Labtop Suggestions
#1


Hi all, 




 




My computer has been giving tons of problems and I think its time for a new one. And while I'm at it why not pick one with better graphics and such for my games. I'm kind of computer illiterate so any help and suggestions you have would be much appreciated. My buget is about 800 and I mostly need it for city builder games like banished, city skylines, etc. I also play a bit of the sims. The one I looked at the most was




https://www.amazon.com/Dell-15-6-Inch-Qu...9f040&th=1




 




But I'm open to suggestions. Thanks for all the help.


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#2


I'm interested to see what peoples suggestions are here. I bought a Dell Inspiron 5555 about a year and a half ago and it has been a like hate relationship (note - not love hate). I chose it because in that price bracket (about $900 CAD in total) it had the most storage and memory, but the computer itself has some really annoying bugs. It over heats constantly, the mouse pad stops working, and the battery sucks big time, I get about an hour and a half light internet browsing on a full charge. Plus the build quality is horrendous. I've always had a Dell laptop, the first one I had about 12 years ago is still functional, lasted about 5 years before I got another. That one lasted 3 years before it literally fell apart (the screen fell off) and this one I don't see lasting even 3 years. 




Plus Windows 10, I like it, but why did they have to go and ruin everything with that damn auto update that cannot be turned off? It sucks the life out of the internet (esp slow rural connections like mine) and makes the computer run slow AF when it is constantly downloading updates.  You can set the network to 'metered' but then the blue tooth doesn't work!




That being said, a msc student of mine about the same time, for around $1500 CAD, bought one of the next level up gaming laptops from Dell and it is the best thing he has ever had. Next time (probably soon) I think I will invest in something like that, when I am not poor.


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#3

thou this is apopular question on the net,i far the answere will be in alien languages that no normal peron on earth can understand. i know just enough computer to attempt to blow them up.lol as to necora and wind 10,i hate that. the reason for the"update" isn't an update its the government downloading the spy files from it. that's why you can't trun it off. i prefer wind 9, no tabs. i would rather they go back to wind xp,then the old games would play on new systems.

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#4


In general, simulation games tend to be more cpu bound than gpu bound, as such at this time, I do not recommend AMD processors.  Sim's also tend to like lots of RAM.  The system you are looking at seems to do well from a hardware standpoint at your target price point.  I would however recommend getting an SSD instead of a spinning HDD as the performance difference is substantial.  If you really need a large amount of storage capacity you wouldn't want it in a single drive on a laptop anyway as you are just asking for it to crash and lose all your files.  




Couple other items of note.  Dell, especially in their low-end Inspiron line does not have a great record for reliability.  Also, just like all the consumer grade computer makers, they stuff all kinds of extra crapware into them, all of which takes up space on your drive, and adversely effects performance, often substantially.  I would take a look at the Microsoft Signature store and get a system that is just pure Windows.  You might also take a look at one of the boutique builders like CyberPower or iBuyPower.




Side note, unless you really need a laptop, you can get a far more powerful desktop system for the same price.




Happy gaming.


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#5


I fear shopping for a new computer is a rather lonely affair... [img]<fileStore.core_Emoticons>/emoticons/sad.png[/img]/emoticons/sad@2x.png 2x" title=":(" width="20" />



Asking many people will give you many opinions, but none can say whether this or that is the perfect choice for you... some will swear that dell is best, others that it's the worst... same with amd/intel, ati/nvidia, ssd/hdd, win/linux, and and and... In the end (and probably after comparing endless tech reviews) you'll need to trust your instincts anyway - and I'm positive you'll do well  [img]<fileStore.core_Emoticons>/emoticons/smile.png[/img]/emoticons/smile@2x.png 2x" title=":)" width="20" />



 



Quote:
1 hour ago, CaptVader said:




I would however recommend getting an SSD




Hmmm... I'm a bit burned out on those - lost 2 (on two different machines) within 4 years... without a good analysis of the user's writing habits (P/E cycles) I am more hesitant now with (unconditional) recommendations ... [img]<fileStore.core_Emoticons>/emoticons/smile.png[/img]/emoticons/smile@2x.png 2x" title=":)" width="20" />

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#6

From a personal perspective, and only personal ...  the HP Omen is a terrific range.  I can't talk specs or anything like that, as I'm not the tech in the family, but I can say that I love the feel of the keyboard and it's responsiveness.  If you are using for work and pleasure it also has:

NUM keypad; it has a smooth screen; terrific sound (far better than my MacBook); and has got excellent playback capabilities.

It would also be hubby's choice of "work horse", when it comes to updating his system.  He is a software dev and he needs a good unit, so I go by his feedback.

It is pricier, and it is a HP, but I also like that I can upgrade the drive if needs arise, it has a DVD/CD player (swappable for extended drivespace), plenty of cable space & usb, blue tooth, HDMI output, 3.5mm headphones/speakers, SD Card ready. 


If you have the cashflow, have a "workbook" (as opposed to notebook), and are wanting a portable PC, then I think it's good to take a look at it.


I am still partial to my MacBook as I'm a dual wielder, and my old Toshiba system, but, the Omen ...  Brand new, I would if I could [img]<fileStore.core_Emoticons>/emoticons/biggrin.png[/img]/emoticons/biggrin@2x.png 2x" title=":D" width="20" />
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#7


I just had a look at the Omen on the US HP homepage - nice recommendation <a contenteditable="false" data-ipshover="" data-ipshover-target="<___base_url___>/index.php?/profile/9529-queryeverything/&do=hovercard" data-mentionid="9529" href="<___base_url___>/index.php?/profile/9529-queryeverything/">@QueryEverything</a> [img]<fileStore.core_Emoticons>/emoticons/smile.png[/img]/emoticons/smile@2x.png 2x" title=":)" width="20" /> (at some point in the future I might be replacing my current laptop so I have a general interest in this particular thread).




In the US, the cost for the base model (Omen 15t) is currently discounted from US$900 to US$850 so it falls into your price range <a contenteditable="false" data-ipshover="" data-ipshover-target="<___base_url___>/index.php?/profile/8937-cainacol12/&do=hovercard" data-mentionid="8937" href="<___base_url___>/index.php?/profile/8937-cainacol12/">@cainacol12</a> The 15t has comparable specifications to the Dell you were looking at but it doesn't appear to be bundled with a mouse.




Home page is here http://store.hp.com/us/en/mlp/Laptops/omen


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#8

If you should find yourself buying online, I would try some online coupon codes. My last two computers I bought online. My last one was nearly $1000 off because I waited for an online sale and then used a coupon off of couponcabin.com. Another time I got a $450 monitor for $50 just for typing in a code. It can be trial an error as some may no longer be good but its worth the effort if you find a good one, even if it is just for free shipping, why pay more if you don't have to. There are a couple other sites I cant recall but I always find my way back to the cabin.

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