Looking for a bulky desktop replacement: Budget USD 2500

[Sakaro]

Dear Community, 

I am currently using a Dell Latitude E6430: i5-3340M, 8GB Ram, Windows 7, 720p screen, 120 GB SSD. 

I have been using that laptop for 6 years, only swapped out the hard drive, and it is still going strong, but since Windows 7 is approaching its end of service date, I am currently thinking whether I should get it cleaned up and buy a new copy of Windows 10 or upgrade to a new computer. 

The biggest draw back of my current computer is the screen size, resolution and color accuracy, I love that it has a matte screen, but the resolution and color accuracy leaves a lot to be desired. My main use for the computer is work related video conferencing and watching movies. I do not play games, or perform hardware intensive tasks. If I upgrade, I would love to go to a bigger 4K screen for videos and movies and an overall bulkier form factor. 

I have used an Apple MacBook Air before and it was a horrible experience. For some reasons I cannot keep light laptops sitting still on my desk, I subconsciously move them all the time. That also happens with flimsy keyboards. The E6430 is more planted on the desk, but I would prefer the laptop even a bit heavier than that, with a keyboard as sturdy as the one of the E6430. 

I was lucky enough to see a Predator 21 X in person, and I loved the form factor, something like that, just a tad bit smaller, would be perfect. I am also considering going back to a desktop computer, because I never take the laptop out with me. 

Having said that, I travel once a year or maybe every two years to Europe and stay there for like a month and so I need to get the computer into the plane and set it up in my apartment abroad. I do not travel around, it's really only about getting it on the plane without a hassle. Therefore, a portable desktop solution that I can easily take with my on a plane is also ok. However, I need to be able to get the screen on the plane, because I might relocate completely at some point. 

General Questions

1) What is your budget?

USD 2500 max

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

Desktop Replacement; 17"+ 4k-screen

3) Which country will you buying this notebook?

Taiwan or Germany 

4) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed?

Yes

6) What are the primary tasks you will be performing with this notebook?

Watching Movies and making video calls.

7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?

Mainly on my desk, see description above.

Will you be playing games on your notebook? 

No

9) How many hours of battery life do you need?

Does not matter.

10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?

I care about built quality a lot, so seeing it would be highly appreciated. 

11) What OS do you prefer? Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Chrome OS, etc.

Windows 10. 

Screen Specifics

12) What screen resolution(s) would you prefer? 

4K

13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen? 

I prefer matte.

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?

No

Notebook Components

15) How much hard drive space do you need?

I do not need much space, but I would really love to have a built in BluRay-Player and an SSD.

Timing, Warranty and Longevity

16) When are you buying this laptop?

Within the next year

17) How long do you expect to use this laptop?

5 years+, probably until the end of the Windows 10 life cycle or even beyond. 

Thanks for all your help in advance.

[fluxdeity]

https://www.amazon.de/CORSAIR-Kompakter-Gaming-PC-i7-9700K-Flüssigkühlung/dp/B07MY193Y4/ref=sr_1_3?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=corsair+one&qid=1559144830&s=gateway&sr=8-3

 

 

Sorry thought you were looking for a desktop that was easily portable, I terribly misread the post 

[Sakaro]

2 minutes ago, fluxdeity said:

https://www.amazon.de/CORSAIR-Kompakter-Gaming-PC-i7-9700K-Flüssigkühlung/dp/B07MY193Y4/ref=sr_1_3?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=corsair+one&qid=1559144830&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Problem is that I need something that including screen fits into the hand luggage on a plane...

[Daniel Z.]

If you’re ok with a smaller computer, maybe a MacBook Pro 15 or XPS 15. The new XPS 15 will have an OLED 4K screen and a GTX 1650.

[Sakaro]

3 minutes ago, Daniel Z. said:

If you’re ok with a smaller computer, maybe a MacBook Pro 15 or XPS 15. The new XPS 15 will have an OLED 4K screen and a GTX 1650.

I find those laptops too light. I know it sounds strange, but I don't like the trend of ever more light laptops. I want something that feels solid and won`t budge. Therefore, I decided  to look at portable workstations on the internet, but I can't find them in stores, so it's difficult to decide whether I will like their feel, because I do not need their specs, I only like that they are big. I was looking at the Dell Precision 77-Series. If I go for a Desktop, I need a combination of desktop computer, screen and keyboard/mouse that I can fit into a backpack or business traveler suitcase, so that I can easily take it with me on a plane. I saw Linus` video on the ASUS monitor PQ22U and the portability aspect looked really appealing to me, but I couldn't find anything similar. 

[Puffing]

5 minutes ago, Sakaro said:

I find those laptops too light. I know it sounds strange, but I don't like the trend of ever more light laptops. I want something that feels solid and won`t budge. Therefore, I decided  to look at portable workstations on the internet, but I can't find them in stores, so it's difficult to decide whether I will like their feel, because I do not need their specs, I only like that they are big. I was looking at the Dell Precision 77-Series. If I go for a Desktop, I need a combination of desktop computer, screen and keyboard/mouse that I can fit into a backpack or business traveler suitcase, so that I can easily take it with me on a plane. I saw Linus` video on the ASUS monitor PQ22U and the portability aspect looked really appealing to me, but I couldn't find anything similar. 

Are you comfortable building a small form factor (SFF) build and having a small 4K monitor?

[Sakaro]

1 minute ago, Puffing said:

Are you comfortable building a small form factor (SFF) build and having a small 4K monitor?

I have never built a computer myself. I would prefer a pre-built system. Regarding the monitor: I don't need something big, but it needs to be portable enough so that I can put everything in a bag and carry-on suitcase without having to be worried that things will break. 

[genexis_x]

Thinkpad P72, Precision 7730, ZBook 17 G5 with UHD panel

 

Doesn't need to go for higher end CPU/GPU

[Sakaro]

23 minutes ago, GeneXiS_X said:

Thinkpad P72, Precision 7730, ZBook 17 G5 with UHD panel

 

Doesn't need to go for higher end CPU/GPU

I was looking at these, too. But I can't find them anywhere. They aren't displayed in stores. 

[Super Spartan]

Check this one out, HIDevolution ships internationally and their quality control is top notch. They also offer superb thermal updates to keep the laptop cool. In the configurator, choose Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut + Fujipoly Extreme Thermal Pads to mitigate any overheating issues.

 

EVOC High Performance Systems P775TM1 - 17.3" FHD 60Hz / FHD 144Hz / QHD 120Hz / QFHD 60Hz - i5-9600K / i7-9700K / i9-9900K - GTX 1060 / 1070 / 1080

or

 

Custom Built MSI GT73VR 7RE TITAN 4K-480 17.3" w/ G-Sync nVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070

 

[genexis_x]

9 hours ago, Sakaro said:

I was looking at these, too. But I can't find them anywhere. They aren't displayed in stores. 

Need to customize via official website

[Sakaro]

11 hours ago, GeneXiS_X said:

Need to customize via official website

HP does not have an online store here, only official retailers. Maybe I would have to ask them directly. 

[genexis_x]

6 minutes ago, Sakaro said:

HP does not have an online store here, only official retailers. Maybe I would have to ask them directly. 

https://store.hp.com/GermanyStore/Merch/Product.aspx?id=2ZC41EA&opt=ABD&sel=NTB

https://store.hp.com/GermanyStore/Merch/Product.aspx?id=4QH14EA&opt=ABD&sel=NTB

[Sakaro]

1 minute ago, GeneXiS_X said:

https://store.hp.com/GermanyStore/Merch/Product.aspx?id=2ZC41EA&opt=ABD&sel=NTB

https://store.hp.com/GermanyStore/Merch/Product.aspx?id=4QH14EA&opt=ABD&sel=NTB

Thank you. I am currently based in Taiwan, usually prices for laptops are a bit cheaper here than in Germany, at least for apple products I noticed that. If I have to order it from Germany, I will probably have to wait till next year. 

[Sakaro]

I have one more question. If I get a the HP Zbook 17 5G, which configuration should I get, since I mainly buy it for the form factor? I will of course get the non-glare UHD display for UHD media content and I would like to use the laptop 5-10 years, but I will only use word, internet and media for now. Should I go with the lowest possible spec i5 with on board GPU and 8 gb ram? In the past ram was often a bottle neck for me while using chrome, even though at the moment 8 gb ram seem to be sufficient. Would it make sense to upgrade to 16 gb ram right away? Should I buy a better processor right now and if needed buy a GPU later, or go with the cheapest i5 and get a GPU right at the beginning? What would you suggest?  

[genexis_x]

46 minutes ago, Sakaro said:

5-10 year

lowest possible spec

not a good idea, if your budget allows go for higher spec (no need to go overkill - eg Xeon)

[Sakaro]

31 minutes ago, GeneXiS_X said:

not a good idea, if your budget allows go for higher spec (no need to go overkill - eg Xeon)

Which config would you suggest? 

[genexis_x]

3 minutes ago, Sakaro said:

Which config would you suggest? 

Let me have a look on the config

[Sakaro]

• Windows 10 Pro 64 - HP recommends Windows 10 Pro
• ZBook 17 G5 with Intel® Core™ i5-8300H processor (2.3 GHz, up to 4.0 GHz with Turbo Boost, 8MB cache, 4 core) + Intel® UHD Graphics 630 (2XD23AV)
• No Adobe Software
•  
• ENERGY STAR Qualified Configuration
• No AMT vPro™ Technology Supported
• 17.3" diagonal UHD B-LED UWVA Anti-Glare DreamColor for HD Webcam slim (3840x2160) (400 Nits)
• Integrated HD 720p DualAryMic Webcam
• NVIDIA Quadro P1000 (4 GB GDDR5 dedicated) Graphics
• 16 GB (1x16 GB) DDR4 2666
•  
• 256 GB PCIe NVMe TLC SSD
• No Internal Storage
• Blu-ray R/RE DVD+/-RW SM DL
• Dual Point Backlit spill-resistant Keyboard
• No Near Field Communication (No NFC)
• Intel® Wireless-AC 9560 (2x2) Gigabit Wi-Fi + Bluetooth® 5 (no-vPro™)
• No Broadband Wireless
• Fingerprint Reader
• 200 Watt Smart PFC Slim AC Adapter
• C13 1.0m Tag Premium Power Cord
•  
• Country Localization US
• 6 Cell 95.6 WHr Long Life Battery
• One-year (1/1/0) limited warranty
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
• Intel® Core™ i5 Label (G8)
•  
• Elite Services Information Card
• DreamColor Display SGX flag

That configuration is $2621.71

which is already slightly above budget. Does that configuration make sense, or is there something that does not make sense at all and would need to be changed?

[genexis_x]

Zbook is a bit overpriced...maybe P72 or Precision 7730?

[Sakaro]

9 minutes ago, GeneXiS_X said:

Zbook is a bit overpriced...maybe P72 or Precision 7730?

Both do not come with BluRay-Players and I am not sure about the display and speaker quality, aren`t the display and the speakers of the HP supposed to be the best? You definitely get more performance with Lenovo and Dell, but since I care more about display, speakers and BluRay-Player, I am not sure whether the offers are really better.   

[genexis_x]

2 minutes ago, Sakaro said:

BluRay-Players

Get external

2 minutes ago, Sakaro said:

display

They have plenty of options, including high quality ones

3 minutes ago, Sakaro said:

speaker quality

nothing special

3 minutes ago, Sakaro said:

aren`t the display and the speakers of the HP supposed to be the best?

Depends on model, not brand

[Sakaro]

I configured the HP with the UHD anti-glare dream color display. Any idea how that display compares to the UHD displays from Lenovo and Dell?

[genexis_x]

1 minute ago, Sakaro said:

I configured the HP with the UHD anti-glare dream color display. Any idea how that display compares to the UHD displays from Lenovo and Dell?

typical UHD display - either ~60% ARGB or ~80% ARGB (can't tell which since they have different sources)

[DarkDragon2K04]

On 5/29/2019 at 4:41 PM, Sakaro said:

Dear Community, 

I am currently using a Dell Latitude E6430: i5-3340M, 8GB Ram, Windows 7, 720p screen, 120 GB SSD. 

I have been using that laptop for 6 years, only swapped out the hard drive, and it is still going strong, but since Windows 7 is approaching its end of service date, I am currently thinking whether I should get it cleaned up and buy a new copy of Windows 10 or upgrade to a new computer. 

The biggest draw back of my current computer is the screen size, resolution and color accuracy, I love that it has a matte screen, but the resolution and color accuracy leaves a lot to be desired. My main use for the computer is work related video conferencing and watching movies. I do not play games, or perform hardware intensive tasks. If I upgrade, I would love to go to a bigger 4K screen for videos and movies and an overall bulkier form factor. 

I have used an Apple MacBook Air before and it was a horrible experience. For some reasons I cannot keep light laptops sitting still on my desk, I subconsciously move them all the time. That also happens with flimsy keyboards. The E6430 is more planted on the desk, but I would prefer the laptop even a bit heavier than that, with a keyboard as sturdy as the one of the E6430. 

I was lucky enough to see a Predator 21 X in person, and I loved the form factor, something like that, just a tad bit smaller, would be perfect. I am also considering going back to a desktop computer, because I never take the laptop out with me. 

Having said that, I travel once a year or maybe every two years to Europe and stay there for like a month and so I need to get the computer into the plane and set it up in my apartment abroad. I do not travel around, it's really only about getting it on the plane without a hassle. Therefore, a portable desktop solution that I can easily take with my on a plane is also ok. However, I need to be able to get the screen on the plane, because I might relocate completely at some point. 

General Questions

1) What is your budget?

USD 2500 max

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

Desktop Replacement; 17"+ 4k-screen

3) Which country will you buying this notebook?

Taiwan or Germany 

4) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed?

Yes

6) What are the primary tasks you will be performing with this notebook?

Watching Movies and making video calls.

7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?

Mainly on my desk, see description above.

Will you be playing games on your notebook? 

No

9) How many hours of battery life do you need?

Does not matter.

10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?

I care about built quality a lot, so seeing it would be highly appreciated. 

11) What OS do you prefer? Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Chrome OS, etc.

Windows 10. 

Screen Specifics

12) What screen resolution(s) would you prefer? 

4K

13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen? 

I prefer matte.

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?

No

Notebook Components

15) How much hard drive space do you need?

I do not need much space, but I would really love to have a built in BluRay-Player and an SSD.

Timing, Warranty and Longevity

16) When are you buying this laptop?

Within the next year

17) How long do you expect to use this laptop?

5 years+, probably until the end of the Windows 10 life cycle or even beyond. 

Thanks for all your help in advance.

For 17" laptop I suggest the razer blade pro or the msi gs75 stealth

If you want a desktop get nzxt BLD desktop maybe a h500 case