Would Like Opinions on PC Laptop

Wynona said:

I absolutely agree with Pool Man!

So do I.

Oh wait. I'm agreeing with myself. That's never a good sign.

I also agree with the idea of getting a 15.6 inch. If you get a really good IPS screen it will be 'easier' to read then a bigger 17 inch that's fuzzier... because all it's doing is stretching out a 15 inch screen.

There's an important concept to grasp regarding screens. IPS reduces eyestrain because it's basically halfway to being a perfect screen. The cheaper tech is called TN... and you're constantly moving the screen trying to find the sweetspot. Avoid those.

Next is resolution. Full HD is referred to as 1080p. This makes the screen sharp. So you want both.

This laptop is very tempting. $399, plenty of basic spec that you requested, the SSD we all recommend -- the screen is Full HD --



-- but I can't determine if it's TN or IPS. It seems when a company doesn't brag about IPS... then it isn't. UPDATE -- It's unfortunately TN. I read some Amazon reviews and it pissed on guy off.

(This reviewer from India reviews the AMD version of this same laptop. The screen looks okay but not wow. YouTube)

If you're wondering why it's so cheap, don't panic. It's because it has the low spec you requested and Asus is China... which means American middlemen aren't in the price. (Hi Dell!) I'm a big fan of a cousin of this product, the Asus S15... but that's $699.

Amazon will let you return a laptop if you didn't like it. If you're not an Amazon person find someone who is.

The Pool Man said:

So do I.

Oh wait. I'm agreeing with myself. That's never a good sign.

I also agree with the idea of getting a 15.6 inch. If you get a really good IPS screen it will be 'easier' to read then a bigger 17 inch that's fuzzier... because all it's doing is stretching out a 15 inch screen.

I really don't get why folks are saying a 17" laptop screen is fuzzy. I have an HP Pavilion and the display is crisp and clear. Besides, Bigfoot specifically said she wants 17". She also said she doesn't want to spend more than $600.00.

@Bigfoot - The reason I have a 17" laptop is for screen real estate. If necessary, you can set the display to 125%; which makes it a bit more readable. I have a 14" Lenovo laptop and when I try for 125% display, it's not the best. That said, the display is crisp and clear; however, even at 125%, the font is super small.

One thing more ... if you go to a Best Buy or Staples, etc., you can look at the screens to be sure they're what you can comfortably use. Well, maybe not the last thing after all ... I always buy one or two generations back and am generally happy with what I get. If I were buying today, I'd probably give a laptop released in 2018 a hard look. It's going to give you very close to a 2019 built machine.

Remember that you're the one using the computer, so you should be happy with your purchase.

NavyLCDR said:

You can also reduce the resolution. From 1920x1080 to 1600x900 for example. Everything gets bigger.

Right! And it doesn't make it blurry, either.

It's a shame that you're not in the UK. I could lend you my 17.3" Samsung R720 laptop for a few months. It has an amazingly sharp screen which my 65-yr-old eyes appreciate. Yes, it's considered 'old' these days (given that it originally came with Windows Vista) but, after replacing the spinning HDD with a 256GB SDD.. it's great for what I need it to do! :)

RickC said:

It's a shame that you're not in theUK. I could have lent you my 17.3" Samsung R720 laptop for a few months. It has an amazingly sharp screen which my 65-yr-old eyes appreciate. Yes, it's perhaps considered 'old' these days (given that it originally came with Windows Vista) but, after replacing the spinning HDD with a 256GB SDD.. it's great!

And my 82-year-old eyes appreciate both my 17.3" HP screen and my Little Lenovo 14" screen!

RickC said:

Winona, you can focus on a 14" screen? I have a friend with a Lenovo ThinkPad with a 14" screen. It's pin-sharp, I grant you... but only after I change glasses... and then spend about 20 mins for my eyes to acclimatise

Sorry... off-topic.

When I get new glasses, I always get an additional prescription for bifocal computer glasses so I can read instructions while having the ability to see my computer screen. I also get a plain reader prescription, because bifocals aren't ideal for reading a book (for me).

Well, actually, not really off topic, since someone told the OP that regular 17.3" laptops have a fuzzy display (not in my experience). By telling how we all adjust for reading screens smaller than (my) 27" monitors, it may help someone cope.