Laptop under 500USD

Turb0Yoda

Honorable
Herald
Jul 12, 2013
66
0
10,610
LAPTOP:

Approximate Purchase Date: In the next 2-3 months

Budget Range: 500 USD

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Programming(Java,C++,Python, Visual Basic), Schoolwork(word, web), Video Editing, Light gaming(tf2, LoL if I get into it... Any AAA titles would be a huge bonus)


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: No Preference

Location: California, USA

Your Monitor Resolution: At minimum... 720p...

Other Comments: RAM has to be expandable to 16 gigs... I'd prefer it to come with 8 gb stock. AMD a10 processor preferred

I was looking at this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K6ZIBGY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A17DMFMI7ZTNAD But I feel like I can get better with 500 USD
 
Solution
Prices change drastically every week, much less in 2-3 months. I'd wait to start looking until closer to the target date as what might be the best purchase now is almost certainly not going to be by then. Models go and down in price, sales come and go. It's just not realistic to find something now and expect to still get it at the same price then. Wait until about a week before you can pull the trigger on a purchase, and then shop for a specific model.

There are also a bunch of models with new hardware beginning to hit stores so that may drive prices on older models down by then.
Prices change drastically every week, much less in 2-3 months. I'd wait to start looking until closer to the target date as what might be the best purchase now is almost certainly not going to be by then. Models go and down in price, sales come and go. It's just not realistic to find something now and expect to still get it at the same price then. Wait until about a week before you can pull the trigger on a purchase, and then shop for a specific model.

There are also a bunch of models with new hardware beginning to hit stores so that may drive prices on older models down by then.
 
Solution
With a budget of $500 you are basically looking at a laptop with integrated graphics since laptops with dedicated graphics of any sort generally starts at about $600 when on sale.

In the end you will have either the Intel HD 5500 or Radeon R6 (Kaveri) depending on the CPU/APU you select. Note that there are two versions of the Radeon R6 (Kaveri) integrated graphics core. The faster version is in the A10-7400p APU which I have not seen in any laptop yet. The slower version is in the more common A10-7300 APU.