Laptop Recommendations under $1000 with 4k 60hz Video Output Please

LFlop on 20/07/2020 - 12:52

I am looking for a new laptop and there are just too many things to consider so I would appreciate some guidance on the matter, I know recomendations are requested alot but I believe my requirements are different to other posts

I am looking for a laptop that will be used for home office use and to play 4k media through my 4k samsung TV, to organise my files on my 2 hard drives and my phone and to write photos to DVD via external drive or internal if there is no compromise to have one and also it will be used to browse the internet and watch media when travelling.

What I require from a laptop:

Max $1000
Reliable 4k 60hz+ video output whilst the fan is not too loud next to the TV to watch movies.
Ssd with 256gb+ for fast start up, preferably 500gb+ (this is my 1st priority of upgrades)
Fast file transfers to portable hard drives and around the laptop.
Enough ports to plug in 2 hard drives and a mouse simultanously.
Long battery life.
Durability
14-16" screen
Audio jack

What I do not need:

It to look nice
To have a good screen.
To have good speakers.
To have a camera or mic
To be thin or light
To have finger print scanner.
To be able to game unless at an additional cost outside the budget an external gpu capable of battlefield 1 could be plugged in later on.
To have an amazing keyboard.

I would consider used if it still had a long warranty.
Any ideas would be appreciated.

Computing Computer Laptop

Comments

    • scrimshaw on 20/07/2020 - 14:08
      +1

      FX505DT is $1,052.10 if you have eBay Plus at Futu Online The R7 variant was cheaper pre-covid times at $950.

      • bazingaa on 20/07/2020 - 15:36

        NTSC 45% :(

    • Flop on 20/07/2020 - 20:08
      +1

      The second looks good. would I even need the gaming graphics card for my usage? I know I don't need the ips screen or keyboard lights. Gaming laptops often have short battery life, is this always the case regardless of usage?

      • robertm on 20/07/2020 - 21:37

        Great :-)

        You're right, you wouldn't. The Ryzen 3550H has integrated graphics which support 4K at 60Hz.

        https://www.amd.com/en/products/apu/amd-ryzen-5-3550h

        https://www.amd.com/en/products/specifications/embedded/8191

        • Flop on 26/07/2020 - 09:23

          I've gone for a used thinkpad l570 for $357 and will upgrade the ram and ssd to improve speed. It seams to be a cheap way to get the 4k output that I want

          • robertm on 27/07/2020 - 22:40

            @Flop: Ok. Looks like good plan.

            Do you mean E570?

            Also, are you planning on getting the 4K 60hz through the USB C port? Just curious.

            Thanks 😊

            • Flop on 28/07/2020 - 08:20
              +1

              @robertm: L570 through mini display port

              • Flop on 28/07/2020 - 12:31

                @Flop: Here's the spec https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https:/…

                Intel hd 620 integrated graphics

                • robertm on 28/07/2020 - 12:34

                  @Flop: Thanks. Look like a good find :-)

                  • Flop on 28/07/2020 - 12:40
                    +1

                    @robertm: They seam to be on ebay fairly frequently for around what I got it for, sometimes less but this one had pics of the actual unit available, 1 plus of thinkpads is the sellers of thinkpads are often I.T professionals so one would expect they would know how to test them properly and probably have sold them before.
                    Bad tn screen by the sounds of it but very decent battery life so it is the trade-off I was looking for. Dvd drive can be pulled out and hdd tray can be inserted however I keep hearing people saying it only supports 1 drive at a time which doesn't make sense to me. I would like to have two drives ideally, 1 to pop in for media for travelling.

      • scrimshaw on 20/07/2020 - 23:29
        +1

        you actually don't need a discrete graphics card. A Vega 8 iGPU found in a modern Ryzen APU can decode and encode H264 and H265 in hardware

        Ditto for some of the newer Intel Iris Pro graphics as well, just look up on Intel ARK if you need to know the specifications.

  • vinni9284 on 20/07/2020 - 13:52
    -5

    You're not going to get a laptop for that price, let alone a 4K screen less a GPU that supports it..
    Edit. I am not sure what I have been negged, so please enlighten me and provide a link of a 4K laptop for a $1K

    • toomuchdogfur on 20/07/2020 - 14:36
      +1

      OP asked for a laptop that can output 4k@60Hz to a TV, not to actually have a 4k screen on the laptop itself.

      • vinni9284 on 20/07/2020 - 15:39
        +1

        Lol. Thanks. My bad

  • spackbace on 20/07/2020 - 15:10
    +2

    I am looking for a laptop that will be used for home office use and to play 4k media through my 4k samsung TV, to organise my files on my 2 hard drives and my phone and to write photos to DVD via external drive or internal if there is no compromise to have one

    Buy a basic PC (Dell Optiplex), setup a Plex server, stream through the Samsung TV directly.

    it will be used to browse the internet and watch media when travelling.

    Buy a basic tablet

    You don't need 1 device to do the task, 2 devices can be bought within budget and are better suited to your needs.

    • spackbace on 20/07/2020 - 16:34
      +1

      Add to this, that with Plex Pass, you could have access to your media from wherever you are. Stream from the home server to your tablet to browse on the plane etc.

      Also, you would destroy a laptop battery using it as a semi-permanent plugged in device next to your tv

      Just all your thoughts seem like a band-aid option, when a home pc, or HTPC, would be a better fit

    • Flop on 20/07/2020 - 19:57

      This doesn't work for me. Tablets rarely can do what I am looking for which is be able to do productivity tasks with two harddrives with full sized keyboard at a low cost. I can't keep moving a pc around my house. I can't type on my sofa easily with a pc, I don't want a wireless keyboard. don't plex servers cost? plex can be seriously slow. I don't want to have to rely on my internet connection. I don't want a pc next to TV at all times. I don't have a second monitor nor the budget so streaming around the house is redundant. I want long battery life which tablets often do not have if they are cheap. I definitely want exactly what I described.

      • spackbace on 20/07/2020 - 20:19

        You seem to be closed minded to what can be achieved with a proper plex server arrangement. Downloading onto a hard drive, plugging the laptop into a TV is so very outdated it's not funny.

        Hell, with a proper setup you can mirror your laptop screen wirelessly using Windows 10 over the same wireless network! However, as mentioned previously, mirroring the screen or plugging the laptop in every time you want to watch a movie is archaic.

        Pkex is free unless you need to stream outside your local network. It nicely catalogues everything, complete with cover art etc. You're not just browsing file names.

        But hey, if you're not open to better, more streamlined alternatives then keep your mind closed. My apologies for trying to modernise your arrangement.

        • Flop on 20/07/2020 - 20:22
          -3

          Not close minded it just doesn't work for what I want as described. You must not have read what I wrote either times.

          • Flop on 20/07/2020 - 20:25
            -2

            @Flop: prove me wrong and post two devices.
            Let's see where two times the hardware works out cheaper…

            • spackbace on 20/07/2020 - 20:34
              +3

              @Flop: Yeah no, I don't waste my time on people who wouldn't appreciate it.

              • Flop on 21/07/2020 - 17:16

                @spackbace: I appreciate you trying to help. I dont appreciate the implied insult of being close minded. your suggestion just doesnt do what what I am looking for, that's fine.

  • blonky on 20/07/2020 - 16:23
    +1

    Would think most new laptops would be able to do 4k60 over Thunderbolt 3 (ie Displayport Alt Mode) - my 2018 XPS13 (8th gen) does and the CPU usage is pretty low, even when watching h265

    Sounds like a Dell Latitude 14 7000 range from the Dell outlet might work - very good build quality and keyboard, 3x USB ports (one is TB3), long battery life. The HDMI post is only v1.4 so won't output 4k60; you'll need to run the monitor from the TB3 port using a TB3 to HDMI adaptor

    Usually around the $1000 mark for an i5 8GB 256GB SSD but you'll need to check every few days for when they pop up as they sometimes get nabbed pretty quick

    • Flop on 20/07/2020 - 20:58

      Good recommendation, I will keep a look out for one

  • hypie on 20/07/2020 - 20:49

    Definitely just buy an Nvidia Shield and whatever laptop you want.

    Also why can't your 4k Samsung TV output 4k?

    • Flop on 20/07/2020 - 21:01

      Can I download torrents or watch YouTube 4k through nvidia shield?

      • spackbace on 20/07/2020 - 21:03

        watch YouTube 4k

        Would your tv not be able to do that directly through it's app?

        • Flop on 20/07/2020 - 22:02

          No it doesn't have apps

  • ColonialBoy on 21/07/2020 - 08:34

    You want HDMI 2.0 not HDMI 1.4. Check the the laptop & tv are HDMI 2.0. Doubt you will get a laptop under $1200.

    HDMI 1.4 is only 30 frames per second at 4K and 8 bits. HDMI 2.0 is 30 frames per second at 4K and 10-12 bits.

    https://www.trustedreviews.com/opinion/hdmi-2-0-vs-1-4-29133…

    If you want to watch while travelling then a flip notebook would be better eg ASUS Flip or Lenovo Yoga.

    • Flop on 21/07/2020 - 17:26

      As you say it appears there aren't many choices specced to my requirements, the ones that are lack many reviews particularly lacking proper tests of the battery. It seams there are some business laptops that fit the bill as they sometimes sacrifice looks, decent screen and high end graphics cards to invest more in other areas of performance including battery.

  • RecklessMonkeys on 21/07/2020 - 11:32
    +1

    OK I can't help myself.
    My first thought was a Raspberry Pi for 4K plus a cheap laptop for your other needs.
    https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-4-model-b/…

    • Flop on 21/07/2020 - 17:19

      I appreciate the suggestion however I do want exactly what I described.

      • RecklessMonkeys on 21/07/2020 - 19:04
        +1

        No worries. They are your requirements after all :)
        I used to plug my laptop into the telly, but I fould this to be a pain in the bum eventually.
        GL.

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