Need new laptop! less than $399

[kiirokami]

My sister is looking for a laptop online. She needs it mainly for school, but for light gaming and art as well.
She needs a laptop that can handle art programs like Photoshop.
She's also looking to play games like Dragon Nest, Sims 3, and TF2.

 

[kiirokami]

I saw an Acer V3 on BestBuy for $430. I'm leaning towards this one, is it any good? http/www.bestbuy.com/site/Acer+-+Aspire+V3+15.6%26%2334%3B+Laptop+-+4GB+Memory+-+500GB+Hard+Drive+-+Midnight+Black/5688596.p?id=1218684538489&skuId=5688596&st=acer%20laptop%20quadcore&cp=1&lp=3#tabbed-customerreviews Any suggestions? Better ones for a better price?

 

[dodgyx666]

I saw an Acer V3 on BestBuy for $430. I'm leaning towards this one, is it any good? http/www.bestbuy.com/site/Acer+-+Aspire+V3+15.6%26%2334%3B+Laptop+-+4GB+Memory+-+500GB+Hard+Drive+-+Midnight+Black/5688596.p?id=1218684538489&skuId=5688596&st=acer%20laptop%20quadcore&cp=1&lp=3#tabbed-customerreviews Any suggestions? Better ones for a better price?

Looks decent for the price. Will be able to play the games you listed without any problems, and photoshop.

 

[airanp]

My sister is looking for a laptop online. She needs it mainly for school, but for light gaming and art as well.
She needs a laptop that can handle art programs like Photoshop.
She's also looking to play games like Dragon Nest, Sims 3, and TF2.

This price point is really where AMD's APU shines. Here are two suggestions for your sister.


Asus K55N-BA8094C $399.99 @ Bestbuy.com
http/www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+K+Series+15.6%26%2334%3B+Laptop+-+4GB+Memory+-+500GB+Hard+Drive+-+Matte+Light+Indigo/6087209.p?id=1218717240847&skuId=6087209

Acer Aspire AS5560-Sb653 (Refurbished) $399.97 @ Tigerdirect.com
http/www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1777519&CatId=4965

The K55N has a new A8-4500m APU with integrated 7640g graphics. The 7640g will be able to play all of the games your sister wants and the A8 has more than enough processing power for day to day school activities. They are both 15.6" and over 5lbs but for a 14" sub 5lb laptop you are looking more at the $450 to $550 range for the extra portability for school. Either of the laptops above will be more than adequate but I personally would lean more toward the Asus for the build quality and the newer, stronger A8-4500m and it's 7640g integrated graphics.

 

[kiirokami]

I like the processor of the k55n, but isn't UMA graphics kinda bad though?

 

[airanp]

I like the processor of the k55n, but isn't UMA graphics kinda bad though?

Integrated graphics have a bad reputation due to intel bombing with their earlier versions of HD integrated graphics. The HD 3000 and HD 4000 available on 2nd gen i series and 3rd gen i series are an improvement but AMD and their APU's have gotten it right. the 6000 and 7000 series IGP available on AMD's Llano and Trinity APU's are reaching dedicated GPU level's of quality. The 7640g found on the A8-4500m in the K55N performs better than a dedicated Nvidia 610m which is a very common entry level dedicated GPU, and it is only a little behind a dedicated Nvidia 620m. It plays games better than the new HD 4000 found in Intel's 3rd Gen Ivy Bridge CPU's as well.

If you end up going with the K55N with the A8-4500m, your sister will not be disappointed.

 

[kiirokami]

Integrated graphics have a bad reputation due to intel bombing with their earlier versions of HD integrated graphics. The HD 3000 and HD 4000 available on 2nd gen i series and 3rd gen i series are an improvement but AMD and their APU's have gotten it right. the 6000 and 7000 series IGP available on AMD's Llano and Trinity APU's are reaching dedicated GPU level's of quality. The 7640g found on the A8-4500m in the K55N performs better than a dedicated Nvidia 610m which is a very common entry level dedicated GPU, and it is only a little behind a dedicated Nvidia 620m. It plays games better than the new HD 4000 found in Intel's 3rd Gen Ivy Bridge CPU's as well.

If you end up going with the K55N with the A8-4500m, your sister will not be disappointed.

Thank you! I'll look into it some more and check with her.

 

[airanp]

Thank you! I'll look into it some more and check with her.

Not a problem. Glad I could help. You have any more questions just post! I'll see what kind of answers I can come up with and there are others on these forums that may be able to help more than me. There is a wealth of informations floating around here...