I was in a similar boat. Wanted a well built, light, and high battery life laptop that could net insane gaming performance. Sadly, you're going to have to make some compromises if you're looking to spend around $1000. Here are some decent options:

Somewhat lightweight Gaming laptops:

• Usually weigh around 4.6-6 lbs, so not too heavy
  
• 1060 or higher
  
• All around powerful machines
  

• Usually a mix of plastic and brushed aluminum (honestly, still not bad)
  
• Screens are typically not amazing
  
• Usually abysmal battery life (not ideal for doing work off campus)
  
  Some options for this category:
  
  
• https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-rog-gl502vm-15-6-laptop-intel-core-i7-12gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-gtx-1060-1tb-hard-drive-black/5712362.p?skuId=5712362
  
  
• https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834234455&cm_re=asus_gaming_laptop-_-34-234-455-_-Product
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-i7-7700HQ-1060-6GB-G3-571-77QK/dp/B06Y4GZS9C
  
  
  Lightweight ultrabooks that can still game pretty well:
  
  

• Typically equipped with 1050's (still good, just don't expect 60fps with high/max settings on newer titles)
  
• Usually great quiality
  
• Portable!
  
• Moderately good to insanely good battery life
  

• Not as powerful as gaming laptops with 1060's+
  
• Can run on the expensive side depending on the brand or if not found on sale
  
  Some options for this category:
  
  
• https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-yoga-720-2-in-1-15-6-4k-ultra-hd-touch-screen-laptop-intel-quad-core-i7-16gb-memory-512gb-ssd-platinum-silver/5722755.p?skuId=5722755 (love this computer, but previous shipments had screen defects with black bars appearing. I'd hope that has been fixed as it's a great device otherwise)
  
  
• http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/xps-15/spd/xps-15-9560-laptop (Dell XPS 15 is an awesome slim device with an amazing battery life)
  
  
• http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-pavilion-power---quad-w--2gb-gfx-touch-optional-1gk62av-1 (on sale right now! Great deal, but this laptop has a mostly plastic build quality unlike every other laptop in this category, and apparently a noisy fan... but you can get a 1050ti configured in this thing!)
  
  
• https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-spectre-x360-2-in-1-15-6-4k-ultra-hd-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i7-16gb-memory-512gb-solid-state-drive/5712363.p?skuId=5712363
  OR https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-spectre-x360-2-in-1-15-6-4k-ultra-hd-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i7-16gb-memory-512gb-solid-state-drive-dark-ash-silver/6082118.p?skuId=6082118 (HP Spectre's are great! But they only have a 940mx... so they're the worst for gaming here and probably won't run a game like the new Assassin's Creed very well.)
  
  
  A super expensive laptop:
  
  

• Super powerful (typically 1060+)
  
• Great battery life
  
• Very portable
  
• AMAZING build quality and screens
  

• Super expensive
  
  Some options for this category:
  
  
• (The Dell XPS is kind of in limbo but I threw it in the above category instead)
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-Aero-15W-BK4-i7-7700HQ-GeForce/dp/B07141QMKD (amazing, thin, light, and high battery life computer with a 1060! Great screen too! Probably my favorite laptop here under $2000)
  
  
• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/config/surface-book-2/8MCPZJJCC98C?cid=surfacebook2interstitial (the Surface Book 2 is the coolest laptop here! The screen comes off so you can use it like a tablet or drawing canvas, and it has a 1060! But the 1060 configuration costs $2500 and only goes up if you want more storage)
  
  
  Basically, either you spend a TON of money or compromise somewhere. Best of luck!

Hey, I'm going to update my request. I posted earlier in the week and had time to think this weekend.

Reflections:

• Shopping for laptops is stressful; almost every lower-budget machine has big trade-offs these days!
  
• Lots of cheaper machines make compromises on basic quality of life; screen, keyboard, touchpad and so on..
  
• I really like the aesthetic of the Asus Zenbooks with the Ergo-Hinge, but they're all very different model to model.
  
• I've noticed QA issues amongst the reviews for products with the R5-3500u/3700u as well as heat/noise concerns. In retrospect these are issues that I don't want to gamble on; which also makes the Lenovo Flex 14'' & APU's less attractive.
  
• The Flex 14'' is a really good value and has a pretty secure spot at being a 2nd or 3rd choice.
  
• Something I've realized is that I don't really need a dedicated GDDR5 GPU like the MX150 or MX250.
  
  

  General Usage Habits:
  

  
  

• 10-15 Firefox Tabs
  
• Youtube, Spotify, Pandora.
  
• Netflix, Amazon Prime, Streaming.
  
• I'd like to play around w/ Linux.
  
  Budget: Initially; $400-600; but concern with build quality pushes me towards < $1000
  
  Country: USA ~Getting to a Microcenter, BestBuy or Walmart isn't a problem.
  
  Screen size: 13-14'' -- 1080p; prefer SSD & 8GB of RAM.
  
  Screen resolution: Prefer 1080p with solid brightness & good viewing angles.
  
  Heat:
  
  Sound: I'll likely bring my soundbar/headphones, but sound isn't unimportant.
  
  Touch screen: Depends; I think it's almost mandatory for Chromebooks & less so for laptops.
  
  Battery Life: I want something that's fairly powerful but can last a full school day (5-10 hours).
  
  Weight**: Less than 5 lbs; considering various Chromebooks & Ultrabooks; the lighter the better.
  
  Tl;DR - Laptops & Chromebooks that I'm considering:
  
  

  Laptops:
  

  
  

1. Asus Zenbook UX333FA-DH51 $840
   
2. Asus Vivobook S14-S432 & S15-S532 $750-900
   
3. Acer Aspire Slim 5: A515-54G-53H6 $650
   
4. Lenovo Flex 14'' R5-3500u $560
   https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/ideapad/ideapad-flex-series/Lenovo-IdeaPad-FLEX-15IWL/p/88IP8FX1272 (Lenovo Holiday sales ~ 10th Gen Intel = nice integrated graphics (for me anyway..)
   
5. ASUS ZenBook 13 UX333FA-DH51
   
6. HP Spectre x360 15-ch011dx Convertible
   
   I know that I could get better "value" - with a 10th gen i5 & an MX250 w/ the Acer Aspire Slim 5. The hardware is better, but I find the build quality concerning because this is a machine that'll go pretty much everywhere with me. The Vivobook, while less expensive loses a lot of battery life compared to the UX333FA; which I'm considering picking up used or possibly on Ebay because I love the aesthetic and getting it for ~ $700 is a much more competitive deal for me.
   
   Edit (adding some Microcenter deals) UX333FA-DH51 is @ $800 & HP Spectre x360 is at $850/800 too.

(Also wrote in r/SuggestALaptop)

Looking for a reliable laptop that can handle lots of Chrome tabs. Not kidding, this is important! I oftentimes have 20+ tabs open!

Right now, I'm planning on getting the Acer Aspire 5 for $510 on Amazon, but with Black Friday, I thought I would check with the experts first in case I'm missing something awesome.

I'm coming from the Dell Inspiron 13 7368. I enjoyed it a lot, but after 3 years, it is failing a bit. Would also like this to last around 3 years if possible.

• Total budget and country of purchase: $550, USA or Germany
  
• Do you prefer a 2 in 1 form factor, good battery life or best specifications for the money? Pick or include any that apply. Battery life is the most important to me by far. I prefer no touch screen but it isn't that important. Basically would like to
  
• How important is weight and thinness to you? Pretty important. I've been using ultrabooks for a few years now so I prefer them light and thin.
  
• Which OS do you require? Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, Linux. Windows, no chromebooks please
  
• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A. 13-16 inches
  
• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run. Lots of google chrome for netflix, amazon prime video, youtube, reddit etc is my main use. I'll play jackbox on occasion, too. Not too much gaming or anything intense.
  
• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)? An SSD is a must and would like 8GB+ RAM. Good battery life greatly appreciated. Backlit keyboards, fingerprint readers, and usb-c ports would be nice but not necessary.
  
  Thank you all so much! (Also cross-posting to r/LaptopDeals)

I'm looking for a laptop to browse the internet with multiple tabs open, have multiple tabs of livestreams (like Twitch) running at the same time, and watching videos on YouTube. Nothing much else really.

I would like a laptop for artwork and drawing using a pen as well, but I think I'll get something else for this specifically as I'm not sure this price range is good for drawing art and doing commissions plus maybe best to have
a separate any day laptop (I'll take advice/recommendations though).

 

Anyway, I found two cheaper laptops that both seem great for simple tasks. The Lenovo one is touch screen but I don't know if that means a pen works, nor do I know how I could draw on it unless it folds back flat. But touchscreen alone is still really nice for me as my previous laptop had both pen/touchscreen and I never used anything but the touch screen to move around.

• Laptop 1: Lenovo Ideapad S340 15.6" i3-8145U for $399.99 from Costco.
  
  
• Laptop 2: Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6 R3 3200U - $309,99 from Amazon (it was $269.99 recently and I'm kicking myself for missing it)
  
  Of these two laptops, which one would you recommend for my task? The one with the best screen is probably my first pick as I'm watching things and prefer if the picture is nicer, I just don't know which would have a better screen. If I get answers, I may just order one today as I really miss having a laptop. Thank you for the help!
  
   
  
  Budget: Up to $400 for a browser/video watching laptop alone. With pen/2in1 style for art/commissions/drawing, etc. I'm not sure.
  
  Country: USA
  
  Screen size: Any
  
  Screen resolution: 1080p
  
  Touch screen: For art I need this I imagine, the other laptop I will let it loose if I get a better picture.
  
  Weight: Any

Alternate suggestions in your price range as well-

Acer Predator Helios 300 (2018 model)- great value with good 15in144hz screen, gtx 1060, newest i7 processor, and fast sdd storage for only $1200. Can get pretty hot when doing lots of gaming and only comes with 256GB storage (can easily add extra storage though) and keyboard is not RGB, it only has red lighting
https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-i7-8750H-Overclockable-PH315-51-78NP/dp/B07CTHLX8C/

HP omen- can get either 15 or 17 in with good 144hz HD screen or even 4k screen, also GTX 1060 graphics and newest i7 processor, can choose different amounts of super fast ssd storage, anywhere from about $1300 to about $2k depending on options on HP's website, or can just look on amazon for different ones though options are more limited like this one- https://www.amazon.com/HP-17-inch-Anti-Glare-i7-8750H-17-an120nr/dp/B07D961VDH/

Asus ROG Strix Scar Edition- great 17 inch screen with 120hz, also GTX 1060 graphics and newest i7 cpu, 256GB super fast ssd+ 1tb slower hybrid hdd for about $1500- https://www.amazon.com/GL703GS-DS74-8th-Gen-i7-8750H-Processor-FireCuda/dp/B07BPB3FL5

I've seen some pretty recent recommendations for the Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575-33BM ( https://www.amazon.com/Acer-E5-575-33BM-15-6-Inch-Notebook-Generation/dp/B01K1IO3QW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8) in the 300-400 category, but I noticed that you instead recommend the E5-576-392H. Any particular reason? Downsides to the latter from what I understand include no backlit keyboard (unlike the 33BM) and mismatched RAM (a 4gb and 2gb). Any thing else worth comparing between them?

I'm definitely not an expert, just shopping around for myself (mostly, I want a Windows computer that is durable, able to run a little light gaming if possible like Minecraft or a program like Finale, at least 15 inch screen, and will last me a while as I use it mainly for internet access to my work, for which I definitely want a numpad).

If you have any particular recommendations for me, I'd love to hear them! I'm honestly a little bit overwhelmed at the moment.

Notes:

Been searching for a laptop with a $200-350ish budget for the past few days. (I have a powerful desktop so I just wanted something to play around on while laying down/outside the house)

Through my research this is the best you're going to find for the sale price.

This laptop is meant for internet browsing, low/medium resource programs like microsoft office etc, and especially if you want something for light gaming

If you don't care about gaming in the slightest - look elsewhere, imo

The only flaw is the hard drive size. However, an SSD is excellent to put your operating system on, and also your most used programs.

Put all your pictures/music/etc on an external drive or in the cloud or something?

2nd place was this: https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i3-7100U-Windows-E5-575-33BM/dp/B01K1IO3QW/

(Half the ram, and no SSD is the major flaw.)

Just thought I'd share. Hope I helped someone, good luck.


Here is a video of someone playing overwatch on the acer aspir (my 2nd choice): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZO4rUO6c3I

Just to show what this laptop can do for gaming. You will get pretty much the exact same / slightly better performance for gaming. Only difference is the game will launch faster.

Hi, you'll get excellent support with the ThinkPad X1 Extreme since it is a business grade device, but if you are willing to sacrifice a bit of that support for better specs, the Gigabyte Aero 15 is probably good for you too. It has a more powerful GTX 1660 Ti graphics card and better cooling.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-GeForce-Backlit-G3-571-77QK/dp/B06Y4GZS9C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504952128&sr=8-1&keywords=gaming+laptop+under+1200

This here is an Acer Helios 300 laptop. This is a very good laptop for the price. and it has all the things required for a great gaming experience. The battery gaming is 4 hours. And with regular use expect 7. The Graphics card is a GTX 1060 6GB. Which is amazingly good for gaming. If you are not a geek like me this graphics card is a new late 2016 early 2017 gaming designed graphics card for high settings gaming. Since you are using euros the conversion would make it 1200 US so you have 200$ savings. The CPU is also very good. the ram is 16GB DDR4 which is super fast. So overall it is a good laptop for your price range.


On the site, it will provide other information such as ports. and other specifications about the laptop. Each laptop comes with 2-year warranty. And I advise that you don't buy the 4 years as it is not that useful. It's also metal chassis so very tough and durable. It is also international shipping. Which you will find handy since I assume that you reside in a European country.


If you have any more questions about laptops in the 1000$ price range or any other questions be free to ask me.

For video editing and gaming its best you get something with a quad core cpu, and good memory. a great choice would be the Acer Predator helios 300 which come with a great dedicated gtx 1060 gpu. it will be difficult to get a laptop with a good dedicated gpu and a 4k display, that is within budget.

This Acer Swift 3 would be a perfect fit; It has a powerful 8th gen quad core i5 processor, 8 GB RAM, fast SSD and a decent MX 150 dedicated graphics card that will run the games you have mentioned very well. Apart from that , it has a decent IPS display, solid backlit keyboard and a very good 10 hours battery life. One thing I know you will love is it's slim and tough all metal body and of course,at 14 inches and weighing a little under 4 pounds, it is very portable.

Budget <$500

Size 13-15 (prefer small side)

Weight under 4lbs

Daughter is a freshman at Harvey Mudd. All majors are STEM. Leaning toward engineering major but enjoying her current CS class. As of now they are using python and visual studio code (?). They don’t choose majors until next year as everyone is currently in core (everyone takes same courses including something from all of the available majors). She doesn’t play video games. Desires good battery life, light, adequate functionality to see her through her education at a great price. She took a hand me down MacBook but it’s WiFi has bit the dust. At first it was just loose and a classmate opened it up and taped it back but now they say it’s just broken. I’m not there and don’t know much about computers but WiFi doesn’t work and it keeps not wanting to get software update that’s close to current.

Looking at this. Would prefer 8GB and 256ssd but this would probably work and has good reviews but she thinks it’s big.
Acer Aspire 5 Slim

While there aren't any exceptional deals on a laptop under 500 currently available right now to share with you, i want to let you know that the laptop above is far from a good deal as another redditor had said.

if I were you I would keep lurking here for a bit more and you'll come upon a very good one.

AS AN EXAMPLE (not telling you to get this one but if YOU ABSOLUTELY NEEDED TO GET IT RIGHT NOW) this would be far better [but not the best] than what you posted: https://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-17-BS061ST-17-3-Laptop-Intel-i3-7100u-2-4GHz-1TB-SATA-8GB-DDR4-Windows-10/263680255536?hash=item3d64916630:g:~iYAAOSwEMxa9j8A%3A~iYAAOSwEMxa9j8A&afepn=5337259887&rmvSB=true

EDIT: Here are some above average deals that would satisfy your budget and would provide you with the best user experience. These laptops I can recommend wholeheartedly.
https://www.costco.com/Dell-Inspiron-15-5000-Touchscreen-Laptop---Intel-Core-i5---1080p---Black.product.100403679.html

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0762S8PYM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_FgGbBb3MKPXJ7

Just two weeks ago a superior model of this laptop was on sale from Amazon for $599. Same processor and RAM (and I assume the same screen), but double the SSD space and a better graphics card. That same model is now $706 at Amazon.

Honestly, if you're considering an L340, it's probably better to spend the extra ~$90 and get the better model from Amazon.

sure happy I that I can assist you in that area :-). I recommend getting the Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop, 15.6" Full HD, Intel Core i7-7700HQ CPU, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, GeForce GTX 1060-6GB, VR Ready, Red Backlit KB, Metal Chassis, G3-571-77QK or the ASUS FX503VM 15.6” FHD Powerful Gaming Laptop, Intel Core i7-7700HQ Quad-Core 2.8GHz (Turbo up to 3.8GHz), 3GB GTX 1060, 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD, 16GB DDR4, Windows 10. They are both great because I am an acer fan :-) I would go with the acer.

Looking to upgrade my young son’s laptop. He mainly plays Roblox, but will likely branch out as he gets older. Looking for something that will be decent for a few years. Thank you!

Budget: $300-$400

Country: USA

Screen size: 14+

Screen resolution: Good for games

Touch screen: Not important

Weight: Not important

Been looking at these from this thread. Let me know if any one stands out as the best:

$300 range:

Acer Aspire E 15, 15.6" Full HD, 8th Gen Intel Core i3-8130U, 6GB RAM Memory, 1TB HDD, 8X DVD, E5-576-392H

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i3-8130U-Memory-E5-576-392H/dp/B079TGL2BZ

Or

Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6 inches Full HD IPS Display, AMD Ryzen 3 3200U, Vega 3 Graphics, 4GB DDR4, 128GB SSD, Backlit Keyboard, Windows 10 in S Mode, A515-43-R19L

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Display-Graphics-Keyboard-A515-43-R19L/dp/B07RF1XD36

One tier up:

ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop, 15.6" FHD, Intel Core i3-8145U CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Windows 10 in S Mode, F512FA-AB34, Slate Gray

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-VivoBook-i3-8145U-Windows-F512FA-AB34/dp/B07RK5M35T

Best Buy also has this one:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-17-3-laptop-intel-core-i5-8gb-memory-256gb-solid-state-drive-jet-black-maglia-pattern/6356671.p?skuId=6356671

Walmart has:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-14-Laptop-Intel-10th-Gen-Core-i5-1035G1-8GB-SDRAM-256GB-SSD-16GB-Intel-Optane-memory-Natural-Silver-14-dq1039wm/569648772

This Acer Swift 3 with the new 8th gen i5 processor, 8 GB RAM, MX 150 GRAPHICS card, fast 256 GB SSD and beautiful 1080p IPS display, will do the job for you... It will run those photo editing applications very well and play Overwatch, WoW, , Path of Exile etc on high settings... It also is pretty light weighted and has an excellent battery life.

Budget: $750

Country: USA - San Francisco

Screen size:15.6

Screenresolution: 1080

Touch screen: No

Weight: Doesn't matter

So I want something for gaming like: 1080 60Hz screen, 8 GB RAM (pref 16GB), 512 gb ssd(pref) or 1TB HD and a gtx 1050 to a gtx 1650(pref). Something like Lenovo Ideapad L340 Gaming Laptop would be ideal. Or Asus TUF FX505DT Gaming Laptop. Would like 16 GB Ram but it might be hard at that price range.

The thing is I'm not from USA and a friend is travelling to San Francisco on December, he'll buy the laptop from a local store. I need advice on which stores offer good deals, I know there's a bestbuy store close but would like a second option if there is one. Thanks!

Budget: ~500 to 600 (up to 900 depending on how convincing I can be)

Country: US

Screen size: 13'-15' would be good. Nothing too big

Screen resolution: Anything really

Touch screen: Would be nice to have but not needed

Weight: Under 4 lb please

Main purpose of laptop: School and Gaming

If you will be gaming, what are the most demanding games you will play and at what settings? Rocket League maybe, Risk of Rain 2 Definitely

Is battery life an issue? Not really

Other notes: I need some good reasons for buying the computer too, for when my parents try to convince me to buy something cheaper. i.e this one's on sale or this one doesn't have any sales tax

​

Edit: Currently looking at https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/yoga/700-series/Yoga-730-15/p/88YG7000965 ,

https://store.asus.com/us/item/201902AM050000002 and https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7 ; some of these break some of the guidelines I set for myself and I don't know which would be better

The predator helios 300 was recently on sale for $900 as part of prime day. It's now back to $1050 so a bit over budget but it is one of the most recommended values as it does sport a 1060. It may go on sale again, but I' not sure.

If you value being able to take the laptop with you on the go, without the charger, the dell will last you the longest on battery power. I believe they advertise about 11 hours of standard use.

Both laptops are fairly popular, and I've been able to play with both at some local stores. I'd recommend trying to go and see them in person if you can.


The Acer laptop:
https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-Helios-GeForce-G3-571-77QK/dp/B06Y4GZS9C

The Acer Aspire E series E5-576-392H is the laptop to go for. It has a FHD screen, 4K is a unicorn at this price range

Screen Size : 15 inches

Processor : Core i3-8130U

Graphics : Intel HD Graphics

RAM : 6 GB

Weight : 5.27 lbs

Storage Type : 1 TB HDD

This laptop has a fair amount of RAM for its price and you can add more in the future as well easily. The same can be said about storage as you can easily add a SSD for the laptop to boot faster and load programs. It has a clean 1080p display which is also good for the price.

Build wise it has a plastic chassis which is pretty much what you would expect for those price range

As for gaming, it can manage emulators and older titles

I buying a new laptop and I need some help. It’s currently between the Helios 300: ($1,100)
https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-i7-9750H-Keyboard-PH315-52-78VL/dp/B07QXLFLXT/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=helios+300&qid=1570050346&sr=8-3

And the Elikyronics N970TF: ($1,500)
https://www.amazon.com/Eluktronics-N970TF-Desktop-Powered-Gaming/dp/B07TSC6LMZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=laptop+2070&qid=1570049879&sr=8-1

I want the best value for money, they both have very good reviews online/YouTube. The Eluktroniks comes with a i5-9400 CPU while the Helios has a i7-9750h. Which cpu is better for gaming? And which laptop would you pick overall for value when it come to gaming only. (17” is more appealing to me as I will be using at home mostly but can’t find Helios with good deal 17”)

Thanks guys

The 899 Helios still available.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-Overclockable-Aeroblade-PH315-51-78NP/dp/B07CTHLX8C/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?keywords=Helios+1060&qid=1563283223&s=electronics&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&sr=8-1-fkmr1

Quite frankly, still no better deal. For 899$, it's a no brainer. But if the 999$ 1660 Ti version comes back in stock - I may break.

Here's what I'd do for the BEST price.

Giftcard yourself 25$. Get 5$ credit. Add the the remaining 876$ to your Amazon Giftcard balance. 2% back. So 17.50$ back. Amazon has that promotion buy anything over 25$, get 5$ free. Bam. Best savings.

I would seriously appreciate some help deciding between some of these options:





ACER Predator Helios


[ACER Aspire] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LD8TFVH)

Razer Blade

MSI GV62

My priorities are:

1. GPU
   
   
2. CPU
   
   
3. Display
   
   
4. Price
   
   
5. SSD with added HDD
   
   
6. Less "Gamer" form-factor, I'll be bringing this unit along in a professional workplace environment
   
   

• Total budget and country of purchase:
  ~$1,000, in the U.S.
  
  
• Do you prefer a 2 in 1 form factor, good battery life or best specifications for the money? Pick or include any that apply.
  Best specs for the money
  
  
• How important is weight and thinness to you?
  not important

The best value for money laptop at that budget is the

Acer Aspire E 15 Amazon|Acer Aspire 5 Newegg

· 15.6" Full HD IPS

· 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U version

· GeForce MX150,

· 8GB RAM Memory,

· 256GB SSD

This Acer E15 laptop comes with an 8th gen quad core i5 or i7 processor which is great for CAD and cpu intensive works (i7 versions costs around $100 more). With the MX150 graphics card you will have a much better gaming experience than with a GeForce 940MX. FHD IPS display is also good for its price

The ASUS FX502VM I would say is very high priced relative to how poor its display is (low-quality-TN with poor contrast and viewing angles in a $1000+ laptop), and at this point it really doesn't offer anything substantial over the alternatives with decent displays.

• http://www.eluktronics.com/N850HP6 (72% NTSC IPS display)
  
• https://www.pro-star.com/n850hc-349.html (45% NTSC IPS display or optional 72% NTSC IPS display)
  
• https://lpc-digital.com/product/sager-np7950-clevo-n950kp6/ (I don't know if the display is 45% NTSC or 72% NTSC; upgradable desktop CPU in a laptop)
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-GeForce-Backlit-G3-571-77QK/dp/B06Y4GZS9C/ (45% NTSC IPS, some users have had lightbleed issues on their panel but that doesn't affect all units, and it's a warranty-applicable issue)
  
• http://www.dell.com/en-us/member/shop/laptops-2-in-1-computers/inspiron-15-7577-laptop/spd/inspiron-15-7577-laptop (45% NTSC IPS, 1060MQ so like 12% or so lower than the full 1060, but the 3GB 1060 in the FX502VM is also lower than the full 6GB one in terms of core count, so I'm not sure how they directly compare. Value probably optimal up to ~$1200 or so due to the MQ and due to the IPS display not being 72% NTSC)
  
• http://www.eluktronics.com/p650-RTS-512gb-16gb (72% NTSC IPS, 512GB SSD, and great build quality but slightly more)
  
  Affiliate links I think can be OK if they're done in the proper channels and they serve as an incentive to provide solid advice, rather than just to make money by perpetuating existing confusing marketing. From my observations links to the FX502VM seem to be one of the biggest issues for the latter use of affiliate links. There's hardly a case where I'd actually recommend the model.

Budget: Up to $800

Country: International shipping

Screen size: At least 13"

Screen resolution: At least 1080

Touch screen: Indifferent

Weight: Less than 3 kg

​

I'm looking for a light/medium gaming laptop, and the best one I've found so far is the L340 that was posted last week, which I really like, but I'm afraid a different 1650 laptop will be cheaper by black friday, or even a 1660 one, and as money is tight, I would like to optimize this decision.

Are there any better laptops for this price range, should I wait for black friday or should I just buy this one while it's $700?

I'd say this model of the Acer Swift 3 is your best bet without knowing your budget:

• i5 + MX150 is an amazing combo that'll get you about 60 FPS on high settings, so I imagine you'd easily get 100+ FPS on low settings
  
• 14" 1080p IPS display
  
• All aluminum build
  
• 256 GB SSD
  
• 8 GB RAM
  
• Backlit keyboard
  
• Weighs less than 4 pounds
  
  Best of all, it's only $800. I'd honestly say that this is the best overall laptop under $1000 right now. Sure, there's more powerful laptops around or below this price but none are nearly as portable. Trust me, I've looked. Only real downside I can see is no ethernet port, but you can buy a cheap USB adapter for that.

Which is better? This ^

This:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07RJ687N3/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile $349

Or this:
https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Display-Graphics-Keyboard-A515-43-R19L/dp/B07RF1XD36/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp?keywords=laptop&pd_rd_i=B07RF1XD36&pd_rd_r=97a653c2-efca-43b4-9f57-9df9cb6c1760&pd_rd_w=WvIwB&pd_rd_wg=9vLTj&pf_rd_p=d006b618-5fac-44e6-850d-a0fdd19f7847&pf_rd_r=SG0B1P79CMECJC7N7CA2&qid=1567091843&s=gateway $319

Also which has the best graphics?
Edit: Nvm I think Intel uhd 620 is better than Vega 3 idk...O.o Somebody help me pick one.

Here is the post I tried to make previously but it was snagged by the automod. Hopefully it works this time. I copied links from previous mod posts so I have no idea why it wouldn't work.

From what I've found, there are very limited options for laptops with decent dedicated graphics cards + large WH batteries. I mostly use my laptop while traveling and outlets can be hard to come by. You do get a few options at the top end of your price range:

gigabyte Aero 15 (https://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-AERO-15-Classic-YA-U96ASP-i9-9980HK/dp/B07QS8T7HM) and MAG-15 (https://www.amazon.com/Eluktronics-MAG-15-GeForce-Mechanical-Keyboard/dp/B07X6MJ4X7). both have 90+ Wh batteries and 'slim' form factors.

Similarly, reduced specs but better batter life gets you into MSI prestige 15 range (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WLTLDKN/) which can do some light gaming as well. It's slightly more affordable but in-depth reviews have been slow to roll out. Also, the Dell Vostro and Dell XPS laptops come with GTX1650 max-q cards and H series processors + Large batteries. (https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-laptops-and-notebooks/new-vostro-15-7590-laptop/spd/vostro-15-7590-laptop/cav157w10pc1004) (https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-laptops-and-notebooks/new-xps-15-7590-laptop/spd/xps-15-7590-laptop/cax15wp1c1653p)

Budget: less is best. but preferably under 500-400 usd

Country: USA

Screen size: does not matter

Screen resolution: does not matter

Touch screen: does not matter

Weight: does not matter

I will be surfing the internet, streaming shows illegally, torrent movies from sketchy pirate sites. I will occasionally grab my hands on some naughty-naughty movies which I feel have ruined past laptop with virus and malware.

That is all. I have dreams of using excel and being proficient but have yet to try. I have an amazon merch account which allows me to put my graphic designs on t-shirts, but I have yet to even look for a program that can do this.

I don't play games cause I have a phone with PUBG mobile and the new Call of Duty.

I am looking at this laptop from the sticky post up above.

Thank you for everyone helping here.

​

btw my old laptop is from 2015 and the video driver keeps crashing more frequently. It has crashed twice since posting this .

I'd try to save up as much as you can as the best bang for your buck is right at that 600-700 dollar line. Building her a PC will be the cheapest, but a good laptop that can run Overwatch well is 700USD. Get the money, you can wait. When you got the money, if you NEED a laptop, here's a beyond solid: https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Nitro-i5-7300HQ-GeForce-AN515-51-55WL/dp/B074Q54GSR/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1510373657&sr=1-2&keywords=acer+nitro+5

here is another option lower specs but still good for gaming and great price https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074Q54GSR/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510888741&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=acer+nitro+5&dpPl=1&dpID=51jn9S7pQOL&ref=plSrch

hey, i'm sorry for getting back on thread again, and again.


but, what do you think about Aces Predator Helios 300 over Lenovo Legion yk7/Eluktronics. It seems to have the same specs at $1000 bucks, but 4.1 Hz over-locked, and 144 Hz fps ( also, to keep in mind that the look of it ain't that great (pretty aggressive), and over-heats a lot apparently).

do you think 60 hz, 120 hz, and 144 hz would make a difference in the process of rendering, animation, or film editing? or do you think 60 Hz is good enough?


as a final question, i'm just really curious to whether waiting till cyber monday would change, or bring any further drops in the prices of these?, and does 'back-ordered' automatically imply that they wouldn't run out of stock? thank you so so much.

Most chromebooks have very low storage on their machine, but you can easily use thumbdrives or SD cards if you need additional memory though. Curious why you need so much storage with a chomebook? They're mainly used for documents and web browsing which doesn't take up much.

If you'd prefer a Windows machine and go a bit over budget, I hear good things about this machine for the price range: https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1526563269&sr=1-3&keywords=acer

• Budget: 2000 USD
  
• Country: USA
  
• Screen Size: 15" or 17"
  
• Screen Resolution: 1080P
  
• Touch Screen: No
  
  ​
  
  Looking for a gaming laptop, I would use this exclusively for gaming. Ideally I'd like the laptop to have high build quality, good keyboard. Gaming performance trumps most things, I'd like it to be reasonably future proof and can support VR games. Don't care at all about mouse pad or sound.
  
  ​
  
  A few options I'm currently weighing:
  
  - MSI GS65 STEALTH THIN-037: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/msi-15-6-gaming-laptop-intel-core-i7-16gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-gtx-1070-512gb-solid-state-drive-matte-black-with-gold-diamond-cut/6211741.p?skuId=6211741
  
  - Lenovo Legion Y545: https://www.costco.com/Lenovo-LEGION-Y545-Gaming-Laptop---Intel-Core-i7---GeForce-GTX-1660Ti---1080p.product.100492301.html
  
  - Asus Zephyrus S: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G5Z9H8R
  
  - Acer Predator Helios 300 2019: https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-i7-9750H-Keyboard-PH315-52-78VL/dp/B07QXLFLXT
  
  ​
  
  Are any of these above an obvious pick? Would also be open to any other suggestions!

I think there are better deals out there. The GTX 960M is an okay graphics card but not worth it for $700. Since black friday is coming up, I would wait to see if you can get a laptop with the GTX 1050ti or at least a 1050 for around $700. Also, an i5 processor would suffice if you're just looking to game and handle normal tasks.

So far, these are great laptops at a similar price (you decide if they look professional or not):

• http://store.hp.com/us/en/ConfigureView?orderItemId=102711933&catEntryId=1736153&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&contractId=10003&storeId=10151&fromURL=AjaxOrderItemDisplayView&ctoCacheInvalidationCnt=0.15598069125399983&selectedRecommConfig=recConfig1 ($575.99)
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0756MBY4B ($749.99)
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072QT88DG ($739.99)
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074Q54GSR ($747.80)
  
  I didn't take into account the battery life of each laptop, so you may want to research that a bit.

I'm looking for the best laptop around $500 that offers durability and productivity and the best I've found is this ASUS VivoBook 15 (AMD 3500U, 8GB ram, Vega 8 GPU). Are there any other laptops that I should look at before pulling the trigger?

​

The other option that I was looking at was this Acer (i5-8265U, 8GB ram, integrated gpu).

Should I get the Legion By Lenovo Y540 15.6" Gaming Laptop, Intel Core i7-9750H, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti 6GB Graphics Card, 16GB RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD, Black, 81SX00B5US


Or the

Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop PC, 15.6 inches Full HD 144Hz 3ms IPS Display, Intel i7-9750H, GTX 1660 Ti 6GB, 16GB DDR4, 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD, Backlit Keyboard, PH315-52-78VL

I don't like the y540 cause of the plastic bulid and the fact it runs hotter than the helios 300, but I like it because it is much quiter.
And I don't like the helios 300 because of the noise level, but it runs cooler than the y540. Any suggestions please :)

Ok for a GTX 1060 under 1500 Canadian dollars I ended up only finding a GTX 1060 Max Q from Dell. It cost 1399.99 and is weaker than a normal 1060 but still better than a 1050 ti.

http://www.dell.com/en-ca/shop/dell-laptops-netbooks-and-tablets/new-inspiron-15-7000-gaming/spd/inspiron-15-7577-laptop/ni157577_bt_h618e

That laptop's asking price in the US is 881.99 so it might cheaper to buy it from US and import it over. Also since there is promo code and such which will help lower the cost.

http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/new-inspiron-15-7000-gaming/spd/inspiron-15-7577-laptop/fncwfs604h

However if you want a normal GTX 1060 and not the Max Q version. You might want to consider the Acer Predator Helios 300. It cost 1050 USD from the US amazon.

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-i7-7700HQ-1060-6GB-G3-571-77QK/dp/B06Y4GZS9C

From Acer website: https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/predator-model/NH.Q28AA.001

Just jumped on the Helios 300 which dropped back down to 999. I remember people being pretty excited when it hit that price point on prime day, is this still viewed as a good deal?

If you want to spend a little more for a system with similar specs but with a better graphics card, this might be good https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7

Maybe the Acer Aspire E5? Granted with that budget it’ll be hard getting something that plays games well but overwatch, CSGO, and League should be ok on this. It has a gen 8 i3 with turbo boost up to 3.4 GHz and a standard intel UHD 620. Also has supposedly 13.5 hours of battery which is a plus.