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Other => Reviews and recommendations => Topic started by: ARK on February 05, 2011, 09:43:21 AM

Title: Compare these 3 laptops, best laptop under $400?
Post by: ARK on February 05, 2011, 09:43:21 AM
Which laptop is better? (listed below) It will be used for light video gaming (WoW) and light Photoshop editing, it will also be used for surfing the web and video editing.

1) HP: http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/hewlett-packard-hp-15-6-laptop-featuring-intel-pentium-processor-t4500-g62-219wm-silver-english-refurbished-g62-219wm/10161909.aspx?path=23857e0c67847d2607981678b26db9d7en02 (http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/hewlett-packard-hp-15-6-laptop-featuring-intel-pentium-processor-t4500-g62-219wm-silver-english-refurbished-g62-219wm/10161909.aspx?path=23857e0c67847d2607981678b26db9d7en02)

2) Toshiba: http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/toshiba-toshiba-satellite-15-6-laptop-featuring-amd-processor-e350-c650d-007-black-c650d-007/10161730.aspx?path=d4860e655368a733b4acaf1d62ce6045en02&lang=en-CA&pcname=&sku=10161730&ActiveTab=Tab_specs (http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/toshiba-toshiba-satellite-15-6-laptop-featuring-amd-processor-e350-c650d-007-black-c650d-007/10161730.aspx?path=d4860e655368a733b4acaf1d62ce6045en02&lang=en-CA&pcname=&sku=10161730&ActiveTab=Tab_specs)

They both seem pretty similar, I'm wonder which is better, the one with faster CPU but less RAM or slower CPU but more RAM? So far I've asked 2 other people and one said get the HP the other said get the Toshiba.

Also, do you have any recommendations for a good laptop under $400?

I also found this Gateway laptop, seems to be better than the above 2, what do you guys think?
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/gateway-gateway-15-6-amd-athlon-ii-x2-m320-laptop-nv5398u-blue-english-nv5398u/10158887.aspx?path=886e467cc90efd8a52f87087b114ef75en02 (http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/gateway-gateway-15-6-amd-athlon-ii-x2-m320-laptop-nv5398u-blue-english-nv5398u/10158887.aspx?path=886e467cc90efd8a52f87087b114ef75en02)

Thanks!
Title: Re: Compare these 3 laptops, best laptop under $400?
Post by: Natalie St on March 13, 2011, 12:48:26 PM
I would go with the HP. In the office we bought few cheap HP laptops and they behave pretty well. Also I'm skeptic about AMD processors if it's about a laptop.
Title: Re: Compare these 3 laptops, best laptop under $400?
Post by: truenorth on March 13, 2011, 05:15:22 PM
Based on your primary requirements for video work i would eliminate the Toshiba and chose between the HP and the Gateway. I have never owned a gateway computer so i cannot relate to any after purchase aspects as to whether experiences have been good or bad. So if i ignore that factor for the moment it appears to me that the gateway offers your best options re the video requirements due to better video ports and more USB connection ports. Something you may wish to concider re the purchase is doing so with a credit card if the card you use has extended warranty provisions particularly on the refurbished computer as it probably is sold with a short warranty period. truenorth
Title: Re: Compare these 3 laptops, best laptop under $400?
Post by: BC_Programmer on March 14, 2011, 12:18:55 AM
Based on your primary requirements for video work i would eliminate the Toshiba and chose between the HP and the Gateway.
Why?

Title: Re: Compare these 3 laptops, best laptop under $400?
Post by: truenorth on March 14, 2011, 07:24:45 AM
BC, My answer to your question is contained in the post to the O/P. You may NOT agree with that answer as certainly is your perogative. But i don't see what YOUR post has done to add to the question the poster has asked. You MAY wish to concider addressing that aspect of this post if you feel you have something to contribute.truenorth
Title: Re: Compare these 3 laptops, best laptop under $400?
Post by: BC_Programmer on March 14, 2011, 09:55:36 AM
You may NOT agree with that answer as certainly is your perogative.

Well, I didn't disagree, but I suppose I could disagree if that makes it easier for you to be a jerk. I do see that this is how it was qualified, but only via implication:

Quote
it appears to me that the gateway offers your best options re the video requirements due to better video ports and more USB connection ports.

Neither of those help with video editing. At all. I'm pretty sure they mean software like Adobe Premiere, Sony Vegas or maybe just Windows movie Maker or Camtasia/Camstudio, not any sort of highly connectified editing like one would have done a few years ago with an Amiga (with composite inputs/outputs,effects, etc) More USB Ports are nice, but I don't think they fit in with the requirements as I understand them.

This may help future posters as well, so I'll paste in the specifications from the three here; a bit long but saves link/tab hopping to try to compare.


Overview:


HP:

Screen Size: 15.6"
Resolution: 1366x768
Processor: Dual Core Pentium T4500 @ 2.3Ghz (1MB L2)
HD 320GB 7200RPM
RAM: 1GB DDR3 SDRAM
Optical Drive: 8x Lightscribe DVD+/- R/RW DL
Card Reader for SD,MMC,MS,MS-Pro;XD

Graphics Chip: Intel GMA 4500M
Webcam:No
USB Ports: 3
Video outputs: HDMI,VGA
Wifi: 802.11 b/g/n
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium

Toshiba:

Screen Size: 15.6"
Resolution: 1366x768
Processor: Dual Core AMD [email protected], 1MB L2
HD:320GB 5400RPM
RAM:3GB
Super Multi DVD (DVD Burner)
Card Reader: SD,SDHC,MMC
Graphics Chipset: ATI Radeon HD 6310
USB ports: 2
Webcam: Yes
Pointing Device: Touchpad With gesture
Video output: VGA

Ethernet: 10/100;
Wifi:802.11b/g/n
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium (doesn't say wether it's 64 or 32, so probably 32-bit)

Gateway:

Screen Size: 15.6
Resolution:1366x768
Processor: AMD Athlon II Dual Core [email protected] (w/ 1MB L2)

HD: 5400RPM 500GB
RAM: 4GB DDR2
Optical: 8x Super Multi DL
Card Reader: Information not available
Graphics: ATI Mobility HD 4200

USB Ports: 4
outputs: HDMI, HDCP compliant, VGA

Gigabit Ethernet, Wireless-N
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium



Overview: the HP has only 1GB of RAM. seriously, that hardly runs windows 7 by itself, let alone a video editing application- or photoshop. the fact that it's 1GB is DDR3 doesn't really help, because this just means that upgrading to a more usable amount of RAM for win7 is going to be more expensive. 1GB of DDR3 isn't going to be faster then 3GB (Toshiba) or 4GB(Gateway). It also posesses the only machine of the three with an Intel graphics chip, which isn't in and of itself a bad thing but with a choice a dedicated chip (one that actually does the graphics processing, instead of just passing it off to the CPU) is always a better option.

The Toshiba has what appears to be the "slowest" processor, but Ghz don't really translate across architecture barriers (Intel-> AMD). The Gateway clearly wins out in this regard I would think.

Given the same choice, I would probably get the Gateway; The only downside is the slower hard drive, but those can be replaced easier than a processor (the toshiba's 1.6Ghz gives me pause, even though it is AMD) and cheaper then the purchase of more DDR3 RAM. Also I think the Toshiba's processor might be 32-bit, but I'm not sure. The spec sheet doesn't say 64-bit explicitly like the other two so I'm not sure wether the OS is 32-bit and if that's the case wether it's because the processor is as well.

My question was more, why eliminate the toshiba based on the requirements? It's definitely better then the HP in almost every respect (aside from the lower RPM hard drive). In the case of the HP the 7200RPM will be mostly used to facilitate heavy usage of the pagefile, so it's hard to say wether it will offer much of an advantage, particularly running WoW, photoshop, or various video editors. USB ports and Video output don't even come into play at all near as I can tell, And It's not like USB Hubs aren't hard to come by. Personally I cannot really think of any USB devices that would need to be connected in order to facilitate the quoted use cases. Certainly the External display compatibility is irrelevant as well (but to be fair, EVERYTHING about a computer becomes smoother when you use dual displays... although that also means having another monitor.). The gateway I certainly the better of the three, but the toshiba was hardly preemptively excluded; in fact if any of them were preemptively excluded it would be the HP. 1GB on Vista/7 is simply a bad joke, regardless of wether it is DDR3. And the reason the gateway is better IMO is because it has a better Processor, more RAM, and a larger hard drive, all of which are actually relevant to the use cases that the OP has given.

Title: Re: Compare these 3 laptops, best laptop under $400?
Post by: Geek-9pm on March 14, 2011, 03:21:52 PM
What BC said makes sense to me.
Yet I would prefer Toshiba. I think the ATI Radeon HD 6310is the better choice for graphics. And I don't  care about 64 bit. Not yet. Of course, this is more perception that fact.Don't confuse me with facts.  :D
Title: Re: Compare these 3 laptops, best laptop under $400?
Post by: BC_Programmer on March 14, 2011, 03:50:16 PM
And I don't  care about 64 bit.

you don't use a 64-bit OS when you care about 64-bit. you use a 64-bit OS when you don't care about 16-bit.
Title: Re: Compare these 3 laptops, best laptop under $400?
Post by: Geek-9pm on March 14, 2011, 05:49:39 PM
you don't use a 64-bit OS when you care about 64-bit. you use a 64-bit OS when you don't care about 16-bit.
Right . I am used to 16 bit. In fact, my early bytes were 8 bit. And I don't have many teeth left. So If I go a 64 bit system, it would likely only use 40 bits.
Title: Re: Compare these 3 laptops, best laptop under $400?
Post by: patio on March 14, 2011, 08:39:11 PM
Right . I am used to 16 bit. In fact, my early bytes were 8 bit. And I don't have many teeth left. So If I go a 64 bit system, it would likely only use 40 bits.

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