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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 3211601 times)

Offline cozmohoot

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13840 on: May 22, 2023, 01:47:09 PM »

Offline skyguy918

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13841 on: May 22, 2023, 02:14:10 PM »
Don't know if there's a better thread for this, but would is Chrome OS have good enough child controls on its own to leave a kid unsupervised on it? Thinking something along the lines of being able to limit the child's login to certain activities - ie Zoom, MS/Google Office apps, whitelist only sites, etc. - in a way that even most adults wouldn't be able to get around without guessing some passwords. And if yes, any suggestions for a good deal on a chromebook? Only requirements would be as cheap as possible with USB-C charging and ability to output to larger screens.

Offline cozmohoot

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13842 on: May 22, 2023, 06:34:38 PM »
Low 2s
And BTW , some ebay items come with a 1 year square trade warranty

Offline AsherO

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13843 on: May 22, 2023, 07:14:09 PM »
@biobook by destroyed you mean physical damage?

Maybe try to find a Panasonic toughbook or some other ruggedized laptop on eBay that can handle said damage more gracefully.
DDF FFB (Forum From Birth)

Offline biobook

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13844 on: May 22, 2023, 07:45:05 PM »
@biobook by destroyed you mean physical damage?

Maybe try to find a Panasonic toughbook or some other ruggedized laptop on eBay that can handle said damage more gracefully.
One fell on the floor, the other got inundated with chocolate syrup.  All by themselves.  ::)
The toughbooks are rather heavy - 4-8 pounds.  What I want for traveling is something very lightweight.

Offline cozmohoot

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13845 on: May 22, 2023, 08:07:58 PM »
One fell on the floor, the other got inundated with chocolate syrup.  All by themselves.  ::)
The toughbooks are rather heavy - 4-8 pounds.  What I want for traveling is something very lightweight.
IMHO, get a 7290 12.5inch for around $250.
Maybe buy 2 of them

Offline biobook

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13846 on: May 22, 2023, 08:28:52 PM »
I've bought a few 5490 14-in on eBay from a reputable seller and a couple 7290 12.5 in ,and have been very happy so far.
All were i5 8th with either 8gb ram or 16gb ram and of course an ssd.
That's 5 years old, so we're talking refurbished, right?  What are the concerns about that?  I have what some might call an extreme aversion to viruses and the like.

Offline cozmohoot

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13847 on: May 22, 2023, 08:46:04 PM »
Yes Refurbished, but Refurbished by Microsoft authorized Refurbisher that puts on a fresh copy of windows and tests all components. ITreplay is one of the sellers that I like .

It might be around 5 years old but I have plenty of users with 8th generation i5 and even i3 who still use the machine as daily workhorses.
For web browsing and ms office it is more than adequate.

Offline mevinyavin

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13848 on: May 23, 2023, 04:10:18 AM »
That's 5 years old, so we're talking refurbished, right?  What are the concerns about that?  I have what some might call an extreme aversion to viruses and the like.
Re: refurbs.
When buying from a legit source, there are two primary (potential) issues. First is no guarantee on the battery (unlike, for instance, theblakdavid's systems which are old but unused). If the company guarantees a brand-new battery, this is irrelevant.
Second is longevity of the computer. Primary reason a laptop dies is heat from the (now) stressed-out cooling system until something pops that shouldn't. Almost no one cleans out the inside from dust when reselling, and even if they do, this doesn't always help (or fully help) the wear and tear on cooling.
Indestructible computers like Latitudes last longer, but how much longer is a toss-up.

In your case, it does seem like the benefits outweigh the risks.
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline mevinyavin

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13849 on: May 23, 2023, 05:09:44 AM »
https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpade/thinkpad-e14-gen-4-(14-inch-amd)/21eb0021us
$650 - Thinkpad E14 Gen 4, Ryzen 7 5825, 16GB RAM (8GB soldered, 8GB upgradeable), TB SSD
Don't forget the coupon code.
Highlights: 8 cores, 2 M2 slots (1 2242 and 1 2280), excellent battery life
Review here:
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Lenovo-ThinkPad-E14-G3-AMD-Laptop-Review-Affordable-Business-Notebook-with-Ryzen-Power.551070.0.html
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline yfr bachur

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13850 on: May 23, 2023, 09:18:39 AM »
Don't know if there's a better thread for this, but would is Chrome OS have good enough child controls on its own to leave a kid unsupervised on it? Thinking something along the lines of being able to limit the child's login to certain activities - ie Zoom, MS/Google Office apps, whitelist only sites, etc. - in a way that even most adults wouldn't be able to get around without guessing some passwords. And if yes, any suggestions for a good deal on a chromebook? Only requirements would be as cheap as possible with USB-C charging and ability to output to larger screens.

TAG has a solution for chromebooks

Offline mevinyavin

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13851 on: May 23, 2023, 09:36:05 AM »
Back on sale this week, $200, in person only.
$200 in person only.
https://www.microcenter.com/product/663100/lenovo-ideapad-3-14-laptop-computer-platinum-grey?storeid=115
Lenovo Ideapad 3 14" 11th gen i3 for $250. Only in person at a Micro Center.
i3-1115G4/8GB RAM/256GB SSD

Should be great for office work. Easy to get into if you need to upgrade. (4GB RAM is soldered, and 4GB is replaceable.)

https://www.microcenter.com/product/663100/lenovo-ideapad-3-14-laptop-computer-grey?sku=540187&utm_source=20230213_Desktop_Notebook_R7492&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=R7492&MccGuid=66827EF8-22DA-480C-8A69-CA249D556EE5
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline mevinyavin

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13852 on: May 23, 2023, 09:45:28 AM »
(@cozmohoot If you haven't bought anything yet)

A stellar deal on this Lenovo Slim 7 16, Arc A370 graphics, touch, 32GB RAM and TB SSD, for $1000: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1763759-REG/lenovo_82vb0000us_16_ideapad_slim_7.html/specs

Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline Moshe26

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13853 on: May 23, 2023, 01:14:04 PM »
i dont know much about laptops, but is this a good home laptop, mainly for work. if not any other options recommended (from dell)

https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/inspiron-15-laptop/spd/inspiron-15-3520-laptop/nn3520ftech

Offline DealJew

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13854 on: May 23, 2023, 03:02:37 PM »
Whats a good laptop for Browsing the Web under $300? Cannot be too slow.
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Offline Chuchum Ainer

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13855 on: May 23, 2023, 04:00:21 PM »
Whats a good laptop for Browsing the Web under $300? Cannot be too slow.

Is a chromebook an option?

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13856 on: May 23, 2023, 05:46:21 PM »

All my docs are on flash drives, so needs usb port


Your flash drives don't get lost/ruined? Why don't you use a cloud based document storage?
Feelings don't care about your facts

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13857 on: May 23, 2023, 10:57:40 PM »
Any good dell laptops in the $400-600 range?

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13858 on: May 24, 2023, 12:30:35 AM »
I'm looking for a laptop for someone who has destroyed two of them in the past 3 years, and will use it for a few months of travel, so is also liable to lose it or have it stolen.  Instead of all sorts of wonderful features, I should probably be looking for the cheapest thing that will work and just be happy if it lasts for 4-5 months. 

Will be used for Word docs and internet, often multiple tabs of both open at once
All my docs are on flash drives, so needs usb port
Not more than 3 pounds, so it can be carried around all day
Smaller is better than larger

1. What are the concerns with buying used/ refurbished?  That it's liable to break or that it will have something undesirable installed on it?

2. Is there a tablet with a keyboard that would work?  What would be the disadvantages of that?

Thanks for any advice.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-yoga-6-13-3-wuxga-1920-x-1200-touch-2-in-1-laptop-ryzen-5-5500u-8gb-memory-256gb-ssd-dark-teal/6502221.p?skuId=6502221
Open box excellent for $366

If you want to go down the refurbished route, some interesting deals here:
https://www.backmarket.com/en-us/p/hp-elitebook-x360-1030-g4-133-inch-core-i5-8-gb-ssd-256-gb/ba2b7923-aa11-43b0-af25-f91fe10f2e0d#l=10 $300
https://www.backmarket.com/en-us/p/lenovo-thinkpad-l380-yoga-14-inch-i5-8350u-8-gb-ssd-256-gb/878c174c-3a2a-42c0-b674-806e817efc66#l=10 $295
https://www.backmarket.com/en-us/p/lenovo-thinkpad-x390-yoga-133-inch-core-i5-8-gb-ssd-256-gb/b1d95300-1bf0-4d6f-88cc-a106d44f661d#l=10 $300
https://www.backmarket.com/en-us/p/dell-latitude-7390-133-inch-2018-core-i7-8650u-16-gb-ssd-256-gb/2d8ac0df-5d2e-4e37-9a70-4fc83cd81ca0#l=10 $253

I think these one's might work for you. (note The info on the product pages is not very accurate.)
When it comes to refurbished, you can always reinstall windows yourself (not too difficult, and easier than usual as you don't need to save your personal data first), so I wouldn't worry about any viruses or wtvr.

The worry is that the battery or other components might already be nearing the end of their lifespan. So I'd only buy high-end models, which should anyways last really long. (Friend has a 10+ year old Lenovo yoga. Thin and still decently looking compared to today's laptops. The ssd died 2 years ago (8 years in), which was an easy $30 replacement (thankfully didn't store any important data on it) it's still going strong.)
These three linked are from the tougher product lines, and not too old, so should still have a few years left.

The other issue is that there have obviously been advancements in computer technology since the old laptops were made. That should again be ok as long as you get the high end ones. High end 2019 laptops might have the same good screens and thunderbolt ports as midrange 2023 machines.

So your use case seems relatively light, and you don't really plan on it lasting that long anyhow. These seem good.
Check the battery life, return if it's not enough for you.

All IMHO.

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #13859 on: May 28, 2023, 05:24:27 AM »
A gut voch!
The original Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 15.6" with i5 11th gen, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, $500 at Walmart.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/SAMSUNG-Galaxy-Book-Pro-15-6-Laptop-Intel-Core-i5-8GB-Memory-256GB-SSD-Mystic-Silver/783473827
Buy this only if having a superlight 15.6" computer with decent battery life matters to you. Otherwise you can match the spec for $150 less, at least.
Review here: https://www.techradar.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-book-pro
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!