Wireless laptop conections

[jbubb]

Thanks, Dave, I was hoping someone would Ok my choice or offer their opinion. I will check it out. I had decided to go back to the 8 GB ram because one of my Desktops has 8 and it streams videos very good. That would knock the price back down to $349. instead of $429. The reason for that is if I get a stinker, I won't lose more bucks. Price isn't too much of an obstacle except for pleasing the wifey.

PS: OK, I went and selected what you said and it hiked the price back to $429 which is what I almost did anyway. My only problem with what you suggested is the processor power. It drops it from 3.1-3.7 GHz to a 2.0-3.4 GHz. Does the 4 core make it that much better? BTW, they have a AMD Ryzen 5 2500u Quad-core (2GHz to 3.6GHz + AMD RADEON Vega 6 graphics and it's the same price. Is the Ryzen 5 not better than the Ryzen 3? I know this is a silly question but why do they say 4 cores instead of Quad core. They do that twice in the selection boxes to customize.?

[jbubb]

I have to back up on what I said about the Ryzen 5, it's $125 more and the 3 is $80. I called sales and got the warranty info and asked why 4 core and quad-core is mentioned just for kicks. We know it's the same and that's what he said. So when the wifey gets home I'll get her OK. Boy am I PWed.

[jbubb]

OK, Dave. I ordered the AMD Ryzen™ 3 2300U (2 GHz, up to 3.4GHz, 6 MB cache, 4 cores)+AMD Radeon™ Vega 6 Graphics this afternoon. I'll keep you updated if you want me too. Delivery is about May 11.

[Geek-9pm]

For what it's worth.
Anybody that only needs to watch videos and movies over internet can save a lot of money by NOT putting dollars into any laptop or desktop. Just get a ROKU and plug it into almost any modern TV set. It requires a wireless Internet connection.

But if you are a game player... that's a different thing. 

[jbubb]

I hear you on the ROKU Geek but I want it for the portable convenience as much as anything. I want it for on the road and to sit in my easy chair and watch sports or do other things while the wifey is tying up the TV. I used to go to my computer and do these things but have a physical problem and have trouble sitting at the computer for too long. Besides, laptops are great for vacations. Thanks for the advice anyway.

[DaveLembke]

Biggest benefit of getting processing and video processing power above the base model is that you should get more years of use out of it than the base model processing power. For example I went cheap and bought a Netbook in 2009 looking just at the fact that it was small portable and was able to stream and play some simple games online through facebook etc. 3 years later it struggled to play the streaming content even after a clean system build back to clean factory like the day i got it. It is the fact that technology gets more complex as time passes and while there is no such thing as a future proof computer, if I had bought a laptop with a better CPU and GPU I may be still using it today. However this annoyance of the Netbook no longer able to stream even youtube videos without stuttering and having to go with the lowest video settings of 360 to get them to play somewhat bearable but grainy looking taught me not to get just the bare minimum that works for me now, but pay a little more for hardware that is slightly better than the bare minimum, as for I bought a replacement laptop to it in 2013 and 6 years later its still able to stream and play some lower end games without any trouble.

So even if your not a gamer, it is definitely worth it to buy what you bought for the better than bare minimum as for you should get a good 6+years out of it for streaming instead of maybe 3 or so if you went with the A9 instead.

The netbook cost me $249.99 and the replacement in 2013 cost me $279.99 ( both bought on black friday sales ). Had I spent another $100 -$150 on a better laptop in 2009, I could have saved myself money.

If you take care of the new laptop it could last you in excess of 10 years, however as the processing demands for CPU and GPU processing power increase, someday it wont be able to keep up with the streaming if legacy resolution video streams are not available and an extreme high definition becomes the standard which would put extra burden on aged dated electronics.

For college I needed a newer laptop for Graphic Design, Animation, and Video Editing and I bought a Lenovo 330S with the Ryzen 5 2500U Quadcore APU ( APU = CPU/GPU combined in a single processor package ) on sale for $349.99 normally $429.99 and I am very happy with it.

[jbubb]

Thanks Dave, you're a gem. Thanks for the time to explain things for us less than geeky dudes like me. BTW, what ancestry is Lembke? Just curious. I'm German/Indian myself.