Looking to buy a new laptop, need advice.

[KickinGravy]

So I am buying a new laptop for my father for his birthday as his is old and starting to show its age.

My budget is $800 USD.

His use's for it will be web browsing and monitoring our home surveillance system camera's.

Needs to be super durable and able to withstand tons of abuse as he treats his laptops rather poorly, Water proofing would be nice as he spills his coffee on his old laptop very often. 

Thanks in advance. 
 

[EPPHO]

" Water proofing would be nice as he spills his coffee on his old laptop very often.  " made me LOL

[KickinGravy]

1 minute ago, frozeNNN said:

" Water proofing would be nice as he spills his coffee on his old laptop very often.  " made me LOL

Indeed, sad thing is it is true

[EPPHO]

Just now, KickinGravy said:

Indeed, sad thing is it is true

Well i haven't heard of waterproof laptop to be honest. I only heard some stuff about waterproof "bags"

[KickinGravy]

Just now, frozeNNN said:

Well i haven't heard of waterproof laptop to be honest. I only heard some stuff about waterproof "bags"

Not looking for a laptop that can work under water or anything, just something that can withstand coffee be split on it every so often (sadly very often, he never learns.)

[Scruffy90]

Get him a toughbook. Theyre pricy though. 'May be cheaper to get him a nice notebook and possibly modify the desk to include a cup/mug holder

[KickinGravy]

Just now, Scruffy90 said:

Get him a toughbook. Theyre pricy though. 'May be cheaper to get him a nice notebook and possibly modify the desk to include a cup/mug holder

Toughbook? Never heard of them. Pricy by how much? 

[Scruffy90]

Just now, KickinGravy said:

Toughbook? Never heard of them. Pricy by how much? 

Theyre used by law enforcement, military, emt, etc. Theyre very large, but extremely durable from what ive seen. The last time I saw a listed price (about 2 years ago), the base model was >$1800 USD

[KickinGravy]

Just now, Scruffy90 said:

Theyre used by law enforcement, military, emt, etc. Theyre very large, but extremely durable from what ive seen. The last time I saw a listed price (about 2 years ago), the base model was >$1800 USD

Crazy, I don't think I can afford that, lol

[Scruffy90]

4 minutes ago, KickinGravy said:

Crazy, I don't think I can afford that, lol

its a bit ridiculous. Why not try something like this?

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DH0D2M8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_b97cyb2RAVAFG

 

or get him an external mouse and keyboard so he drops his coffee on something cheap and easy to replace lol

[System Error Message]

many thinkpads are spill proof and fit within your budget. 

[KickinGravy]

Just now, System Error Message said:

many thinkpads are spill proof and fit within your budget. 

Yeah that would be nice, but he uses his laptop in bed. He is disabled. 

[System Error Message]

Just now, KickinGravy said:

Yeah that would be nice, but he uses his laptop in bed. He is disabled. 

they are durable up to a point. They can survive drops from tables and the onboard keyboard is spill proof. It will take some abuse except being thrown out of a building.

[KickinGravy]

Just now, System Error Message said:

they are durable up to a point. They can survive drops from tables and the onboard keyboard is spill proof. It will take some abuse except being thrown out of a building.

Bear in mind it needs to be reasonably powerful as well, he uses his laptop to monitor our home surveillance system. That program is demanding. 

[System Error Message]

5 minutes ago, KickinGravy said:

Bear in mind it needs to be reasonably powerful as well, he uses his laptop to monitor our home surveillance system. That program is demanding. 

not really demanding. the home surveillance system only requires video playback system. Unless this was the core2 era thats not an issue anymore as long as you avoid the low power atom lines as they lack the bandwidth to use both CPU and GPU simultaneously

[KickinGravy]

1 minute ago, System Error Message said:

not really demanding. the home surveillance system only requires video playback system. Unless this was the core2 era thats not an issue anymore as long as you avoid the low power atom lines as they lack the bandwidth to use both CPU and GPU simultaneously

Yeah it might be his laptop, it is from 2009. Still I willing to buy him a nice laptop, $800 seems like a good price point.

[System Error Message]

Just now, KickinGravy said:

Yeah it might be his laptop, it is from 2009. Still I willing to buy him a nice laptop, $800 seems like a good price point.

i5 or higher would be decent.

[KickinGravy]

Just now, System Error Message said:

i5 or higher would be decent.

Agreed, only thing I want is that it is durable and able to stand up to coffee being spilt on it from time to time. That is what happened to his old laptop, coffee got into the guts of it and ruined it. Still works, just not very well. 

[System Error Message]

Just now, KickinGravy said:

Agreed, only thing I want is that it is durable and able to stand up to coffee being spilt on it from time to time. That is what happened to his old laptop, coffee got into the guts of it and ruined it. Still works, just not very well. 

When you browse for a thinkpad, make sure you see the words spillproof on it. Not all thinkpads are spillproof. you dont need a dedicated GPU but if you can afford one than go ahead.

[Pendragon]

41 minutes ago, KickinGravy said:

Agreed, only thing I want is that it is durable and able to stand up to coffee being spilt on it from time to time. That is what happened to his old laptop, coffee got into the guts of it and ruined it. Still works, just not very well. 

Go on Dell Outlet.

E5470 with i5-6440HQ 

 

Alternatively you can pick up the lowest end XPS15 with the i3H series (far better than any ULV due to power limits being lifted)

 

OR if you want graphics horsepower you can pick up an Dell 7559. 

 

 

Only the E5470 is spill proof