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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 3152583 times)

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11740 on: September 03, 2018, 08:34:10 PM »
Is that still a good deal if you change the HDD for the Samsung 500 SSD at $89? (labor day sale at amazon)
Yes, though not as good.

Offline Zalc

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11741 on: September 05, 2018, 06:06:13 PM »
how is this deal?

15" i5-8300H, 8GB, 256GB SSD, GTX 1050 4GB

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-G3-15-3579-15-6-Gaming-i5-8300H-8GB-256GB-SSD-GTX-1050-4GB-W10H

Ebay has 10% bucks today, effective price becomes $700 for a new laptop, off of $850+

Would the GPU help with Lightroom?

They also have the same one for $685 ($616 after the rebate) with the 1tb hybrid drive, is this the far better deal?

Ebay Offer link

Offline cks33

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11742 on: September 06, 2018, 09:50:31 PM »
Huawei MateBook D 14" FHD Touch, Ryzen 5 2500U 8GB RAM 256GB SSD Radeon Vega 8

640 on ebay

thoughts?

Offline sysg1

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11743 on: September 06, 2018, 10:09:06 PM »
Huawei MateBook D 14" FHD Touch, Ryzen 5 2500U 8GB RAM 256GB SSD Radeon Vega 8

640 on ebay

thoughts?
Could do better for that price

Offline cks33

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11744 on: September 07, 2018, 09:02:10 AM »
Could do better for that price

Any examples? Looking for a 14 inch

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11745 on: September 12, 2018, 09:17:26 PM »
So I'm looking to buy my first laptop. I've been using a desktop for years and have had a fairly lousy work-issued laptop for the last year or so, but the time has come to buy my own proper machine. I want a good deal as much as the next guy, but waiting till BF/CM may be too late. I am totally out of the parsha, so I'm coming at this from a kinda n00b perspective.

So here are my wants/needs; any input or suggestions would be welcome.

- Will be used for general computing, as well as Photoshop, Lightroom, and some light video editing
- i7 processor
- At least 16GB of RAM; more would be nice
- 15"-ish, high-res screen - think Apple Retina-style
- MUST have a very wide viewing angle; a screen that changes color or contrast as it tilts is an absolute deal-breaker
- At least a 512GB SSD; the more the merrier
- Needs to have at least a few standard USB ports. Things like USB-C are a bonus
- I would really want a convertible. Tablet mode is a very valuable feature for me.

I think these are my main points. Now I'm aware that I pretty much described a Microsoft Surface here, but is there anything else out there that would fit these criteria as well? I'm willing to pay for these features, but would rather not break the bank here. The Surface Book that fits these specs is $2600, which is a lot more than I'd want to spend.
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Offline davidrotts63

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11746 on: September 12, 2018, 09:20:38 PM »
...some light video editing...

Who hacked you're account?
Why don't you try seeing what it would be to custom make one of those from Lenovo?
« Last Edit: September 12, 2018, 11:41:02 PM by davidrotts63 »
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Offline Dan

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11747 on: September 12, 2018, 10:14:54 PM »
So I'm looking to buy my first laptop. I've been using a desktop for years and have had a fairly lousy work-issued laptop for the last year or so, but the time has come to buy my own proper machine. I want a good deal as much as the next guy, but waiting till BF/CM may be too late. I am totally out of the parsha, so I'm coming at this from a kinda n00b perspective.

So here are my wants/needs; any input or suggestions would be welcome.

- Will be used for general computing, as well as Photoshop, Lightroom, and some light video editing
- i7 processor
- At least 16GB of RAM; more would be nice
- 15"-ish, high-res screen - think Apple Retina-style
- MUST have a very wide viewing angle; a screen that changes color or contrast as it tilts is an absolute deal-breaker
- At least a 512GB SSD; the more the merrier
- Needs to have at least a few standard USB ports. Things like USB-C are a bonus
- I would really want a convertible. Tablet mode is a very valuable feature for me.

I think these are my main points. Now I'm aware that I pretty much described a Microsoft Surface here, but is there anything else out there that would fit these criteria as well? I'm willing to pay for these features, but would rather not break the bank here. The Surface Book that fits these specs is $2600, which is a lot more than I'd want to spend.
I didn't care for the Surface Book.
Very happy with my Lenovo X1 Yoga.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline aygart

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11748 on: September 12, 2018, 10:22:33 PM »
I find back to school to be better for good laptops than BF when they have the old models marked down.
Feelings don't care about your facts

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11749 on: September 12, 2018, 10:28:36 PM »
I didn't care for the Surface Book.
Very happy with my Lenovo X1 Yoga.

What was your beef with the Surface?

The Lenovo does seem to check many of my boxes. I think the screen may be an issue for me though - 14" may be too small, and that's compounded by being 16:9 (vs the Surface's 3:2) - that means that editing pictures takes place in a very small space. I'll go have a look at it tomorrow and see.
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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11750 on: September 12, 2018, 10:29:40 PM »
I find back to school to be better for good laptops than BF when they have the old models marked down.

Interesting thought. I don't necessarily need bells and whistles, last year's options should work quite well I think.
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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11751 on: September 12, 2018, 10:31:23 PM »
Interesting thought. I don't necessarily need bells and whistles, last year's options should work quite well I think.
They are not the high end ones either IME

BF they are looking for the low number to catch people's eye. Back to school it is for people who actually look at the specs.
« Last Edit: September 12, 2018, 10:35:45 PM by aygart »
Feelings don't care about your facts

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11752 on: September 12, 2018, 11:05:33 PM »
What was your beef with the Surface?

The Lenovo does seem to check many of my boxes. I think the screen may be an issue for me though - 14" may be too small, and that's compounded by being 16:9 (vs the Surface's 3:2) - that means that editing pictures takes place in a very small space. I'll go have a look at it tomorrow and see.
Buggy and wobbly.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline thaber

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11753 on: September 12, 2018, 11:16:42 PM »
I didn't care for the Surface Book.
Very happy with my Lenovo X1 Yoga.
+5 billion. I have mine a year or so longer than @dan and use it daily, and it's perfect. Any bigger would make travel more difficult. As it is it barely opens on the things that pass for airplanes these days.

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11754 on: September 12, 2018, 11:18:18 PM »
Any bigger would make travel more difficult. As it is it barely opens on the things that pass for airplanes these days.
+1.
I so love having a hybrid when FAs come and tell me to power down.
The expression on their faces when I flip it to a tablet is priceless. You can see them trying to come up with a reason to make me put it away but then decide it's not worth the fight.
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Offline davidrotts63

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11755 on: September 12, 2018, 11:46:02 PM »
I didn't care for the Surface Book.
Very happy with my Lenovo X1 Yoga.
The surface is ideal for me, but the price is insane.
I currently have a Lenovo Flex which I absolutely love, a surface with specs that for me are worse would cost 1.5k+, vs. The $600 I paid (-5x ;) )
It's an 8gb, i5 IIRC,  and Photoshop works flawless for me. (It's my editing that needs the improvement, not the computer)
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Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11756 on: September 12, 2018, 11:51:06 PM »
Photoshop works flawless for me. (It's my editing that needs the improvement, not the computer)
You using photoshop and SF using photoshop is not the same thing.
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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11757 on: September 12, 2018, 11:54:01 PM »
You using photoshop and SF using photoshop is not the same thing.
No jokes.
But on the contrary I use more unnecessary layer etc because I don't know what I'm doing.
I just thought you can base off what works for me what a heavier user would need.
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Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11758 on: September 12, 2018, 11:54:56 PM »
I didn't care for the Surface Book.
Very happy with my Lenovo X1 Yoga.
How does it compare to the Yoga 920 and the Dell XPS 15?
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

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Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #11759 on: September 13, 2018, 03:49:40 PM »
Thanks everyone for the feedback. In the end, it came down to the Surface, the Lenovo Yoga, and the XPS 15.

The Yoga got eliminated the instant I saw it; no matter how good it may be, the screen is simply too small for my needs. The XPS looks nice, but apparently has some serious screen issues - in fact, the one I was looking at developed a few stripes on the screen right in front of me. And obviously, it isn't a convertible.

And so the 15", 512GB Surface it is.
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