Help our Developer!

[ENTERPRISE]

Hello all,

 

Our developer who has tirelessly worked to bring tweaks and features to look life on the forums has hit a snag. His laptop screen decided to die. Ironically this has happened while he was working on our 2022 adjustments. 

 

He reached out to me for recommendations BUT, I thought what a great excuse to get everyone's input!

 

His usage requirements are: 

 

*Web Development (Net Beans & VSCode)

*Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator 

 

No set budget, but would like some ideas to go from.  He doesn't play games, so that is not a requirement.

 

Have at it guys.

 

Thanks,

E

 

 

 

[Avacado]

Kind of makes me feel like crap. I just spent $250 on QDC's and our dev has a $500 budget for a new rig to develop the site. I can make a donation to the site to up his purchasing power. Paypal to the site E?

[ENTERPRISE]

If the difference between an "OK" and Good laptop is a donation then for sure First lets get some options on the table. Im hoping to look a little later, just having some firewall issues.

[Avacado]

I spent 10 minutes looking and this was all I could come up with. Is our dev in the states or UK?

 

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-refurbished-elitebook-840-g3-14-laptop-intel-core-i5-16gb-memory-256gb-solid-state-drive-black/6445052.p?skuId=6445052

Edited January 3, 2022 by Avacado

[Snakecharmed]

I tried to keep it as low as possible since $500 is not easy to stay under for a laptop without making major compromises.

 

https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/models/laptops/swift3amd

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Octa-Core-Graphics-Fingerprint-SF314-42-R9YN/dp/B086KKKT15

 

https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/models/laptops/swift3

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0866PQXKH

 

The downside to the Acer Swift 3 is that the RAM is soldered. With the Intel models, you have the option for a physically smaller 13.5" but higher resolution 3:2 ratio 2256x1504 (and maybe more color accurate?) screen, but you're stuck with a quad-core Core i5 to stay under $700. With the AMD models, you can get either six or eight cores, but they all have 14" 1080p screens.

 

Then after a Google search on the Swift 3 AMD, I saw a link to a YouTube video recommending the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 over it instead. Well, as it turns out, here's a better deal for a little over $500 in the Lenovo outlet. The RAM is still soldered though. The only thing I don't like about this particular IdeaPad 5 model by looking at the specs is the screen. 45% NTSC is pretty awful, but I believe the Swift 3 AMD has a lousy screen too, and there's going to be compromises at this end of the price spectrum.

 

https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/outletus/laptops/ideapad/ideapad-s500-series/IdeaPad-5-15ARE05/p/88IPS501393

 

If used or refurbished laptops are on the table, that opens up many more possibilities. Here's that Swift 3 Intel from the first Amazon link above, albeit with a smaller SSD, from the Acer recertified store.

 

https://acerrecertified.com/acer-swift-3-13-5-laptop-intel-core-i5-1035g4-1-1ghz-8gb-ram-256gb-ssd-windows-10-home-sf313-52-526m/

 

Personally, for web development, I'd rather have a six or eight core Ryzen 4000 or 5000 CPU over an Intel Ice Lake or newer CPU that has fewer cores for the same price, but the compromise will almost certainly come with the screen. You can always connect an external monitor though. You can't upgrade a laptop CPU as easily. Just don't get a Ryzen 3000 mobile anything. Those were terrible.

 

In 2020, a lot of ODMs put the Ryzen 4000 CPUs in a second-rate chassis. That's less likely to happen now because ODMs spec out their chassis a year in advance and they didn't expect Ryzen 4000 to be such a massive success back in 2019, but even now, Intel laptops tend to have more or better peripheral specs/features (e.g. screen, ports) than the same model with a Ryzen CPU.

Edited January 3, 2022 by Snakecharmed

[ENTERPRISE]

42 minutes ago, Avacado said:

I spent 10 minutes looking and this was all I could come up with. Is our dev in the states or UK?

 

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-refurbished-elitebook-840-g3-14-laptop-intel-core-i5-16gb-memory-256gb-solid-state-drive-black/6445052.p?skuId=6445052

He is actually in Egypt to be fair. So I translated his £8000 (EGP) to USD/GBP.

[The Pook]

You missed the holiday deals but I'd poke through /r/LaptopDeals and /r/BuildAPCSales

 

from a quick look through, Acer Swift 3 for ~$630? 

[ENTERPRISE]

Hey guys,

 

Apparently the market is very different in Egypt, as such 8000EGP is apparently good enough to get a decent midrange laptop from the local shops (not online). As such I think we should focus less on the budget given and suggest some decent midrange laptops for his use case for his reference. I will list a few ones that should do the job nicely. 

 

 

[J7SC_Orion]

7 hours ago, ENTERPRISE said:

Hello all,

 

Our developer who has tirelessly worked to bring tweaks and features to look life on the forums has hit a snag. His laptop screen decided to die. Ironically this has happened while he was working on our 2022 adjustments. 

 

He reached out to me for recommendations BUT, I thought what a great excuse to get everyone's input!

 

His usage requirements are: 

 

*Web Development (Net Beans & VSCode)

*Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator 

 

No set budget, but would like some ideas to go from.  He doesn't play games, so that is not a requirement.

 

Have at it guys.

 

Thanks,

E

 

 

 

 

...not sure if > this 'best 4K laptops in '21' write-up helps, but as he wants to use Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator (but is not focused on gaming), a laptop from this list with 4K 60Hz should be good, preferably with a screen 16 inches or bigger. 

[Snakecharmed]

Not knowing what the laptop market is like in Egypt, I'd at least try for the following specs if possible:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 or 7 4000 or 5000 series

GPU: Who cares

RAM: 8-16GB DDR4 removable dual-channel

Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD

Screen: 15.6" IPS, 1080p+, 300+ nits, 72% NTSC/100% sRGB

 

Those specs are closer to US$1000 though, maybe $900. Compared to what I listed in my previous post which were basically sub-$700 laptops, the screen is what's going to bump that price up the most, followed by removable memory.

 

A 1440p resolution screen would be nice for the Adobe software because designing sucks on 1080p, but 1440p is pretty much premium laptop territory so that's more of a wish list item. Personally, I'd rather have a more color accurate screen than 1440p on a laptop.

Edited January 3, 2022 by Snakecharmed

[ENTERPRISE]

22 minutes ago, Snakecharmed said:

Not knowing what the laptop market is like in Egypt, I'd at least try for the following specs if possible:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 or 7 4000 or 5000 series

GPU: Who cares

RAM: 8-16GB DDR4 removable

Screen: 15.6"+, 1080p+, 300+ nits, 72% NTSC/100% sRGB

 

I'd try to get at least a 1440p resolution screen if possible for the Adobe software because designing sucks on 1080p, but 1440p is pretty much premium laptop territory so that's more of a wish list item. Again, easier to use an external monitor than to upgrade the laptop internals.

 

I agree for the most part, for general specs I would certainly consider:

 

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 or 7 (4000 or 5000 series) or Intel Core i7/i5 (4 Core, Preferably 8 Core)

GPU:  Any CPU with IGP (Integrated Graphic)

RAM: 16GB DDR4 

Storage: 512GB SSD

Screen: 15.6"+, 1080p+, 300+ nits, 72% NTSC/100% sRGB

 

I would changed it for 16GB RAM minimum. I think that 8GB is a little lacking and moving forward 16GB would be a benefit. 

 

Taking a look at a reasonable retailer in the UK I think this is the sort of machine to go for/use on the more affordable end, for reference: 
ASUS K513EA Core i5-1135G7 16GB 512GB SSD 15.6 Inch Windows 10 Laptop 

 

Drawback would be the slower 4 core CPU on this model.

 

For something a little more expensive but more capable and future proof I would look at the:  Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen 2 Ryzen 7-4700 16GB 512GB SSD 15.6 Inch Windows 10 Pro Laptop

[Avacado]

Browsing Amazon Egypt doesn't elicit things even remotely close for the price point. 

 

Amazon.eg : ryzen

WWW.AMAZON.EG

 

I mean this is decent. Didn't look to see if the RAM could be expanded upon.

 

https://www.amazon.eg/-/en/DELL-Vostro-3515-Laptop-Anti-glare/dp/B09NZP9V9R/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=ryzen&pf_rd_i=21832907031&pf_rd_m=A1ZVRGNO5AYLOV&pf_rd_p=1d025c11-7b0e-4b5e-aa6d-4fc0ac149c42&pf_rd_r=BNH66PBG5Y02G96SX3QN&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-6&pf_rd_t=101&qid=1641230495&refinements=p_n_feature_fifteen_browse-bin%3A22079580031&rnid=22079564031&s=computers&sr=1-4

 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Avacado

[ENTERPRISE]

Just now, Avacado said:

Browsing Amazon Egypt doesn't elicit things even remotely close for the price point. 

 

Amazon.eg : ryzen

WWW.AMAZON.EG

 

 

 

He stated to me that the pricing is nuts online compared to the local stores where he can get a laptop from. 

[Snakecharmed]

23 minutes ago, ENTERPRISE said:

I would changed it for 16GB RAM minimum. I think that 8GB is a little lacking and moving forward 16GB would be a benefit. 

 

Good point on the RAM. It's like I forget sometimes that I have 32GB on my Ryzen 7 4800H laptop now and I got 16GB years ago on my ThinkPad with a Sandy Bridge Core i7-2860QM. He'll definitely want at least 16GB for Photoshop/Illustrator and IDE software.

Edited January 3, 2022 by Snakecharmed

[A Zayed]

Hello Guys,

Many thanks for your comments, I'm in the store right now and I'm about to purchase HP650 G2 with the following specs:

 

Intel® Core™ i7 6th Gen.

8GB DDR4 Ram

Intel® HD Graphics 520

15.6" IPS screen

250 SSD M2

 

What do you think?

[The Pook]

6th gen launched in 2015, unless it's a crazy deal I'd pass. 

[Snakecharmed]

Looks like the Intel Core i7 from that generation could possibly only have two cores. Is it a Core i7-6820HQ (4-core) or Core i7-6600U (2-core)?

 

You would be better off with 16GB RAM, but at least the HP 650 G2 has removable dual-channel RAM, so you can upgrade it if you want.

 

Overall though, it's an older laptop. Even though it's M.2, it looks like the SSD may be SATA-based and not NVMe. I think there should be far better laptop deals out there unless this one is crazy cheap. If it's a dual-core i7 though, hard pass.

 

I forgot how bad the mobile i7 CPUs could be in the Before Ryzen times. The i7-6600U is slower than the i3-6100 I put in my parents' desktop.

Edited January 3, 2022 by Snakecharmed

[ENTERPRISE]

52 minutes ago, A Zayed said:

Hello Guys,

Many thanks for your comments, I'm in the store right now and I'm about to purchase HP650 G2 with the following specs:

 

Intel® Core™ i7 6th Gen.

8GB DDR4 Ram

Intel® HD Graphics 520

15.6" IPS screen

250 SSD M2

 

What do you think?

Anything else available ? I think it could do for now...within reason but might be worthwhile going for something a little stronger. 

[UltraMega]

It's just the screen? What's the laptop model number? 

[Diffident]

Can the current laptop be plugged into a monitor and still be used?  That would allow more time to find something good instead of compromising on something you might not be happy with.

[pio]

I have an older generation Acer that came with a 2500u in it.  I've been very pleased with mine, did a LOT of modifications to it, and it even overclocks.  Very user expandable.  Was a model just below their Nitro lineup (which the Nitro line might be at around the $500 mark).  I can get the model number if you're interested.....or you can see if you can score a Nitro in that range.  The ones with 2000 series and I believe 3000 series Ryzen should have dual channel memory at the very least.

 

Out of the box, the model I have came with 8GB single stick DDR4 (dual ch capable), 256GB MSATA SSD, 2.5" drive slot (empty), 720p screen, stock 15w 2500u.  It's capable of 32GB DDR4, 2TB MSATA + the 2.5" bay (HDD or SSD), 1080p IPS panel (from the Nitro), and it can overclock the CPU and GPU to near desktop performance (3.6GHz all core + full clocks on the IGPU) at 150w if you upgrade to the Nitro cooler and a bigger PSU block.

Not selling, just my recommendation is all.  Love my "Nitro'd" non Nitro Acer laptop lol.

EDIT:
If your CURRENT laptop is halfway decent though, my vote would go towards just fixing it and maybe tossing an upgrade in or something (everybody needs more SSD's).  Screen replacements generally aren't too expensive, nor are they difficult.  By all means though, if its time to retire it.....well go for it.  Just a suggestion is all, because times are tough for everybody.

Edited January 4, 2022 by pioneerisloud

[UltraMega]

Most laptop screens are really easy to replace. Sorry if I missed something by skimming the thread but if all he needs is a new screen, that's easy. Just post the model number and I'll post a replacement screen. 

[ENTERPRISE]

@A ZayedIs a laptop screen replacement an option or did you buy a replacement laptop yesterday ? 

[UltraMega]

17 hours ago, A Zayed said:

Hello Guys,

Many thanks for your comments, I'm in the store right now and I'm about to purchase HP650 G2 with the following specs:

 

Intel® Core™ i7 6th Gen.

8GB DDR4 Ram

Intel® HD Graphics 520

15.6" IPS screen

250 SSD M2

 

What do you think?

What happened to the screen? In most cases, replacing the screen is simple. What's the model number of your laptop? 

[ENTERPRISE]

After speaking with @A Zayed it looks like his old laptop screen has started working again, though likely temporarily. So he is holding off buying a new laptop for now, perhaps saving a little more so he can buy a more capable laptop as we have suggested I am not sure of the current specs of his machine, though the impression I get is that a new one is needed anyway as I think his current machine is a little old in the tooth.