Topic Wiki

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 3297220 times)

Offline Chuchum Ainer

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Apr 2020
  • Posts: 480
  • Total likes: 191
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14640 on: May 23, 2024, 02:01:55 AM »
I kinda assumed with how low the advertised battery life is, it would be lower than dell's even as we all know advertised battery numbers aren't accurate.

Doing more searching I see some listings for similar model numbers that say IPS. So there's a chance this is an IPS. I doubt it, but either way still not worth it over the Dell.

Offline Flatbush

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 103
  • Total likes: 17
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: brooklyn
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14641 on: May 23, 2024, 01:25:17 PM »
Thank You guys I really appreciate it!

Offline mevinyavin

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2022
  • Posts: 2097
  • Total likes: 2515
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • Laptop help/deal request template
  • Location: Yerushalayim
  • Programs: Windows 10 and 11 Home, Word/Excel/Publisher 2021, Wordweb, McGill English Dictionary of Rhyme, VLC, Torat Emet, 7-Zip, Lightshot, Calibre, FDM, FreeFileSync, Teracopy, Handbreak, Lightshot
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14642 on: May 24, 2024, 04:28:13 AM »
advertised battery numbers
For real-world use:
My experience has been that Acer, Samsung are pretty accurate, ASUS is a bit ambitious (maybe 10% less), LG is very ambitious (25% less), and Lenovo is ridiculously off. Not enough experience with Dells and HPs.
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline Chuchum Ainer

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Apr 2020
  • Posts: 480
  • Total likes: 191
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14643 on: May 27, 2024, 04:32:58 AM »
@Flatbush
$450 plus shipping
https://www.costco.com/lenovo-flex-5i-14%22-touchscreen--2-in-1-laptop---13th-gen-intel-core-i5-1335u---windows-11---abyss-blue.product.4000159887.html

https://psref.lenovo.com/Detail/IdeaPad/IdeaPad_Flex_5_14IRU8?M=82Y0000JUS full specs

I'm using a three year old version of this. I'm happy.

There are some things you can aim for higher with it: 45% ntsc 300 nits screen (acceptable) soldered ram (common) plastic bottom. weighs 3.4 lbs (fine, less than the average 15 inch. But not ultra light

Personally I prefer 2in1s, so Im ok with some sacrifices.
I think if you find something at a higher price point you think she'll like, there's reason to go with that (for example this base model 13 inch xps with 12th gen i7, 2.6lbs, 500 nit screen. nontouch, probably around the same battery life, much better built laptop meaning it will last longer currently $800 (~77% more expensive) https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/deals-for-business/xps-13-laptop/spd/xps-13-9315-laptop/xn9315gsmls). But for it's price it's unbeatable, and I believe it's a solid midrange computer.

Offline Chuchum Ainer

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Apr 2020
  • Posts: 480
  • Total likes: 191
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14644 on: May 27, 2024, 04:36:39 AM »
sorry, tagged the wrong person
@aishel

Offline mevinyavin

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2022
  • Posts: 2097
  • Total likes: 2515
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • Laptop help/deal request template
  • Location: Yerushalayim
  • Programs: Windows 10 and 11 Home, Word/Excel/Publisher 2021, Wordweb, McGill English Dictionary of Rhyme, VLC, Torat Emet, 7-Zip, Lightshot, Calibre, FDM, FreeFileSync, Teracopy, Handbreak, Lightshot
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14645 on: May 28, 2024, 11:04:29 AM »
Anyone want to lend Amazon $520 for a few days and try this deal out? Seller not Amazon. $520 for a RTX 4070 laptop (in case you care, these laptops are perfectly functional, Gigabyte is a brand that has made parts for the major manufacturers for years, but expect no battery life). On the side, select other sellers, and you'll see it. Note: ships free to IL but import tax does not seem to have been calculated. Perhaps the seller inadvertently labeled it new instead of refurb?
GIGABYTE AORUS 15: 15.6" 16:9 Thin Bezel QHD 2560x1440 165Hz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR6, Intel Core i7-13700H, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, Win11 Home (AORUS 15 BSF-73US754SH), Black)



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

Offline Chuchum Ainer

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Apr 2020
  • Posts: 480
  • Total likes: 191
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14646 on: May 28, 2024, 12:16:08 PM »
Erm, the single word "scam" covers it pretty well

Acer 2023 Nitro 5 AN515 Gaming Laptop: Ryzen 7 6800H, NVidia RTX 3070 Ti, 1TB SSD, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 15.6'' QHD 165Hz Display, Black https://a.co/d/fwpGmui

NOVATECH Phantom - Gaming PC Computer Desktop - RX 580 8GB - Intel i7 Xeon E3 3.5-3.9GHz - 16GB RAM - 512GB SSD  WiFi BT-5.0, Win 11 Pro, RGB Fans - Gaming Computer Tower - For Gamer, Streaming https://a.co/d/3r4cmov

Some of their other items

Offline aishel

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Dec 2014
  • Posts: 229
  • Total likes: 181
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14647 on: May 29, 2024, 10:06:36 PM »
Just to give a quick update, I went through some of these choices with my daughter, and she said she's perfectly happy with the slow Chromebook as it is and doesn't want to buy anything yet. This is even after I told her I would pay for it (I count my blessings everyday BH). So I might just wait until she finishes her first semester of school work and revisit it with her then. I really do appreciate the time spent looking on my behalf! Thank you very much.

Offline mevinyavin

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2022
  • Posts: 2097
  • Total likes: 2515
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • Laptop help/deal request template
  • Location: Yerushalayim
  • Programs: Windows 10 and 11 Home, Word/Excel/Publisher 2021, Wordweb, McGill English Dictionary of Rhyme, VLC, Torat Emet, 7-Zip, Lightshot, Calibre, FDM, FreeFileSync, Teracopy, Handbreak, Lightshot
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline Yehudaa

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Mar 2018
  • Posts: 3783
  • Total likes: 2621
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 111
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14649 on: June 02, 2024, 01:04:00 PM »
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1737131-REG/lg_15zb90q_v_ars5u1_15_gram_laptop_i5_1240p.html

- LG 15.6" gram Laptop
- Intel Core i5 12-Core (12th Gen)
- 8GB LPDDR4 RAM
- 512GB PCIe 3.0 M.2 SSD
- 15.6" 1920 x 1080 IPS Display

@mevinyavin is this a good deal? I thought the Gram laptops were usually more expensive.

Not sure you can add RAM though. Might be soldered.

Offline mevinyavin

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2022
  • Posts: 2097
  • Total likes: 2515
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • Laptop help/deal request template
  • Location: Yerushalayim
  • Programs: Windows 10 and 11 Home, Word/Excel/Publisher 2021, Wordweb, McGill English Dictionary of Rhyme, VLC, Torat Emet, 7-Zip, Lightshot, Calibre, FDM, FreeFileSync, Teracopy, Handbreak, Lightshot
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14650 on: June 02, 2024, 01:20:21 PM »
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1737131-REG/lg_15zb90q_v_ars5u1_15_gram_laptop_i5_1240p.html

- LG 15.6" gram Laptop
- Intel Core i5 12-Core (12th Gen)
- 8GB LPDDR4 RAM
- 512GB PCIe 3.0 M.2 SSD
- 15.6" 1920 x 1080 IPS Display

@mevinyavin is this a good deal? I thought the Gram laptops were usually more expensive.

Not sure you can add RAM though. Might be soldered.
Good price with these caveats:
1) 12th gen version runs hotter and has much less battery life, still good but not excellent (8h real world use)
2) Soldered RAM, okay at this price but not at the $650ish this model has been.

However: much lighter than the competition and excellent build quality. And 8 hours is par for the course at this price (if not better).
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Online thaber

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 3923
  • Total likes: 473
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14651 on: June 02, 2024, 03:10:50 PM »
Any thoughts on the new surface pro? I'm not happy with my Dell latitude 7440 btx
Want touch screen
Want lighter and more portable.
Pretending money isn't an object, I'm drawn to the highest oled, 1tb 32 gb ram version on pre-order. (although that model is still coming soon and not yet on pre-order). $2099, plus the keyboard. Do I need the stylus?
My needs are mostly the more intense end of an office as well as client presentations.

For $50 I become a best buy plus member and get a free 50" TV with it. (not sure what I'll do with that, but maybe for the conference room?)

Tell me why this is totally stupid of me please

Online Darth1

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Mar 2017
  • Posts: 438
  • Total likes: 128
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14652 on: June 02, 2024, 03:31:24 PM »
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1737131-REG/lg_15zb90q_v_ars5u1_15_gram_laptop_i5_1240p.html

- LG 15.6" gram Laptop
- Intel Core i5 12-Core (12th Gen)
- 8GB LPDDR4 RAM
- 512GB PCIe 3.0 M.2 SSD
- 15.6" 1920 x 1080 IPS Display

@mevinyavin is this a good deal? I thought the Gram laptops were usually more expensive.

Not sure you can add RAM though. Might be soldered.
It seems like Costco has the best prices on LG Grams. I feel like Im missing something about the one you posted, those specs for $1349?? At Costco for $1400 you get Ultra 7 evo, 32gb ram (DDR5), 1 TB 4.0 SSD, RTX 3050, 16" OLED WQXGA+ (2880 X1800) 400 Nits Display.

The newer and much updated version of the 15.6" costs $800 at Costco.

Online nafnaf12

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jan 2012
  • Posts: 4216
  • Total likes: 254
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 79
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14653 on: June 02, 2024, 05:00:32 PM »
It seems like Costco has the best prices on LG Grams. I feel like Im missing something about the one you posted, those specs for $1349?? At Costco for $1400 you get Ultra 7 evo, 32gb ram (DDR5), 1 TB 4.0 SSD, RTX 3050, 16" OLED WQXGA+ (2880 X1800) 400 Nits Display.

The newer and much updated version of the 15.6" costs $800 at Costco.
it was under $600 earlier
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Offline Chuchum Ainer

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Apr 2020
  • Posts: 480
  • Total likes: 191
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14654 on: June 02, 2024, 08:45:50 PM »
It seems like Costco has the best prices on LG Grams. I feel like Im missing something about the one you posted, those specs for $1349?? At Costco for $1400 you get Ultra 7 evo, 32gb ram (DDR5), 1 TB 4.0 SSD, RTX 3050, 16" OLED WQXGA+ (2880 X1800) 400 Nits Display.

The newer and much updated version of the 15.6" costs $800 at Costco.
it was under $600 earlier
It was $429 when I looked. still not worth it for a laptop with 8gb of soldered ram imho. We've come to that stage by now. and the 12th gen i5 is also getting old.

Offline AsherO

  • Global Moderator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime 30K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 31221
  • Total likes: 8126
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 79
    • View Profile
  • Location: NYC
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14655 on: June 02, 2024, 09:13:30 PM »
It was $429 when I looked. still not worth it for a laptop with 8gb of soldered ram imho. We've come to that stage by now. and the 12th gen i5 is also getting old.

This 13th Gen LG Gram at B&H is still $499:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1759279-REG/lg_15z90r_n_apc3u1_15_gram_laptop_i5_1340p.html

Same caveat as stated above regarding 8gb soldered RAM, but can’t beat the weight. It’s a 13th gen so hopefully no heat/power issues.

DDF FFB (Forum From Birth)

Offline mevinyavin

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2022
  • Posts: 2097
  • Total likes: 2515
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • Laptop help/deal request template
  • Location: Yerushalayim
  • Programs: Windows 10 and 11 Home, Word/Excel/Publisher 2021, Wordweb, McGill English Dictionary of Rhyme, VLC, Torat Emet, 7-Zip, Lightshot, Calibre, FDM, FreeFileSync, Teracopy, Handbreak, Lightshot
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14656 on: June 03, 2024, 01:22:34 AM »
It was $429 when I looked. still not worth it for a laptop with 8gb of soldered ram imho. We've come to that stage by now. and the 12th gen i5 is also getting old.
Depends for whom, but I'm largely with you regarding 8GB soldered now. I almost never approve of 12th gen and not because it is old.
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline mevinyavin

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2022
  • Posts: 2097
  • Total likes: 2515
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • Laptop help/deal request template
  • Location: Yerushalayim
  • Programs: Windows 10 and 11 Home, Word/Excel/Publisher 2021, Wordweb, McGill English Dictionary of Rhyme, VLC, Torat Emet, 7-Zip, Lightshot, Calibre, FDM, FreeFileSync, Teracopy, Handbreak, Lightshot
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14657 on: June 03, 2024, 03:44:53 AM »
Any thoughts on the new surface pro? I'm not happy with my Dell latitude 7440 btx
Want touch screen
Want lighter and more portable.
Pretending money isn't an object, I'm drawn to the highest oled, 1tb 32 gb ram version on pre-order. (although that model is still coming soon and not yet on pre-order). $2099, plus the keyboard. Do I need the stylus?
My needs are mostly the more intense end of an office as well as client presentations.

For $50 I become a best buy plus member and get a free 50" TV with it. (not sure what I'll do with that, but maybe for the conference room?)

Tell me why this is totally stupid of me please
Since no one else answered:
1) Highly skeptical that more than 16GB RAM will be needed throughout the life of the machine
2) IMHO non-OLED's gains in battery life is worth the drop in resolution, but others may disagree
3) Tablet form-factor is harder on the specs; it will not run as effectively as inside a conventional laptop - even a 2-in-1
4) I am on the record as guiding users away from touchscreens, but it is obvious that you have your heart set on it and are willing to pay the price.

So:
IMHO Best money-no-object portable form-factor light model 2-in-1 on the market is the GalaxyBook Pro. Other models I have personally experienced and rejected compared to the GalaxyBook Pro: Surface, Latitude, Gram, Yoga (including X1). No experience with: Dragonfly/Spectre/other high-end HP models, Prestige, XPS (but I've heard enough to knock many models out of the running).
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline DaasTora

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Nov 2022
  • Posts: 406
  • Total likes: 172
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
    • View Profile
  • Location: Brooklyn
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14658 on: June 03, 2024, 09:34:10 AM »
SAMSUNG 14" Galaxy Book4 Pro Laptop PC Computer, Intel Core 7 Ultra Processor 512GB, 3K AMOLED (2880 x 1800) Touchscreen, 2024 Model, 16 RAM $1,149
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQ3RRS23/?tag=cl03f-20&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
“Never underestimate the power of…stupidity”
- Robert Heinlein

Online thaber

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 3923
  • Total likes: 473
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #14659 on: June 03, 2024, 10:06:24 PM »
Since no one else answered:
1) Highly skeptical that more than 16GB RAM will be needed throughout the life of the machine
2) IMHO non-OLED's gains in battery life is worth the drop in resolution, but others may disagree
3) Tablet form-factor is harder on the specs; it will not run as effectively as inside a conventional laptop - even a 2-in-1
4) I am on the record as guiding users away from touchscreens, but it is obvious that you have your heart set on it and are willing to pay the price.

So:
IMHO Best money-no-object portable form-factor light model 2-in-1 on the market is the GalaxyBook Pro. Other models I have personally experienced and rejected compared to the GalaxyBook Pro: Surface, Latitude, Gram, Yoga (including X1). No experience with: Dragonfly/Spectre/other high-end HP models, Prestige, XPS (but I've heard enough to knock many models out of the running).
Thank you. I loved my first edition fully loaded yoga x1 and had it for many years. Never used the tablet functionality though.
I think, based on this that the new surface laptop might be a good fit, weight and speed wise particularly