New Laptop?

[Captain Ahab]

I'm in the market for a new laptop computer. I haven't bought one in about 4-5 years. Anybody done their research recently and have some knowledge to share?

 

[fj40]

Me too, interested in what the geeks have to say.

 

[Weekender]

I can recommend a few if you let me know what you are wanting to spend, and what features you are looking for. Touch screen? Screen size? The more info, the better.

 

[Captain Ahab]

I can recommend a few if you let me know what you are wanting to spend, and what features you are looking for. Touch screen? Screen size? The more info, the better.

Up to a grand. Don't really care if it is touch screen or not. I'd like to be able to do some video and video editing for some fishing vids with my boys.

 

[SDMF]

After a decade with a Mac desktop and now a MacBook Air as well, I cannot fathom going back to anything Microsoft for personal use.

 

[Captain Ahab]

After a decade with a Mac desktop and now a MacBook Air as well, I cannot fathom going back to anything Microsoft for personal use.

I had a MacBook Pro that just died one day. Just kicking around some options.

 

[Weekender]

I'll do some more looking here, but let me know what you think of this one. I often buy my computer parts off of newegg, they are a reputable source. This is an awesome machine and it is 1/2 off right now, I have always had good luck with Dell products. This one is a 15.6 inch screen which is pretty average for a laptop.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAEYJ6N83461&ignorebbr=1

- - - Updated - - -

And this is essentially the same machine with a less powerful video card, not sure how much you will be dealing with video rendering or gaming.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAEYA7T95849&ignorebbr=1

As far as apple products, I have no experience with them. What I do know is that if you want a MAC, you may as well build a PC and put the Apple operating system on it to save some big bucks. They overcharge for the same components it seems.

 

[espringers]

Whatever you do, get one with a solid state hard drive or whatever you call them. Not sure if they even make them the old way anymore I guess.

 

[Wallike]

I bought the Dell XPS13 a year ago and really like it. Understand that the smaller lighter they are the more you have to consider what accessories you want to use with it. I was traveling a lot and so light and fast was what I needed. Now that I don't travel as much I bought a docking station so I could have the big screen experience. Solid state hard drive is really nice if you hate sitting around waiting for your computer to boot.

https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/sho.../xps-13/spd/xps-13-9360-laptop/smx13w10p1c755

 

[Vollmer]

The Mac laptops have a really good video software built into them. One of the best out there and easiest to use.

 

[shorthairsrus]

video editing is taxing on a computer --- imo you need to go top end fastest CPU, SSD and regular hard drive.
Those Solid states are great -- but if you have one go down -- you cannot retrieve the info on it. When a spinning hard drive goes down - you have a chance of getting something off from it or it gives you a warning that is on the brink. Keep your data on the spinning hard drive.

The laptops that come to mind other than apple (i am not a apple fan - hate the phones) xps series dell, asus, think pads --- those are all ones that you can throw around and not have any issues. IMO use a laptop for a short video without much fuss to it.

Seriously if i am doing editing I am on two monitors and a gaming desktop (the one my kid put downstairs) - (i think my kid said it was liquid cooled). It actually revs up (the fans kick in harder) when it is doing the processes and the damn thing looks like a christmas tree in the dark with its cpu and mother board all lit up in different colors. The key board weighs a ton and it reminds me of the nice key boards that we use to have in the day. You can throw a million tasks at the sob and it doesnt slow down. I have one at work too - only difference is the video board. PS video boards are starting to come down - the mining must be slowing or everybody has one.

 

[AR-15]

Had HP, Dell, Apple MacBook Pro only one I will have

 

[shorthairsrus]

We just took a trip to with a group of 32 people. Every one of them with a apple phone had issues -- battery was shot before midday - some of them were new, some of them had the batteries replaced when apple was ripping everyone off. I know a time existed when android was doing the same thing - but they learned hard --and fixed the issue in the software. IOS sucks -- they keep doing the same thing over and over taxing the battery thinking everybody will buy new. It will work for a short time - but sell your stock now it wont last long -- china is coming in fast (Verizon you will need to let them in the door) --- Huawei !

 

[Lycanthrope]

If you are in the Bis area and dont need a top of the line machine. You can get some decent laptops at state surplus for around a bill. They are usually about 3 years old and were 1k or more new, plenty good for most casual users.

 

[riverview]

i use a laptop for work carry it around in a backpack, every 2 years i am buying a new one. I have had a few hp on every one the screen went dead, had a few dell, the last one smoke started pouring out and the charging port board smoked. now i have a asus harman kardon and not impressed. i swear they put viruses in all computors that activate after 2 years of use.

 

[nybs]

I’m on my 2nd Lenovo - the ‘thinkpad’ models are supposed to have better components than the models available at Best Buy type stores. Overall it’s not bad but HATE office 365...goddamn thing is always restarting on its own for updates. It is a Yoga so it doubles as tablet...it has touchscreen and pen for editing...was $800. Overall not bad.

 

[guywhofishes]

Take a look at the YOGAs as some have mentioned. I HATE upgrading because the software engineers eff everything up. But my new YOGA 920 is pretty spiffy.

be prepared to buy a high quality doo-hicky right away - because all the HDMI, VGA, etc. inputs are GONE on today's laptops.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MZBIX9E/?tag=nodakangler10-20

 

[espringers]

Use a cloud AND also back up weekly on an external hard drive and solid state hard drive failure shouldn't be a concern.

 

[Captain Ahab]

I'll probably just pull out some more shekels and buy another Mac. I did like the minimal virus threat and it would smooth right out with an update. It must have hit the preset limit of hours Apple had programmed and just went dead because they want me to buy more overpriced stuff from them.

 

[Sluggo]

Yep, get a Mac if you have no budget. We bought an Asus from BestBuy a couple years ago....pretty sure it was less than a grand. Touch screen (wouldn't have needed this), solid state drive, a terabyte hard drive, folds into a tablet (don't use that feature). She does graphics all day long. It has been great.