Member of the Month

theabortionator
April, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

How do you buy a laptop in 2018

profile picture
proZach
Posts: 7163 - Karma: 919
title says it. my fiancee and I both have macbook pros from 2009 and 2012. mine's the older of the two- has shit battery, barely responds, and is too old to update anything (cannot update iTunes, any internet browser, etc). use it more or less just for downloading movies so I don't have to worry about any potential viruses/issues. my fiancee's is less shitty, but turns off if tilted wrong (think it fell at some point), and is overall going downhill. we're looking to invest in one laptop, probably buy on black friday.

we're both out of school and have no interest in gaming/graphic design. we'll be using it mostly for internet, watching movies on hulu/netflix/prime, and using microsoft office (power point, excel, word are a must).

at this point I'm so far removed from knowing anything about computers, I figured I'd ask around. I saw an HP for about $400 that might do the trick. don't think we need another expensive macbook, but do like the idea of longevity (ours lasted between 6 and 8 years roughly). probably 150gb+ storage, ?8gb ram. I don't use a lot of "cloud storage" so my dick pics don't flop all over the internets. not opposed to any particular OS as long as it does the above. I've heard stories about shit trackpads and overall poor hardware quality, hopefully will find some advice along those lines as well. also, I think touchpads are stupid and don't need another tablet or that kind of functionality. in terms of screen size, we have 15in MacBooks I think- something along that size is fine. rather not have something too much smaller or larger.

thanks!
7 years ago
2 0
profile picture
vibecheck
Posts: 3112 - Karma: 15,206
who is gonna read all that
7 years ago
14 6
profile picture
CalumSKI
Posts: 4379 - Karma: 26,123
predator 21x lmao( 9000$)
basically any laptop would do the trick
probs go around the 600-700$ range just to be safe
7 years ago
0 0
profile picture
DirtYStylE
Posts: 3652 - Karma: 8,892
There is no need to dive into all the specs. You could spend an extra few hundred so your movies will download faster?

The only thing that you should be concerned about is the resolution. 4k is the top end right now and most platforms don't support it yet. You can get a laptop that does 4k for $1500. Dropping down to the 1440p will be around the 1k mark. Pick your resolution and your brand. That should do it
7 years ago
1 1
profile picture
eheath
Posts: 61928 - Karma: 126,357
DirtYStylEThere is no need to dive into all the specs. You could spend an extra few hundred so your movies will download faster?

The only thing that you should be concerned about is the resolution. 4k is the top end right now and most platforms don't support it yet. You can get a laptop that does 4k for $1500. Dropping down to the 1440p will be around the 1k mark. Pick your resolution and your brand. That should do it


Internal specs on a laptop will not help you download faster, just saying.

OP get a microsoft surface or comparable 2-in-1 laptop, tons of options for you honestly, just know that you will get what you pay for, so getting a $600 laptop will be much better than a $200 one.
7 years ago
3 0
profile picture
CalumSKI
Posts: 4379 - Karma: 26,123
e heath is right
sufaces are great
i would probably get one if i didnt have a gaming desktop
7 years ago
2 0
profile picture
DirtYStylE
Posts: 3652 - Karma: 8,892
eheathInternal specs on a laptop will not help you download faster, just saying.


Technically this is true. The internets download speed is usually the cap on speed. Pretty sure the CPU has the biggest impact on speed...

Also, if you are looking at 4k you don't want to run an i5 processor. You will want a 7
7 years ago
2 1
profile picture
IanAvery-Leaf
Posts: 9936 - Karma: 9,457
DirtYStylEif you are looking at 4k you don't want to run an i5 processor. You will want a 7

if youre meaning driving a 4K display, either internal or external, thats more dependent on the GPU. OP says he wants a casual computer so a 4K display would most likely be overkill
7 years ago
2 0
profile picture
CLQ
Posts: 2709 - Karma: 11,271
DirtYStylETechnically this is true. The internets download speed is usually the cap on speed. Pretty sure the CPU has the biggest impact on speed...

Also, if you are looking at 4k you don't want to run an i5 processor. You will want a 7


I7 has its uses but I feel like it wouldn't be worth it for him to get an i7.
7 years ago
4 0
profile picture
eheath
Posts: 61928 - Karma: 126,357
DirtYStylETechnically this is true. The internets download speed is usually the cap on speed. Pretty sure the CPU has the biggest impact on speed...

Also, if you are looking at 4k you don't want to run an i5 processor. You will want a 7


Both things you said are wrong, please stop.
7 years ago
3 0
profile picture
SofaKingSick
Posts: 9699 - Karma: 65,335
k so i bought a macbook pro around 2008 and i got to decide between an i5 and an i7. idk much about computers... why is that still the choice? what else has changed in the meantime to "justify" the prices still being high?
7 years ago
1 0
profile picture
CalumSKI
Posts: 4379 - Karma: 26,123
in my desktop i have an i5 and its great( Ik its not a laptop cpu)
also getting a computer with a gpu is nice
something with a gpu for cheap in like a acer nitro 5
7 years ago
0 0
profile picture
DirtYStylE
Posts: 3652 - Karma: 8,892
IanAvery-Leafif youre meaning driving a 4K display, either internal or external, thats more dependent on the GPU. OP says he wants a casual computer so a 4K display would most likely be overkill

What I want to point out is that if OP gets a laptop that runs 4k you want the minimum specs to go with it. CPU only has a few choices where the GPU is a larger market that can be harder to choose from. Thats why I am saying grab the 7 and let the other parts fall into place by going the cheaper route.

I do not think 4k is overkill especially for a laptop. For example, you are laying in bed with the laptop in your face. This means the monitor is much closer to your face than a normal computer screen would be. So you will beninift greater from an increase in resolution.

Yes. This is the current top end. You can take a step down to the 1440p or 1080p. Am I crazy for thinking the resolution is the only thing that a casual person will notice?
eheathBoth things you said are wrong, please stop.

???
7 years ago
0 1
profile picture
IanAvery-Leaf
Posts: 9936 - Karma: 9,457
DirtYStylEWhat I want to point out is that if OP gets a laptop that runs 4k you want the minimum specs to go with it. CPU only has a few choices where the GPU is a larger market that can be harder to choose from. Thats why I am saying grab the 7 and let the other parts fall into place by going the cheaper route.

I do not think 4k is overkill especially for a laptop. For example, you are laying in bed with the laptop in your face. This means the monitor is much closer to your face than a normal computer screen would be. So you will beninift greater from an increase in resolution.

Yes. This is the current top end. You can take a step down to the 1440p or 1080p. Am I crazy for thinking the resolution is the only thing that a casual person will notice?

???

a key quote from OP that you seem to be missing: "we're both out of school and have no interest in gaming/graphic design. we'll be using it mostly for internet, watching movies on hulu/netflix/prime, and using microsoft office (power point, excel, word are a must). "

an i5 is more than fine, even a passively cooled 5watt i3 12" MacBook would kick ass for all of OPs uses and more...

and 4K is absolutely overkill for an internal laptop display, theres a reason why most laptops don't have one, and the ones that do suffer from significant compromises. My laptop is 15.4" with a resolution of 2880 x 1800, normal viewing distance is impossible to discern individual pixels, even squeezing your face unnaturally close to the screen the resolution still holds up. I think you're stuck on 4K since its a big buzzword but in reality, but cost of GPU performance, hit to battery life, and literal $ cost is not worth it unless you're a creative professional who specifically knows how they can benefit from it, and in that case it makes way more sense to dock to an external 4K monitor anyway (which I and many others do)

OP please be critical when reading DirtYStylE's posts in this thread

**This post was edited on Oct 23rd 2018 at 6:02:18pm
7 years ago
2 0
profile picture
DirtYStylE
Posts: 3652 - Karma: 8,892
IanAvery-Leafa key quote from OP that you seem to be missing: "we're both out of school and have no interest in gaming/graphic design. we'll be using it mostly for internet, watching movies on hulu/netflix/prime, and using microsoft office (power point, excel, word are a must). "


Yeah thats what I am getting at. They just want to stare at a screen for viewing purposes. Which is why the resolution should be a major point to consider. I am glad you outlined why most people don't need 4k. Theres also a reason I didn't hint at 8k cuz thats just way too much for the human eye. 144hz is about the max too

**This post was edited on Oct 23rd 2018 at 5:36:44pm
7 years ago
1 2
profile picture
IanAvery-Leaf
Posts: 9936 - Karma: 9,457
DirtYStylEThey just want to stare at a screen for viewing purposes


what else would OP do with his laptop...?


web browsing, documents, and movie streaming all look great at 1080p, 1440p, etc. You do realize that 95% of movie content out there is 1080p, and a decent percentage of whats advertised as "4K" is shot & mastered in a mix of resolutions that are far below 3840 x 2160. It is still very rare in 2018 to see content that is true 4K from start to finish. Any argument stating that in 2018 a 4K laptop screen is a good idea is bullshit, and you're misleading OP
7 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Moid
Posts: 31 - Karma: 86
As sketchy as it sounds, I bought a Dell 2 in 1 off ebay for like 450 bucks. 16gb of RAM, i7, and a SSD. Came with the Dell warranty and qualified for SquareTrade insurance in case something goes south. It’s been running fine and I haven’t had any issues with it. I can run all of the Adobe Cloud on it and have only had slower speeds using Premiere with a bunch of editing. Web browsing and easy tasks are pretty quick.
7 years ago
0 0
profile picture
DirtYStylE
Posts: 3652 - Karma: 8,892
Now that we have agreed on that
IanAvery-Leafwhat else would OP do with his laptop...?


web browsing, documents, and movie streaming all look great at 1080p, 1440p, etc. You do realize that 95% of movie content out there is 1080p, and a decent percentage of whats advertised as "4K" is shot & mastered in a mix of resolutions that are far below 3840 x 2160. It is still very rare in 2018 to see content that is true 4K from start to finish. Any argument stating that in 2018 a 4K laptop screen is a good idea is bullshit, and you're misleading OP


2019 is two months away

You could have a 4k new years resolution
7 years ago
0 1
profile picture
Gryllz
Posts: 483 - Karma: 1,204
gnarclancywho is gonna read all that


Not women i guess
7 years ago
5 0
profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 52529 - Karma: 173,353
I got a deal on my HP for around 850 last year. I think they were going for 11 usually. I'm happy with it.

You can def get a lot for not too much but you're probably going to have it for a few years. I wouldn't go the total cheapest route unless you expect to break it or lose it.
7 years ago
1 0
profile picture
iced
Posts: 3070 - Karma: 17,985
im no tech person so I asked on ns too i think

everyone told me not to buy a macbook so i bought one
7 years ago
2 0
profile picture
eheath
Posts: 61928 - Karma: 126,357
DirtYStylE???


Processor speed is a very small part of ideal of a 4k display, which as ian said is completely worthless on a laptop, with a 15" screen there is no reason to have it higher than 1080p TBH.

As for 4k in general, definitely something the general public doesn't need to worry about for awhile still, bandwidth speeds aren't there yet.

Processor speed also has absolutely nothing to do with download speed, I'm not sure why I had to say that again.
7 years ago
1 0
profile picture
losh
Posts: 1126 - Karma: 4,704
Since there are people here that can say much more intelligent things about computers than I can, I wont try. But what I can say is that 4k is niceeee, when you load up a nice 4k faction collective episode, or porn, (same thing), you realize how nice it is to have the option. Yeah I know you can't use it all the time, but I'd rather drive a Mclaren than a prius even though I cant go 170 everywhere. And I have a $1,300 razer with a 4k touch screen. I feel like you can get 4k pretty cheap nowadays
7 years ago
0 0
profile picture
proZach
Posts: 7163 - Karma: 919
DirtYStylEThere is no need to dive into all the specs. You could spend an extra few hundred so your movies will download faster?

The only thing that you should be concerned about is the resolution. 4k is the top end right now and most platforms don't support it yet. You can get a laptop that does 4k for $1500. Dropping down to the 1440p will be around the 1k mark. Pick your resolution and your brand. That should do it


for someone that still watches vhs tapes and plays n64, I don't give a shit about 4k. even 1080p. I'm using this more for basic work portals (i.e. citrix), documents that should run on microsoft 95, bottom of the barrel netflix subscription, and shitty quality youtube videos when I'm drunk.

eheathInternal specs on a laptop will not help you download faster, just saying.

OP get a microsoft surface or comparable 2-in-1 laptop, tons of options for you honestly, just know that you will get what you pay for, so getting a $600 laptop will be much better than a $200 one.


what sets the surface brand from say a dell latitude or a hp lenovo? I have no idea about all these processors, I'm really just comparing numbers for things I've heard of (ram, hdd, screen size lol). also, definitely don't want a 2 in 1, so that'll save some money.


I've looked at a few I'll post below. I don't know anything about why one is better than the other. this is pretty much the reason for this thread- everything look similar to me, just with different brands.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-15-6-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i3-8gb-memory-128gb-solid-state-drive-hp-finish-in-natural-silver/6240849.p?skuId=6240849

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-330-15arr-15-6-laptop-amd-ryzen-3-8gb-memory-1tb-hard-drive-onyx-black/6266402.p?skuId=6266402

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/microsoft-surface-13-5-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-m3-4gb-memory-128gb-solid-state-drive-first-generation-platinum/6181704.p?skuId=6181704

I threw in the cheapest surface one at your recommendation.

thanks for all the responses.
7 years ago
1 0
profile picture
proZach
Posts: 7163 - Karma: 919
proZachthanks for all the responses.


gnarclancywho is gonna read all that


except you. grow up.


and on my last post, disregard the first link. it's a touchpad- didn't see that.
7 years ago
1 0
profile picture
CalumSKI
Posts: 4379 - Karma: 26,123
144hz is about the max too

**This post was edited on Oct 23rd 2018 at 5:36:44pm[/QUOTE]
unless u overclock
7 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Lonely
Posts: 7102 - Karma: 68,718
Do not buy hp. That is all.
7 years ago
0 0
profile picture
gak98
Posts: 123 - Karma: 581
I am a pretty big apple whore but tbh the surfaces are sweet and really programmable you can do cool shit with them or just treat them like a basic laptop super versatile and just built better than most 2n1s
7 years ago
1 0
profile picture
proZach
Posts: 7163 - Karma: 919
LonelyDo not buy hp. That is all.


any reason?
7 years ago
0 0
profile picture
JoeF2661
Posts: 1627 - Karma: 6,302
Nerds
7 years ago
1 1
profile picture
Lonely
Posts: 7102 - Karma: 68,718
proZachany reason?


Poor quality. Poor customer service. 5/5 hps I have owned, including some pretty expensive ones, died within a year. Go with asus, acer, toshiba

**This post was edited on Oct 27th 2018 at 4:35:01pm
7 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Lonely
Posts: 7102 - Karma: 68,718
IanAvery-Leafwhat else would OP do with his laptop...?


web browsing, documents, and movie streaming all look great at 1080p, 1440p, etc. You do realize that 95% of movie content out there is 1080p, and a decent percentage of whats advertised as "4K" is shot & mastered in a mix of resolutions that are far below 3840 x 2160. It is still very rare in 2018 to see content that is true 4K from start to finish. Any argument stating that in 2018 a 4K laptop screen is a good idea is bullshit, and you're misleading OP


4k is nice and all, I love having 4k on my laptop even though its rarely used. For me 4k was never really a big factor in my decision making, but it is nice that my laptop is somewhat "future proofed" by having it. That's about the only benefit of 4k

If Op is concerned about the screen he should be comparing panel types, and not worry too much about resolution.

It sounds like what Op really needs is a rig with decent battery life and decent performance. An i5 is perfect, it's not that different from an i7 and for and average user you will still have fast performance when browsing, writing in word, etc.

Make sure to get at least 8gb of ram and do some research into the models you're interested in.

The best laptop out there right now is the asus zenbook pro. The newest generation is kinda pricey, but you can find last generations refurbished for under 1k. You get a gtx 960m, i7-6700, 16gb of ram, 512 gb ssd, a huge ass battery and aluminum body with the same form factor as a mac. It's got all the specs and longevity you could want in a laptop. It's been my daily driver for netflix, photo and video editing, paper writing and gaming for 2 years now and I have not a a single problem.

**This post was edited on Oct 27th 2018 at 4:37:33pm
7 years ago
0 1
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 4:41AM