Laptop replacement questions
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My laptop had 6 GB in it and it would become painfully slow just using a web browser (Chrome). Web sites have gotten so complex these days that they consume a lot of memory - just open up Task Manager and look. It is crazy what they suck up. I tend to have at least eight tabs open in the browser.
I upgraded the memory in it to 16 GB and it is like night and day difference, it is extremely fast again. I highly recommend 16 GB.
Amazing how different operating systems use memory and system resources. On my Asus K54C laptop with 6 GB of memory I read 1.1 GB in use out of 5.7 GB available with Chrome open and it's very fast. I use Linux Mint XFCE. I don't normally have so many tabs open but I tested it with 8 tabs open and it now reads 1.6 GB out of 5.7 and I haven't noticed much of a slow down.
Is it the OS or is it Chrome? Chrome on Linux is not the same as Chrome on Windows. One thing I noticed is that for some strange reason Chrome creates 2 or 3 processes for each tab you have open in the browser. This is on Windows, not sure what it does on Linux. Not sure what is going on, but I have complained to Google about it. At any rate, if you are a Windows user, more memory translates to happier computing. And the difference between 8 and 16 GB is only $50.
Trooper
Full time employment: Posting here.
I'm in the same boat as the OP, pretty much. I haven't been in the laptop market for a while, so I went and educated myself on the current features available, pos/cons of each etc. My current Lenovo is just running too slow to be useful, and I don't feel like troubleshooting why.
Although I probably don't need this much in a laptop, I decided to future proof against new applications and processing requirements. Plus I think this machine is a steal at the price...therefore I'm wondering what I am missing.
From Costco online:
Acer Aspire 5
15.6" screen
12GB RAM
1TB HDD + 256GB SSD
NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics
Intel i7 processor
No touchscreen
No Optical (DVD) drive
Costco's return policy and 2-yr warranty with their "Concierge Service" (I've never used it, so don't know what it's like)
Price is $725 + $15 for shipping. I haven't seen anything with these specs for under $900, so I think I may go for it. Any thoughts?
Although I probably don't need this much in a laptop, I decided to future proof against new applications and processing requirements. Plus I think this machine is a steal at the price...therefore I'm wondering what I am missing.
From Costco online:
Acer Aspire 5
15.6" screen
12GB RAM
1TB HDD + 256GB SSD
NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics
Intel i7 processor
No touchscreen
No Optical (DVD) drive
Costco's return policy and 2-yr warranty with their "Concierge Service" (I've never used it, so don't know what it's like)
Price is $725 + $15 for shipping. I haven't seen anything with these specs for under $900, so I think I may go for it. Any thoughts?
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
Looks good! Does it have enough USB ports to suit your needs? Mine was very similar, with 16 GB RAM plus a 17" screen, 8th generation i7 processor, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti video card, and I am very happy with it. 16GB RAM may be overkill right now for the average person, but it does help to "future proof" the purchase IMO. I think 12 GB is the bare minimum I would have even considered, for that reason.
(Well, OK, I admit that just about all my specs are overkill since I do not play online PC video games any more. But there are so few purchases in life that I get a huge kick out of, and I had the money, so I figured why not. I paid about $300 more than you did but was happy to Blow that Dough at the time, didn't even wait for Black Friday.)
My previous computer was an Acer Aspire, i5 version, with 256 GB SSD and 8GB RAM, 15" screen, and NVidia video card too. I bought it in April, 2017 for $550 (not on sale). I thought it was a terrific computer, best I ever had up to then. I gave it to Frank who really likes it a lot. Why did I buy a new computer? Because I had the money and felt like playing with a new computer. No good reason beyond that.
You can always get an external (USB) DVD drive if you find you need one. They're cheap. Frank gave me one of his.
gooddog
Recycles dryer sheets
"My current Lenovo is just running too slow to be useful, and I don't feel like troubleshooting why."
Lenovo uses a lot of parts that have an 'enterprise' value of a big fat zero. People think they are getting a good deal, as a friend of mine did, and find out that the laptop stinks after the newness wears off. To get a decent laptop, it needs to have a desktop Nvidia card in it (desktop card...), and a SSD drive in it. The option to add memory or another secondary drive should be simple, not something where you have to take the case apart. I have recommended the computer I have to friends, and every one of them has been very happy. It is in the link below. The individual parts that this system is made of are very good. You get what you pay for. If you go with the Predator Helios, DO NOT get one that has a secondary HD.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=prediator+helios+&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aprediator+helios+
Lenovo uses a lot of parts that have an 'enterprise' value of a big fat zero. People think they are getting a good deal, as a friend of mine did, and find out that the laptop stinks after the newness wears off. To get a decent laptop, it needs to have a desktop Nvidia card in it (desktop card...), and a SSD drive in it. The option to add memory or another secondary drive should be simple, not something where you have to take the case apart. I have recommended the computer I have to friends, and every one of them has been very happy. It is in the link below. The individual parts that this system is made of are very good. You get what you pay for. If you go with the Predator Helios, DO NOT get one that has a secondary HD.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=prediator+helios+&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aprediator+helios+
Trooper
Full time employment: Posting here.
Thanks W2R. It has an HDMI port, plus 1) USB 3.1 Type-C, (1) USB 3.0, and (2) USB 2.0. It also has an ethernet slot for a hard connection to my router.
I'm still not sure of the difference between all of the USBs but that's something I'll learn along the way. I will probably also pick a DVD drive soon also. Do you have any recommendations?
Trooper
Full time employment: Posting here.
Thanks for the link, gooddog, but this PC as configured to the same specs would cost almost twice as much as the one I'm looking at.
gooddog
Recycles dryer sheets
"Thanks for the link, gooddog, but this PC as configured to the same specs would cost almost twice as much as the one I'm looking at."
Not many laptops have desktop Nvidia cards, much less a 1060 card with 6GB of dedicated ram for video. Many laptops have an old fashioned platter HD as a secondary drive - which bogs down the system terribly...it is only as fast as it's slowest part. The Predator laptop I linked actually comes with an m.2 drive, they just haven't changed the description so it still shows SSD. The heatsink is the entire length of the computer, and has more copper in it than some small houses (bit of an exaggeration there), and they use avionic grade metal fans (and metal case). Been doing this for 35 years, and it is easily the best deal I've ever seen on a computer. Good luck...
Not many laptops have desktop Nvidia cards, much less a 1060 card with 6GB of dedicated ram for video. Many laptops have an old fashioned platter HD as a secondary drive - which bogs down the system terribly...it is only as fast as it's slowest part. The Predator laptop I linked actually comes with an m.2 drive, they just haven't changed the description so it still shows SSD. The heatsink is the entire length of the computer, and has more copper in it than some small houses (bit of an exaggeration there), and they use avionic grade metal fans (and metal case). Been doing this for 35 years, and it is easily the best deal I've ever seen on a computer. Good luck...
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
I have about the same number of USB's (well, one more), and for MY needs that is enough. But I guess that depends on the individual. Type C is a different, smaller connector than what you are probably used to. I use my USB 2.0 for my USB mouse (which doesn't seem to need much speed). I use the faster USB's for everything else, including backing up things on my external hard drive. I don't use the USB that connects with a Type C connector at all, yet, because I don't have any devices with that type of connector and I don't yet have an adaptor.
As for recommendations on the external DVD drive, I don't have a clue. I have never bought one. F gave me one of his, and I haven't tried it yet. Really I only use the DVD drive for TurboTax. If it is too obsolete to work with this computer and Windows 10, then I'll have to order something else or else download TurboTax. But, I am the eternal optimist so I am hoping it will work.
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DVD drives are ubiquitous. Just get what you need for the best price you can find. Do you want to watch Blu-ray? Do you want to burn disks? If you want to watch Blu-ray movies, you’ll need that and if you want to burn disks, look for the fastest speed you’re willing to pay for. I’m not sure about the USB-C, but I’d either get one that supports (plugs into) the USB-C connection or the USB-3, which ever is faster.
Personally, all I do is load Turbo Tax and read music cd’s. Maybe once s year I burn something. Therefore, I’d get the cheapest DVD burner in a USB-3. Something like this:
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAG3X7R84303
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