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Laptops to buy 2019

Discussion in 'Computers and Gaming' started by GAA_Celtic, Sep 21, 2019.

Discuss Laptops to buy 2019 in the Computers and Gaming area at TalkCeltic.net.

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  1. GAA_Celtic

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    My laptop has died on me, it's been acting like a * for the last few weeks and it just isn't doing anything.

    Anyway, looking for a new one that isn't a MacBook. I would love to buy one but I don't think they're value for money.

    I'm looking for something with an i5-i7 processor (prefer i7) and 8gb ram. I will be using it primarily for doing research, statistical analysis and so on but I will on occasion do some video editing.

    Looking to spend somewhere between £500-700.

    Any recommendations?
     
  2. Callum McGregor The Captain Gold Member

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    Have a look on www.pcspecialist.co.uk. You can configure a laptop to suit your budget and requirements. They do them on finance too, if you want to spread the cost.
     
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  3. GAA_Celtic

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    Lenovo V130 (81HN00S6UK)15.6" Full HD Laptop Intel Core i7-7500U Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Windows 10 Home - Grey

    If only it had a better battery life!
     
  4. scuzzy Gold Member Gold Member

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    https://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/
    have decent deals on sometimes, the Lenovo that's an IBM basically. I was curious as you said not a mac book, I'm assuming then you wanna go windows ? don't rule out Linux as an alternative either, shed loads of programs nearly all free, unlike Windoze bloatware.
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2019
  5. GAA_Celtic

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    I would prefer to avoid Windows but at the same time it is what I'm use to. Never really used Linux
     
  6. scuzzy Gold Member Gold Member

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    Yes I understand, I have a few windows based machines, and some with linux Operating systems, and a hackintosh (basically Mac OSX on an Intel based system).
    I find I hardly ever use the Mac, for programming and coding I tend to use the linux systems, for games I stick with windows but only win 7, I'll never go near 10, some people like it tho, and some people just don't care or don't know any better, it's a big huge clunky slow thing and it's full of bloatware and thier own spyware, you could always just put any Operating system on it you choose of course that's the beauty of it.
    Linux is very similar to the Mac but it can be hard to get used to at first.

    On a side note I noticed you said that "you'd love to buy one but you don't think they are value for money" were you referring to a Macbook here or a Laptop as a whole ?
    I avoid laptops like the plague, don't get me wrong I do have one so if you go mobile laptops are a no brainer, but if not it'd be a full sized or say an ITX or small form factor machine for me.
    Laptops are more expensive all round and are much less upgradable, the biggest issue of course as you pointed out is the battery life.
    If you were interested in seeing what Linux is like you could always get yourself a little Raspberry pi 3B+ which is a single board computer for about £40 new, it's the size as a * packet and not much expense to see if you like the system.

    Anyway best of luck in your search, If you have any questions or queries feel free to ask :50:
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2019
  7. honda Gold Member Gold Member

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    You got a costco card? I'm fairly sure they have a minted gaming predator laptop around the 700.

    I know nothing about them right enough, but it looks cool and plays games :56:
     
  8. Artorias

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    Are ASUS laptops *?
     
  9. GAA_Celtic

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    Talking about a MacBook. Just don't see how anyone could spend 1k on one. The touch bar does look awesome but it's just a fad.

    I currently have an i5 and for the best part of 6 years it has been really good.

    What would you go for if you had a £700 budget? I would have known what to get a few years ago but I don't have a clue now.
     
  10. scuzzy Gold Member Gold Member

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    No, ASUS make great motherboards, whenever I build a new machine I always go for an ASUS motherboard, very reliable and stable. 5 of my machines have ASUS motherboards.
     
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  11. scuzzy Gold Member Gold Member

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    Good I totally agree with you, buy Apple loose a lot of cash is the way I see that company, no love for them at all, pure greed nothing else.
    Well an i5 is still a decent machine even these days I have 2 i3's and 2 i5's, I just couldn't justify spending that much money on an i7 CPU, even today I've no real need for something that size for the money it costs, now were in i9 territory and there's no way i'd spend that kinda cash.
    If I were you i'd be much more inclined to get more RAM 8gig is ok i guess but i'd be pushing towards 16gig these days to be honest more longevity for a start and it will be much faster too. Most people think the CPU is where all the speed is but it's actually more to do with the RAM.
    It really all comes down to what you intend to use the machine for and buy or build it towards that specific goal, I noticed you mentioned video editing, well that is one of the biggest ways to eat up RAM, video stuff loves RAM hence why I would point you in the direction of the more RAM the merrier so to speak. Also an i7 will do all these jobs with ease, as a side note an i5 will too, the more modern versions of the i5's have moved on many generations from what you have/had originally.
    Also for a laptop look to see what kind of video memory it has as well, do choose the HD route tho if you can.
    Unfortunately laptops with good specs ain't cheap..ohh and make sure it has a dvd optical drive on it or at the very least buy an external usb one, you'd be amazed how many people overlook that.
     
  12. Artorias

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    Thank you. I haven't bought a computer in a long time and have seen ASUS deals on hotukdeals.co.uk and didn't recognize the brand. I actually initially mistook it for ACER that I had heard were alright. I need to renew my laptop, it's been 7/8year. I have noticed CD / blu ray trays are rare these days as are old style hard drives. Seems SSD mainly.
     
  13. scuzzy Gold Member Gold Member

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    Sure, don't get me wrong computers are all personal taste, from the years I've been building computers just through my own experiences ASUS are my go to motherboard for reliability. Gigabye would be my second choice and the lesser know ASRock are pretty good too. ACER are just fine I have an Acer laptop myself and i've never had a problem with it, I just find that I never use the laptop.
    Yeah the tray optical drives seem to be getting phased out or it's just a case of they are trying to save money on the build not quite sure which, the alternative is of course to just get yourself a usb external optical drive, coz trust me there will come a time you'll wanna burn something only to find you can't lol.
    I think a lot of companies are trying to push for the usb way and even boot to usb now, which is fine if that's what you want.
    For me persoanlly I'm old school and I still would want an optical drive, there's more than one way to skin a cat and for me I like to have as many options as possible after all a computer is supposed to be there to do what you want it to do, Not what the computer tells you to do.
    Also most people do like the SSD's they are good for your Operating system partition to get the puter up and running slightly quicker but I still use SATA's, to be honest there's not really that much difference at the end of the day, most custom based games machines use ssd drives for the OS and normal SATA's for the storage, big drives where all your 3d shooter games can live and run quite happily.
     
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  14. GAA_Celtic

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    A laptop is kind of a necessity for me as I am likely to go back to uni in January. I'll mainly need it for general stuff like browsing and word processor and statistical analysis.

    I will get a desktop with a two screen setup once I have everything sorted.

    https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/compu...i7-laptop-256-gb-ssd-silver-10180942-pdt.html

    What do you think of the link above and how can I find out of the computer had expandable ram?
     
  15. Artorias

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    Aye am the same would prefer to at least have an option for discs. I asked why there wasnt an optical drive in a laptop I was looking at and the reply was "its 2019" haha which is pretty funny but i didn't think it was outrageous to want that. I would rather one built in than an external one.
     
  16. scuzzy Gold Member Gold Member

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    No worries if you need a lappy you need a lappy, the specs seem fine for the pavillion deffi to do what you want, the only way you could find out about the ram is to check the hp site for that particular model, it's probably got 2 ram slots so it'll be 2 x 4 gig i'd assume however try to check it via hp's site if you can. Some companies build models for resale to certain shops i.e. curries so it may not say if the ram can be increased or not but i would presume it can, but do try to check 1st to be sure.

    OK just checked for ya that particular lappy has only 1 ram slot but it can take a 16gig stick so you'd just pop out the 8 and put in the 16 if you wanted :)

    It doesn't look like it has an optical drive (dvd/blu-ray) but that's up to you of course, just thought i'd mention it anyway.
     
  17. scuzzy Gold Member Gold Member

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    Jesus says it all really doesn't it, a salesman not a real puter user for sure,
    his granny prolly plugs right into the usb port too. :43:

    Honestly tho I have an external dvd writer myself think it was only about 30 quid great wee unit couldn't do without it to be honest, saved many puters many times with it.
     
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  18. GAA_Celtic

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    I would be a lot less inclined to use an optical drive. I would be more likely to use one on a desktop when I get it all sorted.

    Do you think I could get better for the price?

    And of course I'm now in the price bracket for a MacBook 2017
     
  19. scuzzy Gold Member Gold Member

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  20. Nasser

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    Don't buy a HP Pavillion they suck