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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 3387184 times)

Offline sky121

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14400 on: February 02, 2024, 11:14:49 AM »
@sky121 Photoshop needs 2GB dedicated VRAM and Premiere needs 4GB. Both do better with 6GB.
Having said that - casual use of these programs is usually okay with less. Most normal computers can do Photoshop for casual use. Premiere needs a bit more. So what do you mean by basic - casual, or no frills but constant?
Also: Are you looking to spend more for the sake of portability / battery life? If not, you can match Premiere's recommended specs for around $800, even $700 if lucky.
You also have to decide if you want to merely match the spec or spend a lot more to "future-proof" the computer. Consider this if you imagine yourself still using the computer full time in five years. Only in this last scenario should you be spending $1200.
Just reread this and realized you were talking about vram and not ram. My bad.
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Offline cozmohoot

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14401 on: February 02, 2024, 12:59:16 PM »
I'm pretty sure the listing showed New when you posted it.
There's some funny business going on, and I don't know what it is.
On lenovo it says New for this laptop at that $688 price, but also says "outlet price." The model number doesn't come up at psref.lenovo.com, and from what I'm reading (you know where) the X in the model number means refurbished. https://www.lenovo.com/us/outletus/en/p/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpadx1/thinkpad-x1-yoga-gen-7-(14-inch-intel)/21cex50400
I think something similar happened here (HP, via antononline), went from refurb to new or something.
got 1 and seems brand new

Offline DaasTora

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14402 on: February 03, 2024, 10:45:07 PM »
I currently have a Dell Inspiron i5 typical laptop and it does its job but I want to upgrade to a better machine and one that’s more travel friendly (2in1,touch,etc). I won’t really do any graphics or heavy stuff just regular office work. Can anyone recommend me anything specifically from Dell since I have a business platinum card. Thanks in advance.
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Offline mevinyavin

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14403 on: February 04, 2024, 05:14:21 AM »

Thanks for the response. I'm a bit surprised because everyone I've spoken to said I need at least 16 GB of RAM preferably 32 to run most Photoshop and video editing software.  I have a $800 credit to B&H photo so ideally I would find a laptop there though it seems like I have more options for better deals elsewhere. I don't necessarily need it to be future proof. I would like it to be able to run Premiere if needed. It would be great if it had good battery life but that's not a must. I would prefer it to not be too heavy though.
At B&H, this would be the monster budget option: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1745673-REG/lenovo_82xv005gus_15_6_loq_15irh8_gaming.html/specs
You can save maybe $150 with some compromises elsewhere, but the credit seems well-used on this.

A more portable option is something like this: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1742717-REG/samsung_np750xfh_xb1us_15_6_galaxy_book3_laptop.html
There are some compromises for the portability (soldered RAM, lower wattage processor, less VRAM). If you were looking for better portability and battery life, especially if you would be happy with a smaller screen, there are better prices elsewhere and use the B&H credit on something else.
If so, let me know and I'll take a look around.

For the record, graphics pros would be happy with both of these machines, but may spend more because there is no future proofing at these specs. Your needs are more modest so these would be perfect.
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 #14404 on: February 04, 2024, 11:39:37 AM »
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-tuf-gaming-a16-16-165hz-gaming-laptop-fhd-amd-ryzen-7-7735hs-with-16gb-ddr5-memory-radeon-rx7600s-512gb-pcie-ssd-off-black/6535499.p?skuId=6535499
$800. A friend got one of these a few months back at $750, but still a good price at $800. Heavy, but decent battery life and excellent bang for the buck when it comes to pro work (perhaps less so if gaming). @sky121 This is better than the Lenovo from B&H for your purposes (pro work) and adds battery life but is still heavy.
Review here: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Asus-TUF-Gaming-A16-Advantage-Edition-in-review-AMD-notebook-under-the-auspices-of-the-7.694033.0.html
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline DaasTora

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14405 on: February 04, 2024, 01:17:31 PM »
I currently have a Dell Inspiron i5 typical laptop and it does its job but I want to upgrade to a better machine and one that’s more travel friendly (2in1,touch,etc). I won’t really do any graphics or heavy stuff just regular office work. Can anyone recommend me anything specifically from Dell since I have a business platinum card. Thanks in advance.
I checked out this one
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/laptops-ultrabooks-and-tablets/latitude-7430-laptop/spd/latitude-14-7430-2-in-1-laptop/gctol7430usvp?redirectto=SOC&configurationid=b4325fb6-adb2-49dc-aa14-05b0c4bf3c60

The latter is a steal. @jj1000 7000 series 14" Latitude 2-in-1, 12th gen i5, 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD for $587 direct from Dell, before credit card credits. 3 year warranty. Evo certified. Backlit keyboard. 2.86 lbs. 3.8K screen. (Note: this price requires a downgrade to the 256GB SSD.)
Consider adding to the warranty.
Note: if you use lots of USB-C devices, pay the $10 for the 90W charger upgrade.
But it seems like it’s not touch. I’m wondering what’s the point of 2 in 1 without touch.
“Never underestimate the power of…stupidity”
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Offline baron

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14406 on: February 04, 2024, 03:05:14 PM »
Amazing but out of stock

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14407 on: February 05, 2024, 12:18:38 AM »
Any idea when the MacBook air m3 chip is coming out?
 Wondering if that will cause the macbook air m1 to drop in price?
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Offline shapsam

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14408 on: February 06, 2024, 10:52:15 AM »

Offline mevinyavin

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14409 on: February 06, 2024, 11:16:19 AM »
Is this a decent deal for its specs?

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/misc/deal-of-the-day/pcmcat248000050016.c?id=pcmcat248000050016
Overpriced. Can do better for less. (Note: 11th gen i5, sold for $400 on sale in 2019. Outperformed by every i3 since including 11th gen.)
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline shapsam

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14410 on: February 06, 2024, 11:39:39 AM »
Overpriced. Can do better for less. (Note: 11th gen i5, sold for $400 on sale in 2019. Outperformed by every i3 since including 11th gen.)
Thanks. Just want to make sure we're looking at the same thing, this one is 11 gen i5 on sale for $329. Are you saying an i3 works better than this?

Here is a better link:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-inspiron-15-3520-touch-laptop-intel-core-i5-8gb-memory-256gb-ssd-carbon-black/6553026.p?skuId=6553026

Do you have another recommendation for something in the $300 range for not such heavy use?

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14411 on: February 06, 2024, 11:51:37 AM »
Thanks. Just want to make sure we're looking at the same thing, this one is 11 gen i5 on sale for $329. Are you saying an i3 works better than this?

Here is a better link:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-inspiron-15-3520-touch-laptop-intel-core-i5-8gb-memory-256gb-ssd-carbon-black/6553026.p?skuId=6553026

Do you have another recommendation for something in the $300 range for not such heavy use?
Yeah, that's the right one. Does it surprise you regarding a processor from 2019?
If you want a recommendation, you'll have to tell me what you want, though I probably can't answer you tonight. If touch is important, you should probably get this one. (I can find you cheaper over time but not necessarily this second.) Does 15" matter? Does build quality matter? Does battery life matter? Or you just want the cheapest fastest device for office work whatever form it comes in?
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline shapsam

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14412 on: February 06, 2024, 01:09:03 PM »
Yeah, that's the right one. Does it surprise you regarding a processor from 2019?
If you want a recommendation, you'll have to tell me what you want, though I probably can't answer you tonight. If touch is important, you should probably get this one. (I can find you cheaper over time but not necessarily this second.) Does 15" matter? Does build quality matter? Does battery life matter? Or you just want the cheapest fastest device for office work whatever form it comes in?
I guess it does surprise me that an i3 can be better than an i5, though I don't know much about computer processors.

Regarding what's important to me,
Would want at least 15" screen
Don't necessarily need touch (would take it if it's anyways included)
Battery life is not super important, will be plugged in most of the time.
So yes, cheapest fastest for office work.

Thanks for your help!!


Offline shapsam

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14413 on: February 06, 2024, 01:31:48 PM »
Also looking into getting another one for someone to use for trading. Has to be at least i7 and at least 16gb RAM.
Don't necessarily need touch, don't need very long battery life. Large screen preferred.
How much should I budget for a laptop like this?

Offline DaasTora

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14414 on: February 06, 2024, 01:32:32 PM »
“Never underestimate the power of…stupidity”
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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14415 on: February 06, 2024, 02:52:25 PM »

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14416 on: February 06, 2024, 08:08:44 PM »
Pretty heavy and large for travel
But is it a good price for the specs?
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Offline mevinyavin

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14417 on: February 07, 2024, 10:46:45 AM »
But is it a good price for the specs?
Seems somewhat overpriced for what it is. But I don't deal in large 2-in-1s often enough to know for sure.
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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14418 on: February 07, 2024, 11:17:57 AM »
Seems somewhat overpriced for what it is. But I don't deal in large 2-in-1s often enough to know for sure.
So can you recommend me a better and smaller Dell alternative?
Thanks.
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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14419 on: February 07, 2024, 12:08:01 PM »
So can you recommend me a better and smaller Dell alternative?
Thanks.
Sure, maybe, but not today. Be more specific: touch matters or is a bonus? 2-in-1? minimum and maximum screen size? Does battery life matter? Pay extra for better build?

@shapsam
15" budget is this ($300): https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/inspiron-15-laptop/spd/inspiron-15-3520-laptop/nn3520gmqbh
This is $50 for touch and less storage: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-15-6-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i3-8gb-memory-256gb-ssd-natural-silver/6550428.p?skuId=6550428
But this is $50 more for better efficiency (battery life) and 16GB of RAM: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-15-6-full-hd-laptop-amd-ryzen-5-7520u-16gb-memory-256gb-ssd-natural-silver/6554442.p?skuId=6554442
Lastly, this is $100 more in store only and gets you more processing power than aboves and a metal build, plus a tiny bit more screen space. https://www.microcenter.com/product/647652/dell-inspiron-16-5620-160-laptop-computer-silver
I didn't see any other touch computers in the budget range.

17" for basic office work: best value is this $300 laptop. You should spring $30 for the higher resolution. Consider the processor upgrade too. The cheaper processor is roughly equivalent to an i3 from five years ago, so should be enough, and the better processor is more like an i5 from five years ago (or i3 from four years ago). For office work you should be fine. I haven't seen anything impressive that isn't double the price of this, not worth it IMHO. You can always pay a tech to upgrade the RAM, I think. https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/ConfigureView?langId=-1&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&catEntryId=3074457345620699824&urlLangId=&quantity=1&color=jet%20black
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!