New laptop Advice

[simonj4599]

I have a 5 year oldHP pavillion e9300z
Win 7 64 bit
AMD Phenom X4 820 Quad Core Processor 2.8Ghtz
6GB Ram
640 GB HD
1GB ATI Radeon HD 5450 Graphics

It needs a new battery and does not have an HDMI out. I want to get a new laptop to connect to my TV to watch HULU etc.

I am trying to see how my old laptop will compare to some of the new Cheaper laptops at around $500 but I'm having trouble comparing the AMD X4 chip to some newer ones.

Can anyone help - offer suggestions as to what I might buy? I would probably go with a 15" screen.

Thank you

 

[stingstang]

Cheap laptops don't have HDMI outs either. You're going to have to pay a good amount more for one with a graphics card that supports that. If your computer has an s-video output, you could use that on your tv, and plus in your stereo system into your laptop, assuming you have one and don't just use the speakers on your tv.

 

[Pyree]

But AMD Phenom X4 820 is a desktop part and it, as well as 5450 wasn't released 5 years ago. Are you sure you have the spec correct?

 

[simonj4599]

Thank you stingstang - actually LOTS of cheap laptops come with HDMI out, usually with onboard graphics cards. I just went to BestBuy.com and got two:

Asus X54C-BBK13
Intel® Pentium® B960 processor
4GB DDR3 memory
320GB hard drive (5400 rpm)
$329


HP Pavilion g6-1d48dx 15"- 4GB Memory - 500GB Hard Drive
AMD VISION A6 APU 2.4Ghz
8 GB ram
AMD Radeon HD 6520G discrete-class
$379

 

[Pyree]

Wait, the HP pavillion e9300z is a desktop. Also I am pretty sure the 5450 have a HDMI port, even if it is a low profile card.

 

[simonj4599]

No it's a laptop and for whatever reason it didn't come with HDMI out.

 

[Pyree]

Ok then you have the spec wrong because the pavillion e9300z is a desktop and it is not 5 years old.

 

[RetiredChief]

If Looking for a laptop w/HDMI out and under 500 Bucks.
http/www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100006740%204020%20600004344%20600003986%20600149746&IsNodeId=1&name=Intel%20HD%20Graphics%203000
All of these have the i3-2350m CPU and have hdmi out. and are beween $450 and $500
Gpu is the HD3000 (an iGPU that is integrated inside the CPU).
.. OK for displaying DVDs and downloaded video streams such as nexflix and hulu
.. Pi** poor for any high end 3D games, Low-to-medium setings on lower end games. So if Gaming is also a requirement, I think you will have to up the price to around $600 and look for one with at least a 540m dGPU.

Unless on sale, newegg would be (A) cheaper and (B) offer a larger selection and (C) you can read user comments to know which one NOT to buy.

There are also some AMD models there, just look.