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QuarkJets posted:Yes, but it's worth it if you can afford it. Well yes, I know SSD's are great. But: 900€ was a bit over my budget, but probably worth it with the IPS screen and a big SSD. However, if I have to install my own SSD that price increases by another 150€ and that's just too much. Anyway, after more investigation I'm now pretty much set on this: http://www.laptopshop.be/product/339240/acer-aspire-v5-573g-54208g50aii-azerty.html (acer-aspire-v5-573g-54208g50aii) Things I like: -IPS screen (Full HD, font scaling will be needed, if it doesn't work I'll blame you guys.) -750€ -Good CPU, nice amount of rams -There are actual reviews of this exact model on the internet, both consumer and non-consumer ones -Said reviews are rather positive Things that are: -No SSD - but the laptop price is low enough that I can buy one without going over budget -No optical drive - but external drives are incredibly cheap and who needs a dvd-drive anyway So, am I making a terrible mistake?
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Feb 6, 2014 12:36
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uXs posted:But rather more expensive. I'm the same; I can't really shop for someone else. Price begins to creep up as I start thinking "Non-fhd, are you kidding me", "Non-ips, wow!", "Previous generation processor, you can't be serious", "What? Only 4GB of RAM?" and so on. In the mean time your mom could have bought any €500 laptop, you could have stuck an SSD in there and she would very likely be completely happy. You're not going to find anything that has it all under ~€1200 in Belgium. Also, the standards in this thread are arguably ridiculously high compared to what most people expect from a laptop. And that's ok for Americans who can get a lot more bang for their buck. Here you can't let yourself get distracted by a minor bit of flex in the keyboard or glossy screen edges or stuff like that. The only real turnoff to me in the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E530c you linked is the low screen resolution, which you actually called a plus first. I'm sure it'll be perfectly adequate for what your mom wants from it. Here is a video on how to add the SSD and maybe a stick of RAM to it. uXs posted:Anyway, after more investigation I'm now pretty much set on this: http://www.laptopshop.be/product/339240/acer-aspire-v5-573g-54208g50aii-azerty.html (acer-aspire-v5-573g-54208g50aii) If you're worried, go to a brick and mortar store and check out if Acer's buld quality in general is something you'd worry about. Flipperwaldt fucked around with this message at 14:02 on Feb 6, 2014 |
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Feb 6, 2014 13:56
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Flipperwaldt posted:You're overthinking this. Hahaha, no kidding, I've probably spent like 10 hours in the last few days looking at all sorts of vendors and configurations. That ThinkPad does have some advantages: * Is 100€ cheaper * I won't have to gently caress around with font scaling * Anti-glare screen * Optical disc reader which will probably make it easier to reinstall the OS if I put an SSD in there Dammit now I'm changing my mind again. This would be much easier if I was buying it for myself. I could take all the time in the world to decide and in the end spend twice my budget.
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Feb 6, 2014 14:08
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Regarding an optical disk reader, you can just use a USB optical disk drive, if a USB flash drive doesn't work for some reason. I wouldn't listen to the hybrid drive haters, or at least filter out the latent vitriol from our communications -- they're not good SSDs but they're much better than non-hybrid rotational drives when it comes to bootup snappiness and application load snappiness. shrughes fucked around with this message at 14:29 on Feb 6, 2014 |
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Feb 6, 2014 14:25
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uXs posted:That ThinkPad does have some advantages: It's got some things going for it. Then again so does the Acer. EDIT shrughes posted:Regarding an optical disk reader, you can just use a USB optical disk drive, if a USB flash drive doesn't work for some reason. EDIT 2, I'm losing my main point here, which was: don't stress about it too much, man. Flipperwaldt fucked around with this message at 14:37 on Feb 6, 2014 |
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Feb 6, 2014 14:26
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I had a current gen Dell Inspiron 14z with a hybrid drive, and the majority of the time the caching software would crash, give an error and disable itself.
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Feb 6, 2014 14:41
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Flipperwaldt posted:* 6 cell battery vs 4 cell I chatted with a Dell customer support guy and it's a 1TB HDD with a small amount of SSD cache. It's rather nasty because the machines to do have a real SSD drive have the exact same description. The support said it's a marketing thing.
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Feb 6, 2014 15:11
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Do the redesigned Haswell based Thinkpads have an option for tap to click? The Macs also have a single large clicky button style touchpad, the clicking sound of which gets pretty annoying after awhile, but enabling tap to click alleviates this problem as you don't have to push all the way down on the touchpad to click. Is there a similar option with Lenovo? Also, does the touchpad have two finger scrolling like on a Mac? These seem like silly questions, but I can't find any brick and mortar places near me that actually carry newer Thinkpads for me to try. Also how does the build quality on these things compare to the older Thinkpads? I have an old IBM Thinkpad T43 lying around somewhere that's built like a brick shithouse. Actually the T43 still works, but it had the horrible Intel 915 chipset that couldn't handle the Aero interface in Vista and 7, so I haven't touched it in ages because it's basically stuck on XP. Also here's what I'm thinking of going with: T440P Core i7 4700MQ 4GB DDR3-1600 1GB Nvidia GT 730M 1080P IPS Display 500GB HDD I had $300 in gift card money to Amazon, so I already picked up a 240GB Intel SSD and 16GB of low voltage Crucial to upgrade whatever laptop I buy. Dick Fagballzson fucked around with this message at 16:53 on Feb 6, 2014 |
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Feb 6, 2014 16:36
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Cmdrmonkey posted:Do the redesigned Haswell based Thinkpads have an option for tap to click? The Macs also have a single large clicky button style touchpad, the clicking sound of which gets pretty annoying after awhile, but enabling tap to click alleviates this problem as you don't have to push all the way down on the touchpad to click. Is there a similar option with Lenovo? Also, does the touchpad have two finger scrolling like on a Mac? These seem like silly questions, but I can't find any brick and mortar places near me that actually carry newer Thinkpads for me to try. Also how does the build quality on these things compare to the older Thinkpads? I had an IBM Thinkpad T43 back in the day and it was built like a brick shithouse. Actually the T43 still works, but it had the horrible Intel 915 chipset that couldn't handle the Aero interface in Vista/7/8, so I haven't touched it in ages because it's basically stuck on XP. Yes and yes. From reviews, build quality is still top notch, but not the same as the 'brick shithouses' of yesteryear.
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Feb 6, 2014 16:47
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Cmdrmonkey posted:I had $300 in gift card money to Amazon, so I already picked up a 240GB Intel SSD and 16GB of low voltage Crucial to upgrade whatever laptop I buy. A lot of the new Thinkpads only have one RAM slot, and most ultrabooks now solder the RAM in.
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Feb 6, 2014 16:49
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I chatted with a rep from Lenovo who said the T440P doesn't use soldered on RAM, and that both slots are upgradeable up to 8GB for a total of 16GB. Maybe I was given bad information?
Dick Fagballzson fucked around with this message at 16:57 on Feb 6, 2014 |
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Feb 6, 2014 16:55
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Cmdrmonkey posted:I chatted with a rep from Lenovo who said the T440P doesn't use soldered on RAM, and that both slots are upgradeable up to 8GB for a total of 16GB. Maybe I was given bad information? That information is correct. Other models only have one slot. The T440s has 4 GB on-board and one slot, for a maximum of 12 GB. The X240 has one slot, for a maximum of 8 GB. The T440 might also have one slot with a maximum of 8 GB, I don't know.
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Feb 6, 2014 17:00
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shrughes posted:The X240 has one slot, for a maximum of 8 GB. I wonder if the slot limitation of 8gb is simply because there are no 16GB modules out yet, and once they are eventually released if they will work.
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Feb 6, 2014 17:07
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Another question, is the GT 730M a worthwhile upgrade over the intel HD 4600? The 730M in the Thinkpad T series only has a 64-bit memory interface and uses GDDR3. I would have to believe it's severely crippled by that and only marginally better than the Intel HD graphics.
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Feb 6, 2014 17:17
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Jerk McJerkface posted:I wonder if the slot limitation of 8gb is simply because there are no 16GB modules out yet, and once they are eventually released if they will work. e: Last post on this page. butt dickus fucked around with this message at 17:20 on Feb 6, 2014 |
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Feb 6, 2014 17:18
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Kreez posted:I have both an x240 FHD and a Thinkpad Yoga in my possession for the next couple days if anyone wants any info that would require someone to have both. Please just write a mini review comparing the two. What are the differences, which one do you like the most? Some pictures of the 2 together would be awesome as well! Stacked on top of eachother, next to eachother, side by side w/ a quarter standing up next to them (to see thickness). All that!
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Feb 6, 2014 17:21
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Jerk McJerkface posted:A lot of the new Thinkpads only have one RAM slot, and most ultrabooks now solder the RAM in. He's getting the (p) model, so I dont think that matters to him.
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Feb 6, 2014 17:22
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Is the T430 plastic? I just had my first run-in with it. It definitely felt like plastic.
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Feb 6, 2014 18:08
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snoozeallday posted:Is the T430 plastic? I just had my first run-in with it. It definitely felt like plastic. Plastic case and rubbery top
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Feb 6, 2014 18:47
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snoozeallday posted:Is the T430 plastic? I just had my first run-in with it. It definitely felt like plastic. Yep its got a plastic shell. The T430s has a magnesium lower case, but that also feels a lot like plastic (doesn't get cool to tocuh like a Macbook)
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Feb 6, 2014 19:18
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Cmdrmonkey posted:Do the redesigned Haswell based Thinkpads have an option for tap to click? The Macs also have a single large clicky button style touchpad, the clicking sound of which gets pretty annoying after awhile, but enabling tap to click alleviates this problem as you don't have to push all the way down on the touchpad to click. Is there a similar option with Lenovo? Also, does the touchpad have two finger scrolling like on a Mac? These seem like silly questions, but I can't find any brick and mortar places near me that actually carry newer Thinkpads for me to try. Also how does the build quality on these things compare to the older Thinkpads? I have an old IBM Thinkpad T43 lying around somewhere that's built like a brick shithouse. Actually the T43 still works, but it had the horrible Intel 915 chipset that couldn't handle the Aero interface in Vista and 7, so I haven't touched it in ages because it's basically stuck on XP. that is what I ordered. also this http://www.ebay.com/itm/with-bezel-...ME:L:OU:US:1120 if memory specifies that it runs at both 1.35 and 1.5v, thats ok, right? moron izzard fucked around with this message at 19:59 on Feb 6, 2014 |
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Feb 6, 2014 19:49
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Why did they change the t440 to be all metal vs the t430? Also, what were the metal thinkpads in the X30 era?
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Feb 6, 2014 20:36
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There were metal thinkpads?
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Feb 6, 2014 20:56
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Bob Morales posted:There were metal thinkpads? Thats new???
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Feb 6, 2014 22:05
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Thinkpads have always had metal skeletons with plastic shells, that's not new at all.
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Feb 6, 2014 22:28
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Gwaihir posted:Thinkpads have always had metal skeletons with plastic shells, that's not new at all. And now with the t440 it's almost all metal?
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Feb 6, 2014 22:30
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Are any of these single ram slot laptops dual channel? On my HD4000 I5 I noticed a reasonable performance gain with 2 sticks of ram versus 1 (granted, it may have also been because of going from 4 to 8gb).
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Feb 6, 2014 23:57
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Gwaihir posted:Thinkpads have always had metal skeletons with plastic shells, that's not new at all. Oh, everyone knows that - I though there was a model with a metal exterior.
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Feb 7, 2014 01:46
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So as I've complained about before, the new Thinkpad drivers removed the option for middle click to be a plain old middle click instead of a scrolling function. I finally got fed up enough that I installed Ubuntu, the Synaptics drivers have a ton more options than in Windows. So thank you Lenovo, I've been meaning to get away from Windows for years now, you've helped me make the first step. Keyboard comparison between x240 and Thinkpad Yoga: x240 has more travel, but slightly mushier feeling. They're both good keyboards though.
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Feb 7, 2014 02:58
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Kreez posted:So as I've complained about before, the new Thinkpad drivers removed the option for middle click to be a plain old middle click instead of a scrolling function. I finally got fed up enough that I installed Ubuntu, the Synaptics drivers have a ton more options than in Windows. So thank you Lenovo, I've been meaning to get away from Windows for years now, you've helped me make the first step. Returned my X240 today. The trackpad is an abomination. I tried really hard to like it. But gave up. Also, the keyboard, as you said, is mushy. I also found it way too quiet and dampened and it just felt strange to type on vs. other Thinkpads. These may sound like fickle reasons, but if you've used Thinkpads for 14+ years like myself, it's hard to adapt. Not sure what I'm going to buy now.
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Feb 7, 2014 03:29
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hotsauce posted:Not sure what I'm going to buy now.
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Feb 7, 2014 03:30
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Doctor rear end in a top hat posted:You should try the T440s. Has the same trackpad, which is primarily why I returned the X240. How is this a solution? (serious question) \/ \/ Haha, you never disappoint, Dr. hotsauce fucked around with this message at 04:00 on Feb 7, 2014 |
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Feb 7, 2014 03:44
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hotsauce posted:Has the same trackpad, which is primarily why I returned the X240. How is this a solution? (serious question)
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Feb 7, 2014 03:45
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I got used to the new clickpad after a week or so. I don't even think about it any more. If it's your main reason for returning it, you may want to give it a bit more time?
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Feb 7, 2014 03:55
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hotsauce posted:Returned my X240 today. The trackpad is an abomination. I tried really hard to like it. But gave up. What's so bad about the trackpad? It looks similar in concept to the Mac trackpads, which I've never had a problem with.
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Feb 7, 2014 04:26
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Hey laptop goons, I've been looking for a 14" laptop around US$1000 with a 1080p IPS screen and a dedicated GPU . I've only been able to find 2 that fit the bill. An Acer Aspire v7-482PG which is $950 and an equivallently upgraded Lenovo T440p for $1125 including discount. The Acer is $175 cheaper, comes with a better GPU, a hybrid SSD/500gb drive, and a touchscreen which might be useful. Although the lenovo does have the nipple mouse which I am really going to miss, and a dvd drive which could be handy. The acer does sell through amazon, which will save me from going through lenovos shipping hell. Can anyone comment on the life expectancy of Acer products and overall quality of their hardware? I've had a couple different Lenovo's in the past and they've served me well, but this Acer is an all around better deal. My main concern is that after the one year warantee expires the spacebar is going to fall off and the power jack is going to be all hosed out or it otherwise will develop some kind of horrible hardware issue.
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Feb 7, 2014 05:21
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I am in need of assistance. I am planning on purchasing a new laptop with my sweet-sweet tax return monies. I have read the OP and the last 10 or so pages and I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I currently own an old Asus G51V gaming laptop that I purchased about 3-4 years ago when I was in the military and gamed more then I do now. The Asus G51V was plagued with overheating issues due to its design and now it can barely play or stream a HD movie without overheating and shutting off. I have been using MY WIFES 2 year old iMac to play games when I have the itch and it works pretty well. The most intensive game I think I've played on it is Diablo III and Guild Wars 2. While I am no longer in the military, I still spend at least 1 week in a hotel each month for my job, otherwise I would probably be looking at a desktop instead. I'll list some basic info so you guys can help me narrow down what I am looking for. -As far as the 4 options when it comes to "gaming" laptops, I would choose Affordable and Powerful. Very rarely will I be using it while not near a power source, and as long as I don't let MY WIFE touch it I'm not too concerned about durability. -My initial budget is $1200, although if that is overkill then the cheaper the better. -I rarely use a touchpad/track pad, almost always a wireless mouse. -I hate the default keyboard that came with MY WIFES iMac, it felt too small and I always hit random keys on accident while playing games. The Asus G51V keyboard size is much preferred. -While not a deal breaker, I would prefer a 10-key on the keyboard. -I absolutely require a HDMI output. I' haven't been able to tell if these are standard on mid-high level laptops at this time. - I have a buddy who works for Apple and is willing to give me one of his annual 25% discounts and I MIGHT even be able to talk him it to giving me something like a $500 discount on top of the 25% he gets every 2-3 years. With just the % discount I still feel like Apple's price point is too high. Please convince be otherwise if I am wrong. Even after using my wifes iMac occasionally for the past two years, I still don't know my way around the OS as well as I do Windows XP or 7, though I'm sure I could learn if I took the time. And even if it is worth it, feel free to give me alternatives as this only a potential discount that may not happen. These are the follow up questions I have after reading the OP. -"All haswell ultrabook laptops will have touchscreens" Do any games or programs have touchscreen capability or does this feature really only apply to the Win 8? -What do I install on a SSD if I use one? My OS and choice programs? With multimedia files and other random programs on a standard HD? -"The screen size debate?" When comparing laptop displays, how can I actually tell if a laptop has a IPS or a TN display? -about a year ago I played with the idea of ordering a latop from xoticpc.com. Is this still a good option? What other websites are similar and reputable? Thank you goons! Feel free to ask me follow up questions if there are important questions I am not asking. In the mean time I will continue to browse this thread and do research on my own, I don't expect you guys to do all the work for me. 
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Feb 7, 2014 05:47
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Kjermzs posted:I am in need of assistance. The Macbook Air is one of the best laptops period, even if you install Windows on it, which is very easy. Buy a 256gb 13" Macbook Air with 8 or 16Gb of RAMS depending on your budget. Use his discount, and then buy a $99 Windows 8 license and install it. However, I guarantee that unless you specifically need Windows for your games or work, you will much prefer OSX once you get use to it and discover Expose and Workspaces.
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Feb 7, 2014 10:16
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You can't get a MacBook Air with 16GB of memory.Kjermzs posted:I am in need of assistance. I am planning on purchasing a new laptop with my sweet-sweet tax return monies. I have read the OP and the last 10 or so pages and I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I currently own an old Asus G51V gaming laptop that I purchased about 3-4 years ago when I was in the military and gamed more then I do now. The Asus G51V was plagued with overheating issues due to its design and now it can barely play or stream a HD movie without overheating and shutting off. I have been using MY WIFES 2 year old iMac to play games when I have the itch and it works pretty well. The most intensive game I think I've played on it is Diablo III and Guild Wars 2. A MacBook Air would be not what you want. I think you might like a Lenovo Y510p. You should use the Barnes & Noble Gold link in the OP if you get it. Edit: Another good option might be the Latitude E3540. (I forget if that has a number pad though.) edit: > -"All haswell ultrabook laptops will have touchscreens" Do any games or programs have touchscreen capability or does this feature really only apply to the Win 8? No games or programs have touchscreen capability. Of course that sentence is not actually true, but Windows 8 is a desktop OS and games target desktop OS behavior. > -What do I install on a SSD if I use one? My OS and choice programs? With multimedia files and other random programs on a standard HD? Generally, yeah, but it depends on how big the SSD is, or whether it's meant for use as a caching SSD. > -"The screen size debate?" When comparing laptop displays, how can I actually tell if a laptop has a IPS or a TN display? See if it's review on notebookcheck.net. > -about a year ago I played with the idea of ordering a latop from xoticpc.com. Is this still a good option? What other websites are similar and reputable? It depends on the laptop you order. shrughes fucked around with this message at 11:08 on Feb 7, 2014 |
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Feb 7, 2014 10:57
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I don't think the 13" Air is worthwhile any more now that the 13" Retina Pro is available and not a huge amount more expensive
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Feb 7, 2014 11:04
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