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#msg2794782Warning: most of the wiki that follows was written a very long time ago and the information on it can be outdated.
[Deleted post based on DH Data Recovery's experience dated 2013. Maybe I'll take a stab at replacing it with something similar at some point.]
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. EDIT: Unless there are no RAM slots for upgrading.
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