Looking for a low budget, but powerful laptop for around $250.

SnakeGTX

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Aug 17, 2013
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Last week, I got the Asus X551MAV-RCLN06 for $245. I am very disappointed in its performance. There is tons of lag. This laptop uses the Celeron N2830 2.16GHz SoC. It scored 1,020 on CPU performance, and 522 on single threaded performance, on passmark. So I am trying to get a better laptop for about the same price.

The laptop I am looking at, is a refurbished Asus X55A-DS91. Its processor is the Pentium 2020M 2.4GHz dual core. It scored 2,323 on CPU performance, and 1,241 on single threaded performance (Only like 50 points off from my desktop).

I'm not really interested in powerful graphics, since I have my desktop for that. This laptop is just for school (writing papers, researching, multiple tabs), and personal use.

And I am really wanting a windows 8 laptop.

So I guess my main question here, is that do you think it would be good to try to get something "refurbished?" Like is that safe and all? I am going to try to use this laptop for about 4 years, so I need it to last for some time.

 
Solution
For $250 don't expect much.

The AMD CPU has much better graphics than the Intel.

Refurbished should last as long as a new one. They die when people don't look after them - junk up software, don't clean the case out or use a laptop cooler and let the laptop get too hot. All of them have the batteries die after a few years.

ronintexas

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Virtually every laptop in the "under $350" price point is going to have some lag or other issue. Starting about $400-$600, you can get a decent laptop. Once in a great while, you will find a deal out there....but they are very rare.....
 

Bolin

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Sep 8, 2014
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Aren't you asking too much? your best bet is to buy a chromebook and install linux mint on it. Otherwise you'll have to double or triple your budget if you really want something "powerful"
 

SnakeGTX

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I mean powerful for the price. I just need something that is going to be snappy, just not a whole lot of lag.

My desktop, only scored 1,300 on single core performance, so is it possible that this laptop will just about be as fast at internet browsing and such?
 

Bolin

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Sep 8, 2014
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Half-Agree (is there a word for that :p?)

There's nothing "powerful" for 250$. However, a 300$ chromebook should do browsing and office good enough if you don't really want power.
 
For $250 don't expect much.

The AMD CPU has much better graphics than the Intel.

Refurbished should last as long as a new one. They die when people don't look after them - junk up software, don't clean the case out or use a laptop cooler and let the laptop get too hot. All of them have the batteries die after a few years.
 
Solution

SnakeGTX

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It does have better graphics, but probably since I have my "gaming desktop" I probably won't need the graphics. I'm more for the processing power I guess.

That is good to know about the refurbished laptops. Thank you.

One thing that I was interested in, is possible upgrading the CPU in this certain refurbished laptop I was looking at. It has the Socket G2, and it looks to be changeable. So that could be a possibility in the future. I would probably never get better graphics though.