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 3151968 times)

Offline DH Data Recovery

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 4543
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 64
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3720 on: May 31, 2013, 05:41:15 PM »
Are you looking for deal or recommendation?
You can get lenovo g580 very often for about 425-475.
Dell Vostro 3560 on sale for these specs would run about 550 - very good recommended system but if your looking for a deal that's not the system for you.

Offline DH Data Recovery

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 4543
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 64
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3721 on: May 31, 2013, 05:43:38 PM »
@myb821 not that I've seen, the x1 carbon generally runs in the $1100 range for an i5 including 3yr warranty. Its a specialty laptop so you gotta hope for a blowout or price mistake to get it much cheaper.

Offline BAHayman

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: Mar 2010
  • Posts: 1939
  • Total likes: 28
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3722 on: May 31, 2013, 05:51:27 PM »
Any deals or recommendations for a 15" i7 8GB+ with 1080p screen?

Offline DH Data Recovery

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 4543
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 64
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3723 on: May 31, 2013, 06:01:57 PM »
Budget?

Offline BAHayman

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: Mar 2010
  • Posts: 1939
  • Total likes: 28
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3724 on: May 31, 2013, 06:26:42 PM »

Offline Centro

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2012
  • Posts: 2935
  • Total likes: 8
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 33
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3725 on: May 31, 2013, 06:37:36 PM »
Are you looking for deal or recommendation?
You can get lenovo g580 very often for about 425-475.
Dell Vostro 3560 on sale for these specs would run about 550 - very good recommended system but if your looking for a deal that's not the system for you.
Would love a deal but can't afford to wait being that my laptop died ( he choked on my coffee ),
Which of the 2 you listed would be a better choice?

Offline DH Data Recovery

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 4543
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 64
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3726 on: May 31, 2013, 07:11:02 PM »
Dell Vostro 3560 - $549

Use Coupon Code: J7DNZQBW8ZMQWZ

This is a Dell Vostro Business Laptop. I've always been a fan of this line of laptops. Although it seems they're discontinuing this series, I've sold and worked on hundreds of these and these are good business machines.

3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-3230M processor (3M Cache, up to 3.2 GHz)
Windows 8 Professional (very easy to change to windows 7 if you have a disk, all the Drivers are available on Dell's site)
500GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
4GB Ram
Backlit Keyboard
Fingerprint reader

Optional Upgrade to 3YR support for only $99 more.

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=sqcte283&model_id=vostro-3560&c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&dgc=BF&cid=27740&lid=4279737&acd=11339109-4328635-

Offline YG

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2011
  • Posts: 1125
  • Total likes: 15
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3727 on: May 31, 2013, 07:28:27 PM »
When there is talk of home use vs business laptops, what exactly are the things that differ between them?
Specs? Build quality? Reliability?

I'm looking for something that will be capable for photo editing, so I'll probably want i7 and 16 GB RAM. SSD / hybrid would probably also help working speed.
Aside from photo editing it will mostly just be browsing and word processing, so aside from the photo editing needs, I just want something that will be responsive and reliable.

Not looking to purchase just yet. Probably a few weeks / couple of months down the line, so not looking for a current deal, but want to start moving in the direction of figuring out what I should be looking for.

Offline Centro

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2012
  • Posts: 2935
  • Total likes: 8
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 33
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3728 on: May 31, 2013, 07:45:08 PM »
Dell Vostro 3560 - $549

Use Coupon Code: J7DNZQBW8ZMQWZ

This is a Dell Vostro Business Laptop. I've always been a fan of this line of laptops. Although it seems they're discontinuing this series, I've sold and worked on hundreds of these and these are good business machines.

3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-3230M processor (3M Cache, up to 3.2 GHz)
Windows 8 Professional (very easy to change to windows 7 if you have a disk, all the Drivers are available on Dell's site)
500GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
4GB Ram
Backlit Keyboard
Fingerprint reader

Optional Upgrade to 3YR support for only $99 more.

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=sqcte283&model_id=vostro-3560&c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&dgc=BF&cid=27740&lid=4279737&acd=11339109-4328635-
1st of all thanks for all ur answers, you're really a help!

Regarding the discontinuing of Vestro here's what the Rep at Dell told me



" Agent (Princess J): "By the way, we will be removing vostro in the market by June." 05/31/2013

joe: "why would that be done?"

Agent (Princess J): "We will be focusing on our remaining business line system - latitude and precision."

Offline yare

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jul 2009
  • Posts: 2096
  • Total likes: 2
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile

Offline hocker

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Oct 2009
  • Posts: 3501
  • Total likes: 85
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3730 on: June 01, 2013, 04:34:45 PM »
Dell Vostro 3560 - $549

Use Coupon Code: J7DNZQBW8ZMQWZ

This is a Dell Vostro Business Laptop. I've always been a fan of this line of laptops. Although it seems they're discontinuing this series, I've sold and worked on hundreds of these and these are good business machines.

3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-3230M processor (3M Cache, up to 3.2 GHz)
Windows 8 Professional (very easy to change to windows 7 if you have a disk, all the Drivers are available on Dell's site)
500GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
4GB Ram
Backlit Keyboard
Fingerprint reader

Optional Upgrade to 3YR support for only $99 more.

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=sqcte283&model_id=vostro-3560&c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&dgc=BF&cid=27740&lid=4279737&acd=11339109-4328635-
Buy a $400 GC and receive a $75 GC Free.

https://dell.cashstar.com/gift-card/buy/

Offline Miracle

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 2318
  • Total likes: 5
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3731 on: June 01, 2013, 04:54:31 PM »

Offline DH Data Recovery

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 4543
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 64
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3732 on: June 01, 2013, 09:28:04 PM »
Which Dell laptop are you comparing it to?

Offline BAHayman

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: Mar 2010
  • Posts: 1939
  • Total likes: 28
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile

Offline Name Changed

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Sep 2011
  • Posts: 4831
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 13
    • View Profile
  • Location: Lakewood
  • Programs: Avis Presidents Club, National Executive Elite, Hertz Presidents Circle, Sixt Platinum, SPG Gold, eBay Platinum
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3734 on: June 01, 2013, 10:15:53 PM »
He's dead wrong, but he's prob a sales chat agent from Dell home so he's trying to sell his product. The Vostro is superior to the inspiron series any day. The Latitude is way superior, but much more expensive.
+1

I dont think the Vostro is much better than the Inspiron, as there are a few levels of the Inspiron and a few levels of the Vostro, so it could be a Vostro could be equivlent to a Inspiron, however the lowest Insprion is for sure lower than the lowest Vostro

Offline DH Data Recovery

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 4543
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 64
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3735 on: June 01, 2013, 10:51:07 PM »
Remember the vostro 3560 is an older model than the new inspiron 15r so it may not be as nice, but they were built well as stable machines and def better than its counterparts at the time. Dell phasing out the Vostro is prob their way of trying to charge more for the latitudes.

Offline DH Data Recovery

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 4543
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 64
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3736 on: June 01, 2013, 11:24:10 PM »
Samsung Series 9 15" Ultrabook $886 + $100 in Rakuten Superpoints Using Coupon Code: INTEL100

This is one of the thinnest and lightest laptops out there today!

« Last Edit: June 01, 2013, 11:49:35 PM by Dan »

Offline myb821

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Mar 2011
  • Posts: 7570
  • Total likes: 28
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: New York
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3737 on: June 01, 2013, 11:24:37 PM »
Samsung Series 9 15" Ultrabook $886 + $100 in Rakuten Superpoints Using Coupon Code: INTEL100

This is one of the thinnest and lightest laptops out there today!


http://www.rakuten.com/prod/samsung-series-9-15-premium-ultrabook-intel-core-i5-3317u-4gb-ddr3-ram/247434146.html
warranty?

Offline DH Data Recovery

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 4543
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 64
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3738 on: June 01, 2013, 11:26:17 PM »
Standard one year I assume. Shipping to NY kills it, so ship to Jersey...

Offline DH Data Recovery

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 4543
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 64
    • View Profile
Re: Laptop Deals Master Thread
« Reply #3739 on: June 01, 2013, 11:32:57 PM »
Cons of this Ultrabook, are weak speakers, not the best webcam, and some ppl reported wifi issues. Other than that awesome ultrabook