A friend of mine contacted me looking for a computer that he will get 5+ years out of with everyday computer use. He is not a gamer so he can get by on integrated video. He e-mailed me with these 2 models that he was looking at when I suggested Toshiba. He doesnt have to buy a Toshiba brand laptop so any other good name brands/make/models that come to mind feel free to share.
His only requirements are that the computer has at least 4GB RAM and is running Windows 7 64-bit or can be easily downgraded to Windows 7 64-bit since he doesnt like Windows 8 from the models he tried out in the stores.
These 2 models below he e-mailed me that he liked and was wondering if they could easily be downgraded to Windows 7 64-bit and stay within budget of $700 or less.
http://us.toshiba.com/computers/laptops/satellite/L50/L55-A5234 Core i7 $650
http://us.toshiba.com/computers/laptops/satellite/C70/C75D-A7213/ AMD Quadcore $480
I was looking to see if he could get a better quality laptop going with a Toshiba Tecra which is a Business Class laptop and found one that is a Core i3 Dual-Core ( i3-3110M ) 2.4Ghz CPU with 3MB L3 Cache. I chose the Start Customizing option and selected these attributes:
CPU Option: Intel® Core™ i3-3110M Processor (2.40GHz, 3MB L3 Cache)
OS Option : SAVE $99.99* Windows® 7 Professional (64-bit) with recovery media for Windows 8 Pro
RAM Option: SAVE $50.00* 4GB DDR3 1600MHz (4GB X 1)
HDD Option: 500GB HDD (7200rpm, Serial-ATA)
Other Options: Defaults left the same
Computer then is the following:
Specifications customized
■Intel® Core™ i3-3110M Processor (2.40GHz, 3MB L3 Cache)
■Windows® 7 Professional (64-bit) with recovery media for Windows 8 Pro
■4GB DDR3 1600MHz (4GB X 1)
■500GB HDD (7200rpm, Serial-ATA)
■Integrated Graphics
■15.6" HD LED Backlit Display (1366x768)
■Integrated 2MP Webcam and Microphone
■Lithium-Ion Battery (6-cell/48Wh)
■Wi-Fi® Wireless networking (802.11b/g/n) with Bluetooth® (v4.0)
■1 month trial for new Office 365 customers
■Norton™ Internet Security 2013 (30-day trial subscription)
■1 Year Standard Limited Warranty (1 Year on Battery)
Accessories
Laptop Price as Configured: $639.99
Accessories Total: $0.00
Extended Service Plan Total: $0.00
Your Total: $639.99
plus additional savings in cart
offer expires 7/15/13
The core i3 tecra was configured here:
http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/cdetland.to?poid=2000045900*There was a Core i3 that was 100Mhz faster for $50 more but that seemed like a waste of $50, and the Core i5 which I would have liked to get him as a CPU puts him over budget with a price tag of $789.99 with the +$150 to add this CPU instead of the default Core i3
Looking at the 2 laptops he sent me asking for suggestions, the AMD quadcore running 1.5Ghz I have this strong feeling that it will act like all other computers that operate below 2Ghz which lag, even though it has 4 cores as well as it will become too slow for multitasking use if not now, definately before 5 years expected use is met.
With the Core i7 which looked like the perfect laptop for him at first, the drawback is that the battery is internal, and not user replaceable! This is the very first laptop I have ever come across in which the battery was not easily removable. Thinking back at the many times in which removing a PC battery and reconnecting the battery fixed a hung laptop, on this model that is not an option without splitting the case open which is a very stupid intended design feature!
Before I try to sell him on the idea to go with the Core i3 Tecra, I figured I'd get input from others. Maybe there are better deals out there for a laptop with good reviews, low tech maintenance to hold up to heavy data entry and multitasking, and one that either comes brand new with Windows 7 64-bit or can be downgraded to Windows 7 64-bit and still be within budget?
I already know that trying to tell him to go with the Core i3 over the Core i7 laptop is going to feel like reverse logic to him, but the way I see it, it looks like they are trying to use the Core i7 CPU to sell low quality guts that surround that better performing CPU....
I dont want to suggest a laptop that will be a lemon, so I am trying to get him the best performance and quality for his money hardware wise as well as Windows 7 downgrade option at the get go. I want this laptop to be one that gives him 5 years or more of good use and is not one that I will have to fix frequently due to poor quality, as for he insists on paying me to maintain his computers and while most people would love to have a high maintenance computer to tap into someones wallet, I can not tap into a friends wallet like that!