Looks like there are several similar threads but here we go again.
I am looking for a laptop that's something in the middle of work and play. I work from home time to time, use it as my main device at home and would like to do some casual gaming on it as well. I won't necessarily be lugging it around so I'm flexible on the size. I do have some must-haves though, and some desirables as well. The reason for upgrading is mainly the screen resolution (1366x768) of my current e-waste laptop from work which is starting to play with my eyes (I work in the industry but hate wasting money on things like this for myself).
Must have:
- At least FHD screen, 1920x1080, I don't really care for more as I have a 4K laptop at work (which I don't feel like dragging home every day)
- At least an i5 or equivalent, dual core with HT will suffice
- Warranty, 1 year minimum, this rules out Xiaomis etc
- Replaceable SSD/HDD and RAM if going for a budget base configuration. 8G RAM will suffice, preferably with an upgrade option, 128/256GB SSD will be heaps. I don't mind whether it's SATA/M.2. I haven't looked at NVMe prices.
- Discreet GPU for casual gaming. Something along the lines of NVIDIA 950m series would be good I think, however recommendations are welcome here. AMD is out of the question though. I'm not looking to play the newest titles and am happy to play on low res (720p) and without AA etc, as long the frame rate is tolerable.
OR
- Integrated Intel HD Graphics that is performant enough. I haven't done much research on this but my gut feeling is that it's not quite there yet.
Desirables:
- The usual, USB3, HDMI/DP, WLAN, no need for touchscreen or any of the extra rubbish.
- Gigabit Ethernet (or ample USB3 ports to waste one for a dongle)
- Some sort of matte or anti-glare screen that's easier on the eyes than full gloss
Basically I am looking at anything between 13-15" form factor, obviously smaller would be more portable but that's not a real priority for this machine as it will be sitting at home 99% of its lifetime. I'm willing to strech it to 17" if necessary. My previous laptop was a 18.2" one but that was a bit overkill and next to impossible to find bags/backpacks etc to transport safely without damaging the screen which was annoying.
The recent Lenovo deals have been interesting, but I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas of units meeting the criteria above. Trying to find something like that seems like an impossible task as I haven't been paying attention to any developments in this sector for years. If I need to name a game I've been dying to play Witcher 3 (even on low res), but then again saying that the laptop will be used 75% for work and 25% for fun, so it's not really a deal breaker.
My budget is around $1000, I'm willing to stretch that a bit if something really good comes up that will suit my needs perfectly.
Thank you for your help.
LENOVO E570, was on sale last week