value for money laptop, low budget

[danlightbulb]

Just looked at this one on pc world. HP envy but using AMD A10 instead of intel, with onboard radeon r6 graphics. HD display too (assume non-IPS), 2TB HDD. However its got bad reviews, saying it freezes up and needs to be kept rebooting. Don't make sense as the spec is reasonable for £449. http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/la...

Edited by danlightbulb on Sunday 1st May 17:09

[danlightbulb]

Well I'd never heard of it before I started looking, but did want a HD display from the outset.

Only that I intend to keep the laptop at least 5 years, and use it for all sorts including watching videos. The kids use it too for their school work. So i'm just thinking it would be better.

[danlightbulb]

Fore Left said:

Has anyone suggested MSI yet? If you're happy with a 15" screen this is £599 on eBuyer. £737 on Amazon and £899 on CurrysPC World.

9.6/10 on Reevoo.

This looks very nice. If i could go and buy this today from a store i would.

Also considering this one from pcworld.
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/lap...

But for 50 quid more that msi is the better machine i think. For 50 quid more i can also get thst lenovo with an i7 though, but still dual core not quad.

Damn why dont pc world stock reasonable 600 quid machines.

[danlightbulb]

moleamol said:

Most laptops run dual core but with quad core hyperthreading. A lot of this is due to heat and bulk, it shouldn't be a problem unless you are doing something like gaming and genuinely using all 4 cores.

I don't really play games as such (i.e far cry or halo whatever). We have an xbox for games anyway. But I did used to like flight sims. Cant run them now on my current laptop, nowhere near, not even a basic freeware flight sim will run. I also used to run the orbiter space sim, if anyone is familiar with that. So I would like my new laptop to run those.

Does this influence the spec I should be aiming for, or the price point I'm looking at?

Edited by danlightbulb on Monday 2nd May 13:01

[danlightbulb]

Yeah, I'm not a hardcore simmer, just like to dabble really, fly a few planes about for fun. I have found Ive never been able to run a flight sim on any previous computer Ive owned due to their high system requirements.

I'm heavily leaning towards that MSI posted above as it seems good value. It isn't quite the same spec as the one in PC world though which is £899 as it has an i5 instead of an i7 and a lesser graphics card, but I think the spec is good enough for me to have a dabble in various things.

Problem is I can't try it. Would much rather walk into a shop and come out with a laptop I have looked at in the flesh. Cant even go to pc world and look at the more expensive MSI as its still online order.

Question about the MSI one - will I be able to add an SSD later, ideally as a 2nd drive? The MSI site mentions M.2 SSD as a spec but the model on ebuyer doesn't have that.


Edit - just been out and looked at the lenovo and a much higher spec MSI with the same case as the one I'm looking at on ebuyer. The lenovo was nicely designed, metal finish, solid lid. The MSI lid though was very flexible in comparison, but otherwise the case looked ample, plenty of cooling slots on the underside. If it wasn't for the radeon graphics I would have been happy with the lenovo, but I think the better spec of the MSI wins out, IF i can add an ssd to it in the future.

Edited by danlightbulb on Monday 2nd May 17:26

[danlightbulb]

moleamol said:

Double check but I don't see any reason why you couldn't. Really you want to be running the OS from an SSD for speed with a standard HDD for storage. IMO an SSD makes a bigger difference than almost any other single component with regards to speed.

According to the MSI website the model has a M.2 PCIe SSD as an option. So I'm assuming if I buy it without the SSD the port will still be available? However on looking at the case underside in PC world the entire base has to be removed which would void the warranty, and I can't find any information on how accessible the M.2 slot is inside.

[danlightbulb]

wilbo83 said:

So easy for the budget to keep creeping up, I have just found the below which may interest you also as it has an SSD, however that MSI seems great value:
http://store.hp.com/UKStore/Merch/Product.aspx?id=...

Did see that one on pc world website (not available in shop), for £799, so that's a good price direct.

I think though that the MSI is the one for me. Should I be sceptical that ebuyer has it for £600 when its £800+ everywhere else? (over a grand in littlewoods albeit it with a bit more ram).

The MSI has DDR4 ram and (if I'm interpreting the spec list correctly), pci-e x4 NVMe capability so I can add a blistering fast SSD later on. I saw something online that these can boot into windows in 4 seconds.


If you did want to spend £800 wilbo, have a look at this one: http://www.cclonline.com/product/200656/9S7-179553...

In fact I'm tempted on that one myself...oh dear here we go again...


Edit. Found another on ebuyer. Im not sure which one is better, the msi or this one. This one has a slightly lesser processor, and ddr3 ram instead of ddr4. But it comes with a small ssd as standard and it has the 950m instead of the 940mx graphics.
http://m.ebuyer.com/737628

Edited by danlightbulb on Monday 2nd May 21:34

Edited by danlightbulb on Tuesday 3rd May 09:08

[danlightbulb]

Sorry to bump this but close to making a choice and not sure which one of two to go for.

Here are the two options, both £599:

MSI GL62 6QC Gaming Laptop

Intel Core i5-6300HQ 2.3GHz - 4 core/4 thread, integrated intel 530 graphics
8GB DDR4 RAM (2 slots, config unknown)
1TB HDD
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX 2GB GDDR3 version
http://www.ebuyer.com/737456-msi-gl62-6qc-gaming-l...
15 good reviews.



Asus K501UX Laptop

Intel Core i5-6200U 2.3GHz 2 core/4 thread, integrated intel 520 graphics.
8GB DDR3 RAM (4GB on board and 1 additional slot with 4GB in)
128GB SSD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M 2GB GDDR3 version
http://www.ebuyer.com/737628-asus-k501ux-laptop-k5...
no reviews.

Edited by danlightbulb on Tuesday 3rd May 21:23

Edited by danlightbulb on Tuesday 3rd May 21:26

[danlightbulb]

RobDickinson said:

Asus and MSI are both pretty decent brands.

Those look similar.

Asus lower spec cpu better gpu and SSD will make a difference - probably feel faster overall.

Question is how much storage do you need, 128 isnt much but you can always usb.

The asus does seem better on paper, shame no reviews though. I have a home server for storage of movies etc so no problem there. Games id like to play will be sim games like roller coaster tycoon and maybe civilisation. I could add a hdd but again i cannot find out details of the upgradability of it. Deyails on all these laptops are sparce to say the least.

[danlightbulb]

moleamol said:

497 reviews of your laptop with no reviews

I only see 2 when i click on that link?

I have asked ebuyer about whether i can add an additional hdd and this was the reply

Only room for one SATA drive and the SSD is an M.2 so no.


I take it this means there isnt room for a standard 2.5" drive or no 2.5" drive bay at all?

Im getting so mixed up about which spec is better or which one has the best upgradability that i might just spend 200 more and get a dell inspiron 7000 series. But even that isnt ddr4 argghh.

[danlightbulb]

Stretching the budget to 715...
http://www.saveonlaptops.co.uk/m/p?id=1868709

But this seems to satisfy all my needs. Ddr4. Ssd. Another hdd. Good card. Quad core.

Anyone experience of buying from save on laptops?

[danlightbulb]

Thorburn said:

Never used them, but I use Laptops Direct quite frequently and they have it for the same price and 2% cashback if you go to their site via Quidco.

So they do - thanks! just looked at how far huddersfield is from me but its 2 hrs

Wary of buying something like this online would much prefer in person.

[danlightbulb]

Thorburn said:

Ordered 5 laptops and a couple desktops from them in the past 2 months, been absolutely faultless thus far. I'd rather deal with one of the online retailers than PC World.

Thanks that helps reassure.

[danlightbulb]

Yeah, i think its because im looking at it on my phone.

[danlightbulb]

wilbo83 said:

Did you make a decision OP? Thanks for posting the link of the ASUS N551VW, I think I am going to go for that. Spec seems too good to miss and ASUS seem to make good quality laptops.

Not quite. I nearly ordered it but then noticed that although the title says SSD the spec list doesnt. I messaged them twice now asking about it but no response.

I also saw an advert for wolverhampton computer fair which is on sunday so i might go along to that and have a look. If anyone has any feedback from a computer fair and whether its any good that would be great because my other option is driving 2 hrs up to huddersfield to buy direct from laptops direct.

Edited by danlightbulb on Friday 6th May 21:19

[danlightbulb]

^^ have been looking at that one. The asus we are linking to above does beat it in the graphics dept but has an i5 instead of an i7 in the HP. So its close.

I spoke to laptops direct and confirmed the asus does have an SSD as well as a HDD. I was willing to drive up to huddersfield to their store tomorrow to look at it /buy it but they don't have it there. I really want to just drive and buy the bloody thing- this mail order stuff just gets on my nerves, having to wait for delivery, not knowing if the thing will be smashed when it arrives...all a PITA.

Think I'm going to go over to wolverhampton computer fair tomorrow and see if there is anything there. But I'm worried these will all be older refurbs for £150 and not what I'm looking for and I'll have wasted my £3 entry fee.



On the games front - i have been looking at what games I might play and was reminded of an old game I loved called roller coaster tycoon! Even that old game won't run on my current laptop so I can't wait to get my new one and play it again. There is a new version coming out by the same company called planet coaster which looks brilliant all in 3d. These sim type games are what I like if anyone has any other suggestions, and anything that reminds me of games I used to play on my Amiga 1200 and early pc in 1999.

Edited by danlightbulb on Saturday 7th May 17:43

[danlightbulb]

It has 12GB of DDR4 too, better than the HP with 8GB of DDR3. I think that makes 3 of us buying that one lol, we can all compare notes!

[danlightbulb]

The HP is 1x8GB. I remember when I was into PCs in the early noughties that it was all about the dual channel RAM and that you needed a matching pair. Its not something that is prevalently advertised in the modern kit though, so I kind of thought it had gone away.

[danlightbulb]

Just been to Wolverhampton computer fair at Dunstall park racecourse. st.

Cost £2 to get in and I spent half an hour in there, and that was only because I walked round 3 times hoping I'd missed something decent. I hadn't.

Hardly any laptops of 15.6" or bigger, all 2+ year old tech. Only a single laptop in there with dedicated graphics (Geforce 670), and wanted £550 for it!!! That card benchmarks at the same as the 940mx which I can get in a brand new laptop for £600.

Edited by danlightbulb on Sunday 8th May 13:04

[danlightbulb]

This is doing my head in now. The only game I want to play will be planet coaster which is out in late 2016. I've researched the min specs of the current alpha release and its an i5-2300 (which is already a quad core 2.8GHz processor albeit 3 years old) and geforce 660 graphics (scoring 3980 on 3dmark) . The laptop I'm about to buy now, in 2016, only seems to just meet these minimum specs albeit with later generations of kit (i5-6300 quad core, geforce 960m still scoring only 5320 on 3dmark). So there is a risk I buy this laptop and it won't satisfactorily run this game.

This reminds me so much of when I used to pc game 15 years ago. I was never willing to spend enough to run what I wanted to run. Its not like I'm spending a small amount here and its really bloody frustrating.

Edited by danlightbulb on Sunday 8th May 15:47