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FacelessVoid posted:Any better alternatives? I've never bought a laptop before. All I know if my friends and family have laptops of various brands and they all run like crap after a year or so. Ideally, I'd like this to be my primary computer for the next 3-4 years. I was almost considering getting a MBP so I know I'm getting a quality machine, but can't bring myself to spend $200-400 more for a less powerful device. Plus, I've never used OSX before.Also, I was planning on putting Ubuntu on this machine. How well do Asus machines handle Linux? Regarding friend's and family's systems running like crap after a year or so, a part of me wonders just how much of this is stuff that could be relatively simple to fix, such as formatting the system right away and installing Windows fresh (or even just going in and removing all the junk that comes installed by default), etc. Also take into account that many of those systems could be the bargain systems that can come with an inadequate amount of memory, slow mechanical drives, etc. Take issues such as that and add in the junk wear coming pre-installed, people simply not handling things right, and it's easy to get a cascading effect of the system running poorly. Re: the MBPs, remember though that while the hardware may be inferior in some areas, Apple has also tuned OS X really well to utilize the hardware present, so I don't know that the system being "less powerful" would be something you would notice. Plus you could use Terminal in OS X if you're wanting to use Unix or Linux. The N550 series does look nice.
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Apr 17, 2014 04:21
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tech.t.rex posted:I just found the Asus N550JK, which just came out. Seeing this almost makes me want to re-think my plans of getting a refurb 15" rMBP later this year (one with the 650M)...
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Apr 19, 2014 03:29
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So I'd like to get a basic 2-in-1 to mostly use for Bluebeam Revu PDF markup tasks and other office productivity tasks. I saw this deal and am thinking I could pick up extra ram and a larger nvme drive around Black Friday to install in it. Is there anything that might be a red flag on it otherwise? https://www.costco.com/dell-inspiron-14-5000-series-2-in-1-touchscreen-laptop---amd-ryzen-5---1080p.product.100488499.html The latest XPS 13 2-in-1 would be nice, but are quite a bit more expensive and not sure would be any better at what I'm looking to use it for.
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Nov 8, 2019 05:57
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Speaking of ridiculous 4K screens on 13”... has anyone heard anything about the Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1? https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/inspiron-13-7000-2-in-1-black-edition-laptop/spd/inspiron-13-7391-2-in-1-laptop/n27391dsvhh I know it’s larger and probably has worse battery life than the XPS 13 2-in-1, but it otherwise checks the boxes for me and I like that it can store the active stylus in the hinge. I don’t care about the 4K screen though otherwise.
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Nov 14, 2019 20:55
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SourKraut posted:Speaking of ridiculous 4K screens on 13”... has anyone heard anything about the Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1? Does anyone have thoughts on this? Best Buy also has the earlier year version of it on sale right now for $980 or so; it has a. 8th gen i7 instead and no Thunderbolt 3 but is also $300+ cheaper. I also saw that Dell has the new 13” XPS 2-in-1with i7, 512GB SSD but with 32GB ram on sale for $1699; it’s more than I wanted to pay but is tempting too...
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Nov 16, 2019 02:33
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BrianBoitano posted:I just got the 15-inch Inspiron 7000 for work, and I love it. The hinge, the stylus, the IO are all lovely. I'm not sure the difference with the 13 inch, but I 95% recommend the 15 inch. Only downside is battery life, which at ~5 hours heavy use ain't horrible but kinda low these days. Thanks! Was the 15” using a 4K screen too? I’ve read the complaints about how in general it reduces battery life and people’s frustration with UI scaling, but I haven’t had to do 4K scaling on Windows 10 so I’m not sure whether it’d impact me or not.
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Nov 16, 2019 03:12
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BrianBoitano posted:Yeah it has a 4k screen https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/sho...1572n1w10pc1005 etalian posted:The main 3 nuisances I've found for 4K Thank you both! Just when I had started to get ready to order one, I started to read through reviews on the initial version from earlier this year, for the 13” at least, and “yikes”. So now I’m back to looking at the 13” XPS more. Out of curiosity, what is the difference between “on board” and “integrated” for RAM? I know there are some nice sales coming up on the 512/16GB version of the 13” XPS 2-in-1, but right now Dell shows both the 16 GB and 32 GB versions as the same price, with RAM install type the only difference seemingly. It seems odd they’d be the same price? https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/2-in-1-laptops/new-xps-13-2-in-1-laptop/spd/xps-13-7390-2-in-1-laptop#configurations_section
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Nov 16, 2019 16:14
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etalian posted:On-board means the RAM is soldered to the logic board, integrated means you can change it out. Ah, that makes sense, thank you!
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Nov 16, 2019 17:24
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Anyone have experience/thoughts on the LG Gram 2-in-1? https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-gra...p?skuId=6318179
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Nov 22, 2019 21:37
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The United States posted:That's a good discount but even at $1200 I just don't see it beating the Costco XPS 13 2-in-1 for $1300 coming up soon: What about the non-4K 13” HP Spectre? It looks like it has the same i7 as the XPS 13 2-in-1, while also having an option for 4G LTE.
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Nov 23, 2019 04:39
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So I looked at the current version HP Spectre 13” X360 13t at Best Buy, and it’s a pretty decent little system too. I was able to check out the XPS 13 2-in-1 at Costco and it’s an awesome little device too. So now I can’t decide between them: They’re both well built it, and it seems while there are reviews for the XPS and everyone is praising it, I haven’t found much on the revised version of the Spectre that just came out. I’m looking at a 16/512 configuration: Dell XPS Pros: * lighter and thinner than the Spectre * good reviews * cheaper (Black Friday sale at Costco) Cons: * No stylus * no 4G LTE option (not critical but nice) * both RAM and SSD are soldered * no USB-A (not critical though since I’d just use a dongle/dock) HP Spectre Pros: * includes the stylus * has a USB-A port for legacy * can have 4G LTE via BTO through hp.com * slightly larger batter than the XPS? * SSD can be upgraded Cons: * a little thicker/heavier than the XPS * less available info/feedback than than the XPS has * 4G is just T-Mobile or ATT (I’m a Verizon customer so not sure if I could get LTE through one of them just for the laptop) * 4G LTE only available in black with ugly gold/bronze accent color * $230 more than XPS if I get the cellular version I’m not sure what to do. On one hand 4G LTE seems like a nice option to have, but I’m not sure just how much I really need it. And I like that the XPS is a little bit thinner, though for my planned used case it doesn’t make an actual difference.
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Nov 27, 2019 19:13
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I still can't decide between the XPS 13 2-in-1 and the Spectre 13t. Reading a few forums, it sounds like the new XPS 13 2-in-1 is also having issues with coil whine? I'd be buy-ing it at Costco so I could just swap until I get one without, but that was disappointing to read. How does HP's reliability compare to Dell's?
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Nov 29, 2019 06:23
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I’m going to probably pick up the Costco XPS 2-in-1 deal. I’m thinking of getting the SquareTrade 3-year drops and spills warranty that’s $99. Does anyone have any experience with this warranty?
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Nov 30, 2019 03:25
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Picked up the XPS 13 2-in-1 deal from Costco, and loving it so far, although I got very Apple-type vibes when opening and setting it up. Out of curiosity, would most people still recommend doing a clean install? And it came with Windows 10 Home, but is there any reason to pick up a cheap Pro key and switch to that? Edit - I'm going to uninstall McAffee, but otherwise it seems to be a pretty bare install with no bloatware.
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Dec 2, 2019 06:44
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Statutory Ape posted:Ya do it nice n fresh
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Dec 2, 2019 17:07
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Just for reference, I had done about as much research as I could between the XPS 13 2-in-1 and the revised Spectre, which was difficult since there weren't a lot of reviews/info on the revised Spectre. But one of the things that made me go with the XPS over the Spectre were comments from some that there were issues with power delivery on one of the TB3 ports, as well as issues with using a pen on it. Between some of the issues I could find, as well as some QOL items (like a 16:10 screen on the XPS), it felt like the better choice. I'd have liked to have gone with the Spectre though if only to have gotten the 4G LTE option.
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Dec 6, 2019 19:48
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bull3964 posted:Keep in mind with the Anker Atom, the minute you connect another USB device to it, the max output on the USB-C port is 50w. You will also need an emarked cable to charge at that rate. I picked up that CalDigit and like it a lot, but I noticed that my XPS 13 2-in-1 7390 (same as yours, Costco deal!) can't seem to be woken up from sleep when connected to the dock and leaving the lid closed. Have you had that issue? Edit: Also, for anyone interested in that CalDigit dock, CalDigit themselves are running a 15% off sale right now; I picked up a second dock for work for $169 from their site.
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Dec 28, 2019 05:04
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FCKGW posted:Nice Dell Vostro 15 7500 laptop on sale for $1149. Since this is the business class it also includes a 1 year, on-site warranty and bumping that to 4 years is only $150 more. This seems like a really good deal? On-par with the XPS 15 in terms of hardware, but maybe build quality is better since it seems like the new XPS 15 and 17 have been having issues.
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Jul 8, 2020 21:23
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FCKGW posted:I don't know but I have two more things that can drop the price I keep going back and forth on ordering this. I have the Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 and love it a lot, but I also have been using it for work quite a bit, and also watching a 3 year old, and there have already been a few close calls that make me think the above with the 4 year Pro Plus warranty would be nice to use when at home (leaving the XPS 13 for work-specific meetings, etc.). The only thing keeping me from ordering it are some initial comments on Slickdeals from someone that said that it instantly hit 100 C when doing some benchmarks and Civ VI, so if that's true, it's a bit disappointing. I won't be using it for too much intensive, but the 1650 Ti seems nice for the occasional WoW gaming I could do on the couch or such.
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Jul 10, 2020 20:22
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SourKraut posted:I keep going back and forth on ordering this. I have the Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 and love it a lot, but I also have been using it for work quite a bit, and also watching a 3 year old, and there have already been a few close calls that make me think the above with the 4 year Pro Plus warranty would be nice to use when at home (leaving the XPS 13 for work-specific meetings, etc.). To follow up on this, I like the featureset/etc. of the G14, and it sounds like there's ways to minimize its heat-related issues and fan noise in non-intensive applications. My main hesitation is that I would like to be able to get some type of accident coverage plan, which is why the Vostro is so appealing, in case my 3 year old decides to wreck havoc on it accidentally. It looks like ASUS offers it, but not if you buy it from Best Buy, lol. Edit: Also, I like the version that's a step down, https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-r...?skuId=6409482, but can't decide if it's silly to not pay the few hundred extra for the R9 and 2060 given my use case. I think RAM/SSD is upgradable? Canned Sunshine fucked around with this message at 03:13 on Jul 11, 2020 |
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Jul 11, 2020 03:11
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SwissArmyDruid posted:Dunno who specifically needs this, but that 100W type-C charger that Aukey showed off a bajillion years ago at CES2020 are here and only $50 with coupon. I thought most said to avoid Aukey and RAV4Power, and stick to Anker?
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Jul 15, 2020 01:59
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Cough Drop The Beat posted:I've been using a RAVPower USB-C PD GaN charger for powering my Macbook Air, iPhone, iPad, and Nintendo Switch flawlessly with absolutely zero issues ever. It's a wonderful charging brick and I highly recommend that everyone goes for one if possible, especially if it goes on sale which they do often on Amazon. I strongly prefer it to anything Anker has right now in their USB-C PD offerings, unless you need a 100W charger for your 16" Macbook Pro or another power hungry laptop. https://amazon.com/dp/B07TC53ZYD/ I agree, and I look at others, it's mostly been that in addition to what others have said before, I also like to use Fakespot even though it does have flaws, and Aukey and RAVPower often end up with Ds and Fs on Fakespot, which doesn't tend to help my opinion either.
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Jul 15, 2020 17:08
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What are the general thoughts on Omen? I thought typically it's "gently caress HP", but it does look decent?
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Jul 16, 2020 04:27
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For replacing the garbage tier NVME drives they usually install, what's the recommended drive these days for performance/power/heat balance for a laptop?
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Jul 16, 2020 20:36
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The HP Omen Best Buy deals are tempting, but I'm not sure I'll do enough gaming to really justify canceling the Vostro 15 7500 I had ordered, especially since it seems like the build quality is surprisingly decent for the Vostro, while it seems like some initial feedback on the Omen is that the trackpad is trash for non-gaming use. I have my gaming desktop for the heavy lifting so I think the 1650 Ti in the Vostro is sufficient...
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Jul 16, 2020 21:16
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I think the 4K screen on the Omen is also 120Hz wit G-sync, so that's nice.
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Jul 18, 2020 17:25
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bull3964 posted:Yup, it has G-sync. I think my main hangup is that the display panel cover is still plastic, and the flex in the screen on the sides due to the gap, but honestly I usually support my laptops from the bottom anyway and try to avoid pressing on the display. Otherwise, it seems pretty simple styling which I like since it doesn't scream "gaming laptop". The fact it has the 2070 coupled with the 120hz 4K screen is nice too. Edit: Nevermind, the Best Buy deal is a 60hz screen; the 4K 120hz must be limited to custom orders on HP. Canned Sunshine fucked around with this message at 19:48 on Jul 18, 2020 |
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Jul 18, 2020 19:16
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So I went by Best Buy to look at the Omen 15, and overall it's build quality is "decent", but I can see what people mean about the screen flexing due to the backpanel being plastic, but I don't think it's a deal breaker. The keys aren't the greatest though. I do like the price of the Ryzen version at Best Buy though right now, $1200, for the Ryzen 7 4800H, 1TB NVMe, 16GB, the 144hz panel, and apparently full wattage 1660 Ti that can support adaptive sync. My only hangup is that I see the 2060 for a little more with the i7 10750 with TB3, but not sure it's worth it and my dock supports USB-C and TB3. I had ordered the Vostro 15 7500 deal and gotten the i7 10750, 1TB NVMe, 16GB, and 1650 Ti for $1200 after tax with the 4-year warranty/accidental replacement, and I'd want some type of accidental plan on the Omen 15, so I'd be looking at $250-300 more probably than what I paid for the Vostro when it's mostly going to spend 90% of its life on basic work productivity and just the occasional late night table/couch gaming for WoW, Diablo 3/4, Overwatch, Civ VI, and some C&C remastered. So someone give me thoughts/talk sense into me.
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Jul 19, 2020 01:34
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I drive a BBW posted:I ordered a 7i as well. Does it have adaptive sync at least? And I see the 7i as sold out?
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Jul 19, 2020 05:41
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Chillyrabbit posted:Thanks for that bit of info, after scrolling through endless pages of laptops and seeing what I can get in a week. It looks like I would be getting a ryzen 4000 or intel 10th gen anyways the 8th and 9th gen CPU's I can find in stock cost more and only have 1650ti/1660 GPU's. You can basically get that HP Omen 15 you linked at Best Buy for $1450 right now, and it was just $1300 last week. I'm sure Costco will have a sale on it at some point that'll knock $300-400 off, but until then, it's not a great price.
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Jul 20, 2020 20:02
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etalian posted:Well I would say one dealbreaker for some people is AMD doesn't have thunderbolt support in case you want to use a thunderbolt dock system. For what it's worth, the CalDigit USB C Pro dock supports both TB3 and USB-C docking, so it's a pretty nice "jack of all trades" option.
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Jul 22, 2020 02:04
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So has anyone ever returned an unopened laptop to Dell? I'm wondering if I would be hit with the 15% restocking fee if I wanted to, and it wasn't opened.
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Jul 23, 2020 05:05
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For those interested in the Legion 7i, this seems to be a decent deal for the unit at Costco? https://www.costco.com/lenovo-legio....100579312.html
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Jul 24, 2020 06:13
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I drive a BBW posted:Sorry to quote my own post here. Did some testing in with Rocket League and Need for Speed: Heat, and was upper 60's/low 70's in RL and upper 70's/low 80's with NFS. Are these acceptable temps? Considering that I keep seeing that the Vostro I bought and am waiting on, can hit 100-deg+ within minutes on relatively mild gaming, yes, I'd say those are good, lol. I'm probably going to just return the Vostro and pick up the G14 that's on sale at Best Buy, disable the Ryzen 9 boost, and live with sub-80 deg. temps.
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Jul 24, 2020 19:08
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etalian posted::review: Did you do the boost locking so it doesn't go past 3 Ghz or such that many did? I was watching some videos where in general it seemed to have no impact to simply disable the aggressive boost behavior while the temperatures substantially dropped. It also seemed like people were uninstalling the Radeon software and then manually installing the nVidia drivers to eliminate the dGPU idle power bleed, which resulted in seeing the 10-12 hours of light usage. I'm probably going to order it tomorrow and figure out how to send back my Vostro without getting hit with the 15% restocking fee, and I'm thinking the first thing I would do is to do a fresh install of Windows and just install the bare minimum. I can't decide whether Armoury Crate is really needed or not.
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Jul 25, 2020 02:18
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Hulk Krogan posted::G14 discussion: etalian posted::G14 discussion: Quick question for both of you - when you've been gaming on the G14 or doing anything intensive, how loud did the fans end up getting?
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Jul 26, 2020 04:08
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Thanks for the feedback on the G14; I picked one up yesterday since it was on sale for me, but I haven't yet opened it. I'm a little torn because I did open up the Vostro to test it out since I figured I could return it due to thermal problems if it occurs. I only so far have tested WoW and Overwatch on it; leaving WoW open for a few hours had it get pretty hot but the keyboard, while a little warm, was still useable. The fans were at max and the vent area above the keyboard was extremely hot, probably to a point it could burn you if you kept your finger on it too long, but it seemed to hold up. The CPU throttled down to around 2.7-2.9 Ghz (Base clock is 2.6; all-core turbo I think is 4.6Ghz?), so it was pretty much running at base clocks at that point. So I don't know whether to keep it, or return it for thermal issues since I'm concerned how well it'll hold up over time with that level of heat. Otherwise it's a decent build machine, but I think the G14 still has it beat in terms of keyboard/trackpad from what I tested out in the store. I'm just nervous about the fact it sounds like the fans never turn off on the G14, and I don't know how the G14 fan noise when gaming compares against the Vostro's. Are there any apps that function as a basic dB meter?
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Jul 26, 2020 18:35
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SourKraut posted:Are there any apps that function as a basic dB meter? Update: I installed Decibel X on my phone, and around the keyboard area it's at about 50 dB, and back close to where I'm sitting relative to the laptop when typing, it's at about 45 dB. Sadly that seems to be on par with the G14? I guess though I wouldn't have to worry about long-term thermal damage, though I do have the 4 year Pro Plus warranty on the Vostro. It's hard because the keyboard isn't bad, but the trackpad just feels cheap versus the G14, and I've been spoiled by glass trackpads on my MBP and Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, so going back to a plastic or mylar trackpad feels so cheap by comparison.
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Jul 26, 2020 21:04
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etalian posted:The G14 trackpad is fairly small but the glass surface material does make it really great/low friction feel to use compared to plastic trackpads. Yeah, when I was looking at it in Best Buy the other day, the size doesn't bother me (it's fairly similar to my XPS 13's). Does anyone know if Best Buy charges any extra fees if something is opened? I'm thinking of opening the G14 so I can directly compare the two, but I don't want to pay a restocking fee if they do charge something when an item is returned opened.
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Jul 26, 2020 23:40
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For those of you with the G14, did you end up just doing manual fan curves in armoury crate to stop the idle fan noise? I set both CPU and GPU fan curves to 0% below 70 degrees and I'm assuming there shouldn't be an issue with that? Otherwise, the always-on fan noise is going to drive me crazy.
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Jul 27, 2020 07:03
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