Hello all,
I'm no tech savvy person and have no clue on what laptop to purchase.
What I'm looking for is something I can use for general purpose (web browsing and doing assignments etc) also would probably use it a bit for gaming (sims, lol).
Budget would be around $1000 at the max.
I've had a look around and have no clue what I'm meant to look out for. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Ok cool, any suggestions on which one?
msy
any one of their i5 acer for around 500-600
Ok cool, any suggestions on which one?
If you are not tech savvy and dont want to be too reliant on others then look at a Mac. With student pricing you should be ok with just a fraction over the $1K budget for a very light to carry unit.
If you have a good support base of friends then PC will be cheaper.
There are more games with the PC, though sims are fairly well covered with the Mac.
Again look at what your friends have.
If you go PC then you will get some good advice here.
Unless you have a very good reason, go for a Macbook Air 13". Its the best combination of quality and performance anywhere near that price point, and its a great daily drive. You can get it for just above $1000 when its on sale. It will last you way longer than a cheap Windows laptop, and you'll get good resale value if you decide to sell it.
If you buy a Windows laptop, for the love of god go second hand. For $1000 you could pick up a brilliant business class or enthusiast laptop, maybe even with some remaining warranty. If you buy new, you'll (figuratively) lose $300 just walking out of the shop.
That's a great laptop. The SSDs are the fastest you can get anywhere near that price range, the screen res is OK for a machine that size, and the onboard graphics are superb for that price range without going for something really bulky. Processor and battery life are also unbeatable.
My only concerns are the RAM is not at all and the SSD is very hard/uneconomical to upgrade; at at some point you'll need an external drive, or a very good thumbdrive/SD drive.
Ok here's some very good reasons. You pay for the brand name of Mac than actually paying for the hardware. Surprisingly, Sims does take up enough computing power, nope not as much as running Crysis at max, but good enough.
I would look at www.afforablelaptops.com.au and find a laptop from there.
Clevo/Metabox are really good quality laptops with impressive specs. Search around Whirlpool or even posts here about their reputation.
Perhaps you can point to some benchmarks or specs that will prove that a clevo at around $950 to $1100 outperforms a MacBook Air at productivity, gaming or battery life?
I like clevos for their expandability but spec for spec they are more expensive than macs. I think the main reason is the deals apple gets with suppliers due to volume.
Compare this Macbook Pro: Cheapest MacBook Pro to do any bit of gaming. $1349
http://store.apple.com/au/buy-mac/macbook-pro?product=MD101X…
With this Metabox: Metabox W230SS laptop by Clevo
http://www.affordablelaptops.com.au/contents/en-us/d43_gamin…
Scroll down to the first Metabox for $1399.
Add $99 more to add Win 8.1 or Win 7 to the Metabox, so for an extra $149 you are getting:
Now you know when I say you are paying for the brand name when purchasing a Mac? :)
I know what you are saying, but I don't agree with you. If someone's main purpose for a laptop was gaming, my first comment would be, wouldn't you be better off with desktop for gaming. My second comment would be buy a Clevo or a Razer if you are rich enough to waste money on a gaming laptop. Or go second hand: my own Dell Precision "mobile workstation" suits my gaming needs just fine.
But the OP wanted a general purpose laptop for around $1000. Apple owns this space. What does Clevo offer for around $1000-$1100? Nothing near as sweet as your example unless you stumble on a (very) occasional great deal. And certainly nothing that will outrun or outlast a Macbook Air 13".
Your suggestion would be true for the first part of OP's requirements, for surfing websites and uni work. To be honest, if that's the only two purpose the OP needs a platform, she can buy a $200 Android tablet which will do those two perfectly well. Google drive for all your assignment work and Chrome for web surfing.
When you add the part of 'bit of gaming' into the requirement, your Mac book Air will not cut it. It will last, as a web surfing platform. But will it last playing older and newer games? If tomorrow the OP wants to play 'some other game along with Sims' will the sub $1000 Macbook Air hold it's place there?
There are some things a Mac does really well. Gaming however, is not one of those things.
And $1350 isn't a hardcore gaming rig config. Hell my graphics card setup costs more than that.
And not just Macs, unless there's a deal, I would always go for a Clevo/Metabox over a branded laptop, like I would always go for an assembled desktop over a branded pre-configured.
You can do what agito did and choose a Lenovo X230T. Business-class laptop, not your cheap mainstream computer.
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/146920
You can also add an additional 3 cell battery for only $29 bucks, allowing you to use the laptop for a lot longer (since batteries are consumables and wear out after some time, having a second battery is useful)
It's an ideal choice for students and also powerful enough to run Sims.
This is a great deal but like any major purchase you should check it out in real life before buying.
Thanks for all the suggestion gals and guys! Will definitely have a browse around with the suggestions you've all given!
I've seen catch of the day selling the 4th gen i7 HP envys with a real GPU for 1000-1099. These are pretty good bang for buck as most 4th gen i7s with dedicated GPUs cost 1.5k
Edit - seems they are selling the same one right now for 1.3k, prob not worth it. If you see it on there for 1099 its probably worth it, the envy is basically a top of the range laptop before you go into gaming territory.
Also a macbook air will not be sufficient to run the Sims (esp the one coming out soon), they are basically powerful netbooks.
If you are really strapped for cash you can find cheap refurbs or ex-gov stores, but I prefer to buy new with a decent warranty.
Yeah I've tried playing sims 3 on my MacBook Pro and definitely not sufficient. Do you think I should look into iMac's? Or it would be just a waste?
Do you think I should look into iMac's?
iMac is a desktop.
Macbook Air is a lightweight 'ultrabook', it's main role is for work, however with Intel iris HD5000 graphics, it can handle a little bit of gaming, just don't expect the graphics to be mind blowing or anything.
If you must have a Macbook, get the refurbed Air.
Macbook Pros are out of your budget, even refurbed ones. Windows-based business class laptops can be had for $1000 ish and provide the same level of, or sometimes better performance than a Macbook Pro 13.
What's an example of a windows business class laptop which has faster disk, processor and graphics or better battery life than the MacBook Air for $1000? I am genuinely curious. I have looked closely at latitudes and while you can get a great deal reconditioned, they just aren't that cheap.
Nearly all have faster CPU and GPUs than a mac book air for 1000. The envy that catch was selling for 1099 is about the same as a macbook pro that costs 3k.
Macs have a rediculous markup everyone knows this, your never getting value for money. They are a premium brand like beats headphones.
Before you start the typical war with inanne comments like the above, just keep in mind that CPU and GPU's speed isnt all that everyone wants or needs.
Like cars etc, its how its used. If you for example use a virus protection program as recommended on a PC, this uses your CPU clock cycle etc.
So read the OP's post first and discover what she needs etc before making generalised statements.
Macs are simply easier to use for those who dont have computer experience. It limits what can be modified, which for a power user is a big limit, but for someone who doesnt have that desire or need it means nothing.
Macs hold their resale value more, so whole of life costs come into play.
If you have a PC already then switching to Mac costs as you have to upgrade your software, often buying new versions, an added cost. Likewise switch from Mac to PC adds cost.
So dont be Rediculous (ridiculous) your opinion on value doesnt stack up for everyone. Help the OP dont just come here to spout your religion.
Links and specs please?
—-double post
Indeed, but since we are talking about a 1k computer that needs to be able to play the new sims game, I dont think a macbook air is going to cut it and cheaper macbook pros are in the same regard, having no real GPU.
And sorry, I dont see it as anything but logical to say macs are not value for money. They simply are not, they are made with the same parts and come with a huge markup. They are a premium brand through and through. I'm not saying that are bad at all, but they simply offer a different os (which still controls pretty much the exact same way), which browses the internet and types word documents the exact same way. They are not impervious to viruses, that was true like 10 years ago when no one onwed one, not nowdays. It's simple, if you are trying to get the best value for money computer, it isnt going to be a mac, ever. Most of the pluses and negatives you offer are pretty misinformed and outdated. There is no big difference in either, except for the price, especially considering the things the OP is looking for.
"Macs have a ridiculous markup everyone knows this" is not an inane comment, it is a simple truth, and it was not worded in any way that seems intended to provoke any acrimony ("start a war") etc.
I mean it's not like he/she said (just for example): "Mac users tend to be deluded brain-washed folk who inexplicably spend way more than they need to, based on historical mantras they recite to each other as though they were gospel, and a misguided loyalty to 'all things apple'" (which may or may not be true).
I agree with what R14 actually did say, 100%.
OK, the op asked for a laptop around $1000 for general use and a bit of gaming. Raccoon suggested one for $979. Please suggest a specific, available laptop that will outrun a macbook air 13" for general use and light gaming.
The one scrimshaw suggested has some interesting features that you don't get on Macs, but it won't outrun or outlast the Macbook Air for general use or a bit of gaming. Can you do better? If you spec out a $1500 clevo, please send $500 to the op.
And sorry, I dont see it as anything but logical to say macs are not value for money. They simply are not, they are made with the same parts and come with a huge markup
If it's so damn logical, how about you actually post some links to prove your case. I posted a topic on the shitty state of Ultrabooks a while back, and virtually none of the ~130 odd comments could come up with a better value alternative that was easily available in Australia. I'm not an Apple fanboy by any means - but it's highly likely that my next computer is going to be a Mac because they have quality specs for the price and are without a doubt built to a higher level of quality than most any plain notebook out there - and they are much cheaper than your average ultrabook here in Australia.
Now, whether a Macbook Air is as appropriate as a different notebook for these circumstances is completely debatable, and I'm not even arguing that a MBA might be the best choice for the OP, but casting out blanket statements like 'Macs are overpriced and nothing but a logo' is just plain asinine.
I have been grappling with the thought of getting a Macbook Air for much of the same reasons….I have been looking for months for a light weight ultrabook with decent battery life. I have found little out there for the $ which seems to offer the value the 13.3" MBA has. At the same time, I am not keen to get onto the OS X camp since I prefer the overall 'freedom' that I get with a Windows OS and the many applications I can find out there to fit my needs (and are usually free).
I would really love it if someone could point out a real alternative to the MBA for about the same $.
For me the laptop will be used something for work and productivity activities, media viewing and surfing the web. Gaming is not a consideration as I made the mistake with my previous laptop to get something capanle of light to moderate gaming…..the result ended up being thst I still continued to use my desktop and PS3 for gaming, and instead yearned for a laptop with better than 2 hours battery life.
I would love it too. But they can't because there is nothing.
But never mind, a patient buyer can always pick up a second hand Acer or Asus for a song because they drop in value so fast.
Bluedez-man
Maybe as some do, you can run windows on the MBA, for the apps not available in MacOS
I understand the issue about the freedom to mod the system, that comes with the PC, but as you know with Gaming, do you really need this ability on your travel system.
Not saying you dont, but just following your Gaming logic to another degree.
This is similar to the CEO of the organisation I work for. He uses the MBA for business trips, but has the PC on his desktop, where custom apps are not available on the Mac.
He rarely needs access to those PC apps while travelling, and at home, he just remotely accesses his PC with the air for viewing the info from those programs.
Thanks RockyRaccon (as voiced by Bradley Cooper?), you do make a very valid and good point.
At this time I'm going to monitor how the prices for laptops go over the next few weeks….perhaps a gem may come out as part of the various EOFY sales. Or who knows….Dicksmith may somehow release another coupon code which (wishful thinking) actually discounts the MBA, or someone else has a good option come up.
MacBook Pro and definitely not sufficient
This all depends on how old this is. Macbook pro's were introduced in 2006 so it could be 8 years old.
My guess is yours is fairly old otherwise why have you considered updating
Any 8 year old computer of any type would struggle compared to a modern unit.
I play sims on a macbook air (1 year old) and its fine. Only limit is the screen size compared to playing say on a desktop with a 27in screen
Plus swapping from your current OS (Mac) will add complexity to your life. (I would say the same if you were a PC user switching to Mac)
My MacBook Pro is 2011. The game just lags for most part
Have you downloaded a lot of add ins? You could try upgrading your pro to an ssd and at least 4gb of ram and see if that helps. My daughter is very happy with Sims 3 on a 2010 dell with very similar to your Macbook pro.
No I haven't. Will try again with an update. Thanks for the advice!
And pay Apple mark-up for the said SSD and RAM. :|
You only need to pay the apple markup when buying the current models. If you upgrade an old Mac, you can buy standard ram and sad. The new retina and airs have fixed ram, and while their ssds are very much faster than anything else available, they are a big pain to upgrade.
See the thing is the new cheaper macbook pros have been dumbed down, no longer containing real GPUs just the Intel intergrated HD 4/5000 things which are utter crap for anything beyond browsing the internet. A top of the range one might run the sims on low relatively OK, maybe you can ask people on a sims related website who are using it on such pcs/macs
Surface Pro 2!
My first suggestion would be that for the purposes you've stated, you don't need to spend anywhere near $1000. Closer to $500. Given that, you might as well get a new one/forget second-hand, so you have a solid warranty.