Getting a laptop for University.

[Sesto]

I'm getting a laptop for University. Going to be Majoring in Computer Science, and I'll also be taking a course next year that uses flash/photoshop/dreamweaver. Also plan to use the laptop to write notes for my other classes.

Anyone have any suggestions? The cheaper the better. I have a perfectly good desktop that can play most games on max, so I don't need to use the laptop for anything else other than school.

I posted on reddit and got a couple of suggestions. This one is the one I'm most likely to buy right now. Worth it? Is it overkill?

[Klutzington]

I suggest getting this, a 15.6" ASUS, unless carrying around a 15.6" laptop is unappealing to you. This laptop will get you a better processor because it can hyperthread (which I'm guessing you want, if you're going to use flash/PS/dreamweaver on it). Also, it's more than $100 cheaper (it's on super sale right now, or something) which leads to my real reason why you should get this laptop.

This SSD is very reliable and if you have an SSD, you'll want one in a laptop compared to a 5400rpm HDD. The combined total cost of the SSD and laptop is $548.26, which is still cheaper than the laptop you linked and will perform much better.

However, if you don't want to lug around a 15.6", you could opt for the laptop you linked, but it won't have an SSD unless you want to spend around $660 total.

[Sesto]

I suggest getting this, a 15.6" ASUS, unless carrying around a 15.6" laptop is unappealing to you. This laptop will get you a better processor because it can hyperthread (which I'm guessing you want, if you're going to use flash/PS/dreamweaver on it). Also, it's more than $100 cheaper (it's on super sale right now, or something) which leads to my real reason why you should get this laptop.

This SSD is very reliable and if you have an SSD, you'll want one in a laptop compared to a 5400rpm HDD. The combined total cost of the SSD and laptop is $548.26, which is still cheaper than the laptop you linked and will perform much better.

However, if you don't want to lug around a 15.6", you could opt for the laptop you linked, but it won't have an SSD unless you want to spend around $660 total.

Yeah, I'd prefer not to carry about a 15.6" laptop around. Will the lack of an SSD be that big of a deal? Any other possible suggestions if so?

[vesseblah]

If you need to use photoshop on the laptop or do programming, you really should get 17" with 1920x1080 screen or you'll hate your life. Small screen or small resolution makes most design work painful.

Will the lack of an SSD be that big of a deal?

Laptops benefit from SSD even more than desktop computers because:

1) lower weight (easier to carry)
2) lower power use (longer battery life)
3) no moving parts (wont break even if you drop the laptop)
4) compensates for the sluggish low power processor and makes things like waking up from opening lid almost instant

[Klutzington]

This is about the cheapest 14" laptop I've found that isn't absolutely shitty. It's identical in specs to the laptop you linked above, but it has 4GB of ram rather than 6GB which shouldn't matter. You save about $60 over the other laptop, and with that you can still buy this SSD which will make this an excellent laptop.

Also, the laptop is probably a lot slimmer than the one you chose, which seems important to you. Just by looking at the pictures it looks slim. Here's a video showing its slim-ness. I skipped to the main part so you don't have to watch through the two people talking. There are various videos on YouTube show casing this laptop, and it looks very nice and sleek. I'd actually get this laptop myself if I needed another laptop to take notes at my college/uni.

[Sesto]

Well, I decided that I'd probably get the 15.6" ASUS, but I realized that link was actually the American version of Newegg. I live in Canada (probably should have mentioned that in the OP, sorry), and I can't find the same laptop.

Would this be good? Looks to be almost identical to the first one. I realize it is refurbished... not sure if that is a big deal. If not, any other cheap suggestions for a 15.6" ASUS from a Canadian website?

[Klutzington]

I wouldn't get the ASUS you linked. I'm not well versed with refurbished products, although it should be fine. I'd recommend this over the ASUS, as it is thinner and also 14". Here's a video showing the laptop.

It might be a variation of the Acer V5, since the color is different (the one i linked above is white), but it shows the thickness of the laptop, features of the laptop, jacks, the keyboard etc. But make sure you get an SSD, seriously. Seriously. SERIOUSLY.

[Sesto]

Found another one.

It looks pretty good for me, and is on sale. I'm not sure if the processor (looks to be a good speed)/graphics card are good though. Not sure I exactly need 1TB or 10GB of RAM, but it seems to be a good deal for it's price.

Would you still recommend getting a SSD with this?

[Klutzington]

Found another one.

It looks pretty good for me, and is on sale. I'm not sure if the processor (looks to be a good speed)/graphics card are good though. Not sure I exactly need 1TB or 10GB of RAM, but it seems to be a good deal for it's price.

Would you still recommend getting a SSD with this?

Yeah, it's nice, but with the programs you'll be running, I think this 14" or this 15.6" would be better for you. They both have intel processors (which is better than AMD processors, especially in laptops, in my opinion), with the rest of the specs the same (because the hard drive won't matter, you should still get an SSD). The processor in the 14" stays at a clock of 1.7GHz, but can overclock itself automatically inside windows to 2.6GHz, while the 15.6" stays at a constant 2.5GHz. Both have a resolution of 1366x768, so that won't matter.

Overall, it's your choice whether you want a 15.6" or a 14". If it were me, I'd go with the 14". It's smaller (dimension wise/screen wise, so the pixel density on the 14" will make it look sharper), the processor will stay at a lower clock (1.7GHz) when it doesn't need to be at 2.6GHz, which saves battery, and aesthetically, it looks more appealing. Also, it weighs 500 grams less than the 15.6".

So pretty much, all the specs are the same, except for the superior processor in the 14", and aesthetically and dimension wise, I feel the 14" wins (here's a video of what it looks like, however this video is of the 15.6" variant, and your 14" will be slightly more compact). And yes, I'd still get an SSD.

P.S. I went only with bestbuy.ca because it feels like you prefer this, and probably want to go pick this up at your local best buy :P.

[MrKnubbles]

I don't think it's overkill. I think you're actually under a bit. I'd recommend an Ultrabook with an i5 processor and maybe even a solid state drive. If you want a fast computer, you'll definitely notice the speed increase. An SSD is about 5 times faster than a standard hard drive. Also, i3s and i5s aren't Quad Core in laptops. Well, some i5s are but most of them aren't unless they specify that it's QM.

[Klutzington]

I don't think it's overkill. I think you're actually under a bit. I'd recommend an Ultrabook with an i5 processor and maybe even a solid state drive. If you want a fast computer, you'll definitely notice the speed increase. An SSD is about 5 times faster than a standard hard drive. Also, i3s and i5s aren't Quad Core in laptops. Well, some i5s are but most of them aren't unless they specify that it's QM.

I agree with this IF you can get an ultrabook that comes with an SSD for a price cheaper than the 14" I linked you, with an SSD.

[Sesto]

Yeah, it's nice, but with the programs you'll be running, I think this 14" or this 15.6" would be better for you. They both have intel processors (which is better than AMD processors, especially in laptops, in my opinion), with the rest of the specs the same (because the hard drive won't matter, you should still get an SSD). The processor in the 14" stays at a clock of 1.7GHz, but can overclock itself automatically inside windows to 2.6GHz, while the 15.6" stays at a constant 2.5GHz. Both have a resolution of 1366x768, so that won't matter.

Overall, it's your choice whether you want a 15.6" or a 14". If it were me, I'd go with the 14". It's smaller (dimension wise/screen wise, so the pixel density on the 14" will make it look sharper), the processor will stay at a lower clock (1.7GHz) when it doesn't need to be at 2.6GHz, which saves battery, and aesthetically, it looks more appealing. Also, it weighs 500 grams less than the 15.6".

So pretty much, all the specs are the same, except for the superior processor in the 14", and aesthetically and dimension wise, I feel the 14" wins (here's a video of what it looks like, however this video is of the 15.6" variant, and your 14" will be slightly more compact). And yes, I'd still get an SSD.

P.S. I went only with bestbuy.ca because it feels like you prefer this, and probably want to go pick this up at your local best buy :P.

Okay, thanks. Ended up getting the 14".

[Klutzington]

Okay, thanks. Ended up getting the 14".

Great . You got it for $479.99, right? Because right now it's $599.99. Also, nice new avatar.

Also, is it bulky or slim to you?

[Sesto]

Great . You got it for $479.99, right? Because right now it's $599.99. Also, nice new avatar.

Also, is it bulky or slim to you?

I reserved it in store last night, so yeah, I got it for the sale price. Can't say about bulkiness yet, going in an hour or so to pick it up (had to reserve it in a city near mine). I'll post an update when I do get it.

Thanks for all the help, by the way.