Student Urgently Looking for a Laptop for Uni

[Deactivated] on 22/04/2017 - 13:28
Last edited 29/03/2019 - 23:00 by 1 other user

Hello,

Could someone pls recommend a laptop for a uni student? His died last night and he has an assignment due on Monday. He's stressing :(

His requirements are :

  • general purpose / desktop replacement
  • best bang for buck.
  • 14-15 inch screen

His budget is up to $650.

Thanks for helping out.

Cheers,
JJB

Edit: assuming he cld wait a week or two for the lappy, what wld be your recommendation?

Edit 2: I'm happy to lend him $200 if that means he can get a better, more reliable laptop. So new budget is $850.

Computing

Comments

  • try2bhelpful on 22/04/2017 - 14:01
    +1

    We tend to buy ours from Centre Com. They do have the advantage you can walk in, put the money down and walk out with it. The other one to look at is MSY; they tend to have decent prices as well. (We live in Melbourne). I have a HP spectre 360 which is pretty good but the HPs do tend to run a tad hot. Have you looked at reviews on things like CNET?

    https://www.cnet.com/au/topics/laptops/best-laptops/budget-l…

    Best of Luck with the assignment.

    • Diji1 on 22/04/2017 - 14:19

      have the advantage you can walk in, put the money down and walk out with it

      Wait you can do that?

      • try2bhelpful on 22/04/2017 - 14:22
        +3

        I meant, as opposed to having to order stuff online and wait for it to be delivered.BTW - I didn't downvote your comment.

        • try2bhelpful on 22/04/2017 - 15:46
          -5

          So why am I being downvoted now?

        • Daabido on 24/04/2017 - 07:03
          +3

          @try2bhelpful: Because OzBargain, that's why. Years from now and after extensive therapy you will forget about this malicious attack. You were just living up to your username :-)

        • try2bhelpful on 24/04/2017 - 10:21
          -6

          @Daabido: thanks for the reply, and a very salient point. Duck, water, back needs to be taken into account when you make a comment on this site.

    • [Deactivated] on 22/04/2017 - 14:22

      Thanks

  • chumbucket on 22/04/2017 - 14:14
    +6

    Doesnt his uni have 24hr computer labs to access? usually a modern prerequisite these days.
    That way your mate can take his time and get a computer more long term.

    • [Deactivated] on 22/04/2017 - 14:22

      It does but he doesn't want to spend his weekend at uni.

      • Zachary on 22/04/2017 - 15:36
        +4

        Why not? Could check out all the hot chicks there….

        Zachary on 22/04/2017 - 15:36 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
        • try2bhelpful on 22/04/2017 - 15:47
          +3

          That is not going to get his assignment completed.

        • Zachary on 22/04/2017 - 15:51
          +1

          @try2bhelpful: Yes it would, just tell them to do his assignment for him in return for something I'm sure they desire! Bahaha

          Or maybe they could be in the same class and could help each other….?

        • try2bhelpful on 22/04/2017 - 17:31

          @Zachary: Probably won't the women desire is getting a degree so they can earn their own money.

        • Zachary on 23/04/2017 - 04:25

          @try2bhelpful: Depends….there could be some that are there to just get it on with some smoking hot guy….who knows… Hell I even seem a girl come in like almost naked and just strolling through and doing her shit like a boss…..hahaha

          Also there's two directions, one could be that OR it could be actual cooperative help with each other in their assignment(s)….. :P

      • Findo on 23/04/2017 - 01:48
        +6

        he doesn't want to spend his weekend at uni

        What's the alternative? Getting something from the shops won't be instant. He'll need to install software and gather whatever resources he needs. May as well get it over and done with at uni, then buy a laptop without time constraints.

        • iSamurai on 24/04/2017 - 13:46
          +2

          Back in my days when I was studying engineering my mates and I stayed at uni in the evenings, came in on weekends to finish assignments and study. Got good grades, was worth the effort.

          Why not? Could check out all the hot chicks there….

          Not many girls studying engineering :P

  • BluebirdV on 22/04/2017 - 16:33
    +2

    Off topic, but can anyone walk in and use these 24 hour computer labs?

    • IceCreamBandit on 22/04/2017 - 16:34
      +6

      You will need a valid student login

  • BluebirdV on 22/04/2017 - 16:36

    Could make friends with a student.

  • altomic on 22/04/2017 - 20:40
    +1

    Dell outlet

    • [Deactivated] on 22/04/2017 - 21:54

      Which one would you recommend?

      • altomic on 22/04/2017 - 23:12
        +3

        Something up to $650

      • oringal on 24/04/2017 - 13:15
        +1

        anything from thats latitude 5000 and above e.g. Dell latitude 14 5000, the 3000 is way to budget and isnt really built to last.

    • try2bhelpful on 23/04/2017 - 10:52

      What are people's opinion of Dell? I know people who had issues with their machines; but then there are people who have had issues with all sorts of machines. What is the after sales service like?

      • [Deactivated] on 24/04/2017 - 11:40

        I use the XPS 13' as my company laptops. So far, I've had one unit RTB for a screen replacement due to dead screen after a drop. The drop was fairly gentle - no exterior marking. Wasn't charged for the replacement nor postage.

        Have heard horror stories of the Inspiron line. Chose the XPS because hardware costs are negligible in contrast to my software and downtime costs.

  • AlienC on 22/04/2017 - 22:27

    Try gumtree maybe? Could get a cheapo one for now then get a proper one later when you have researched enough.

  • Findo on 23/04/2017 - 01:52

    Long term reliability and parts availability is important when choosing a laptop. I used to buy run of the mill consumer grade laptops and none lasted more than 1.5 years until I switched to Dell Latitudes and Lenovo T series thinkpads. Don't skimp out on such an important purchase, especially if it's for studying.

    • [Deactivated] on 23/04/2017 - 09:55

      Thanks Niggard. He's borrowed my mrs laptop for the day. What would you recommend from the Dell outlet?

      Thanks

      • Findo on 23/04/2017 - 13:42
        +1

        Depends what's on sale. I'd be looking for a Latitude 7000 or equivalent

        • [Deactivated] on 23/04/2017 - 18:25

          No sales so it looks like he's going to go for an Inspiron instead :(

  • dingleburg on 23/04/2017 - 08:46
    -2

    I know this might be a bad suggestion but…how about visiting an Apple store and doing the entire assignment off one of their computers that they have on display? Or maybe doing the same thing at a Microsoft store or JB Hi Fi and just say "You are evaluating the product" if anyone asks if you need any assistance.

    • crentist on 24/04/2017 - 03:47
      -1

      im pretty sure apple has a 2 week no questions asked return policy. so he could just buy one and make damn sure he doesnt spill anything on it until his work is finished

  • theBestBastion on 23/04/2017 - 10:44
    +2

    $650 is quite a tight budget for a new laptop. May need to consider to get secondhand if you/him is familiar with computers. Or just save up to around $800 - $900 first.

    • [Deactivated] on 23/04/2017 - 11:39

      I'm happy to lend him some money. So what can he get for $850?

      • theBestBastion on 23/04/2017 - 17:18
        +2

        I got this one for my cousin and upgraded to 8G of RAM.

        http://www.staticice.com.au/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=V3-372-587T…

      • Geekomatic on 23/04/2017 - 18:01
        +3

        Basically, look for an i5 CPU, 4GB RAM minimum, & dedicated graphics vs. integrated. I prefer a numeric pad on the right if possible, but if size matters, you may have to forgo the real thing & look for a laptop that allows some of the right-hand letters to dbl as numbers using FN/Alt, etc.

        If battery life is important, you'll need to factor that in, too. HDD is much cheaper than SSD— again, how much storage is required? Would an SSD suffice for the day- offloading user-data at the end of that day to two, external sources (can be a portable HDD + Google Drive, etc). Or, does he create massive files which need a standard HDD (cheaper per GB, but slower & more battery used).

        Ask him to pinpoint the "needs vs. wants" & start there, using the above as a guide. There are plenty of deals out there- & plenty, in-store, if the salesperson is hungry enough. They always have some they need to run out in order to bring in the next batch. I know, I used to work at Officeworks & Rick Hart.

        PS: the shop pays zero or next to zero for their AV & laptop bags, so don't consider that as anything special. You're best off making the best deal & then saying, "double the RAM & I'll buy it right now".

        Imho. Good luck!

        PS: you don't have to buy at that moment. Ask the salesperson the "actual" model number (not model "series") & go home to check reviews. The CPU is really the critical part.

        • [Deactivated] on 23/04/2017 - 19:02

          Thank you.

          Which one would you get from this list?

        • Geekomatic on 23/04/2017 - 19:11
          +2

          @Batboy:

          You'll have to do the research based on what I wrote above. The minimum is above, any more than that is gravy.

          :)

        • [Deactivated] on 23/04/2017 - 19:19
          +1

          @Geekomatic: yum gravy!
          Thanks mate :)

        • Kangal on 24/04/2017 - 11:50
          +2

          @Batboy:
          Just to add to Geekomatic's post:

          …while the CPU is really important, don't forget about other components.

          For example; the screen.
          How bright can it go?
          Is it very glossy/blurry to see in the daylight?
          Is it a pathetic 1366x768 resolution?
          Bad viewing angles or colours?

          The Keyboard;
          - Good layout?
          - Are the keys easy to type on?
          - Backlighting for night use?

          The trackpad;
          - Accurate?
          - Fast?
          - Large enough?
          - Gesture support?
          - Palm rejection?

          I think its easy to get the keyboard and trackpad right, and a decent screen.
          However, ALL (or most) oems actually opt for the cheapest and worst trackpads, keyboards, and mediocre screens.
          They just want people to read the Buzzwords like Core i5-something, and lots of RAM, and has a big SSD.

          There really is a BIG INCENTIVE for you to either physically touch/inspect these laptops for yourself at the store.
          Or do extensive research into the SPECIFIC model number, before purchasing them online.
          Good luck, its the wild wild west out there!

  • srhardy on 23/04/2017 - 12:14

    $250 ALDI have a nice little win10 netbook that will surf the net and do assignments

  • HeWhoKnows on 23/04/2017 - 16:16

    Plenty to choose from at that price. Why ask us? Its your decision in the end. Go buy the cheapest one.
    Frankly any second hand one up to 5 years old and with 4GB RAM should suffice. No need to buy a new one. Look on Gumtree or ebay.

  • Tech and cars on 24/04/2017 - 07:44
    +4

    For uni something like this is Ideal:

    https://www.computeralliance.com.au/asus-t300chi-fl005t-12.5…

    It's light, portable, can be used for notetaking, good battery. Full HD screen which is nice. I would buy this in a heartbeat if I required something with that criteria.

    • Kangal on 24/04/2017 - 11:42
      -2

      Yeah decent device.
      Only limitation is that 4GB RAM is enemic these days. 8GB should be opted wherever possible.
      And the 128GB SSD will only leave him with 20GBs of storage left (I know it should be close to 80GBs free)… so a 256GB would've given much more breathing room.
      I'm not so sure the keyboard/touchpad is good… it might be annoying for long article typing sessions.

    • Butt Scratcher on 24/04/2017 - 16:12
      +1

      +1 for this.

      I'm a uni student and have been using one of these for 1-2 years. It's very snappy for the stuff i do and very nicely built but not perfectly ideal. The small storage (you have around 100gb free) and 4gb ram is absolutely fine for the uni work I do. Basically just browsing and word typing, you really don't need much ram/storage. There's also a micro sd slot that tucks in nicely if you ever need to add storage.

      Some of my complaints are:
      -No full sized usb port, just a usb 3.0 micro usb
      -Battery life is more like 3-6 hours, no where near the advertised 8 hrs
      -The detachable keyboard needs to be charged separately
      -Not ideal for long heavy work, this thing is passively cooled so it heats up and throttles very fast.

      It's a long list of cons but not a deal breaker for me, because at the time I just wanted a cheap laptop dedicated for uni and these were my criteria:

      -Fast boot up and loading times when opening word/browser (this has an ssd, and a processor that is about as fast as your typical laptop i5)
      -Cheapish (got it for around ~540 at the time)
      -small and portable
      -Battery life (not as good as i had hoped, but the tiny charger it comes with is fine since there are power points all over the place at my uni)
      -Keyboard is quite nice to type on and large, but at the expense of a small track pad

      Bonus:
      -Has a nice aluminium build, generally not what you'd find at this price range
      -Touch screen
      -Detachable screen

      Although I really wouldn't recommend this as a desktop replacement

  • blehgg on 24/04/2017 - 10:24
    +2

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/product/xiaomi-mi-notebook-air

    Friends + cash is asking for trouble :) just my 2c

  • mmd on 24/04/2017 - 11:51

    Batboy? Where is JJB?

  • congo on 24/04/2017 - 12:23
    +1

    If you know what model you want, look at https://staticice.com.au/ to find the lowest price.

  • gummibears on 24/04/2017 - 12:45

    Can't he do his own research for a laptop he needs? He'll know best what he wants/likes/needs.

    • jellykingdom on 24/04/2017 - 15:32

      Clearly not studying Computer Science at uni

  • zathras on 24/04/2017 - 13:59
    +1

    Graysonline on ebay have cheap reconditioned devices at the moment, and 20% off with free delivery with the code C20SHOP. Discount ends tonight.

  • jellykingdom on 24/04/2017 - 15:31
    +1

    Literally read this as "he died", and was like "why does he need a laptop…?"

    • Halo375 on 24/04/2017 - 15:38
      +1

      Zombies still need to do assignments if they want to graduate!

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