Download the Tom's Hardware App from the App Store
The reference for current tech news
Yes No
Ads

Friend Needs Laptop

Forum Laptops & Notebooks : General Discussion Friend Needs Laptop

Word :    Username :           
 

My friend recently informed me that he needs a laptop and asked for my opinion. I looked up some and found some, but would like other thoughts too. Now I realize that you are supposed to fill out the form, but since this is for my friend I will supply the information that I do know.

-Price range is $400-$700.
-He goes to college in fall, so he will need it for that. This means a decent battery life, so anything over 3 hrs should do.
-He wants it for gaming, but he doesn't need to max out games with it. Medium or lower settings for intense/newer games will be okay.
-I already told him on the phone to avoid HP. So do not suggest an HP laptop. I don't care how cheap it is, they suck. Everyone I've know with one has problems with it, and even here with people who ordered the Dv6 Quad Edition because it was so cheap have mentioned the poor build quality, overheating issues, and various other problems.
-I told him some good brands that I would aim for are Sony, Samsung, and ASUS. However, feel free to suggest others too, as long as it isn't HP.
-Here is a model that I found on newegg. Specs look good to me, but I've never had experience with Lenovo, but I've heard good things about them. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6834246156
-He and his mom have looked at best buy, but I realize he will probably get a better deal from newegg.com and other sites.

I believe that's all the info that I have, sorry it isn't more. Any suggestions are welcome.

Reply to trogdor796
Register or log in to remove.

The 520m on that Lenovo laptop is very weak. But I don't think you can do much better with that. The Lenovo is a good deal.

Reply to hpfreak

Here is another good option: Dell XPS 15 Core i5 Sandy Bridge Laptop $644 & free shipping
i5-2410M CPU & GT 525M graphics

------------------------------ Laptop Buyers FAQ
Locked Out Of Your Laptop?

Reply to WR2

How is the build quality on those new xps 15's? How about the reliability?

Reply to trogdor796

Build quality should be highly competitive with any other $800 laptop on the market.
There are enough reviews out on the Dell XPS 15 (L502x) to get a good idea what it's about.
Example: Dell XPS 15 Notebook review @ Notebookcheck Not an identically equipped model but the basic notebook features will be the same.

Reliability is a lot harder to judge since we don't really find out any one specific model till a couple years after it's been released. As a brand, Dell is pretty much 'average'.
You can expect the XPS models to be slightly better than the cheaper models. Again, you're probably looking at reliability being within a few percentage points of other $800 notebooks.

------------------------------ Laptop Buyers FAQ
Locked Out Of Your Laptop?

Reply to WR2

Alright, thanks for the suggestion. I just don't want to suggest a notebook and then it ends up breaking within a year. But I have to realize that that could happen to any brand.

Any idea how long that deal on the Dell will last?

Reply to trogdor796

The #1 danger to laptop longevity is mis-handling, including being dropped, etc. And of course theft is always an issue.
http://www.nssi.com/nssi/coverage Accidental Damage, Theft, Fire, Flood, Natural Disasters, Vandalism and Lightning Strikes
Coverage for more than just the laptop, such as phone, MP3 player, etc.

That particular coupon deal expires 7/26.
You can usually find something similar and the 'back to school' sales aren't far away.
Be sure to check the University recommendations for student laptops and see if they have links to student deals.
And keep an eye out on that LogicBuy website for updated deals.

------------------------------ Laptop Buyers FAQ
Locked Out Of Your Laptop?

Reply to WR2
Register or log in to remove.
Tom's Hardware > Forum > Laptops & Notebooks > General Discussion > Friend Needs Laptop
Go to:

There are 2023 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Please mind

You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months.
If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.

Add a reply Cancel
  • Ask the community now
  • Publish
Ad
Ads
Latest best answer
Cant log into windows 7
By anort3, 2 days ago:

Sorry, we can't help you get around a password as we have no way of knowing if you are...

Best offers
They won a badge
Join us in greeting them
Top experts