Laptop for school Lenovo ideapad

[joejak44]

I went to Micro Center looking to get a laptop for school. I went in planning to get an LG Gram or a Dell XPS 13, but they didn't have the combination of features i wanted; namely, a touch screen, at least 256g ssd for  as close to 1000 as possible. I after looking at the different options i grabbed a Lenovo ideapad flex 5 1470. Its got an i5 but  I don't need it for any engineering programs, photo or video editing. As far as i can tell i only need it to take notes and type papers on, and maybe watch a video on YouTube.  All of the features seem on the lighter side but the with tax total was about $710.  I have not opened the box yet because i wanted to be a little more certain this was a good deal, and not just a junky laptop that i will have to replace an hour after the warranty is up.  Are the Dell XPS 13 and LG Gram options that much better considering they are $400+? How significant is an i7 on a laptop?  Any input or experience with any of the products is appreciated. 

 

Link is the product i purchased 

http://www.microcenter.com/product/484954/Flex_5_14_2-in-1_Laptop_Computer_-_Black

[.Ocean]

I found the flexs to be a little overpriced. Really for the use case you are defining I would suggest getting a tablet with a good pen for note taking.

Throw in a usb keyboard and you have everything you need for a significantly lesser price, typing quality probably wont be up to snuff though.

[Streetguru]

25 minutes ago, joejak44 said:

 

You should just buy a $100 or so Fire HD 10 android tablet with a bluetooth keyboard and call it a day.

Or buy a used Thinkpad with an older i5 for easily under $400 and just toss in a new SSD/battery.

[TheDankKoosh]

47 minutes ago, joejak44 said:

I went to Micro Center looking to get a laptop for school. I went in planning to get an LG Gram or a Dell XPS 13, but they didn't have the combination of features i wanted; namely, a touch screen, at least 256g ssd for  as close to 1000 as possible. I after looking at the different options i grabbed a Lenovo ideapad flex 5 1470. Its got an i5 but  I don't need it for any engineering programs, photo or video editing. As far as i can tell i only need it to take notes and type papers on, and maybe watch a video on YouTube.  All of the features seem on the lighter side but the with tax total was about $710.  I have not opened the box yet because i wanted to be a little more certain this was a good deal, and not just a junky laptop that i will have to replace an hour after the warranty is up.  Are the Dell XPS 13 and LG Gram options that much better considering they are $400+? How significant is an i7 on a laptop?  Any input or experience with any of the products is appreciated. 

 

Link is the product i purchased 

http://www.microcenter.com/product/484954/Flex_5_14_2-in-1_Laptop_Computer_-_Black

Try grabbing a used thinkpad T440p and slot in your own ssd and 16gb of ram. If you want, you can even upgrade it to something like a 4700mq if you want a quad core.

[Zmax]

I would just buy something tough and within your budget.

[genexis_x]

7 hours ago, joejak44 said:

Are the Dell XPS 13 and LG Gram options that much better considering they are $400+?

Every model has its own pros and cons. i7 ULV isn't much faster than i5 ULV due to cooling and TDP limitations.

 

Could you list out what are your requirements?

[joejak44]

I want something with a touch screen, keyboard with firmer keys, at least 256g ssd, 7 + hour battery life, and responsive to use. I have a tablet that takes upwards of 3 minutes to load web pages. So i'm hesitant to go with the tablet + keyboard option. This may not be reverent, but I will not have a desktop anymore. I need this product to last me at least 4 years because i plan on participating in a study abroad program and i don't want to have to purchase a new computer before im finished with that program. I have found some good reviews on the product but im not sure if i should just go with a super bare bones option and save even more so it doesnt sting as much if it craps out early, or if there is a serious build quality difference on a higher end product that warrants paying $1000-$1300 for what looks like  an i7 8 more gigs of ram and a larger ssd.  Thanks to all of you for your investment thus far; your opinions are valued.

[genexis_x]

1 hour ago, joejak44 said:

touch screen, keyboard with firmer keys, at least 256g ssd, 7 + hour battery life, and responsive to use

tablet + keyboard option

last me at least 4 years

Consider Thinkpad X1 or Thinkpad Yoga series. Solid build quality and keyboard, good battery life, 2 in 1 with touchscreen. If you don't want to spend much, X380 Yoga. X1 Carbon 6th gen if you can spend more. L380 Yoga is a cheaper option but there are compromises. Check reviews from Notebookcheck before buying.

 

You can upgrade RAM and SSD after purchase, in some cases it will not void your warranty