Buying a new laptop- form filled

[ktomsguide]

I need a small laptop (ideally 10 or 11 inch screen) with 4 GB Ram and a quad-core processor (core i3 and higher). It should have a Windows OS. As far as storage, I need at least 256 GB (even if I have to put in a memory card for that). Here's the form.

1. What is your budget? US$1000

2. What is the size of the notebook that you are considering? up to 12 inch screen

3. What screen resolution do you want? Not important

4. Do you need a portable or desktop replacement laptop? I don't understand that. I want a laptop.

5. How much battery life do you need? Not important

6. Do you want to play games with your laptop? If so then please list the games that you want to with the settings that you want for these games. (Low,Medium or High)? Medium

7. What other tasks do you want to do with your laptop? (Photo/Video editing, Etc.) Not important

8. How much storage (Hard Drive capacity) do you need? As much as possible; even if I have to stick in a memory card.

9. If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post their links. amazon.com

10. How long do you want to keep your laptop? As long as it works! That's a weird question.

11. What kind of Optical drive do you need? DVD ROM/Writer,Bluray ROM/Writer,Etc ? Not important

12. Please tell us about the brands that you prefer to buy from them and the brands that you don't like and explain the reasons. Not important

13. What country do you live in? Ireland

14. Please tell us any additional information if needed. I need a quad core processor (core i3 and higher) and at least 4GB Ram.

Thank you in advance.

 

[superninja12]

12 inch screen is very tiny, you can get way more power with a 13 inch screen,are you okay with that,(also this is way better for watching movies and playing games, less eyestrain)?

about question number 4, the thing is you will completly destroy a laptop if you build a compact desktop.

what kind of games do u plan on playing?

 

[ktomsguide]

I definitely want a Max screen size of 12 inches. I have a 10 inch laptop now and I love it

No, I don't want to build anything. I simply want to buy a new laptop.

Games are not at all important to me. The specs I posted are.

 

[superninja12]

there isnt a quad core processor for that screen size unfortionatly, because the majority use that screen size for word/excel checking facebook.
closest i get is this mac , which is overpriced if u ask me : https/www.amazon.co.uk/Apple-MacBook-11-inch-Laptop-Yosemite/dp/B00UTCKPJK/ref=sr_1_28?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1503099306&sr=1-28

 

[jaguarskx]

With a max screen size of 12" you are basically looking convertible laptops like the Surface Pro 4 and similar clones. I don't really know of any laptop smaller than 12" that would have a Core i3 CPU or better. All 11.6" laptops that I am aware of uses an Atom, Celeron or Pentium CPU.


An example is the Acer Switch Alpha 12. However, Acer recently released the Acer Switch 5 which is the successor to the Alpha 12. It uses a 7th generation Core and the base model has a Core i5-7200u CPU, that's opposed to the Alpha 12 where the base model has a 6th generation Core i3-6100u. Not sure if the Acer Switch 5 has been released in Ireland though.

http/www.elara.ie/productdetail.aspx?productcode=ECE4100031



Hands on review of the Acer Switch 5

https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a2rvV4H1tE

 

[ktomsguide]

As I said, my current laptop is a 10 inch (MSI). It has 3GB RAM, an atom 1.6 GHz processor and lots of hard disk space, and it only cost me a couple of hundred dollars to buy at the time (nearly ten years ago). It seems far better than what's available (in the 10-12 inch range) now. Perhaps I should just look after it and try to keep it for as long as possible; at least until they start making good small laptops again.

 

[jaguarskx]

The MSI Wind U100-053US with the Intel Atom N270 CPU from 2008? The CPU is pretty anemic even compared to more modern Atom CPUs which are a lot less powerful than Core i3/i5/i7 CPUs.

10" laptops are no longer manufactured. That market has been taken over by tablets. If your 10" MSI laptop is still functional and you are satisfied with it's performance, then you might a well continue to use it.

 

[ktomsguide]

But I note that CPU speeds of many of today's small laptops are less than 1.5 GHz. And most have only 2GB RAM.

Yes, I intend to keep my MSI, but I just wanted to be ready to get a new one when it's time eventually. Alas, I may have to wait.

The small size is important to me as I travel a fair bit. That's why I am looking for a 10-12 inch laptop.

 

[superninja12]

I found this : https/www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-Aspire-12-Inch-Convertible-Aluminium/dp/B01LYLPNWX/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1503150294&sr=8-5&keywords=acer+switch

but i get that u travel alot, but you should relaly consider 13 inch.

 

[ktomsguide]

Thanks for that. If I went for a 13 inches, what would you recommend?

 

[superninja12]

https/www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-UX330UA-FB239T-Processor-Bluetooth-Illuminated/dp/B06XXY34DD/ref=sr_1_48?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1503152975&sr=1-48

edit: get this https/www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-Swift-SF713-51-13-3-Inch-Notebook/dp/B01MSSZ7C9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503153542&sr=8-1&keywords=aCER+SWIFT+7

the first one is only ggood for watching movies, 2nd one can also handle some gaming.

 

[KirbysHammer]

But I note that CPU speeds of many of today's small laptops are less than 1.5 GHz. And most have only 2GB RAM.

Yes, I intend to keep my MSI, but I just wanted to be ready to get a new one when it's time eventually. Alas, I may have to wait.

The small size is important to me as I travel a fair bit. That's why I am looking for a 10-12 inch laptop.

Why do you want a 12 inch laptop? 13 inches is only marginally larger and some can pack a punch.

With a 10 year old atom processor you literally may have one of the slowest processors manufactured on the x86 process in the 21st century.

3GB RAM doesn't matter for crap when the CPU could take 30 seconds+ to load a webpage anyway. Also, your atom is slower than those processors with less than 1.5GHz due to IPC improvements.

13 inches travels really well. A modern 13 inch laptop will probably be similar or slightly heavier than your 10 inch.

http/www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/xps-13-non-touch/spd/xps-13-9360-laptop/fncwt5135hv2?selectionState=eyJGUHJpY2UiOjk5OS45OSwiT0MiOiJmbmN3dDUxMzVodjIiLCJRdHkiOjEsIk1vZHMiOlt7IklkIjo4LCJPcHRzIjpbeyJJZCI6IjI1NlNEUCIsIlByaWNlIjoyMDAuMH1dfSx7IklkIjo1NzIsIk9wdHMiOlt7IklkIjoiRkcwMDExIn1dfV19

This is a good laptop.

 

[ktomsguide]

Thanks for those suggestions.

@KirbysHammer: I'm not a great fan of Dell.
@superninja12: Those are good suggestions, but given that I'd be compromising on size, can I not get something cheaper?

 

[superninja12]

I love this one : https/www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-ZenBook-UX310UA-FB485T-Notebook-Processor/dp/B01N0ZT626/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503158295&sr=8-1&keywords=Asus+ZenBook+UX305