking for? Bit of a philisitine when it comes to knowing how to buy a laptop

antodeco · 04-04-2020 12:16pm

That's the 2009 model. I have one and it breaks my heart tondo anything on it in the slightest!

Sheep Shagger · 04-04-2020 12:20pm

antodeco wrote: »

That's the 2009 model. I have one and it breaks my heart tondo anything on it in the slightest!

Yep says it in the specs on fairness to the seller.

Just bought a non mac laptop for less than that brand new (2019 model).

scrgirl · 04-04-2020 12:59pm

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Yep says it in the specs on fairness to the seller.

Just bought a non mac laptop for less than that brand new (2019 model).

what laptop did you get?

Homelander · 04-04-2020 1:23pm

That would've been a mid-range spec around 12 years ago....nothing to do with being against Mac, but you would be tenfold better off getting a new €300-400 laptop. Not only would it be new, it would be significantly faster.

Equally from looking on Adverts you can pick up 2nd hand Macbooks with similar spec for €150-200.

bidiots · 04-04-2020 1:29pm

What do you need to do with what software? Start there and then figure out your max budget. Then we can give you advice

scrgirl · 04-04-2020 1:32pm

bidiots wrote: »

What do you need to do with what software? Start there and then figure out your max budget. Then we can give you advice

Just photoshop/lightroom as well as general entertainment, as mentioned in opening post

JDxtra · 04-04-2020 1:33pm

In general, anything on Pigsback is not a bargain. Its either knock off junk or refurbished ancient tech like this.

04-04-2020 3:30pm

this is a solid performing 4-core cpu laptop with great all-metal build quality, great keyboard, full hd ips screen and very portable at 1.5kg

it also has good thermal design so can get the best performance out of that particular chip (can run at high speeds longer)

it's 550 £ but any cheaper laptop is going to be plastic build and with a worse screen and just generally not as good.

this will provide good performance for years.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Huawei-MateBook-2020-Multi-screen-Collaboration/dp/B083WXVJ13/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=matebook+d&qid=1586010440&s=computers&sr=1-2

Sheep Shagger · 04-04-2020 3:37pm

scrgirl wrote: »

what laptop did you get?

Not the flashest model by a long shot but fir WFM where I'm storing everything on a work server it is fast and does the trick.

We were given a tax free allowance to buy equipment before this all blew up, wanted to keep my personal laptop for exactly that - personal stuff.

https://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/9175479/c_1/1|category_root|Office,+PCs+and+phones|14418968/Trail/searchtext>ASUS.htm

bidiots · 04-04-2020 5:23pm

scrgirl wrote: »

Just photoshop/lightroom as well as general entertainment, as mentioned in opening post

For general multimedia use, a general run of the mill 400 laptop from the usual places will do the job. But, once you start with the Adobe Suite, regardless of which app, you will need a decent Graphics card, otherwise you will be pulling your hair out, especially if you are going to deal with RAW images or high end processing.
What is your budget?

04-04-2020 7:21pm

bidiots wrote: »

For general multimedia use, a general run of the mill 400 laptop from the usual places will do the job. But, once you start with the Adobe Suite, regardless of which app, you will need a decent Graphics card, otherwise you will be pulling your hair out, especially if you are going to deal with RAW images or high end processing.
What is your budget?

the amd chips, especially the new 4000 series (just coming out now) have both cpu power and very good integrated graphics - would easily cope with Adobe - even the video editing (which is actually more about cpu than gpu for the most intensive tasks such as rendering).

the main problem with cheaper laptops for this work is getting a quality colour-accurate screen - you just won't find that in a laptop under 700/750 euros.

bidiots · 05-04-2020 10:01am

glasso wrote: »

the amd chips, especially the new 4000 series (just coming out now) have both cpu power and very good integrated graphics - would easily cope with Adobe - even the video editing (which is actually more about cpu than gpu for the most intensive tasks such as rendering).

the main problem with cheaper laptops for this work is getting a quality colour-accurate screen - you just won't find that in a laptop under 700/750 euros.

Real world feedback from the 100 or so users I'm currently supporting would agree to differ to be honest.

Despite Adobe promising for the past couple of years to design the CC to work much better on standard spec, it hasn't happened.

Photoshop/Premiere are GPU intensive, can't escape that.

But regardless, it all comes down to budget and finding something that will be capable.

05-04-2020 10:34am

https://www.logicalincrements.com/articles/videoediting

except for DaVinci resolve cpu is more important than gpu

CPU is the most important component for most video editing software

the intel u line of cpus in laptops for example cannot run for long anywhere near their highest stated speed - hence not great performance in laptops. the intel h chips were better but with something like the new amd 4000 mobile cpus 4.0ghz can be maintained consistently which makes for much lower video editing times and which previously was only possible with the highest spec desktop cpus (intel hk line)

05-04-2020 10:40am

take a look at this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYqG31V4qtA

bidiots · 05-04-2020 11:31am

glasso wrote: »

https://www.logicalincrements.com/articles/videoediting

except for DaVinci resolve cpu is more important than gpu

the intel u line of cpus in laptops for example cannot run for long anywhere near their highest stated speed - hence not great performance in laptops. the intel h chips were better but with something like the new amd 4000 mobile cpus 4.0ghz can be maintained consistently which makes for much lower video editing times and which previously was only possible with the highest spec desktop cpus (intel hk line)

glasso wrote: »

take a look at this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYqG31V4qtA

Gone a bit off topic.

For Photoshop/Lightroom and given the budget is probably less than 500, the options available to the OP are difficult.

My point stands that at that price point, aim for the best graphics card.

If you can find something with a decent graphics card within that budget, thats the quest

05-04-2020 3:38pm

with all due respect you're not going to get any laptop with a discrete graphics card new for under / at 500 (only integrated graphics which is not a graphics card)

unless you go second-hand and I don't think that that is a consideration here.

05-04-2020 3:48pm

glasso wrote: »

with all due respect you're not going to get any laptop with a discrete graphics card new for under / at 500 (only integrated graphics which is not a graphics card)

unless you go second-hand and I don't think that that is a consideration here.

The Medion Akoya P6645 is often available for ~500 euro (even up to last week) and that's just one example.:)

05-04-2020 4:04pm

500 sterling is about 570 euro.....

the mx150 is fairly rubbish also tbh. the new /current amd 4000 chips integrated graphics are more powerful even....

that laptop also has no ssd :eek:

05-04-2020 4:16pm

glasso wrote: »

500 sterling is about 570 euro.....

the mx150 is fairly rubbish also tbh. the new /current amd 4000 chips integrated graphics are more powerful even....

that laptop also has no ssd :eek:

As mentioned, it's regularly 500 euro. Look at the second post in my link and you'll see a version with an SSD that was on sale for £430 (<490 euro) a month ago and has been on sale at that price a few times in the past. I'm sure if I bothered I could find a similarly spec'd laptop on sale for 500 euro today too.

I previously did video editing on a laptop with the MX130 (which is worse) for about a year in the past and didn't find it bothersome. Besides, I wasn't suggesting if it was or wasn't a good graphics card, merely that your statement is incorrect.

bidiots · 05-04-2020 4:21pm

glasso wrote: »

with all due respect you're not going to get any laptop with a discrete graphics card new for under / at 500 (only integrated graphics which is not a graphics card)

unless you go second-hand and I don't think that that is a consideration here.

The OP linked a second hand MacBook so that's the market I would consider

05-04-2020 4:23pm

Deleted User wrote: »

As mentioned, it's regularly 500 euro. Look at the second post in my link and you'll see a version with an SSD that was on sale for £430 (<490 euro) a month ago and has been on sale at that price a few times in the past. I'm sure if I bothered I could find a similarly spec'd laptop on sale for 500 euro today too.

I previously did video editing on a laptop with the MX130 (which is worse) for about a year in the past and didn't find it bothersome. Besides, I wasn't suggesting if it was or wasn't a good graphics card, merely that your statement is incorrect.

so he/she should wait around for some deal that may never reoccur for a a laptop without an ssd in it?

(which I'm sure if I looked into it has a poor quality screen that is not colour accurate for decent photo/video editing)

and refurbished is not the same as second-hand as you get some sort of warranty with refurbished, not so with second-hand

05-04-2020 4:36pm

glasso wrote: »

so he/she should wait around for some deal that may never reoccur for a a laptop without an ssd in it?

I'm not sure why you would suggest waiting around for the £500 deal without an SSD rather than the £430 deal with an SSD?

Regardless, like I said, you can easily find new, decently spec'd laptops with graphics cards for 500 euro that are available now, I merely linked to the first one I could find. For example, here is one with a GTX 1050.

glasso wrote: »

(which I'm sure if I looked into it has a poor quality screen that is not colour accurate for decent photo/video editing)

Again, not relevant to the fact that I was only pointing out that your statement was incorrect.

glasso wrote: »

and refurbished is not the same as second-hand as you get some sort of warranty with refurbished, not so with second-hand

The Medion I linked to was neither refurbished nor second-hand. I assume this was meant for bidiots.

05-04-2020 4:42pm

with a spanish keyboard.

come on....

yes refurbished comment for the other poster

05-04-2020 4:49pm

glasso wrote: »

with a spanish keyboard.

come on....

Is that really your defence? You've gone from "it's impossible to find a laptop with a graphics card for under 500" to "oh but wait it has to be in stock too! And have great colour gamat! And have an SSD! And have a UK keybaord!"

I found each of those laptops within 30 seconds of looking, I'm sure I can find a laptop that meets this additional demand too but you'll just return with another demand, so I won't bother. You'll defend your original incorrect statement as much as you can.

05-04-2020 4:57pm

you haven't provided any example of a suitable laptop for the OP's requirements actually on sale.

you just like arguing / posting irrelevant / out-of-date links

05-04-2020 5:01pm

glasso wrote: »

you haven't provided any example of a suitable laptop for the OP's requirements actually on sale.

you just like arguing / posting irrelevant / out-of-date links

I have demonstrated that your statement of "with all due respect you're not going to get any laptop with a discrete graphics card new for under / at 500" is incorrect. If I give another counter-example, you will reply with "you might be hit with customs for that" or "you need to be a student to get that deal" or something, so I won't bother. :pac:

05-04-2020 5:03pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I have demonstrated that your statement of "with all due respect you're not going to get any laptop with a discrete graphics card new for under / at 500" is incorrect. If I give another counter-example, you will reply with "you might be hit with customs for that" or "you need to be a student to get that deal" or something, so I won't bother. :pac:

so.... no suitable option - nice one.

05-04-2020 5:10pm

glasso wrote: »

so.... no suitable option - nice one.

At what point did I once state that I was trying to find a suitable laptop for the OP? How many times must I state that I am only showing that the statement you made and which I originally quoted was incorrect?

MaiBenBen laptops. Not going to bother posting links. Lots of versions with dedicated graphics cards for under 500. Don't bother replying about the screen quality, customs etc. Only giving even more counter-examples to your incorrect statement.

05-04-2020 5:18pm

there was a deal going on a left-hand drive car in France last year but it's gone now.

05-04-2020 5:27pm

glasso wrote: »

there was a deal going on a left-hand drive car in France last year but it's gone now.

This is a reply to the Spanish laptop I found in 30 seconds I presume? You've chosen to focus on that and ignore my most recent reply (and other replies since) because you can't come up with a good response I take it? And you're comparing buying a product that would be ridiculously impractical to use in Ireland to a laptop that still uses a QWERTY layout with one or two minor differences? That is what your argument has now boiled down to?

05-04-2020 5:38pm

I've no idea what you're on about at this point really.

my suggestion would be to go for a walk.

I've posted the matebook d as a possible option for the OP, you're just interested in try to have the last word in what is at this stage a truly pointless exercise

05-04-2020 5:42pm

glasso wrote: »

I've no idea what you're on about at this stage really.

my suggestion would be to go for a walk.

I would but the best view in my town is over 2km away.:pac:

You know what I'm talking about. You've used a terrible analogy of a car that cannot be made suitable to work in Ireland to a laptop that can be made to have the same keyboard layout as an Irish keyboard with one or two stickers if necessary. You made no point with your analogy.

glasso wrote: »

I've posted the matebook d as a possible option for the OP, you're just interested in try to have the last word in what is at this stage a truly pointless exercise

You're just interested in not been seen as having made an incorrect statement. I have made no reference to what the OP wants or needs, I have only referenced your statement, and you could have easily just replied with "ah fair enough" when I provided an example that went against your statement.

05-04-2020 5:43pm

jesus wept

05-04-2020 5:46pm

Ah, the reply of a man who knows he's wrong but doesn't want to admit it. It's fine, it's the internet, I get it.

I remember I read someone on Boards say something like "Boards.ie is a disccusion forum full of people who are afraid of discussions", and I finally get what he meant.

05-04-2020 5:56pm

no. I made my points and just don't have the inclination to go any further with this pointlessness.

mad suggestion - why not try doing something semi-useful and actually helping the OP maybe instead of this rubbish?

05-04-2020 6:06pm

glasso wrote: »

no. I made my points and just don't have the inclination to go any further with this pointlessness.

mad suggestion - why not try doing something semi-useful and actually helping the OP maybe instead of this rubbish?

But you did have the inclination, you were quite happy to do it up until you realised that you made a terrible analogy and can't come up with a counter-argument as to why it's good analogy. It's the "I'll continue debating unless a good point is made that requires me to stop and think" line that many people take, and it's fine. I do it a lot too, even on Boards.

And you were making arguments that were not relevant to the OP too before I entered the thread in case you have forgotten.

And yes, I could go to e.g. Amazon, tick some filter boxes, sort from low price to high and paste the first link like you have done, but I prefer to assume OP knows how to do that and instead spend my time being a bit more constructive.

However, if OP returns to the thread stating that they still need assistance, then I will of course help as I (as well as you) have done many times in the past.

05-04-2020 6:07pm

sorry, life is actually too short.

unreal

05-04-2020 6:11pm

It's ok man, debating is tough for some. :pac:

But as someone who has twice as many posts as me in the same timeframe, I would question your own statement about the shortness of life.

05-04-2020 6:19pm

Deleted User wrote: »

It's ok man, debating is tough for some. :pac:

But as someone who has twice as many posts as me in the same timeframe, I would question your own statement about the shortness of life.

please -> you're just embarrassing yourself now

05-04-2020 6:22pm

Nah, I've made solid points that you can't counter. You're not just not used to 1)being shown to be wrong or 2) a constructive debate.

You'll still want to get the last word in of course though.

The_Conductor · 05-04-2020 7:36pm

For starters- its the bargain alerts forum- there are other forums where people can request opinions on specs etc- in the OP's case I'd suggest they'd get more pertinent information in the laptop forum.

Secondly- people must be seriously suffering cabin fever- the squabbling here doesn't achieve anything whatsoever.

OP- my Dad (in his 70s) has one of those laptops and is frustrated by it- particularly after he has used it for some very basic stuff over the last 2 weeks (like Zoom video calls- nothing particularly strenuous). He is going into Sligo to buy a 'proper laptop' as soon as he is out of cocooning.

Its cheap- because its ancient- it does work- but just because something works doesn't mean its good value at any price. My Dad is donating his one to Camara for distribution in Kenya (once hes bought a replacement).

Macbook on pigsback

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