What Laptop To Buy

[billbenson]

I'm now using a MSI gaming laptop for my work. It has a 17 inch screen and 16G of ram.

I want to get an inexpensive smaller screen laptop for when I travel and backup.

I don't know the processors and specs for laptops. Does anybody have any recommendations?

[Harold Mansfield]

Windows? Mac? How small a screen, 13", 15"?
What will you be doing primarily? Emails and web based stuff? Do you need to run specific programs?

You say "backup". Do mean to mirror your other computer or just a back up computer?

[Owen]

*cough* mac *cough*

[Fulcrum]

*cough* mac *cough*

Sounds like a pretty bad cough there Owen. You might want to see a doctor about that. I heard they make a pill that'll help with that.

[Harold Mansfield]

Sounds like a pretty bad cough there Owen. You might want to see a doctor about that. I heard they make a pill that'll help with that.

They do, but like the Mac the formula hasn't had any significant updates in about 3 years.
*Zing!* :)

[Bobjob]

Bear in mind - I'm not a computer person in the first place.

Before I bought a Windows PC this year all I'd ever worked with is Mac. The PC is a Dell Inspiron 13 7000 series and I am not impressed. I find it slow, difficult to work with (at first, I'm getting the hang of it) and cheaply made. I can't wait to purchase another Mac.

[billbenson]

I'll use it as a windows pc. In my office I'll use an external monitor and wireless keyboard.

So a small screen is good. I'll use it for outlook, accessing my website, and very basic stuff. I'll use it with MS Office and notepad. Also, to convert files to pdf's

By backup I mean if my main computer fails, I'll still be able to work

[Harold Mansfield]

I'll use it as a windows pc. In my office I'll use an external monitor and wireless keyboard.

So a small screen is good. I'll use it for outlook, accessing my website, and very basic stuff. I'll use it with MS Office and notepad. Also, to convert files to pdf's

By backup I mean if my main computer fails, I'll still be able to work
Do you have a price range in mind?

[billbenson]

Inexpensive. $500 or less.

[Harold Mansfield]

Inexpensive. $500 or less.

In that price range you should be able to get a nice Windows 10 Asus or Acer 13" or 15" with 4G to 6G RAM, and min 500GB hard Drive, and probably an Intel i3 or i5 processor.
I've had both Acer and Asus machines or devices and have never been disappointed.

You'll get better specs if you look for one WITHOUT touch screen.

Or if you'll willing to go 11" there's even some convertibles out there in that price range.

HSN had a nice 17" Windows 10 HP laptop with 2TB HD, 8G RAM and an Intel Quad Core for $649.
And a 15" HP with an i5, 1TB HD and 6G Ram for $599.

I thought those 2 were pretty good deals for something over the counter.

[Owen]

Inexpensive. $500 or less.

A broken Mac ;)

[JohnGalt]

Your best bet is to save up. Keep using what you have until you can buy a Mac. Either open box at a place like Best Buy or refurb from Apple directly. The support you get by being able to walk into an Apple store and get same day support is priceless in business.

[Hotscot]

I bought a Lenovo 100s. Works for email, surfing, Acrobat, MS Office.

Practically disposable. Brand new @ $160

[turboguy]

It is amazing how inexpensively they can make things these days. I paid $ 2500.00 for my first laptop and the keyboard fell apart in less than 6 months. I was also an early bird with a pocket calculator. I can remember paying $ 125.00 for that first one and whenever I used it people were amazed that such a tiny thing could do simple math. Speaking of things falling apart, about 3 months after I bought that first pocket calculator I was leaving for a trip, accidentally set it on the roof of my car and driving down the road watched it fall onto the road and into a million pieces (well maybe not a million).

[Krystsina]

Dell XPS 13 might be a good option: it is a 13-inch laptop that is very suitable to travel with. And the cost isn't too high.

[redfirewebsites]

It absolutely depends on what you need the "work" laptop for?

Is it for gaming - we assume not but if it is an I5 will be powerful enough with probably 8gig+ ram

If your doing anything with multi processor useage such as video rendering on the laptop then an I7 is the minimum with 16gig+

The bare minimum is the laptop MUST have a pure (not hybrid) SSD drive in - 240Gb min ideally bigger. This alone will speed up load times of the OS and software.

As we said - all depends on what you need it for.

[RaiDMP]

i would go Apple (macbook), they always seem to last a long time and are def worth the money.