Laptop for youtube/writing papers and possible gaming.

[Mallowpuffs]

So I'm looking for a laptop for my sister for what the title says. She's in college so obviously it has to be able to do basic stuff and possible windows only stuff so I'm sticking with windows.

 

She was going to get an HP stream but she also would love to play the occasional game of Minecraft(Online) and possible games like Warband and MineZ.

 

The budget is $350 pretty strict. If there's one like at $370 and it's great, that would be possible. She's fine with playing with low settings, I know that's going to be needed.

 

 

 

She needs a DVD drive.

 

 

 

Thanks!

[SteinerW]

Get a laptop with a A10-7400p. They have good performance, any you can get one for a little under 400

Any laptop that has an A8 APU or higher though should be ok at 768p

[SteinerW]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834314628&cm_re=a8-6410-_-34-314-628-_-Product

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834298944

 

These two are good options for the price

[Dackzy]

If I where her I would look for a used laptop around a year or less old.

[Mallowpuffs]

Get a laptop with a A10-7400p. They have good performance, any you can get one for a little under 400

Any laptop that has an A8 APU or higher though should be ok at 768p

 

My other sister has an A10 7300 R6 and it's about as low as I'd go. It can play Minecraft on lower settings but struggles with much else.

 

If I where her I would look for a used laptop around a year or less old.

 

She'd MUCH rather get new. It's in a rush for before college starts back up, she was hoping to order it tonight. That's not going to happen, but the sooner the better.

[SteinerW]

then get something with a 820m. It's over 400 but it should do ok from what I've looked up.

 

http://www.amazon.com/NEWEST-Inspiron-Laptop-i5-5200U-GeForce/dp/B018IN0GOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452400209&sr=8-1&keywords=i3543-6000SLV

[Dackzy]

My other sister has an A10 7300 R6 and it's about as low as I'd go. It can play Minecraft on lower settings but struggles with much else.

 

 

She'd MUCH rather get new. It's in a rush for before college starts back up, she was hoping to order it tonight. That's not going to happen, but the sooner the better.

To be honest all laptops under 600 is so shitty build.

[don_svetlio]

then get something with a 820m. It's over 400 but it should do ok from what I've looked up.

 

http://www.amazon.com/NEWEST-Inspiron-Laptop-i5-5200U-GeForce/dp/B018IN0GOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452400209&sr=8-1&keywords=i3543-6000SLV

http://www.amazon.com/HP-Pavilion-15-ab063cl-Notebook-Refurbished/dp/B015QICS8W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452416546&sr=8-1&keywords=A10+laptop

420$ and vastly superior. The A10 Carrizo APU will be faster than any mobile i3 and have much better iGPU horsepower. It also features 12GB of RAM

[Dackzy]

http://www.amazon.com/HP-Pavilion-15-ab063cl-Notebook-Refurbished/dp/B015QICS8W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452416546&sr=8-1&keywords=A10+laptop

420$ and vastly superior. The A10 Carrizo APU will be faster than any mobile i3 and have much better iGPU horsepower. It also features 12GB of RAM

It's better for her to have the ram she needs, instead of upgrading her ram and put that 40ish$ on top of the laptop cost.

[don_svetlio]

It's better for her to have the ram she needs, instead of upgrading her ram and put that 40ish$ on top of the laptop cost.

The only bad thing about that HP is - 1 - it's HP and 2 - it's refurbished so only 3 months of warranty

[Dackzy]

The only bad thing about that HP is - 1 - it's HP and 2 - it's refurbished so only 3 months of warranty

Yeah

[Mallowpuffs]

then get something with a 820m. It's over 400 but it should do ok from what I've looked up.

 

http://www.amazon.com/NEWEST-Inspiron-Laptop-i5-5200U-GeForce/dp/B018IN0GOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452400209&sr=8-1&keywords=i3543-6000SLV

 

Thanks.. Over budget but I will consider.

 

To be honest all laptops under 600 is so shitty build.

 

"college"

 

http://www.amazon.com/HP-Pavilion-15-ab063cl-Notebook-Refurbished/dp/B015QICS8W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452416546&sr=8-1&keywords=A10+laptop

420$ and vastly superior. The A10 Carrizo APU will be faster than any mobile i3 and have much better iGPU horsepower. It also features 12GB of RAM

 

I was about to tell her to order.. Until I saw "Refurbished". All we've had is bad luck with refurbs..

 

The only bad thing about that HP is - 1 - it's HP and 2 - it's refurbished so only 3 months of warranty

 

+1

 

 

 

 

So I'm still stuck.. By the end of today I may just have her order the one she picked out. i5 5200U Asus Transformer book for $370. But I know she'll be disappointed when it comes to gaming.

[don_svetlio]

Thanks.. Over budget but I will consider.

 

 

"college"

 

 

I was about to tell her to order.. Until I saw "Refurbished". All we've had is bad luck with refurbs..

 

 

+1

 

 

 

 

So I'm still stuck.. By the end of today I may just have her order the one she picked out. i5 5200U Asus Transformer book for $370. But I know she'll be disappointed when it comes to gaming.

Don't get Asus. That refurb is more reliable than cheaper Asus models.

[Mallowpuffs]

Don't get Asus. That refurb is more reliable than cheaper Asus models.

 

Then I guess the i3 acer? Now the only reason for that is that it's actually like $340 instead of over.

[don_svetlio]

Then I guess the i3 acer? Now the only reason for that is that it's actually like $340 instead of over.

This is your price range - 300-500$

Acer = overheating and poor quality

Asus = poor quality and awful customer support

HP = poor quality and mediocre specs

Lenovo = mediocre support, mediocre build (plastic) (won't help with software but will help with hardware)

Dell - solid support, mediocre build quality

 

[Mallowpuffs]

This is your price range - 300-500$

Acer = overheating and poor quality

Asus = poor quality and awful customer support

HP = poor quality and mediocre specs

Lenovo = mediocre support, mediocre build (plastic) (won't help with software but will help with hardware)

Dell - solid support, mediocre build quality

 

 

Her budget is 350-400$. She really doesn't have the money for anything more..

 

So, I guess Dell or Lenovo? I guess I'll keep looking.

[don_svetlio]

Her budget is 350-400$. She really doesn't have the money for anything more..

 

So, I guess Dell or Lenovo? I guess I'll keep looking.

My sister is currently also in the market for a 400$ laptop. I decided to go with a Lenovo B50-70

It has a TN 1080p panel - 60% color accuracy which is mediocre but it's 1080p

i3 4030U CPU - it's okay and enough for her needs

6GB or 8GB RAM

Above-average speakers

Easy-access panel for a 250GB SSD upgrade when we get it

R5 M330 GPU for 1080p playback and capabilities of light point & click gaming

Plastic though, so expect flex

Good temps and noise

okay support.

You could also get a Lenovo G50 for a higher end i5 CPU and possibly better panel

Or a Lenovo Z50 for a machine capable of gaming but those are more costly. Look at reviews

Alternatively, Dell Inspirons are also okay-ish. That or look for an HP Probook or Elitebook (those are okay - Pavilions are the crappy ones)

[Mallowpuffs]

My sister is currently also in the market for a 400$ laptop. I decided to go with a Lenovo B50-70

It has a TN 1080p panel - 60% color accuracy which is mediocre but it's 1080p

i3 4030U CPU - it's okay and enough for her needs

6GB or 8GB RAM

Above-average speakers

Easy-access panel for a 250GB SSD upgrade when we get it

R5 M330 GPU for 1080p playback and capabilities of light point & click gaming

Plastic though, so expect flex

Good temps and noise

okay support.

You could also get a Lenovo G50 for a higher end i5 CPU and possibly better panel

Or a Lenovo Z50 for a machine capable of gaming but those are more costly. Look at reviews

Alternatively, Dell Inspirons are also okay-ish. That or look for an HP Probook or Elitebook (those are okay - Pavilions are the crappy ones)

 

Thanks!!! Will look at these!! I'll post back when I do.

[don_svetlio]

Thanks!!! Will look at these!! I'll post back when I do.

Be sure to look at lots of reviews from different sources.

[Mallowpuffs]

I don't know.. She wants it through amazon and most of the lenovos show up only as used or as extremely badly rated..

[Dackzy]

I don't know.. She wants it through amazon and most of the lenovos show up only as used or as extremely badly rated..

Why only amazon?

[don_svetlio]

I don't know.. She wants it through amazon and most of the lenovos show up only as used or as extremely badly rated..

Amazon is not a good place to shop for Lenovo laptops. Their site has better deals 99% of the time. And Amazon ratings are not really that good of an indicator. Reading them, everyone was complaining about heat on the Y50. No such issues, just retarded people who suffocate laptops on a bed...

[Mallowpuffs]

Amazon is not a good place to shop for Lenovo laptops. Their site has better deals 99% of the time. And Amazon ratings are not really that good of an indicator. Reading them, everyone was complaining about heat on the Y50. No such issues, just retarded people who suffocate laptops on a bed...

 

I was mistaken.. I thought it was an Amazon deal that doubles the warranty, but it's actually American Express.

 

I found this, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834298945&cm_re=Dell_inspiron-_-34-298-945-_-Product it looks good for the price? Not sure. I'm in a rush to get back to work so I haven't the time to research it yet.

[don_svetlio]

I was mistaken.. I thought it was an Amazon deal that doubles the warranty, but it's actually American Express.

 

I found this, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834298945&cm_re=Dell_inspiron-_-34-298-945-_-Product it looks good for the price? Not sure. I'm in a rush to get back to work so I haven't the time to research it yet.

don't have knowledge about that particular one. Look up several reviews before buying

[Mallowpuffs]

don't have knowledge about that particular one. Look up several reviews before buying

 

Not done looking yet, but so far it seems people like it.

 

The only things people really don't like is that it's a little flexy and the Dell support is terribad.

 

But I mean i3+820m doesn't really sound like a $350 laptop. Even if it is 4th gen i3, they're fast enough to run anything she's gonna do.