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Please, when posting a link to a laptop listing, make sure to include the price at time of posting. It helps.
Requesting help with a purchase? Please post here: https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=135662.msg2794782#msg2794782

Dell:
Precision - Very powerful desktop replacements - great warranty, ridiculously expensive - Usually overpriced or overkill

Latitude - Good Laptops - Great warranty! Highly recommended for any Business environment - Sometimes expensive.

Vostro  - Lower end Business Machines - Better Priced - still durable - Usually 1 Year warranty.

XPS - The nicer looking dell machines, Some are better than others...

Inspiron - YMMV Every model is different

(Plain) Insprion Series - Dells lowest end laptop
(R) Insprion Series - Perfect Home use, dependable, decent build quality, recommended
(Z) Insprion Series - A little slimmer than the R series, Some are Ultrabooks (Very often don't include Optical Drives)

HP:

Spectre - Top of the line personal (dragonfly is the top of the line for business) - lightest laptops, and beautiful!

Pavilion - YMMV (Some better than others)

Probook - Stable durable business systems - Usually a little on the heavy side.

Elitebook - Business Higher end systems, usually pretty expensive

ENVY - Used to be the HP sleek and nicer systems, they pretty much replaced most of the standard pavilions now and call them either ENVY or sleekbooks

Sleekbook - like it sounds slimmer line of laptops

Lenovo:

Thinkpad Series - Very Dependable Business Machine, Expensive (Not Pretty but Durable)

IdeaPad Series -

S Series
U Series - Usually the slimmer line Ultrabooks, Doesn't always include DVD Drive
Y Series - Nice machines with good specs and features (Cool Backlit Keyboards)
Z Series - Step up from the G Series, all around decent build, priced nicely, great home use laptop
G Series - Lower end

Samsung:

Series 3
Series 5
Series 7
Series 9 - The nicest, sleekest looking laptops I've seen in a long time - Can pass for a Macbook!!


HT: Dh Data Recovery & Name Changed


A great post by caliheat:
I believe that there are many factors when deciding what laptop to purchase.
1) What is your intended use and necessary features. e.g. light use vs. heavy use & optical drive, computer speed etc.
2) As mentioned several times in this thread, RAM itself is very easy to upgrade after you purchase.
3) Brand - IMHO this is pretty important as well - which do your prefer vs. which brand do people recommend.
4) Price - you should decide a price range that best suits your needs.
5) Operating System - Many people like myself prefer Windows 7 vs. 8.1, so this would be another consideration.
6) Warranty - does it include 1 year or more, cost for extending warranty.
7) Detailed Specs:
  Processor  - model and speed i3, i5, & i7 2.0 Ghz, 3.0 Ghz etc.
  RAM - This IMHO should be minimum 8GB, especially if running 8.1, however can be added easily.
  Hard Drive - SATA vs. SSD, the latter being much faster. SATA itself offers 5400 RPM vs. 7200 RPM again, the latter being faster.
  Screen Size - this is a personal preference as you can always attach a larger screen in an office setting.
  Battery & Weight - overall laptop weight preference & battery life.
  Graphics - Integrated graphics vs. dedicated graphics, e.g. Intel 4400 vs. Nvidia GTX etc.

In summary, you have to decide what are you priorities, what can be upgraded and what you are flexible on.



Excellent article about the differences between the Intel processor suffixes.

Excellent "Laptop Buying Guide" by @dailykasha, written for Black Friday 2021, updated for holidays 2023

Author Topic: Laptop Deals Master Thread  (Read 3151848 times)

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12000 on: July 19, 2019, 04:49:34 PM »
Any thoughts on the XPS 13 vs. Macbook Air for a student? They will be commuting every day and need something reliable, light and with great battery life. They are used to Windows but have heard that Macs are simply more reliable. Is this true even with a high-end laptop like the XPS 13? Part of the equation is also that the Dell's keyboard is supposed to be significantly better...Any thoughts?
« Last Edit: July 19, 2019, 04:57:57 PM by Thingywingy »
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline sky121

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"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline sky121

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"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline sky121

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"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline sguitarist18

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12004 on: July 22, 2019, 02:42:14 PM »
This seems like a good deal, much cheaper than what similar specs would go for at HP.com...

On the other hand, it's being sold by a third-party seller that apparently "upgrades configurations." Is that something to be concerned about?

https://www.amazon.com/HP-Pavilion-Notebook-Bluetooth-Accessories/dp/B07TBC9PCD/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=hp+envy+17&qid=1563816794&refinements=p_n_feature_five_browse-bin%3A13580791011%2Cp_n_condition-type%3A2224371011%2Cp_n_size_browse-bin%3A7817234011&rnid=2242797011&s=electronics&sr=1-16

Offline rapsjr

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12005 on: July 23, 2019, 08:47:43 AM »
This seems like a good deal, much cheaper than what similar specs would go for at HP.com...

On the other hand, it's being sold by a third-party seller that apparently "upgrades configurations." Is that something to be concerned about?

https://www.amazon.com/HP-Pavilion-Notebook-Bluetooth-Accessories/dp/B07TBC9PCD/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=hp+envy+17&qid=1563816794&refinements=p_n_feature_five_browse-bin%3A13580791011%2Cp_n_condition-type%3A2224371011%2Cp_n_size_browse-bin%3A7817234011&rnid=2242797011&s=electronics&sr=1-16
Good question... I would buy this aside from that concern. Can anyone weigh in?

Offline sguitarist18

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12006 on: July 23, 2019, 09:42:09 PM »
This seems like a good deal, much cheaper than what similar specs would go for at HP.com...

On the other hand, it's being sold by a third-party seller that apparently "upgrades configurations." Is that something to be concerned about?

https://www.amazon.com/HP-Pavilion-Notebook-Bluetooth-Accessories/dp/B07TBC9PCD/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=hp+envy+17&qid=1563816794&refinements=p_n_feature_five_browse-bin%3A13580791011%2Cp_n_condition-type%3A2224371011%2Cp_n_size_browse-bin%3A7817234011&rnid=2242797011&s=electronics&sr=1-16
Good question... I would buy this aside from that concern. Can anyone weigh in?

Bump

Offline Miracle

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12007 on: July 25, 2019, 01:10:29 PM »
Any good laptops from the best buy sales now?
Need something for opening multipul web sites and browsers, run a lot of programs in the background, writing, editing..

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12008 on: July 25, 2019, 01:30:28 PM »
Buy Select PCs & Monitors, Get up to a $200 Promo Visa® Prepaid Card from Dell
Also save an additional $50 off select PCs $699.99 and above with Coupon 50OFF699.
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline Miracle

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12009 on: July 25, 2019, 01:37:39 PM »
Buy Select PCs & Monitors, Get up to a $200 Promo Visa® Prepaid Card from Dell
Also save an additional $50 off select PCs $699.99 and above with Coupon 50OFF699.
any specific ones on sale - or better to wait for labor day?

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12010 on: July 25, 2019, 01:47:28 PM »
Depends on your needs. There is an XPS 13 that comes out to $650 which caught my attention but I'm not excited by the i3 and 4GB RAM even though it's still a pretty good price.
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline Miracle

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12011 on: July 25, 2019, 01:48:52 PM »
Looking for a fast machine.
What I need is written above..

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12012 on: July 25, 2019, 01:59:10 PM »
Looking for a fast machine.
What I need is written above..
This XPS 13 is a great machine at a very good price but may be above your budget at $950. See WireCutter review here.
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline Luvtotravel

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12013 on: July 25, 2019, 02:48:22 PM »
I'm clueless when it comes to ram or anything of the sort but I just need computer for basic word processing and light internet u se. needs to be fast. What do I need and how much can I expect to spend?
Don't wait for the perfect moment; take the moment and make it perfect.

Offline sguitarist18

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12014 on: July 25, 2019, 02:51:36 PM »
Maybe a chromebook and use Google docs?

Offline Luvtotravel

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12015 on: July 25, 2019, 02:55:46 PM »
Maybe a chromebook and use Google docs?
forgot to mention need Microsoft office
Don't wait for the perfect moment; take the moment and make it perfect.

Offline Miracle

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12016 on: July 25, 2019, 03:51:24 PM »
This XPS 13 is a great machine at a very good price but may be above your budget at $950. See WireCutter review here.
Yea, it is.. I was hoping to spend around 600-700 (tops, including taxes.)

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12017 on: July 25, 2019, 09:48:53 PM »
Best Buy has the Surface 2 for $699 if your a student. It's quite sleek looking and a pretty good price. Some ppl are big fans of the Surface 2; it's a good deal for this product. If you don't know about it check out details before (or after) purchasing. One major downside is that it has no USB-C ports. Specs are decent but not great.

This is from Wirecutter review: "The Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 is a good ultrabook. At 12.1 by 8.8 by 0.6 inches, it’s a little wider than most of the laptops that we tested. At 2.8 pounds, it’s about as heavy as our top pick, and with 7 hours and 47 minutes of battery life, it should last you a full day’s work. Its keyboard and trackpad were pleasant to use, and its display—at 2256×1504 pixels—is sharp. But we didn’t like its weird, fabric palm rest—we’re not sure how well it will hold up over time—and it doesn’t offer any USB-C ports, much less Thunderbolt 3, which is an inexplicable and inexcusable omission in a laptop in this price range."

Specs:
13.5" 2256x1504 LCD PixelSense Touch Display
Intel i5-8250U 1.6GHz Quad-Core Processor
8GB LPDDR3 Memory
128GB Solid State Drive
Intel UHD Graphics 620
802.11ac Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.1
Windows 10 Home
Ports:
1x USB 3.1 Type A
1x Mini Display port
1x Headphone Jack
45.2 Wh Lithium Polymer Battery
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline Miracle

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12018 on: July 25, 2019, 11:07:01 PM »
Best Buy has the Surface 2 for $699 if your a student. It's quite sleek looking and a pretty good price. Some ppl are big fans of the Surface 2; it's a good deal for this product. If you don't know about it check out details before (or after) purchasing. One major downside is that it has no USB-C ports. Specs are decent but not great.

This is from Wirecutter review: "The Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 is a good ultrabook. At 12.1 by 8.8 by 0.6 inches, it’s a little wider than most of the laptops that we tested. At 2.8 pounds, it’s about as heavy as our top pick, and with 7 hours and 47 minutes of battery life, it should last you a full day’s work. Its keyboard and trackpad were pleasant to use, and its display—at 2256×1504 pixels—is sharp. But we didn’t like its weird, fabric palm rest—we’re not sure how well it will hold up over time—and it doesn’t offer any USB-C ports, much less Thunderbolt 3, which is an inexplicable and inexcusable omission in a laptop in this price range."

Specs:
13.5" 2256x1504 LCD PixelSense Touch Display
Intel i5-8250U 1.6GHz Quad-Core Processor
8GB LPDDR3 Memory
128GB Solid State Drive
Intel UHD Graphics 620
802.11ac Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.1
Windows 10 Home
Ports:
1x USB 3.1 Type A
1x Mini Display port
1x Headphone Jack
45.2 Wh Lithium Polymer Battery
will check it out, thanks.

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #12019 on: July 30, 2019, 02:13:44 AM »
I'm hoping the experts can weigh in...I prefer the premium keyboard and bigger 14 inch screen of the Lenovo X1 carbon over the XPS 13 but the current generation is above my budget. Lenovo has the 5th gen for $849. If I'm spending that kind of money, does it make sense to buy a laptop that is 2.5 years old? The processor on the X1 is the Intel i5-6200U, whereas the XPS 13 (9380) has the i5-8265U, two generations newer...?
« Last Edit: July 30, 2019, 02:43:53 AM by Thingywingy »
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.