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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 3182428 times)

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10860 on: May 01, 2017, 09:05:42 PM »
Just a bump for my question which may have been lost in the excitement. ^^
pretty good option, and nice price (though not a massive discount.)

Offline yitzyk

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10861 on: May 02, 2017, 12:19:48 PM »
I am looking for a cheap but reliable laptop for home use. I will not be transporting it, so I don't care about weight. It will mostly be used for viewing and storing pictures, watching movies on DVD and other digital formats, and for shopping and surfing on the web.

I want a laptop because I do move it around the house as needed in bedrooms, dining room, or kitchen, depending on who is doing the viewing or shopping. I also store it in a drawer instead of taking up space. It will basically be my home PC. It will be replacing a Dell Latitude E6530 that is currently still working but having motherboard failures. It has a 15" screen, but I am considering upping that to 17".

Preferred features/requirements:
1 TB HD or greater
decent speakers
17" screen - NOT touch
real keyboard buttons
reliability to last for many years
and of course - low price.

I don't need the latest processor, an SSD drive, blue-tooth, or video conferencing. I am not using this for gaming or video editing. Battery capacity/life is not so important either - my house has AC power.

I spent many years repairing PCs as a hobby a long time ago. From my experience, I used to only recommend Dell and only buy Dell myself. Since those times, I have still mostly preferred Dell, both at work and at home. I have also had some positive experience with HP. However, I once bought a Dell that was refurbished, and while the price was great, it did not last anywhere near what I expected. Therefore, I would prefer to stick with new. If any other companies are reliable, please tell me which ones. I replaced a few ASUS laptop screens some years ago and got the impression that they were very cheap (in quality I mean.) They might have improved since then.

I have no idea what the price ranges are, but I am hoping not to have to spend more than $500 or so. If the difference between 15" and 17" makes a huge price increase, I might give up on that upgrade and stay with 15".

Any input or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Offline yitzyk

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10862 on: May 02, 2017, 02:57:13 PM »
I am looking for a cheap but reliable laptop for home use. I will not be transporting it, so I don't care about weight. It will mostly be used for viewing and storing pictures, watching movies on DVD and other digital formats, and for shopping and surfing on the web.

I want a laptop because I do move it around the house as needed in bedrooms, dining room, or kitchen, depending on who is doing the viewing or shopping. I also store it in a drawer instead of taking up space. It will basically be my home PC. It will be replacing a Dell Latitude E6530 that is currently still working but having motherboard failures. It has a 15" screen, but I am considering upping that to 17".

Preferred features/requirements:
1 TB HD or greater
decent speakers
17" screen - NOT touch
real keyboard buttons
reliability to last for many years
and of course - low price.

I don't need the latest processor, an SSD drive, blue-tooth, or video conferencing. I am not using this for gaming or video editing. Battery capacity/life is not so important either - my house has AC power.

I spent many years repairing PCs as a hobby a long time ago. From my experience, I used to only recommend Dell and only buy Dell myself. Since those times, I have still mostly preferred Dell, both at work and at home. I have also had some positive experience with HP. However, I once bought a Dell that was refurbished, and while the price was great, it did not last anywhere near what I expected. Therefore, I would prefer to stick with new. If any other companies are reliable, please tell me which ones. I replaced a few ASUS laptop screens some years ago and got the impression that they were very cheap (in quality I mean.) They might have improved since then.

I have no idea what the price ranges are, but I am hoping not to have to spend more than $500 or so. If the difference between 15" and 17" makes a huge price increase, I might give up on that upgrade and stay with 15".

Any input or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Oh and one more thing - it has to be a PC, not a Mac or Chromebook.

I haven't used Windows 10 yet (I am still on Windows 7) but I doubt that any other version of Windows is an option anymore.

(Is this posting appropriate here? I wasn't sure if it belongs here or in Tech Talk.)

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10863 on: May 02, 2017, 05:48:55 PM »


Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10865 on: May 02, 2017, 06:09:28 PM »

Offline yitzyk

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10866 on: May 02, 2017, 06:51:31 PM »
Thanks, that looks great!

It doesn't give much details about the audio. Should I just buy it. or is there any point in shopping further?

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10867 on: May 02, 2017, 06:54:14 PM »
Thanks, that looks great!

It doesn't give many details about the audio. Should I just buy it. or is there any point in shopping further?
For simple mid-range laptops, you wouldn't really find audio details (sometimes it'll give you the brand, but that means really nothing.)

I'd go for it. You can shop around or wait, but just as you may find better with some time you might not and lose even this one.

Offline ae123

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10868 on: May 04, 2017, 06:27:34 PM »
Any good deals for a laptop that is i5 or i7, like under $500?
Preferably with an SSD HD.
(I already bought one a few weeks ago. Now I'm asking for someone else.)

Offline yas

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10869 on: May 04, 2017, 09:53:54 PM »
This is a good deal
$629 with coupon SAVE270 after $270 off

7th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-7500U Processor (4MB Cache, up to 3.5 GHz)
8GB, 2400MHz, DDR4
512GB Solid State Drive
15.6-inch HD
Windows 10 pro

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/inspiron-15-5566-laptop/pd?oc=cai155w10p7b013c2&prg=1&VEN1=12383016-552179-V1F2YU5Bb0tNcTBBQXJVek8yUUFBQUNI&DGC=BF&DGSeg=BSD&CID=198376&LID=45675&ACD=12309198376456750&VEN3=812303722998013597
« Last Edit: May 04, 2017, 09:58:22 PM by yas »

Offline yas

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10870 on: May 04, 2017, 10:13:17 PM »
Any good deals for a laptop that is i5 or i7, like under $500?
Preferably with an SSD HD.
(I already bought one a few weeks ago. Now I'm asking for someone else.)
This should fit what you are looking for.
$469 Deal ends in four hours.
Intel Core i5 7th Gen 7200U (2.50 GHz)
8 GB DDR4 Memory 256 GB SSD
Intel HD Graphics 620
1920 x 1080
Windows 10 Home 64-Bit

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?sdtid=10097060&SID=32a48650313811e7bce152dca6560a340INT&AID=10440897&PID=1225267&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-cables-_-na-_-na&Item=N82E16834315779&cm_sp=

Offline ae123

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10871 on: May 04, 2017, 11:05:39 PM »
This is a good deal
$629 with coupon SAVE270 after $270 off

7th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-7500U Processor (4MB Cache, up to 3.5 GHz)
8GB, 2400MHz, DDR4
512GB Solid State Drive
15.6-inch HD
Windows 10 pro

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/inspiron-15-5566-laptop/pd?oc=cai155w10p7b013c2&prg=1&VEN1=12383016-552179-V1F2YU5Bb0tNcTBBQXJVek8yUUFBQUNI&DGC=BF&DGSeg=BSD&CID=198376&LID=45675&ACD=12309198376456750&VEN3=812303722998013597
Thank you.
Good deal but probably too expensive for my needs.

Offline ae123

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10872 on: May 04, 2017, 11:06:14 PM »
This should fit what you are looking for.
$469 Deal ends in four hours.
Intel Core i5 7th Gen 7200U (2.50 GHz)
8 GB DDR4 Memory 256 GB SSD
Intel HD Graphics 620
1920 x 1080
Windows 10 Home 64-Bit

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?sdtid=10097060&SID=32a48650313811e7bce152dca6560a340INT&AID=10440897&PID=1225267&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-cables-_-na-_-na&Item=N82E16834315779&cm_sp=
Thank you.
How does Acer compare to Dell?

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10873 on: May 04, 2017, 11:35:27 PM »
Thank you.
How does Acer compare to Dell?
Dell is the brand, and Acer not so much, some of their devices are cheap build quality, but if you want something good and cheap somewhere you need to look away.

Offline JeremyG

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10874 on: May 05, 2017, 07:12:33 AM »
Hi all!

I would really appreciate any recommendations/deals for a laptop with the following specs:

Price: $300 or less
OS: Windows 10
Ram: 6GB+
HD: SSD preferably but probably not happening at this price
Processor: i5 (would go i3 if closer to $200)

Thanks!

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10875 on: May 05, 2017, 08:26:37 AM »
Hi all!

I would really appreciate any recommendations/deals for a laptop with the following specs:

Price: $300 or less
OS: Windows 10
Ram: 6GB+
HD: SSD preferably but probably not happening at this price
Processor: i5 (would go i3 if closer to $200)

Thanks!
At that price an i5 with 6+ is also not happening. You can't simply choose a price range and choose exact specs, it's either you choose your price range and go with what that range has to offer or you choose specs and pay how much these specs cost.

Offline JeremyG

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10876 on: May 05, 2017, 09:07:16 AM »
I understand that it's unlikely that I find an i5 at $300. I recently purchased this http://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-15-6-laptop-intel-core-i3-6gb-memory-1tb-hard-drive-ebony-black/5707528.p?skuId=5707528 for $279 at best but on sale. I would buy it at that price or even an i5 version low $300s. I would even consider open box item like best buy.

Offline Boruch999

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10877 on: May 05, 2017, 11:23:52 AM »
IMO you are overdoing it, get an i5 with 8gb ram, ssd, and a graphics card and it will do everything you need it to do. No need for i7, and the extra ram. I assume you are not planning using it to store pictures and videos so no need for the extra TB drive.
You should be able to save a decent amount by doing that

Just to throw out a thank you to all those active in this thread.  I came here with my needs and was given specs (thanks @avromie7) and those specs turned out to be perfect. 

Further guidance from @Yisroel Tech helped me find the right match and I saved about $400 from what I would have paid with out all of your advice.

Offline ae123

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10878 on: May 05, 2017, 04:36:59 PM »
I too was helped a lot by reading this thread.
Thank you to Yisroel Tech and Avromie7, in particular.

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #10879 on: May 05, 2017, 04:42:30 PM »
I understand that it's unlikely that I find an i5 at $300. I recently purchased this http://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-15-6-laptop-intel-core-i3-6gb-memory-1tb-hard-drive-ebony-black/5707528.p?skuId=5707528 for $279 at best but on sale. I would buy it at that price or even an i5 version low $300s. I would even consider open box item like best buy.
So your are saying that you'd buy this i3 (not the best device really) for $279 (which is almost $300, and that is what you wanted an i5 for), why don't you buy it? It is now also $279.

Otherwise, you simply won't find  :-[ Laptops just cost more...

If you are willing to look at refurbished/used this one is a nice option http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-15-TouchScreen-Laptop-Intel-Dual-Core-i5-2-3GHz-6GB-RAM-1TB-15-AY013DX-/262968571890?hash=item3d3a25f7f2:g:L0gAAOSwTM5Yueqw#viTabs_0