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AR15.COM
5/27/2017 8:29:46 PM EDT
I don't know Jack about laptops.  I would like to purchase one this weekend.  What are some good ones 500 and below.
5/27/2017 8:35:18 PM EDT
[#1]
there are no good ones $500 and below. At that price point, they are basically disposable every 18-24 months.
5/27/2017 8:37:09 PM EDT
[#2]
Need more info.... Do you want power? Lightweight? Touchscreen? Big? Small?
5/27/2017 9:12:28 PM EDT
[#3]
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Quoted:
there are no good ones $500 and below. At that price point, they are basically disposable every 18-24 months.
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odds are OP is not needing for high end use

just go to Wal mart and pick one out that is NOT an HP
I've had Dell and Toshiba from Wally's and both been great 
5/27/2017 9:30:42 PM EDT
[#4]
No gaming.  Just surfing
5/27/2017 9:34:28 PM EDT
[#5]
New Egg. com.  And ive had several hp's and had no problems with any of them.
5/27/2017 9:36:56 PM EDT
[#6]
If surfing is all you need, get a Chromebook.

Then buy a case of ammo with your savings.
5/27/2017 9:43:45 PM EDT
[#7]
woot
5/27/2017 9:44:20 PM EDT
[#8]
Slickdeals
5/27/2017 9:59:39 PM EDT
[#9]
My dad just picked up this one I'm typing on for 499 at costco.  HP with a 15" wide touch screen.

But as someone said above, expect for them to need replacement every 2 years or so.  Not always, but most of the time.

Laptops used to last 3-4 years with good use, but now the only one that I've had for a while is my Macbook pro (was around 1100), but it is 6 years old now and still runs.
5/27/2017 10:37:07 PM EDT
[#10]
Do you care how new it is?

Other World Computing has used Mac Laptops for under 500 (well some of them are ... some are over 500 too).

OWC: Used MacBookPro
5/27/2017 10:59:13 PM EDT
[#11]
I have a Dell that I have had for 8 years and only use it for record keeping and occasionally the internet.
5/27/2017 11:03:15 PM EDT
[#12]
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No gaming.  Just surfing
View Quote
Use a phone.

Laptops are garbage.
5/27/2017 11:05:01 PM EDT
[#13]
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Quoted:
there are no good ones $500 and below. At that price point, they are basically disposable every 18-24 months.
View Quote
I bought a $200 one in 2010 and I'm still using it. I put a $60 SSD in it as an upgrade.
5/27/2017 11:24:08 PM EDT
[#14]
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Quoted:


Use a phone.

Laptops are garbage.
View Quote
5/27/2017 11:25:32 PM EDT
[#15]
thinkpad x220 or 230 used . buy new battery and enjoy
5/27/2017 11:30:13 PM EDT
[#16]
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Quoted:
Quoted:


Use a phone.

Laptops are garbage.
back at you. You conveniently left out what I quoted. He wants it to "surf." Buying a laptop for that is retarded.
5/27/2017 11:30:53 PM EDT
[#17]
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there are no good ones $500 and below. At that price point, they are basically disposable every 18-24 months.
View Quote
I got a 17" with 240GB SSD (self installed) for less than $400
5/27/2017 11:31:38 PM EDT
[#18]
15.6" i7 with SSD for $549.
Here

Refurbished 3rd gen i5
Here
5/27/2017 11:32:38 PM EDT
[#19]
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Quoted:
there are no good ones $500 and below. At that price point, they are basically disposable every 18-24 months.
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My $350 Asus laptop does everything I need for work. It's no powerhouse but I'm not worried about breaking it or spilling tea in it. It's a tool. When it dies in 2 or 3 years  I buy another $350 laptop.
5/27/2017 11:36:40 PM EDT
[#20]
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My $350 Asus laptop does everything I need for work. It's no powerhouse but I'm not worried about breaking it or spilling tea in it. It's a tool. When it dies in 2 or 3 years  I buy another $350 laptop.
View Quote
Asus is generally a great product at the most reasonable price. Koreans make good shit.
5/27/2017 11:48:07 PM EDT
[#21]
Jurt buy a 250 dollar Lenovo Chromebook. Spend the rest on hookers and blow.
5/28/2017 12:01:50 AM EDT
[#22]
17" 6GB Ram i3 intel processor 1TB HDD $365 prime shipped

https://www.amazon.com/HP-17-3-Notebook-1600x900-Bluetooth/dp/B01MSPRWYV?tag=vglnk-c102-20
5/28/2017 9:31:08 AM EDT
[#23]
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17" 6GB Ram i3 intel processor 1TB HDD $365 prime shipped

https://www.amazon.com/HP-17-3-Notebook-1600x900-Bluetooth/dp/B01MSPRWYV?tag=vglnk-c102-20
View Quote
Smaller screen but faster processor for $270.
5/28/2017 9:45:34 AM EDT
[#24]
OP, there are two major types of drives.  Hard disk drives (HDD), and solid state drives (SSD).  Hard disk drives have a read head that has to seek out thousands and thousands of files upon booting the computer.  SSDs essentially have no parts.  SSDs are magnitudes faster than hard disk drives. Forget everything else about the laptop, the absolute most important thing is to make CERTAIN that whatever computer you get has a solid state drive in it.

You could have the worlds fastest processor and the fastest RAM ever made, but if you are running on a HDD it will still be slow as hell.  A fast processor doesn't do any good if it's sitting there idle waiting for a mechanical drive to feed it data.  Make sure the laptop has a SSD, and everything else is secondary to that.
5/28/2017 10:05:33 AM EDT
[#25]
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If surfing is all you need, get a Chromebook.

Then buy a case of ammo with your savings.
View Quote
5/28/2017 11:47:57 AM EDT
[#27]
.

You guys are a bunch of fucking amateurs when it comes to buying cheap computers.  $549?  $365?  HA!  Check this one out -

Lenovo Ideapad 110 15.6" Laptop Computer. AMD A4-7210 1.8GHz, Windows 10, 4GB RAM, 1TB HD, DVD/RW, 100mb network, WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI out.

$199.  NIB, not a refurb.  No coupons, no rebates.  Again, that's $199.  The catch?  In-store sales only, one per household.  So hope you live within driving distance of a Microcenter.  I have one of these and it works great.

http://www.microcenter.com/product/469349/Ideapad_110_156_Laptop_Computer_-_Ebony_Black
5/28/2017 3:01:44 PM EDT
[#28]
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back at you. You conveniently left out what I quoted. He wants it to "surf." Buying a laptop for that is retarded.
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Quoted:
Quoted:


Use a phone.

Laptops are garbage.
back at you. You conveniently left out what I quoted. He wants it to "surf." Buying a laptop for that is retarded.
That's like saying you must be a retard because of what you posted in this thread.  In fact you went full retard
5/28/2017 3:05:39 PM EDT
[#29]
Thank you to everyone else.  I have a 10" Lenovo tablet I use now.  I want something with a USB port and a bigger screen.  
I don't think I want a Chromebook.  This tablet seemed nicer than most of them.
5/28/2017 3:09:50 PM EDT
[#30]
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there are no good ones $500 and below. At that price point, they are basically disposable every 18-24 months.
View Quote
You can get a nice used or refurb business class i5 or i7 for $400 or so.   Much better than the cheap consumer crap that's out there.  We ordered an HP i7 from Newegg in the last week or so for a friend.  I think it was about $405.
5/28/2017 3:16:25 PM EDT
[#31]
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Quoted:
.

You guys are a bunch of fucking amateurs when it comes to buying cheap computers.  $549?  $365?  HA!  Check this one out -

Lenovo Ideapad 110 15.6" Laptop Computer. AMD A4-7210 1.8GHz, Windows 10, 4GB RAM, 1TB HD, DVD/RW, 100mb network, WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI out.

$199.  NIB, not a refurb.  No coupons, no rebates.  Again, that's $199.  The catch?  In-store sales only, one per household.  So hope you live within driving distance of a Microcenter.  I have one of these and it works great.

http://www.microcenter.com/product/469349/Ideapad_110_156_Laptop_Computer_-_Ebony_Black
View Quote
A4 which is marginal and a low clock speed.  HD instead of SSD.  4 GB which is below the minimum I go with on Windows 7 or higher.  pass.  
5/28/2017 3:21:44 PM EDT
[#32]
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Quoted:
there are no good ones $500 and below. At that price point, they are basically disposable every 18-24 months.
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<trump> wrong<trump>

if you have a shitty os then they are.

OP get a used older model, install your flavour of the linux programs-enjoy for multiple years
5/28/2017 3:40:04 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote History
Quoted:
<trump> wrong<trump>

if you have a shitty os then they are.

OP get a used older model, install your flavour of the linux programs-enjoy for multiple years
View Quote View All Quotes
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Quoted:
Quoted:
there are no good ones $500 and below. At that price point, they are basically disposable every 18-24 months.
<trump> wrong<trump>

if you have a shitty os then they are.

OP get a used older model, install your flavour of the linux programs-enjoy for multiple years
As someone who has a x220 sitting next to me w/ Linux on it, that's not a great idea for a lot of your average users.   It's great for IT people, and it's OK for users who don't know anything if they've got someone to support them, but when Linux breaks it breaks hard sometimes.   I spent hours figuring out why I had a login problem w/ Ubuntu earlier this year.  Turns out when I setup Chrome Remote Desktop so I can get to one of my Linux boxes it totally screws it up.  That was not recoverable by the average person esp if it's their only computer.  
5/28/2017 5:17:10 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote History
Quoted:
<trump> wrong<trump>

if you have a shitty os then they are.

OP get a used older model, install your flavour of the linux programs-enjoy for multiple years
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
there are no good ones $500 and below. At that price point, they are basically disposable every 18-24 months.
<trump> wrong<trump>

if you have a shitty os then they are.

OP get a used older model, install your flavour of the linux programs-enjoy for multiple years
think about what kinds of compromises, substandard materials, and "it'll last just long enough for the warranty period to expire" components are used to build a laptop that retails for sub $500.  And that's before you even get into the bloatware that comes on those to help subsidize the cost even lower.

And since he merely wants to surf the internet, do you REALLY think he wants to dick around with installing/maintaining Linux?
5/28/2017 5:18:45 PM EDT
[#35]
OP, if you are purely surfing, and not doing ANY content creation, consider getting a nice 10" tablet instead.  DOesn't even have to be a wireless tablet from Verizon.  Just something to consider.
5/28/2017 5:19:12 PM EDT
[#36]
walmart.com > refurbished Dell latitude
5/28/2017 5:22:51 PM EDT
[#37]
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OP, if you are purely surfing, and not doing ANY content creation, consider getting a nice 10" tablet instead.  DOesn't even have to be a wireless tablet from Verizon.  Just something to consider.
View Quote
I have a 10"    tablet
5/28/2017 5:30:57 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote History
Quoted:
there are no good ones $500 and below. At that price point, they are basically disposable every 18-24 months.
View Quote
It depends on your use and if you're tough on things. I've got a laptop that is 4 years old (about $400) and still runs and looks fine,
but it's one of the few things I'm not rough on and it has exceptional build quality for the price point. You can find a few gems.

I do agree that for a few hundred more, its a different ball game and you can get some really nice stuff. Hinges are definitely a weak point in cheap laptops.
5/28/2017 5:35:04 PM EDT
[#39]
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And since he merely wants to surf the internet, do you REALLY think he wants to dick around with installing/maintaining Linux?
View Quote
you mean install, and do nothing.

fuck man unbuntu is basically windows. Install on unbuntu is easy compeered to bloated assfucked windoze
5/28/2017 5:50:20 PM EDT
[#40]
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back at you. You conveniently left out what I quoted. He wants it to "surf." Buying a laptop for that is retarded.
View Quote
So your solution is to surf on a fucking 5" screen?

Jesus christ, you're fucking fail.
5/28/2017 6:00:35 PM EDT
[#41]
I haven't had a laptop in years. Picked up a hp x360 for 599 at best buy. Regular 899. Good specs
5/28/2017 6:00:49 PM EDT
[#42]
Microsoft online store usually has some good deal, plus those models have no bloat on them
5/28/2017 6:04:30 PM EDT
[#43]
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So your solution is to surf on a fucking 5" screen?

Jesus christ, you're fucking fail.
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Quoted:
Quoted:


back at you. You conveniently left out what I quoted. He wants it to "surf." Buying a laptop for that is retarded.
So your solution is to surf on a fucking 5" screen?

Jesus christ, you're fucking fail.
LMAO
5/28/2017 6:07:44 PM EDT
[#44]
Microsoft authorized  refurb.  I have a dell m3800 that's a beast for actual work.
5/28/2017 6:08:40 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote History
Quoted:
Jurt buy a 250 dollar Lenovo Chromebook. Spend the rest on hookers and blow.
View Quote
Just for fun, in the federal government we are forbidden from buying Lenovos due to reports of keystroke logging and spyware built into their software that reports back to China.

Might be true.
5/28/2017 6:11:27 PM EDT
[#46]
refurbed lenovo
5/28/2017 6:14:35 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote History
Quoted:
Just for fun, in the federal government we are forbidden from buying Lenovos due to reports of keystroke logging and spyware built into their software that reports back to China.

Might be true.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Jurt buy a 250 dollar Lenovo Chromebook. Spend the rest on hookers and blow.
Just for fun, in the federal government we are forbidden from buying Lenovos due to reports of keystroke logging and spyware built into their software that reports back to China.

Might be true.
like i said. get a lenovo. govment don't want you to have it, must be good.