Laptop Recommendations - Budget $1500

Booooort on 16/10/2024 - 07:51
Last edited 16/10/2024 - 10:52 by 1 other user

Hi all, looking for some advice for a laptop for HSC/Uni. Budget about $1500?

Looked at MacBook Air, but now prefer Windows OS.. don’t need gaming specs, but looking for something lightweight - say sub 1.5 kg?

I think I’d like min specs to be 16 gb ram, and say a 512gb hdd/ssd. Maybe sd card slot might be handy to increase disk space if only 256gb..

Does that narrow it down some?

I’d be surfing, light Ms office stuff, watching Netflix etc on this, maybe some light gaming?

Appreciate the help.. also, is there a better time in the year to pull the trigger on one? I.e. should I wait till Black Friday? Or Xmas? Or should I have done pre EoFY?

Thanks again.

Computing Computer Laptop

Comments

  • Booooort on 16/10/2024 - 07:54

    Sorry. Forgot.. 14” screen is fine.. actually preferred over larger.
    And.. no Acer apparently! She was scarred from her last school issue device.. 😂

    All day battery life a must or at least enough to get through a school/uni day.
    Wifi a must, but figure this is pretty standard now.

    She is otherwise very keen on a Microsoft Surface laptop….

  • altomic on 16/10/2024 - 08:17

    must be new? or can be refurb?

    I bought a refurb Acer for my daughter in year 11 and it's still going strong 3 years later for uni.

    • Booooort on 16/10/2024 - 09:46

      I think new.. I think she’d like to do an unboxing.. and it might actually motivate her to get work done on it if it’s like hers, and she is first owner!

      • altomic on 16/10/2024 - 16:11
        -1

        you could always offer her a refurb and $100 or $200 cash, and see if that would change her mind….

  • Bignudge on 16/10/2024 - 08:49

    Dealing with students everyday and seeing them hunched over and peering into their tiny laptops hurts me. And some even have their screens dimmed to the max to conserve battery too.

    Get something with at least an 15.6 or 16 inch screen pls. LG gram?

    I have used a 17.3 inch laptop for the past 6 years lugging it classroom to classroom and have just ordered a new 18 inch one with a weight of about 4.2kg lol.

    • Booooort on 16/10/2024 - 09:49

      Like the look of the Gram, haven’t seen in person though and heard it may be a little flimsy for student type use… I.e a little bit of banging around in a school bag.

    • CrispyChrispy on 16/10/2024 - 10:49

      14" is the sweet spot for students imo, 15.6" is doable but wouldn't go larger

      If you're having to squint at a 14" display then your Windows display scaling needs to be adjusted.

    • liquornoodlescabbage on 16/10/2024 - 10:52
      +2

      Get something with at least an 15.6 or 16 inch screen pls. LG gram?

      As a student that's a terrible idea, bigger, bulkier, won't fit in your backpack as well. Kids don't mind looking at phone screens all day, one much bigger on a laptop is not an issue.

  • AustriaBargain on 16/10/2024 - 09:41
    +3

    Get the MacBook. Especially if you already have an iPhone.

    • Booooort on 16/10/2024 - 09:48

      Outside of phone though, we are windows household, with 2 windows desktops, and all other laptops (my work ones) being windows..

      • AustriaBargain on 16/10/2024 - 10:01
        +3

        Sync your computer files with OneDrive between all your PCs and Macs. Unless you are running any PC exclusive software then a Mac will be a good choice.

    • JIMB0 on 16/10/2024 - 11:32
      +1

      As a long time time windows user I agree. Apple hardware is the best, miles in front of anything running windows. So sturdy and well built, great screens, speakers, touch pads etc. Everything has great attention to detail. Only downsides are the higher price and lack of a touchscreen.

      • ThithLord on 16/10/2024 - 16:41
        +1

        Only downsides are the higher price and lack of a touchscreen.

        Man, I don't know. Having worked in I.T. for almost 15 years, and have seen countless touch-screen laptops, barely anyone uses the TS functionality! Our entire fleet are Touchscreen-enabled (we use Microsoft Surface Laptops)

        I have used it a handful of times on my own laptop.

  • What A Mischief on 16/10/2024 - 12:11

    My wife is in a similar boat - due for a new laptop, similar budget, mostly day to day things but might do occasional gaming, after minimum 16GB RAM. Wants USB/HDMI connection.

    Quick Google search and I can't find the LG Gram down in that $1,500 area, mostly up around the $2,000 mark.

    Are there any other laptops you guys would recommend? Don't think she would go an apple - isn't an apple fan and has no other apple devices. I'm not very knowledgeable in the area

  • Booooort on 16/10/2024 - 14:15

    What about this one?

    https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/asus-14-ze…

    Thoughts?

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