Buying a new laptop [Help!] - Questions answered

[ManInSky]

1. What is your budget?
- My budget is around 1000 Euros.

2. What is the size of the notebook that you are considering?
- Preferably between 13 and 15.6 inch

3. What screen resolution do you want?
- Full HD or higher

4. Do you need a portable or desktop replacement laptop?
- I need a portable laptop, got a good rig at home. Need something that can handle school stuff good (Engineering Physics stuff)

5. How much battery life do you need?
- I need something that will last me through a day at uni.
This can be around 5 hours, but as I'll be able to charge it at uni, 2-3 hours of usage is good too.

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)?
- No necessity for playing games.

7. What other tasks do you want to do with your laptop? (Photo/Video editing, Etc.)
- Photo Editing / 3D modelling / programming

8. How much storage (Hard Drive capacity) do you need?
- Would prefer a SSD with atleast 256 gb of storage.

9. If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post their links.
- No specific buying place

10. How long do you want to keep your laptop?
- Looking to keep my laptop for 4 - 5 years

11. What kind of Optical drive do you need? DVD ROM/Writer,Bluray ROM/Writer,Etc ?
- No Optical drive required

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.
- No specific brands.

13. What country do you live in?
- The Netherlands, Europe, Earth

14. Please tell us any additional information if needed.
- The laptop needs a dedicated gpu ram of atleast 1 gb.
- I care about the looks so I would like a more than decent design.
- I enjoy backlit keyboards, but they are not a must.
- Windows 10 preferred.

 

[jaguarskx]

I recommend you look into the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 series (7567). It is a gaming laptop with a GTX 1050 Ti even though you mentioned you do not play games. However, it is the only relatively inexpensive laptop with a quad core i5-7300HQ that has a very long battery that I know of. It can be purchased in the US for around $950, but I do not know how much that translates to in the Netherlands. The quad core CPU should be good for "Engineering Physics stuff" and the GTX 1050 Ti should be good for 3D modelling.

Note that the laptop was originally released with only a 1080p TN panel screen. But there has been many complaints that it is a low quality screen and it is a downgrade from the IPS screen offered in the previous generation Dell Inspiron 15 7559 model (quad core i5-6300HQ + GTX 960m) that Dell has offered a 1080p IPS screen as an optional upgrade.


Below is a review and according to it the laptop can playback HD video (not Full HD / 1080p) for over 10 hours.

http/laptopmedia.com/review/dell-inspiron-15-7567-review-dells-affordable-gaming-laptop-is-a-miss-and-a-hit-at-the-same-time/

 

[ManInSky]

I recommend you look into the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 series (7567). It is a gaming laptop with a GTX 1050 Ti even though you mentioned you do not play games. However, it is the only relatively inexpensive laptop with a quad core i5-7300HQ that has a very long battery that I know of. It can be purchased in the US for around $950, but I do not know how much that translates to in the Netherlands. The quad core CPU should be good for "Engineering Physics stuff" and the GTX 1050 Ti should be good for 3D modelling.

Note that the laptop was originally released with only a 1080p TN panel screen. But there has been many complaints that it is a low quality screen and it is a downgrade from the IPS screen offered in the previous generation Dell Inspiron 15 7559 model (quad core i5-6300HQ + GTX 960m) that Dell has offered a 1080p IPS screen as an optional upgrade.


Below is a review and according to it the laptop can playback HD video (not Full HD / 1080p) for over 10 hours.

http/laptopmedia.com/review/dell-inspiron-15-7567-review-dells-affordable-gaming-laptop-is-a-miss-and-a-hit-at-the-same-time/

And if the battery life can be toned down to about 5-6 hours or around that number, as I will most likely be able to charge at uni anyways. What would some other options be?

 

[jaguarskx]

I don't know. Basically all of the laptops I have looked at (not that many) with a quad core i5-7300HQ typically have about a 4 hour battery life based on reviews. The only exceptions are the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 and the more expensive Dell XPS 15.

 

[ManInSky]

I don't know. Basically all of the laptops I have looked at (not that many) with a quad core i5-7300HQ typically have about a 4 hour battery life based on reviews. The only exceptions are the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 and the more expensive Dell XPS 15.

How about the Lenovo Legion Y520?

 

[Breadbin]

I don't know. Basically all of the laptops I have looked at (not that many) with a quad core i5-7300HQ typically have about a 4 hour battery life based on reviews. The only exceptions are the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 and the more expensive Dell XPS 15.

How about the Lenovo Legion Y520?

I've heard great things about the Dell that @jaguarskx recommended. I am considering it. I was also considering the Alienware 13 with the OLED screen but it is double the price and the screen is smaller. I was also considering the Lenovo Legio y520 after reading a review for it here.

http/thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-budget-gaming-laptop-so-far/

 

[ManInSky]

I've heard great things about the Dell that @jaguarskx recommended. I am considering it. I was also considering the Alienware 13 with the OLED screen but it is double the price and the screen is smaller. I was also considering the Lenovo Legio y520 after reading a review for it here.

http/thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-budget-gaming-laptop-so-far/

I've heard good things about it too, but every review I saw / read talked about the bad screen of the dell 7000 series. I love to work outside and I care about a nice screen, which makes me move away from the dell that was suggested. I haven't really seen the alienware 13 but as the lenovo is 15 inch I think I would prefer that latter more. Will definitely be checking out the alienware though!

 

[jaguarskx]

Based on reviews the Lenovo Legion Y520 has about a 4 hour battery life.


Additionally, as I stated in the 2nd paragraph of my 1st post... After complaints about the low quality TN panel, Dell has included an option to upgrade to an IPS panel. I believe it is $50 upgrade and of course you must order the laptop from Dell in order to select that option.

 

[ManInSky]

Based on reviews the Lenovo Legion Y520 has about a 4 hour battery life.


Additionally, as I stated in the 2nd paragraph of my 1st post... After complaints about the low quality TN panel, Dell has included an option to upgrade to an IPS panel. I believe it is $50 upgrade and of course you must order the laptop from Dell in order to select that option.

I can't seem to find that possible upgrade anywhere. Where can I choose it?

 

[jaguarskx]

Click the link to Dell's website.

http/www.dell.com/en-us/shop/productdetails/inspiron-15-7567-laptop?cid=297809&st=dell%2Binspiron%2B7567&VEN1=shmzZoUdb,208924105112,901pdb6671,c,,&VEN2=e,dell%2Binspiron%2B7567&lid=5827334&dgc=st&dgseg=dhs&acd=123098073120560&VEN3=812203964021910270

Then click the Configure & Buy button for the $999.99 version with the i7-7700HQ CPU and GTX 1050 Ti.

In the new webpage, click on Configurations to expand that section.

Scroll down to Display where you will see the $50 option to the laptop with the IPS panel screen.

 

[jaguarskx]

Actually, taking another look at the link I provided....

It states that the $899.99 version of the laptop with an i5-7300HQ CPU and GTX 1050 Ti already has an IPS panel screen.


The difference between the i5-7300HQ and the i7-7700HQ CPUs (other than the clock speed) is the i7 has Hyper Threading (HT). HT basically allows each CPU core to process 2 threads of data instead of just 1 thread. It's kind of like a "fake 8 core CPU". However, programs and games must be designed to use HT in order to take advantage of it.

The only game I know if that can make use of HT is Overwatch. There could be a few more, but the vast majority of games do not use HT.

 

[ManInSky]

Actually, taking another look at the link I provided....

It states that the $899.99 version of the laptop with an i5-7300HQ CPU and GTX 1050 Ti already has an IPS panel screen.


The difference between the i5-7300HQ and the i7-7700HQ CPUs (other than the clock speed) is the i7 has Hyper Threading (HT). HT basically allows each CPU core to process 2 threads of data instead of just 1 thread. It's kind of like a "fake 8 core CPU". However, programs and games must be designed to use HT in order to take advantage of it.

The only game I know if that can make use of HT is Overwatch. There could be a few more, but the vast majority of games do not use HT.

In the Netherlands the price for the basic version of this laptop is 1000 euros, but it doesn't have the gtx 1050TI, instead it has the normal gtx 1050, nor does it have the possible upgrade to ips panel. Aka this isn't the best option to get for a dutch guy.