Mainstream Notebook hardware

[baron5]

Hey guys, hope you are well.
Well generally I don't know much about notebook hardware at all. I have seen that intel have brought over the i5 and i7 architecture to the notebook market know but am unsure how these compare to amd counterparts. Are there any sites where they compare notebook hardware or the notebooks them selves? like hardware canucks/guru3d etc. for laptops?

But anyway my question is the following; What is the best high-end mainstream parts to be looking for in a laptop right now? By this i mean, when spending a decent amount of cash, what are the best components to be looking at for a decent amount of lastability. My friend wants to spend about $3000 AUD on a laptop and wants to get the "best everything" so it will last a long time and be good in all areas, i already told him the best bet is to stick mainstream because otherwise he is going to waste money on higher clock speeds and extra ram that wont translate to significant performance increases. So what should he be looking at? would an i7 with mid range clocks, 4gb ddr3, some GT1xx series graphics be his best bet? or is their much wiser choices?

Any help appreciated, thanks.

 

[MindoverMaster]

There are many places that review notebooks. I get MaximumPC magazine every month. Also, TomsHardware.com is a nice place to look for reviews as well.

It depends on what he is intending to do with it. If he isn't gaming, you don't need a dedicated card. If he's just surfing the net, he won't need a powerful CPU. It all depends on what he wants to do with it, not "What is the best in the entire world?!" The second you buy the laptop, there will be something new.

 

[IsabellaWinTeam]

Hey guys, hope you are well.
Well generally I don't know much about notebook hardware at all. I have seen that intel have brought over the i5 and i7 architecture to the notebook market know but am unsure how these compare to amd counterparts. Are there any sites where they compare notebook hardware or the notebooks them selves? like hardware canucks/guru3d etc. for laptops?

But anyway my question is the following; What is the best high-end mainstream parts to be looking for in a laptop right now? By this i mean, when spending a decent amount of cash, what are the best components to be looking at for a decent amount of lastability. My friend wants to spend about $3000 AUD on a laptop and wants to get the "best everything" so it will last a long time and be good in all areas, i already told him the best bet is to stick mainstream because otherwise he is going to waste money on higher clock speeds and extra ram that wont translate to significant performance increases. So what should he be looking at? would an i7 with mid range clocks, 4gb ddr3, some GT1xx series graphics be his best bet? or is their much wiser choices?

Any help appreciated, thanks.

Hi there,

The "best" specs are really dependent on what your friend will be using his laptop for. Other considerations that you didn't mention are battery life and hard drive space. With a more powerful processor you may have to sacrifice battery life. I recommend you check out this guide on processor speeds and which type of computer use:Windows PC, Notebook, and Laptop Scout: Speed Fast Facts. You can also check out the other tabs to learn about the other features of laptops and which might work best for your friend.

I hope this helps!

Isabella
MSFT Windows Outreach Team

 

[MindoverMaster]

Knock on wood...

I know, we all help. But, yes, all in all, it depends on what he is doing with it.

 

[baron5]

Yeah guys i understand the point you are making, i'm the last person you need to explain to me about use, i feel like im repeating myself in the desktop hardware section for people who come in with a crazy $5000 budget and want a extreme intel with tri sli and 24gb ram. and i explained this to him the minute he asked for some advice. Realistically they are mostly word processing and surfing and maybe a little photoshop every now on then some an average lappy would suffice. But he is one of those guys who insists on spending a lot and having flagship hardware. I already told him the best way is to find the best mainstream hardware, for example in desktops, the best choice would easily be a phenom x4, cheap, fast and should last a couple of years without upgrades, whereas getting a more expensive i7 will cost you a bucket more and decrease in lastbility at almost the same rate. I asked him about the gaming because i told him to forget about graphics if you dont need it, his reply "i want a laptop that will kinda handle anything you throw at it" So im thinking a low-mid range dedicated with a i5/i7 or something. HDD capacity is not an issue he can figure that out himself, i already know he doesnt need a ssd so thats sorted. It just basic list of what hardware to look for when buying a mid end laptop, best way i can explain is an phenom x4/5770 system now.

 

[MindoverMaster]

I understand, Baron. Some people want to waste as much money as they can. They should be tied up and watch computers blow up.

An i5, 17" LCD, a mid-high range GFX card, 4GB DDR3, whateveryoucangetGB HDD, etc. should be ok for him.

Just tell him that this laptop you are suggesting to him is the top of the line

 

[baron5]

No problems, i thought as much, thanks for your help, rep given.

 

[patonb]

Yha baron, parts on laptops are the same as desktops... You know desktops, so youre good, just use your existing knowledge..... btw they do do sli'd gpus now too.

 

[IsabellaWinTeam]

Yeah guys i understand the point you are making, i'm the last person you need to explain to me about use, i feel like im repeating myself in the desktop hardware section for people who come in with a crazy $5000 budget and want a extreme intel with tri sli and 24gb ram. and i explained this to him the minute he asked for some advice. Realistically they are mostly word processing and surfing and maybe a little photoshop every now on then some an average lappy would suffice. But he is one of those guys who insists on spending a lot and having flagship hardware. I already told him the best way is to find the best mainstream hardware, for example in desktops, the best choice would easily be a phenom x4, cheap, fast and should last a couple of years without upgrades, whereas getting a more expensive i7 will cost you a bucket more and decrease in lastbility at almost the same rate. I asked him about the gaming because i told him to forget about graphics if you dont need it, his reply "i want a laptop that will kinda handle anything you throw at it" So im thinking a low-mid range dedicated with a i5/i7 or something. HDD capacity is not an issue he can figure that out himself, i already know he doesnt need a ssd so thats sorted. It just basic list of what hardware to look for when buying a mid end laptop, best way i can explain is an phenom x4/5770 system now.

Hi there,

Your friend might want to look into the Sony Vaio E Series. It has a fast processor and is highly customizable, so your friend can upgrade whichever features he feels are most important to him ( for example, ATI Mobility Radeonâ„¢ HD 5470 Graphics are available).

What do you think?

Isabella
MSFT Windows Outreach Team