Is HP Envy 15-j005TU for ~$760 an amazing deal?

mls82 on 26/10/2013 - 09:27
Last edited 26/10/2013 - 10:25

Hi,

I work away from home and I've been looking around for a laptop for personal use on site. I don't think I will require a dGPU as I'll be predominantly using the laptop for web browsing, e-mails, videos, word, excel, AutoCAD LT, Linux VM's, and power system modeling (computer intensive iterative calculations) software rather than playing games.

I kept an eye out for any laptops with a 4th gen i7 for ~$750. So far I haven't found anything on OzB, officeworks, centrecom, msy, etc., so I checked a few NZ sites and found the Envy 15-j005TU (i7-4700MQ - seems to benchmark really well for mobile processors) for $855NZD (~$740AUD). You're looking at $900+ AUD in Australia for the same thing. Anyway, I can have this delivered to my parents in NZ and then sent to Aus for around about $20 which puts it to ~$760 all up.

Questions -

  1. Do you think this would be suitable for me, based on what I've wrote above? I'm undecided about the 1366x768 res because it will limit what I can do in AutoCAD, but I'm not sure how often I'd really use AutoCAD and that processor seems really good value for money. I couldn't care less about physical dimensions, weight, etc. as it'll be sitting on a desk.
  2. Software like AutoCAD is far more CPU intensive than GPU intensive, right? Would the Intel 4600 integrated graphics be fine for this, considering its max resolution (I won't be using an external monitor)? From what I've seen the Intel 4600 IG appears to fare reasonably well against some of the lower end dGPU's on laptops available in Aus for about the same price as this.
  3. Is there anything that would perform better in the $700-$800 region which can be sourced in Aus?
  4. Does anyone have any general feedback on the Envy series of laptops? I've read that they're really good but I've had issues with HP's running hot in the past. Having said that, my old HP didn't have a Haswell CPU and it did have a dGPU.

Source -

http://www.thegoodguys.co.nz/nzonlinestore/Hewlett_Packard_E…

edit: spelling

Computing 15.6inch Computer HP Laptop

Comments

  • hothed on 26/10/2013 - 16:03

    I use on board graphics for CAD on a gen 2 i5(desktop chip though). It's fine.

  • p1 ama on 27/10/2013 - 08:51

    I would be weary of that 1366*768 screen, but at this price I guess it's as good as you can get really.

  • DangerousDave on 27/10/2013 - 12:08

    The Power System Modelling sounds like something that could make use of a discreet GPU if it makes use of CUDA (NVidia only) or OpenCL to perform the calculations.

    Without going into too much detail, calculations that can be done by a GPU in this way can be a few times faster than doing them on the CPU (although if it's a low end GPU they can actually be slower this way). GPU's are not just for realtime 3D graphics these days!

    However, if the program you're using isn't written to attempt to use the GPU, then the biggest GPU in the world will just sit there idling while the CPU does all the work, so it really depends on the programs you're using.

    Similarly if you were using AutoCAD to, say, design houses, and then using something to render photorealistic pictures or animations of them, many (but by no means all) renderers can use the GPU to speed things up. But if you're not doing any rendering and just want the viewport to update quick enough while you manipulate things in AutoCAD, integrated graphics can do the job, assuming you don't have excessively large amounts of objects on screen at once.

    As you say, the screen resolution may limit you a bit in AutoCAD, but there are always trade offs when keeping to a budget.

    In the past I would have recommended you consider a DELL Vostro with i7 and FHD display like this one

    http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/106780

    But a quick look at the Dell site today shows that their current offers aren't anything like as good as they were back then in value or specs. The Gen 3 processors by all reports aren't much slower, the advantage of Gen 4 is mostly in extra battery life, but if you're going to sit it on a desktop most of the time that's not so important to you.

    Hope this helps!

  • mls82 on 27/10/2013 - 14:42

    Thanks for your advice guys.

    A member on whirlpool suggested a Lenovo from UMart. Lesser processor than the HP but has a dGPU. Same processor as the Dell, slightly better GPU but not FHD.

    http://www.umart.com.au/newindex28.phtml?id=10&bid=5&sid=140…

    I might look at getting the Lenovo if there is local stock, or have a more thorough look though their other offerings and those at MSY. Trying to customize something directly from Lenovo's website looks like it'd cost me atleast another $300.

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