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denereal visease posted:I'm in the market for a new laptop and I'm more than a little overwhelmed by the selection process. Can anyone recommend me a reliable laptop that will be good for the usual poo poo (ms office, web, netflix, etc.) that's also competent enough to run games respectably? I don't want or need a super high end gaming unit (I would just get a desktop), but it would be cool if I could play recent games at decent frame rates. Would the y410p be alright? People seem to dig them but they don't seem to come with the second graphics card for the ultrabay... I own a y410p that I only use to play games while I'm away from home for work. It plays current games on high settings at 30+ fps. If you are only planning on using it around the house I'd get a desktop though; The battery life is garbage.
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Oct 28, 2013 05:13
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Just wanted to drop in and let everybody know that Lenovo is very good about returns of the y510p. They didn't even ask if I was having a problem and got a full refund with tax. Still loving the HP chromebook 11 after about a week.
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Oct 28, 2013 05:55
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Rodan posted:I played around with laptops at Best Buy yesterday for the first time in years. I'm looking for a new work machine, which for me means Office applications, PDFs, email and web browsing basically. I'm looking for a new primary computer and an ultraportable to take to meetings. Lenovo refreshed the Yoga 11s with Haswell. It's packing the i5-4210Y, the same processor as the Vaio Tap 11. It is available at Best Buy for $799 in silver/gray. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ideapad...2011s&cp=1&lp=5
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Oct 28, 2013 06:20
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Naffer posted:No. Old programs that don't scale properly just either look tiny or scale in a really weird way or inconsistent way that makes them unusable. I'm actually pretty happy with 1600*900 at 100% dpi scaling though. You get the same screen real estate as 3800*1800 @ 200% scaling without all the bugs. Since it's exactly half the vertical and horizontal resolution, there shouldn't be any interpolation. I had a similar problem with my Samsung and so you should track down whatever service is loving with your display and get rid of it. For me there was something called lcdmodechecker that turned colors to poo poo when on battery (the yellow was what made me notice it in the first place). I have another thing that once in awhile decides to dim my monitor when I'm playing fullscreen video. Hey companies please stop giving me lovely "features" and just give me a plain computer that works thanks.
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Oct 28, 2013 06:21
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Is there a way to determine what WiFi cards are whitelisted in my BIOS? I have an old ThinkPad SL510 and I want to put in a better wireless card.
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Oct 28, 2013 06:52
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drk posted:Ill be happy to post some thoughts when it gets here. Lenovo will be releasing the option for Full HD (touch) in December/January, they even have a unboxing video here with FHD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGN6XtchXw8 Full sheet here: http://shopap.lenovo.com/au/en/common/pdf/X240_DS_ANZ_lowres.PDF chrome taco fucked around with this message at 10:55 on Oct 28, 2013 |
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Oct 28, 2013 09:48
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hayden. posted:Chrome Books seem like the perfect choice for people who don't know how to computer. Virtually no chance of breaking, crashing, getting viruses, or slowing it down by installing stupid crap. Plus they're dirt cheap, way under your budget. Chromebooks can't run Java can they? That's must, since that's what personal digital signature uses in Denmark. I know, it's retarded.
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Oct 28, 2013 11:01
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The OP section "Screen sizes, pixels-per-inch, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, or why you shouldn't buy a 17" laptop" is misleading - it implies pixel density is the primary factor for comparing screen size.
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Oct 28, 2013 11:54
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Trump posted:Chromebooks can't run Java can they? That's must, since that's what personal digital signature uses in Denmark. I know, it's retarded. I'm pretty sure they can run Java if you throw Ubuntu on there, but possibly not if you use Chrome OS
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Oct 28, 2013 12:05
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QuarkJets posted:I'm pretty sure they can run Java if you throw Ubuntu on there, but possibly not if you use Chrome OS That's where it gets too complicated.  Any recommendations for a windows laptop with my requirements?
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Oct 28, 2013 12:14
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The Lenovo x240's highest CPU option seems to be an i7 4600U (which appears to use the HD 4400 graphics with 20 exec units). Does that mean it has lower graphics performance than the MBA which has HD Graphics 5000 (40 ex units)? I realise this form factor isn't exactly targeted at gaming of any sort, but it seems a bit disappointing that the MBA would beat a newer offering.
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Oct 28, 2013 14:04
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So I want to get one of the new Asus UX301 Zenbooks. I'm an American expat currently living in London, so I want to order it through an American site because 1) it's usually cheaper, and 2) I don't like UK keyboard layouts. On Amazon, the only model they have available is with the i5 Haswell and not the i7. Since these are already low wattage chips and they come with the HD 4400 rather than the Iris 5100, I'm worried that the performance will be a little anemic. This will be my main computer and given that the screen resolution is already 2560x1440 I'm worried about it being a little underpowered if I'm trying to do anything other than browse the internet. Is this concern valid? Should I wait for the i7 with Iris 5100 to become available? Thanks in advance.
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Oct 28, 2013 14:19
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Anti-Derivative posted:The Lenovo x240's highest CPU option seems to be an i7 4600U (which appears to use the HD 4400 graphics with 20 exec units). Does that mean it has lower graphics performance than the MBA which has HD Graphics 5000 (40 ex units)? Apple got all the good stuff, and got it early. But it's not the end of the world: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7072/intel-hd-5000-vs-hd-4000-vs-hd-4400
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Oct 28, 2013 14:19
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Hi guys, I need to buy a laptop for my wife and she has specific needs that are beyond my scope of knowledge since I have been a desktop user exclusively. She is in school for interior design and will need a laptop that can run Revit, AutoCAD, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Probably some other poo poo in the same vein. We live in NYC and she has a 45 minute commute which includes a cramped subway and a lot of walking, and she also hauls other poo poo around (books, design supplies, model-building materials, finished models, etc). So size/weight is a factor. I am guessing she would benefit greatly from a large display screen, so I'm thinking 1920x1080p? Also, I think she leans toward PC and I think the program itself actually leans toward PC as well. We haven't ruled out Apple products and we know some students use them, but PC is our comfort zone so if there are good options we'll probably go with that. What options does this leave me with? I'm not going to name a budget because I know this will probably be on the higher end and I'm prepared for that. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated because I'm clueless when it comes to the laptop world.
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Oct 28, 2013 14:30
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Any more news on the haswell xps 13? It seemed good on paper when it was announced, but it isn't out for a few more weeks right?
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Oct 28, 2013 14:59
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havelock posted:Any more news on the haswell xps 13? It seemed good on paper when it was announced, but it isn't out for a few more weeks right? I've been waiting for news on that one too. I believe all we know so far is a release sometime in November.
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Oct 28, 2013 17:47
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So my awful HP laptop recently shat the bed on me and I'm getting a new one in the $300 range rather than trying to fix it. I've pretty much decided on the Asus x201e. It looks like a great machine for the price. It's lightweight, small, good looking, and has decent specs. The processor is a tad underwhelming at 1.1 ghz, but it shouldn't be an issue for what I plan to use the laptop for (typing, movies, and browsing mostly) It also comes preloaded with ubuntu, which I planned to use anyways, so no windows tax. I'm coming here to ask if anyone has any experience with this thing and could tell me some things that aren't in the specs (does it feel cheap or well made? how are the keyboard and touchpad? Is it prone to any specific problems?) and if there's any other laptops in the price range I should check out.
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Oct 28, 2013 22:55
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If I want a 15" laptop with the i7-4850MQ chip and 16GB RAM/512GB SSD, it seems like the new MBP isn't really even overpriced. There isn't much available that has similar specs, and what is out there costs about as much and doesn't have the build quality. If I'm willing to overpay to get the top of the line stuff, is there even another option outside of the new MBP's?
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Oct 29, 2013 00:28
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tijag posted:If I want a 15" laptop with the i7-4850MQ chip and 16GB RAM/512GB SSD, it seems like the new MBP isn't really even overpriced. If you're asking if there is a comparable PC, you could wait and see what the Dell M3800 looks like when it comes out in mid November. http://www.dell.com/learn/us/en/04/campaigns/precision-m3800-workstation Starting price is going to be $1800, but I imagine it'll be in the ballpark of the MacBook Pro 15 once you configure it similarly.
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Oct 29, 2013 01:01
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tijag posted:If I want a 15" laptop with the i7-4850MQ chip and 16GB RAM/512GB SSD, it seems like the new MBP isn't really even overpriced. The T440p that's coming out soon will have an i7 Quad option, though Lenovo charges through the nose for SSDs. If you're willing to put the SSD/RAM in yourself though you could get in well under the MBPs price. Though it is 14" and doesn't have a retina screen. Maybe check out the W540 whenever it comes out, it has a super high res screen + a quad core
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Oct 29, 2013 01:14
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I am very seriously considering the top-end Inspiron 15 7000 and would like someone to talk me out of it. It's here: http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-15-7537/pd. The one with the SSD. Specs: i7-4500U (15W dual-core, HD4400) 16GB DDR3 RAM (overkill, but can't argue...) 15" 1080p touchscreen 256GB SSD GeForce 750m (2GB of GDDR5, which is rare, most use DD3) $1,199 I like larger laptops (currently have a 16.4"), so I am specifically looking for a 15". Given that I want a dedicated graphics card to do light gaming without being a Blinged Out Gaming Laptop, this looks really good, and the price is reasonable. Only thing I'm somewhat concerned about is the weight; at 5.7lbs, it's lighter than my current laptop, which I've been mostly okay with, but it's heavier than average for its size. Looks really slick, though. Someone talk me out of it? I should mention that I have a Surface Pro for the ultra-mobile stuff, which is why I'm not doing a smaller laptop.
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Oct 29, 2013 02:01
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Malderi posted:I am very seriously considering the top-end Inspiron 15 7000 and would like someone to talk me out of it. It's here: http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-15-7537/pd. The one with the SSD. This is roughly my front-runner alternative to the Y510p. If anyone has something to say about it I'm interested too.
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Oct 29, 2013 02:48
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Malderi posted:I am very seriously considering the top-end Inspiron 15 7000 and would like someone to talk me out of it. It's here: http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-15-7537/pd. The one with the SSD. What sort of games do you want to play?
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Oct 29, 2013 02:58
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Naffer posted:No. Old programs that don't scale properly just either look tiny or scale in a really weird way or inconsistent way that makes them unusable. I'm actually pretty happy with 1600*900 at 100% dpi scaling though. You get the same screen real estate as 3800*1800 @ 200% scaling without all the bugs. Since it's exactly half the vertical and horizontal resolution, there shouldn't be any interpolation. I made this post last page but I did some reading and realized I was completely wrong. Per the description here: http://www.kynosarges.org/WindowsDpi.html Windows 8.1 automatically scales programs that are not flagged as DPI aware to prevent the "everything is too small" problem. It doesn't scale applications that claim to be DPI aware, as it assumes that they know what they're doing. You can force windows NOT to scale a non-DPI aware program, but you cannot force windows to scale a program that claims to be dpi aware. Therefore the problem is that some programs tell windows that they are DPI aware, but really aren't and get all screwed up. Because you can't force windows to simply scale a program flagged as dpi-aware like it would with one flagged as non-aware, some programs are unusable. That means that scaling problems are the fault of a badly written program. Windows has a mechanism to scale programs too old to be dpi aware but it wrongly assumes that if a program claims to be DPI aware, it actually is and offers no way to override that. It's really a shame because I'd like to use this display at 3200*1600.
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Oct 29, 2013 03:34
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In the Non-Yoga middle 11-inch category, what're we looking at. x131e and Macbook Air 11? Anything else?
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Oct 29, 2013 03:40
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There's a Vaio Pro 11 too I think.
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Oct 29, 2013 03:41
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On the lower end, the ASUS X202e and some of its pals.
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Oct 29, 2013 03:46
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Apparently the new Bay Trail (son of Atom) netbooks aren't completely suck. Bay Trail is apparently capable of 1080p youtube without stutter now. Starting price is around $350. http://www.umpcportal.com/2013/10/9-baytrail-tablets-and-2-in-1-pcs-ready-to-go/ Someone already has Ubuntu running on the HP CB11 http://www.geek.com/apps/hps-chromebook-11-is-even-better-with-ubuntu-installed-1574172/ http://www8.hp.com/us/en/ads/chromebooks/overview.html The x120e (and still is) was an amazing machine, the x131e has had pretty lackluster acceptance Hadlock fucked around with this message at 03:56 on Oct 29, 2013 |
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Oct 29, 2013 03:51
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Hadlock posted:The x120e (and still is) was an amazing machine, the x131e has had pretty lackluster acceptance Well that's too bad. The Vaios were too pricy and the X202e too low-end; I was very much leaning towards the x131e. What was the letdown with them?
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Oct 29, 2013 04:04
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I don't think there was anything bad about the x131e, it's just that everything was compared to the x120e, the x131e was compared to the x120e, and then netbooks sort of fizzled when Intel failed to update the Atom processor for about three years. I'm sure it's fine if you just need something to type on, it really depends on your use patterns. The AMD E1-1200 isn't going to blow your socks off, it's an early 2012 model, low-end processor. If nothing else it's durable, if expensive.
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Oct 29, 2013 04:19
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Hadlock posted:I don't think there was anything bad about the x131e, it's just that everything was compared to the x120e, the x131e was compared to the x120e, and then netbooks sort of fizzled when Intel failed to update the Atom processor for about three years. I'm looking at the i3-3227U model.
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Oct 29, 2013 04:26
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The Asus x202e is a great little machine. It'd be nice if it got refreshed for Haswell but as is it's plenty powerful for a daily driver for "normal usage," is light, gets pretty good battery life, and has a pretty nice style.
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Oct 29, 2013 04:47
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MikeJF posted:I'm looking at the i3-3227U model. You're fine then, i3-3xxxU is a bawwwz rear end hawg in that machine
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Oct 29, 2013 05:05
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fookolt posted:What sort of games do you want to play? The sort that can run on a mid-range laptop graphics card that is probably moderately thermally constrained. I'm well aware of what it can run and at what detail levels, I know this isn't going to do the latest stuff at 1080p ultra settings, but it also isn't going to choke on an MMO or something at moderate settings, which is more of what I want to do. This and the y510p were my two choices - laptops with a decent amount of power but not Gaming Laptops, and still giving lip service to portability and style. I'm mainly searching for alternatives - a laptop similar to the Inspiron 7000 15", but maybe with an important tradeoff in one area or another. In this case, the Inspiron 7000's are advertising at least 8 hours of battery life on all models, no doubt thanks to putting a 15W Haswell part in larger laptops with larger batteries. Obviously, you're not going to get 8 hours of CoD, but that's still pretty drat impressive.
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Oct 29, 2013 05:47
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Trump posted:That's where it gets too complicated. It's actually really easy, it might take 2-3 hours for you to figure out how to do it with helpful internet guides and you'll save a ton of money. If you still want a Windows laptop with similar requirements, I can't really think of anything that hasn't already been recommended
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Oct 29, 2013 08:22
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I haven't bought a laptop since 2009, and the one I bought was cheap and overheats sometime just because I tried to watch a youtube video for too long. Portability is important to me so desktops aren't desirable. However, because it's been so many years I really don't know the laptop market anymore. I read the OP and tried to do research on my own but I find myself lost in all the specs and not having a very good understanding of what it is I am after. Budget-wise, I don't need to buy the absolute cheapest laptop for my needs, but I don't want to buy something way above than what I need either. If anyone would be willing to give me some suggestions, I would appreciate it, so I wrote up a description of what I would likely use this computer for. Maybe some of this isn't important but for years I've been using a terrible laptop that lags and overheats if I try to watch Netflix of all things. With that, here is basically what I want out of a new computer: 1. Watch decent quality flash-based videos online without massive amounts of lag or the computer overheating. 2. I would like to be able to stream watchable video feed of non high-end games. Maybe simpler indie games. Probably nothing more intense than Binding of Isaac. This would just be something I do to have fun and entertain friends once in awhile, I have no intentions of becoming the next big thing on Twitch or the like. 3. I do play games, but most of them tend to be indie, low-budget games that are not resource intensive compared to AAA titles. I do own a Steam copy of Saints Row 3 and wouldn't mind being able to play that on reasonable settings once in awhile. I highly doubt that I would try to play anything more intense than that. 4. This is just a matter of preference. I had a chance to try out Windows 8 on a friend's laptop and it interested me. I would like to give it a shot and so a computer with Windows 8 would be preferred. 5. This is nitpicky but I would prefer not to get a Thinkpad because that red nub in the middle of the keyboard would genuinely annoy me. It's not a total dealbreaker, just not my preference. Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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Oct 29, 2013 11:01
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How much of a user difference is there going to be between an i5 4200U with HD 4400 and an i7 4558U with Iris 5100? I'm trying to decide between the two, this will be my main computer and will be pushing a 1440p screen. Not much in the way of real games though, like nothing more demanding than say Civ5.
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Oct 29, 2013 13:11
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Looks like the new Lenovo T440 is out on the lenovo webpage. T440s still listed as coming soon. Still trying to decide between the two...
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Oct 29, 2013 13:15
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Ive been waiting for the T440s (Out today!) but I wanted to make sure its still the best laptop for my use case. I need it mostly for writing papers and browsing the internet. Id love it if it could play some games like Civ V, which it looks like it can. I'm concerned about weight and durability since I'll be taking it with me on public transit every day. A few other questions before ordering: Is it worth $100 to upgrade from the i5-4200U to the i5-4300U? The idea is to keep the RAM and HD standard, planning on to replace them myself later on with an SSD and more RAM, correct? I dont lose anything in display quality by upgrading to touch, correct? Im willing to pay $80 more to try it, but not if I lose any quality. Should I upgrade to the Intel Dual Band wireleess 7260AC for $30? If there's any noticeable difference between this and standard, I'm in for $30, I'm just not sure if there is any. Setup is below, final price is $1,206 +/- Configuration details Intel Core i5-4200U Processor on Mother Board Windows 8 64 Windows 8 64 English T440s 14.0 FHD Multitouch WWAN Intel HD Graphics 4400 4 GB DDR3L - SDRAM 1600MHz Base Keyboard Backlit - US English Fingerprint Reader, dock 720p HD Camera 500GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm 16GB M.2 Solid State Drive Single 3rd M.2 SSD slot ThinkPad Battery 3 cell Li-Polymer (23.2Whr) ThinkPad Battery 3 cell Li-Polymer (23.2Whr) 45W AC Adapter - US (2pin) TThinkPad Wireless 2 x 2 BGN with Bluetooth Integrated Mobile Broadband upgradable Publication - US English 1 Year Depot or Carry-in
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Oct 29, 2013 14:35
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gman14msu posted:I’ve been waiting for the T440s (Out today!) Oh god yessss! I've got some questions about it, too, specifically the touchscreen. It ends up being an $85 upgrade, which would be worth it, but I've seen reviews that say it adds a pound to the weight. That's pretty ridiculous when it only weighs 3.5 pounds in the first place. Is it because they have to put in glass? I'm guessing the regular screen is matte and this makes it glossy?
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Oct 29, 2013 14:57
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