Attempting to find the perfect laptop for my needs

rafithegreat · 17 Jun 2013

Hi all :)

I am starting uni in October, and am seriously considering getting a new laptop for the occasion. I currently own an EEE PC (ASUS), which, to be entirely honest, will probably just not do the job as it is too weak for a day to day usage (though it's great for travelling).
I also have a Macbook at home, but the biggest issue with it is that there is no RTL support in any of the word processing programs, which in turn makes it more irritating to work on any papers.

This takes me to the conclusion that I should just get a good laptop that will last a few good years, and will require specs good enough for surfing the web (with flash etc.), word/powerpoint processing, SPSS and Excel sheets, random social media (because we're all addicted to it).. Maybe some video, but mainly audio.
I think I would prefer an SSD type drive, and it should also be as portable as possible (though 11 inches is probably too small for comfortable work). I also need it to have a slot for a SIM card (though not a must - I have a dongle too).

My budget is roughly $750-$1000, and I really do not have a clue what to look for. A friend suggested Samsung 5/7 series, but still - would like some more opinions and also, where to buy from (I'm going to be in the UK over the summer - any places I should/could order or buy from while I'm there? Prices in the middle east are sky high.....)

Many thanks :)

butt07 · 18 Jun 2013

I would recommend a Lenovo IdeaPad Z500T, it is very good value for money check and will handle the tasks you want with ease it out and let me know what you think.

whs · 18 Jun 2013

1. For your needs any $500 laptop with e.g. an i5 will do the job. I would look for a 14" model.

2. I would not look for a model with an SSD from stock. They are usually far too expensive. Buy an SSD in the aftermarket (e.g. from Newegg who often have adorable sales for SSDs). Then also buy a disk enclosure that you can use for the HDD which you will recover and can use that as a USB attached external disk. Such enclosures cost $25 to $40.

3. Prices in the UK are a lot higher than in the US.

4. If possible, get a model with Windows 7 - few people like Windows 8. It is a pain.

sdadamo · 18 Jun 2013

Well if you want to go with Lenovo, you can use this link which can give you a good rough estimate of what to look for.

Which PC is right for me? | Lenovo | (US)

I normally go with HP laptops because I like their cooling solutions and if you're lucky you can get a backlit keyboard (BELIEVE ME THOSE COME IN HANDY MORE THAN YOU THINK). I'm also well aware of HP and their relationship with Beats Audio. You should look into those. As Whs said, an i5 and 14" should do you well. With your budget, you should manage to pull off some decent parts.