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Wife approved a laptop since we are downsizing. Budget: $1500ish Use cases: Midrange gaming (CS:go is about the most graphic intensive thing I’ve played in a long time), working in EHR (website interfaces database sorta stuff), normal rear end websites/streaming platforms. Other factors: Costco members, Sam’s members, dell coupons from credit cards, MicroCenter in town. Needs: Decent lit keyboard (not red), screen not too reflective since I like sunlight. SSD. Large screen size. Will likely live at home mostly, so weight isn’t much of a factor.
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Feb 25, 2024 16:30
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djfooboo posted:Wife approved a laptop since we are downsizing. If you're going to be playing any sort of games you'll want a dedicated GPU, and right now the best values seem to be from Lenovo. The Legion Pro 5 (16in, AMD, RTX 4070) is under $1300 on their website. Tons of power without being too gamer aesthetic so you can take it places without being embarrassed. Save the extra 200 dollars for a fancy date. It's a win-win all around.
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Feb 25, 2024 18:15
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If you want to maximize your budget this gives you an i9 for $1500 https://www.ebay.com/itm/125822086457 If you want to save some money, https://www.ebay.com/itm/126112806945 Both of these can get RAM upgraded. Mental Hospitality's suggestion is also a really good one. Usually Lenovo ships earlier than they list on their site but it's a bit of a dice roll.
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Feb 25, 2024 23:07
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Hmm eBay doesn’t let me use my CC for the free insurance though.
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Feb 26, 2024 03:26
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djfooboo posted:Hmm eBay doesn’t let me use my CC for the free insurance though. What credit card are you trying to use that won't work on eBay?
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Feb 26, 2024 03:31
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Lockback posted:What credit card are you trying to use that won't work on eBay? AMEX Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve. Not sure how it works through an intermediary like eBay or PayPal for extended warranty and consumer protection.
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Feb 26, 2024 03:47
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djfooboo posted:AMEX Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve. Not sure how it works through an intermediary like eBay or PayPal for extended warranty and consumer protection. You can pay directly with a CC and it should work exactly the same. You're not buying used, you're buying from the retailer. They're also both on antonline.com but the i9 is $100 more and the 2nd one is $20 more.
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Feb 26, 2024 04:25
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Trying to help a non-goon, UK-based student find a laptop. Have zero idea what to expect for the £££ (as I am American) so I'll ask at two price points: one for under £500 and one for under £800. Use case, they're a student, STEM-interested (not any more specific, I suspect the toughest thing they'll be running is Mathematica or something engineering related), not doing any graphics design on it, not gaming on it. They would be taking it to class so I guess a refurb with a near-dead battery is out. What kind of Thinkpads or something should they be looking for?
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Feb 26, 2024 18:38
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Ohio State BOOniversity posted:Trying to help a non-goon, UK-based student find a laptop. Have zero idea what to expect for the £££ (as I am American) so I'll ask at two price points: one for under £500 and one for under £800. You can buy a new E14 AMD for under 800, I'd definitely suggest bumping up to 16GB and maybe to a Ryzen 5 https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/configurator/cto/index.html?bundleId=21JRCTO1WWGB1 An L14 will feel a bit better, same suggestion applies: https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/configurator/cto/index.html?bundleId=21H5CTO1WWGB1 Under 500 is rough, I'd suggest maybe looking for a used T14 something this ish: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/196058733097 Or something like this is a good deal new: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-Vivobook-X1504ZA-i5-1235U-Windows/dp/B0BSDZD8PP Or this is a good ~700 option if you want something that's not a Thinkbook https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-Vivobook-OLED-M3401QA-Inch/dp/B09GKLC5K4
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Feb 26, 2024 18:52
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Super helpful. I'll shoot a few of these at em and also keep an eye out for student discounts.
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Feb 26, 2024 19:03
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Hopping on this train, but how's the Vivobook versus the Thinkpad? Specifically thinking about this one https://www.newegg.com/quiet-blue-asus-m1502qa-nb54-home-personal/p/N82E16834236468 Want to upgrade from a Thinkpad E585 with a Ryzen 2000 series something that I've loved, but is getting a little long in the tooth. I'm not too pressed about the newest stuff, but would prefer an AMD/Ryzen machine. Nancy fucked around with this message at 22:27 on Feb 26, 2024 |
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Feb 26, 2024 22:23
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Nancy posted:Hopping on this train, but how's the Vivobook versus the Thinkpad? Specifically thinking about this one https://www.newegg.com/quiet-blue-asus-m1502qa-nb54-home-personal/p/N82E16834236468 They're not as easily serviceable, which is really the main complaint about many laptop brands when compared to the business lines of major manufacturers. ASUS also has pretty slow and sometimes bad RMA although I haven't had a problem with them when I've needed it, but it's been a few years. I'd expect lenovo to be better. For a relatively cheap laptop that you may upgrade from it'll probably be fine specs wise, but it won't be particularly tough if you're hard on them.
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Feb 26, 2024 23:50
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Vivobooks are nice for what they are. For < $500 the market gets thin but I think for most people the Vivobook would be a nice buy. This model is a little older, but the 5600H is an absolute stud of a mobile CPU so I think its fine. Compared to a Thinkbook, I sorta have to guess what you mean. An $800+ T14 is going to feel nicer, be a little faster (though not by a huge margin) and be a lot easier to service, but it's also going to be close to 2x the price out the door. VS a used thinkbook? Kinda depends, I'd rather get a newer battery and I'd much rather have a 5600H than an 11 series intel you'd likely find at this price point. I mean, if you loved your thinkbook this won't feel the same, but it's still a nice laptop.
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Feb 27, 2024 00:19
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I feel like there's only a few solid disqualifications for what makes a laptop truly a "Do Not Buy". 8GB of soldered ram? Pass. 11th gen Intel or Ryzen 7X2X (Zen 2)? Probably pass. MSI gaming machine with the tiny glass hinges? Probably pass on that too. The rest seems all very subjective. Which is why for just an every day machine I think it's wise to hit up a Best Buy or MicroCenter and put hands on the machines there. Do you like the feel of the track pad? Does the screen wobble excessively? Is the keyboard comfortable and not mush? Do the speakers sound like two 15 year old phone speakers stuffed in a shoe? Little things can make or break an experience, sometimes even more than if the battery lasts 10 hours or 11. Or if the CPU maintains its boost clocks for 10 minutes instead of 5 minutes.
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Feb 27, 2024 00:38
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Thanks for the input! Still kinda of mulling it over, but looking back my E585 was $650 in 2019 and it makes sense that price points have shifted up a bit since then; I remembered it being much less for some reason. I use my laptop for work mostly and some very lightweight games on slow days & both seem to fit for that. I think I'm going to take the advice and try to get hands on at a big box store.
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Feb 27, 2024 01:01
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A few times a year there are some really nice deals on Asus machines at Best Buy. The usual consumerism holidays are very competitive. Even if you don't buy anything there, they usually have a few varieties of mainstream Asus, Lenovo, and HP to play around with.
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Feb 27, 2024 01:22
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Found this on eBay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/276275087332 . I’m looking to downsize from a gaming laptop to something more portable that can handle light coding better than an iPad but doesn’t need to run modern games. I’m trying to figure out the catch. It’s a certified refurbed Gen 2a X13 that’s like $100 cheaper than any other seller on eBay. Seems like a solid deal for the use case if anyone else is bargain hunting.
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Feb 28, 2024 04:08
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That looks like a good deal. I don't see any note of charger coming with it so I'd assume it doesn't (unless I missed it).
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Feb 28, 2024 04:12
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Apparently certified refurbished stuff on eBay is supposed to come with original or new accessories, but who knows. A charger is an accessory, right? Otherwise I’ll make up the price difference with a replacement.
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Feb 28, 2024 05:03
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A charger is and I'm not aware of eBay rules so if there is a rule like that then it should have one!
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Feb 28, 2024 05:40
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Well Played Mauer posted:Apparently certified refurbished stuff on eBay is supposed to come with original or new accessories, but who knows. A charger is an accessory, right? Otherwise I’ll make up the price difference with a replacement. I would be shocked if they (high volume ebay seller) sent you a refurb laptop without the charger.
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Feb 28, 2024 17:44
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eBay laptop refurbished resellers come in two flavors 99.9% positive feedback, over 1000 reviews Everybody else I've been recommending only the first since the dawn of this thread, and never had someone come in and complain about following the two rules about the first type of seller Usually the price delta is less than $10 between the two sellers
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Feb 28, 2024 17:53
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RestingB1tchFace posted:I would be shocked if they (high volume ebay seller) sent you a refurb laptop without the charger. Usually ebay listings will say charger or "and accessories" or whatever. It was kinda glaring this one didn't say anything. I would typically agree but it was noteable.
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Feb 28, 2024 18:35
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Hadlock posted:eBay laptop refurbished resellers come in two flavors eBay is so greedy I have no idea how these resellers stay in business. Volume and quality I guess. Kinda want to see behind the scenes in the reseller world.
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Feb 28, 2024 22:36
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down1nit posted:eBay is so greedy I have no idea how these resellers stay in business. Volume and quality I guess. I don't think there's that much to it. Go to disposal auctions and bid on huge pallets of ex-office laptops and SFF. Re-Install Windows on each one. Junk anything that doesn't work. List individually on eBay.
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Feb 29, 2024 04:08
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Laptop for the laptop thread. I've always wanted a MacBook Air 11. I know their limitations and that they're now old. I found this one being sold locally. It's a 2014 model so it isn't the final revision of it but it has the 256GB storage upgrade and, more importantly, the i7 CPU upgrade. There are a couple of minor scuffs on the exterior but it's perfect otherwise. The only other sign of it being used is that the battery is at 85% of original capacity. $70. Seemed like a good deal. That's practically free as far as MacBooks go. 
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Feb 29, 2024 18:33
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Catastrophe posted:Laptop for the laptop thread. I've always wanted a MacBook Air 11. I know their limitations and that they're now old. I found this one being sold locally. It's a 2014 model so it isn't the final revision of it but it has the 256GB storage upgrade and, more importantly, the i7 CPU upgrade. There are a couple of minor scuffs on the exterior but it's perfect otherwise. The only other sign of it being used is that the battery is at 85% of original capacity. For laptops, I always choose to buy small and light because every computer is going to eventually get slow and old. But a small and light computer will always be small and light. It will always be useful as a thin client. There's a lot of good tech in that MacBook Air, it looks like it has magsafe and a good keyboard. The trackpad experience is still top notch. You may be able to install a current OSX on it https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher/MODELS.html#macbook-air
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Feb 29, 2024 19:13
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Mantle posted:For laptops, I always choose to buy small and light because every computer is going to eventually get slow and old. But a small and light computer will always be small and light. It will always be useful as a thin client. Yeah, I already OpenCored this thing and jumped from OSX 11.8 to 14.3. It's pretty obvious that 14.3 and a 2014 i7 MBA with 4GB of RAM were not meant for each other. Oh well. At least software that had updates blocked due to the OS being outdated is no longer gated by that restriction. e: Also, yeah, I don't mind that it's underpowered by today's standards. It's still quite usable and I've missed having a tiny laptop for the incredibly convenient portability. Closed, this takes up as much space as an iPad. Catastrophe fucked around with this message at 19:36 on Feb 29, 2024 |
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Feb 29, 2024 19:33
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Hadlock posted:My wife replaced her 2011 MacBook Air in 2020 so that was about 9 years on the original battery Update on this, I gave up on trying to get a MacBook and went with an old i7 Lenovo T460S for $45 on eBay. It’s missing an SSD (pretty sure I have a 128gb m.2 around here somewhere) but looks to be in good shape and is otherwise complete and reported to be fully functional. I think it should be fine running Windows 11 even though it’s not technically supported, and even if it doesn’t I’ll Just put ChromeOS Flex on it.
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Feb 29, 2024 22:10
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Bouillon Rube posted:Update on this, I gave up on trying to get a MacBook and went with an old i7 Lenovo T460S for $45 on eBay. It’s missing an SSD (pretty sure I have a 128gb m.2 around here somewhere) but looks to be in good shape and is otherwise complete and reported to be fully functional. I think it should be fine running Windows 11 even though it’s not technically supported, and even if it doesn’t I’ll Just put ChromeOS Flex on it. I think you'd need to do a force install as I don't think the installer will let it go through. Personally I'd just run it with Windows 10.
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Feb 29, 2024 22:46
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Linux imo
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Feb 29, 2024 23:21
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Yeah unless you have a very specific windows need I would just install Debian 12 on there and put chrome on it Microsoft changed the rules about reusing valid Windows keys over and over too
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Feb 29, 2024 23:40
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~Coxy posted:I don't think there's that much to it. You can make any process sound easy by typing it like that. It's obvious that's what's happening... I want to see HOW it's done. Show me a room filled with a pallet of laptops, chargers, boxes, QA people etc. Let's see the checklist, the returns pile, the blacklisted pallet sellers, shipping setup, box supplier relationships etc. Like a Wendover or Practical Engineering, but for these amazing humans who keep us supplied with cheap, good laptops.
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Mar 1, 2024 00:47
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Hadlock posted:Yeah unless you have a very specific windows need I would just install Debian 12 on there and put chrome on it I’ve never really hosed with a linux; is it pretty easy to use for basic productivity poo poo at this point? Can you do pretty much everything without going into console?
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Mar 1, 2024 01:26
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Bouillon Rube posted:I’ve never really hosed with a linux; is it pretty easy to use for basic productivity poo poo at this point? Can you do pretty much everything without going into console? You'd be well advised to get somewhat comfortable with the command line interface in Linux if you're going to use it regularly, IMO. That said, widely used distributions like Ubuntu have made great strides toward streamlining their OS. It's not quite OSX level of shiny but they're getting darn close. The main roadblock for most will be figuring out how to do that one thing in Linux that you knew how to do in Windows. What software in Linux does the same thing you needed to use in Windows? Once you get past that learning curve, the experience is pretty silky smooth, these days.
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Mar 1, 2024 01:37
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If everything you'll be doing on the machine can be done in a browser, Linux is great. If however you'll be gaming on it, or if you'll even occasionally need to use Excel or Powerpoint, forget it unless you're already comfortable with command line fiddling.
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Mar 1, 2024 01:45
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Bouillon Rube posted:Update on this, I gave up on trying to get a MacBook and went with an old i7 Lenovo T460S for $45 on eBay. It’s missing an SSD (pretty sure I have a 128gb m.2 around here somewhere) but looks to be in good shape and is otherwise complete and reported to be fully functional. I think it should be fine running Windows 11 even though it’s not technically supported, and even if it doesn’t I’ll Just put ChromeOS Flex on it. I have a Dell Latitude E7270 of the same generation and it has been fine with Windows 11 so far, you'll just need to use Rufus or whatever to get around the installer restrictions. I am prepared for the possibility there will eventually be some issue preventing 11 from upgrading, but there's not exactly a huge difference in feature set between Skylake and the officially supported Kaby Lake-R so I wouldn't bet on it.
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Mar 1, 2024 02:27
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It's been two months since I did a fresh install of Debian 12 but I don't recall using the command line to install it or chrome, or steam, or vs code, which are my top apps to install. The installer is a regular graphical point and click and if you just keep pushing next it'll install
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Mar 1, 2024 02:45
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Hadlock posted:It's been two months since I did a fresh install of Debian 12 but I don't recall using the command line to install it or chrome, or steam, or vs code, which are my top apps to install. The installer is a regular graphical point and click and if you just keep pushing next it'll install Oh, getting the loving grub bootloader right so your machine can actually soft-reboot can be an arse too, still. Though I suspect maybe that and the fingerprint thing are both because I chose the LTS Ubuntu instead of the cutting edge version.
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Mar 1, 2024 06:22
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I haven't had to gently caress around with grub since like the early 2000s except when dual booting windows
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Mar 1, 2024 18:32
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