Looking for new laptop

milford said:

Hi guys. Haven't been here for a while. If and when the stymulus check shows up, I can finally get a new laptop. If this page shows up properly, there's three laptops I'm looking at...

Micro Center - Computers, Electronics, Computer Parts, Networking, Gaming, Software, and more!

Can't see anything at your link.

The tasks you mention don't take much CPU power, so I'd lean toward spending on other components within the laptop----maybe an SSD a bit larger than needed right now, maybe a better screen. Maybe an external for backups if you don't have one already.

You aren't likely to need more than 8 GB of RAM for those tasks.

I've heard that the "business" grade laptops tend to be more durable than "consumer" line stuff.

I'd try to stay with something introduced in the last year or so, rather than an older generation.

Maybe you can get your link working.

Roland's idea of personal inspection before choosing is excellent.

Higher pixel resolutions aren't necessarily always better. It depends.

First off, it depends on whether you use the kind of software apps that make GUI elements look smaller if the display resolution is higher. Especially older apps still don't very often detect the higher resolution so then it may become kind of a lottery as to needing to use the magnifying glass or end up buying a separate monitor that's bigger, and that you hadn't originally planned into your budget.

Secondly, I am using a 55 inch LED TV for my monitor as I'm typing this. It supports 4k resolution, as does the HDMI output of both my old laptop and my new one. Still nevertheless, I only use it in 1080p mode. Why? Simple. It's because I can't stand sitting so close to the TV that I can make out the difference between 1080p mode and 4k. And, no, I am not visually impaired. On a 15 inch laptop screen you'd have to almost touch it with your nose to be able to see differences.

Continuous sitting at closer distances from a screen causes more eyestrain. Going for bigger screens and/or multiple screens does help. But you sacrifice on portability that way. Just remember that a lot also depends on how many hours per day you will be using a screen, and on how frequently you can take a break to give your eyes a couple of minutes time to relax.

Finally, there's also the numbers game when it comes to the overall picture quality. I.e., manufacturers know that bigger numbers have a psychological effect on the average consumer. It's how they love to make more money. Going to a store to find out what's out there can help, but you also need to be aware that there exists such a thing called 'torch mode', or 'demo'─the only purpose of which is to lure potential buyers with unrealistic 'bragging' colors that look jaw-dropping on first impression because first impressions have the typical potency to be misleading.

Aside from all this, ask yourself questions like how much connectivity do I need─and which types do I need─or will I be okay with grabbing a USB Type C docking station. Will I be carrying my laptop around with me a lot or am I looking for one that can primarily be used as a replacement for a home desktop PC so that the added expense of going for a highly durable business laptop, such as a Lenovo Thinkpad, for example, might not be warranted after all.

Also, there's the age old Intel vs AMD debate. Personally, I, went for an Intel 11th Gen Core i5-1135G7 because the vast majority of things I do on my laptop are highly dependent of single threaded performance, not so much dependent of multi threaded performance. (In fact, the single threaded performance of my mid priced laptop rivals that of multi thousand dollar AMD based desktop PCs.)

Steve C said:

Never buy a laptop having a bonded construction for ease of maintenance and update. Professional ranges like HP ProBook and Dell Latitude are built to a higher standard with better support and come with Windows 10Pro for much the same price as the similar consumer range, FWIW I bought a HP ProBook last year.

The reason why I avoid professional ranges is the cost vs performance ratio, in concert with the typical lack of USB ports and whatnot. Like, my 'consumer grade' laptops all came with a 3-year warranty period anyway so, the tech becomes too outdated soon after those 3 years are over, and, Windows 10 Pro doesn't offer any extra features I need─it just costs even more money that I prefer to spend on some other expensive hobby.

Who still uses the words 'Dell' and 'support' within the same sentence?

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Steve C said:

My Proook has 3 USB ports and was the same price as an equivalent HP consumer laptop

Mine has four USB ports: one USB Type C Gen 2×1 (10 Gb/s), two USB 3.0, one USB 2.0. But anyway... it's not the only important thing that matters. For instance, the battery time I have is fairly short in comparison to many other laptops, but it is sufficient for my own personal need, and it charges very fast. Also, the pixel resolution and color accuracy are nothing special, and the webcam is at the bottom of the screen so that's another con. But then, I rarely use the screen, and, I never use the webcam. Hardware prices right now are through the roof, and, here in the EU, most hardware prices have always been higher than the U.S. so, the CPU choice and previous positive experiences with the Medion brand eventually won me over. The bottom line is that not every person uses his/her laptop in the same manner, nor uses it for the same tasks and software applications. There's pros and cons to everything, different people have different needs and different priorities.

milford said:

Hi guys. Haven't been here for a while. If and when the stymulus check shows up, I can finally get a new laptop. If this page shows up properly, there's three laptops I'm looking at...

Micro Center - Computers, Electronics, Computer Parts, Networking, Gaming, Software, and more!

I'm leaning to the first two. Higher screen resolutions.

Interested in internet browsing, You Tube videos, on-line bill paying, and installing MS Office for sure for work at home.

Any suggestions as to which one would be more dependable?

The Micro Center page doesn't load. Do you have a store near you? I have a store less than a hour away from me. I have had very good luck with the refurbed laptops from them. If you have a store close you can get a better selection on the in store only selection than the online selection.

I was just looking at the website for my local Micro Center. They have a small selection but very reasonable priced HP ProBook laptops. The most expensive one is only $499.99. They are off lease models.