Need Advice on Buying a New Laptop

[Tecmo SB Guy]

I'm thinking about buying a new laptop and wanted some advice.

First question is how important is it to get the latest processor?

I usually get a computer with an Intel processor and with every computer I have bought I always try get the latest processor.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Intel Core i7 is the latest processor right?

How important is it to get the i7 as opposed to the i5 or i3 at this point?

 

[mike123abc]

i3, i5, and i7 are all current intel processor (3xxx series of each). They i3 is the lowest priced/speed and i7 is the highest.

It depends what you do with your laptop. If you are gaming on it you probably need an i7 with a discrete GPU. If you mostly surf the web the base i3 will probably be fine.

 

[Bob2011]

I would consider a decent sized SSD and extended battery life more important than an i7 but if money is no issue then go for the best.

 

[Tecmo SB Guy]

Thanks for the replies.

Any particular brand you guys recommend? Or any brand you guys think I should avoid?

 

[mike123abc]

It depends on your budget, if cost is no object it is hard to beat the Apple line (dual boot windows is available)...

I have a Dell and an HP laptop, both have done well.

 

[Neutron]

Stay away from HP. I just had to submit a warranty claim for a bad hard drive for a 2 month old HP laptop at work.

 

[Dirtydan]

My computer repair guy recommends Asus or Toshiba.

 

[jevans64]

Sager makes some decent gaming laptops with mobile Core i7 quad-core and dual GPUs.

 

[JAG72]

Stay away from HP. I just had to submit a warranty claim for a bad hard drive for a 2 month old HP laptop at work.

I personally like HP the best. You are always going to have those type of issues no matter who you pick. Don't forget that the drives are not made by HP and all manufactures basicly use the same couple drives in their systems.

 

[JAG72]

Toshiba has always given me problems with the power socket. I have had to replace 3 of them for family and friends.

 

[Ilya]

I usually get a computer with an Intel processor and with every computer I have bought I always try get the latest processor.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Intel Core i7 is the latest processor right?

There have been three generations of Core i5/i7 processors: a new generation every year. The Fourth generation is coming out later this year.
To figure out which generation you have, you need to look at the processor's number that follows the i5 or i7:
If the number is three-digit, then it's the first generation released in 2010, e.g. Core i5-750.
If the number is four-digit and starts with "2" (e.g. Core i5-2400), then it's the second generation released in 2011.
If the number is four-digit and starts with "3" (e.g. Core i5-3340M), then it's the third (current) generation released in 2012.
So, to make sure you have the latest (2012) generation, the four-digit number should start with "3".

Within each generation you will find three major levels: i3, i5 and i7 (i7 being the fastest and the most expensive).
But that's not all: there will be several versions in each level with different numbers.
(different clock rates, quad vs. dual-core, the size of internal buffer, etc.)
I know it's confusing. But think cars: make, model, year, trim, the engine size, configuration, etc.

 

[Tecmo SB Guy]

Thanks for that IIya and everyone else.

What about screen size? I read that 15.6" is the standard but it's a laptop so I understand it's supposed to be small.

What screen size are you guys comfortable with for laptops?

 

[Neutron]

I personally like HP the best. You are always going to have those type of issues no matter who you pick. Don't forget that the drives are not made by HP and all manufactures basicly use the same couple drives in their systems.

True but their tech support sucks! I called that RMA in on Monday. Still no status update.

 

[Ilya]

What about screen size? I read that 15.6" is the standard but it's a laptop so I understand it's supposed to be small.
What screen size are you guys comfortable with for laptops?

I think this is a matter of personal preference. For my next laptop I think I will go with 15.6". No less than 14" for sure. My current 13" laptop is just too small to my eyes. Portability is not a problem anymore: laptops are getting thinner and lighter. And for real portability, I'd rather use an iPad anyway. Laptops are no longer for web browsing: they are for more advanced tasks requiring processor power, bigger screen, high-capacity storage, etc.

Can you tell us what you are going to use the laptop for? It's hard to give any advice without knowing what you need the laptop for and what kind of budget you have in mind.

 

[mike123abc]

I have good eyesight so I prefer a smaller screen just because it is lightweight. But, I also like high resolution 1600x900 is the minimum I would go with. I have a 15 and a 13 inch laptop. I like the 13 inch better because it is much more portable. If you are going to use it as a desktop 99.99% of the time, get a big screen or an external monitor.

 

[Tecmo SB Guy]

I would consider a decent sized SSD and extended battery life more important than an i7 but if money is no issue then go for the best.

What would you consider a decent sized SSD?

I think this is a matter of personal preference. For my next laptop I think I will go with 15.6". No less than 14" for sure. My current 13" laptop is just too small to my eyes. Portability is not a problem anymore: laptops are getting thinner and lighter. And for real portability, I'd rather use an iPad anyway. Laptops are no longer for web browsing: they are for more advanced tasks requiring processor power, bigger screen, high-capacity storage, etc.

Can you tell us what you are going to use the laptop for? It's hard to give any advice without knowing what you need the laptop for and what kind of budget you have in mind.

For personal use mostly at home. I'm looking to replace my desktop which is kind of old. So probably just web browsing and watching Netflix and Hulu. Not for gaming. I asked about the processor in my original post because the one thing I hate about buying stuff like this is they become obsolete so quickly. It's like the next month the next new thing has come out. I figured this would be a good time to get one since Windows 8 just came out last October. I also wanted to get a touch screen.

As far as budget, I'm looking in the $750 or less range. I figure with taxes and the service plan it'll come to almost a grand anyways.