Looking for laptop reccomendations, with $500 budget and some special needs

Sparcurio

Commendable
Feb 26, 2016
3
0
1,510
On a second adventure I'm currently looking for a little cheap laptop that can do some special features for me from more important to least:

- Durability, this seems hard to quantify but I want a laptop that could handle being in some outdoor situations, and has a chance of surviving for some years (w/maintenace of course)

- Gaming, knowing the limitations of a budget I'm just something that could handle maybe a PSone & PS2 emulator, some basic gaming titles.

- Battery life, this again can be subjective to use but I do want atleast a decent battery life since it will be outside and may not have solar power to charge it and the likes. (BONUS POINTS if the battery is removable because it increases the ease of making it last longer)

I've seen some floating around but wanted some advice, $500 is absolute max and I'm not against refurbished laptops. It feels like I'm likely aiming for an SSD Laptop but I don't know the average longevity of HDD and eMMC doesn't sound so good but maybe I'm unsure, I will likely take off whatever OS it gives me and install Linux or something along those lines.

Thanks! I will answer any questions that come up!
 

Eximo

Distinguished
Herald
Not sure such a laptop exists for $500. Certainly not anything from an OEM with an SSD, they charge outrageous rates to install one.

Laptops generally aren't intended for outdoor use, so I couldn't say what the most durable off the shelf product would be that isn't a toughbook, and those are very expensive.

You would be best to find a used late model Intel laptop without a drive and install your own SATA or M.2 SSD.

eMMC storage indicates a non-PC system with integrated (soldered on) storage.
 

Sparcurio

Commendable
Feb 26, 2016
3
0
1,510


I've seen things like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013XHF4M0/ref=s9_wsim_gw_g147_i6_r?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-5&pf_rd_r=19T27G90PPW6QBHX5F00&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2084660942&pf_rd_i=desktop but unsure if thats truly "miltary specc"d"
 

Eximo

Distinguished
Herald
I'm writing this with an E7440, it is not that a particularly robust design. More of a business class laptop.

Mostly cheap plastic and rubberized panels and bezel.

Mil-spec would be these class:

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/latitude-5404-laptop/pd?p=latitude-5404-laptop&oc=cul14rw7p&dgc=ST&cid=293344&lid=5616480&acd=12309152537461010&ven1=sh1oLVmRJ&ven2=,&isredir=true

We ended up with the 15" version for our field techs. Ran it over with a jeep, hand someone jump on it hinge down, threw it at walls and it survived them all. Oddly that one had a mechanical hard drive, our production ones came with SSDs. Nearly got confiscated at a Chinese airport, had to prove what it was...