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Need advice in purchasing my first laptop

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Apr 17, 2014 4:31 AM
#1
worldeditor11
Offline
Apr 2013
12542
As stated in the title, i would like some opinions from you regarding my first laptop purchase. The laptop will be mainly used for programming and mostly nothing else. Since i will be studying my Computer Science course starting next month, i think this laptop is necessary for my future studies and work. As of now, i don't have any particular laptops in my mind so i would like you to recommend a brand or a specific model that you think will suit my needs nicely.

Budget : $500-$600
Mainly used for : Programming

Any help regarding this topic will be appreciated.

Extra Note : If you can find a laptop that can do the work perfectly and under my budget listed, it will be a huge plus as i am reluctant to spent so much money on it.
Apr 17, 2014 8:06 AM
#2
yazio

Offline
Mar 2012
4000
Programming as in regular application programming, mobile device programming, anything-that-involves-graphics programming?
Apr 17, 2014 8:18 AM
#3
Xheon

Offline
Apr 2014
11
If you're not gonna game on the laptop AT ALL then get any laptop with an intel core i3 or i5 (3rd or 4th gen) without a dedicated gpu :)
Since its gonna be power efficient and will do the job.
you can get one probably for 400-450
Apr 17, 2014 4:21 PM
#4
snaphat

Offline
Nov 2013
1043
Basically what Xheon said. Your CIS classes aren't going to have you designing programs that need high performance anyway.
Need technical discussion? I can help! How i sell my method:
Very well.
Apr 17, 2014 5:13 PM
#5
bereta002

Offline
Jan 2009
630
A core I5 will be fine.
Apr 17, 2014 5:24 PM
#6
worldeditor11
Offline
Apr 2013
12542
yazio said:
Programming as in regular application programming, mobile device programming, anything-that-involves-graphics programming?


Most probably yes to all except the graphics programming.

Update : I did a bit of research in the net and found Lenovo Ideapad s410p seems to do the job nicely and also within my budget range. I would like some opinions regarding this laptop first as i don't want to regret later when i actually purchase it.

http://shopap.lenovo.com/my/en/laptops/ideapad/s-series/s410p-touch/
worldeditor11Apr 17, 2014 7:08 PM
Apr 17, 2014 6:54 PM
#7
snaphat

Offline
Nov 2013
1043
Forgetfulness said:
From what I know and have heard at school, it's better to have a computer with Linux or Unix operating system machine. So like a Mac or Ubuntu

OSX isn't really ideal when it comes to support for Linux applications, libraries, and managing dependencies. Too much non-standardness can bite you if you need support for anything other than basically libraries.

Realistically, he doesn't need to do anything other than dual boot Ubuntu if he needs a standardish Linux environment. That being said, in recent years many CIS programs have shifted to Java (among other things) to avoid hassling people with lower level concepts (such as memory management, pointers, and lack of a thorough standard library, etc.). I don't agree with the shift, but it makes logical sense in the cases where folks are getting just a bachelor and heading out into industry.

worldeditor11 said:
yazio said:
Programming as in regular application programming, mobile device programming, anything-that-involves-graphics programming?


Most probably yes to all.

Any particular reason you think you'll be doing mobile and graphics programming? Most places drop you to console for the majority of the curriculum until higher level courses (3rd - 4th year).
Need technical discussion? I can help! How i sell my method:
Very well.
Apr 17, 2014 7:08 PM
#8
worldeditor11
Offline
Apr 2013
12542
snaphat said:

Any particular reason you think you'll be doing mobile and graphics programming? Most places drop you to console for the majority of the curriculum until higher level courses (3rd - 4th year).


I asked my brother about it(He is a computer science student; 3rd year) and he said i will most probably deal with regular application programming and mobile apps. The graphics programming is nearly non-existent though. I should had stated that earlier.
Apr 17, 2014 7:16 PM
#9
snaphat

Offline
Nov 2013
1043
worldeditor11 said:
snaphat said:

Any particular reason you think you'll be doing mobile and graphics programming? Most places drop you to console for the majority of the curriculum until higher level courses (3rd - 4th year).


I asked my brother about it(He is a computer science student; 3rd year) and he said i will most probably deal with regular application programming and mobile apps. The graphics programming is nearly non-existent though. I should had stated that earlier.

Fair enough, I think you'll see the mobile part later rather than sooner. If you see graphics programming, it will probably be a simple GUI app type of thing (assuming you don't take a course directly on game/graphics programming).
Need technical discussion? I can help! How i sell my method:
Very well.
Apr 17, 2014 10:11 PM
#10
snaphat

Offline
Nov 2013
1043
worldeditor11 said:
Update : I did a bit of research in the net and found Lenovo Ideapad s410p seems to do the job nicely and also within my budget range. I would like some opinions regarding this laptop first as i don't want to regret later when i actually purchase it.

http://shopap.lenovo.com/my/en/laptops/ideapad/s-series/s410p-touch/

It looks fine spec wise, I mean we aren't going to be able to tell you much. Your best bet is to look up reviews and do a price comparison on the specs vs. other laptops in the same range.
Need technical discussion? I can help! How i sell my method:
Very well.
Apr 17, 2014 10:31 PM
#11
worldeditor11
Offline
Apr 2013
12542
snaphat said:
worldeditor11 said:
Update : I did a bit of research in the net and found Lenovo Ideapad s410p seems to do the job nicely and also within my budget range. I would like some opinions regarding this laptop first as i don't want to regret later when i actually purchase it.

http://shopap.lenovo.com/my/en/laptops/ideapad/s-series/s410p-touch/

It looks fine spec wise, I mean we aren't going to be able to tell you much. Your best bet is to look up reviews and do a price comparison on the specs vs. other laptops in the same range.


Already did and and it receive good reviews despite some minor problems(drivers) which i think can be fixed easily. I will dig a little bit deeper after this just to be sure.

Since there is no new suggestions, i think the Lenovo model pretty much is the one for me.

Thanks everyone for your help.
Apr 17, 2014 10:36 PM
#12
deg

Offline
Jan 2009
92511
get a Haswell laptop at least a Core i3 APU like this one http://www.geek.com/deals-2/geek-deals-450-for-a-haswell-core-i3-touch-laptop-1584319/
Apr 17, 2014 10:41 PM
#13
worldeditor11
Offline
Apr 2013
12542
I am told that Dell laptops are not reliable and easy to break so i want to avoid getting those. Besides, i am planning to get Core i5 anyway as Mizore recommended earlier.

And thanks.
Apr 17, 2014 10:45 PM
#14
snaphat

Offline
Nov 2013
1043
worldeditor11 said:
I am told that Dell laptops are not reliable and easy to break so i want to avoid getting those. Besides, i am planning to get Core i5 anyway as Mizore recommended earlier.

And thanks.

Here's an old study I always pull up when people talk about reliability: http://gizmodo.com/5406415/laptop-reliability-study-asus-and-toshiba-come-out-on-top
Need technical discussion? I can help! How i sell my method:
Very well.
Apr 17, 2014 10:47 PM
#15
deg

Offline
Jan 2009
92511
ye i just read the thread and your going for the Lenovo brand which is durable, and you do not need LinuxOS to program, a lot of colleges offer Microsoft .NET as the primary programming language you will learn like C# and if your college happen to love open source languages like Java and Python then WindowsOS versions have installers and IDE for those languages too
Apr 17, 2014 10:50 PM
#16
snaphat

Offline
Nov 2013
1043
j0x said:
ye i just read the thread and your going for the Lenovo brand which is durable, and you do not need LinuxOS to program, a lot of colleges offer Microsoft .NET as the primary programming language you will learn like C# and if your college happen to love open source languages like Java and Python then WindowsOS versions have installers and IDE for those languages too

Opensource and java? lol, those two words shouldn't be used in a sentence together!
snaphatApr 17, 2014 10:54 PM
Need technical discussion? I can help! How i sell my method:
Very well.
Apr 17, 2014 10:55 PM
#17
deg

Offline
Jan 2009
92511
snaphat said:
j0x said:
ye i just read the thread and your going for the Lenovo brand which is durable, and you do not need LinuxOS to program, a lot of colleges offer Microsoft .NET as the primary programming language you will learn like C# and if your college happen to love open source languages like Java and Python then WindowsOS versions have installers and IDE for those languages too

Opensource languages and java? lol, those two words shouldn't be used in a sentence together!


ye i know Java is not really open source but its closer to being open source than lets say .NET languages
Apr 17, 2014 11:02 PM
#18
snaphat

Offline
Nov 2013
1043
j0x said:
snaphat said:
j0x said:
ye i just read the thread and your going for the Lenovo brand which is durable, and you do not need LinuxOS to program, a lot of colleges offer Microsoft .NET as the primary programming language you will learn like C# and if your college happen to love open source languages like Java and Python then WindowsOS versions have installers and IDE for those languages too

Opensource languages and java? lol, those two words shouldn't be used in a sentence together!


ye i know Java is not really open source but its closer to being open source than lets say .NET languages

To be fair, it is opensource (in name) if you count openjdk, but it is less open than it would appear to be at first glance because Oracle maintains tight control. I was mostly making a joke about them being patent trolls and presuming that they could eventually sue people for using patent encumbered code from Java (note, I'm not saying there is, but you never know).
Need technical discussion? I can help! How i sell my method:
Very well.
Apr 17, 2014 11:07 PM
#19
worldeditor11
Offline
Apr 2013
12542
snaphat said:
worldeditor11 said:
I am told that Dell laptops are not reliable and easy to break so i want to avoid getting those. Besides, i am planning to get Core i5 anyway as Mizore recommended earlier.

And thanks.

Here's an old study I always pull up when people talk about reliability: http://gizmodo.com/5406415/laptop-reliability-study-asus-and-toshiba-come-out-on-top


I am genuinely surprised when i saw the results albeit old. I never knew Asus will beat Toshiba in terms of reliability.

Lenovo : 21.5%

Okay. I am getting a bit worried now.
Apr 18, 2014 2:00 AM
#20
Xheon

Offline
Apr 2014
11
Just as a note i have allot of friends with HP and Dell laptops and they regret it ._.
Personally think that Asus Lenovo and Acer are one of the best brands
Apr 18, 2014 9:41 AM
#21
snaphat

Offline
Nov 2013
1043
worldeditor11 said:
snaphat said:
worldeditor11 said:
I am told that Dell laptops are not reliable and easy to break so i want to avoid getting those. Besides, i am planning to get Core i5 anyway as Mizore recommended earlier.

And thanks.

Here's an old study I always pull up when people talk about reliability: http://gizmodo.com/5406415/laptop-reliability-study-asus-and-toshiba-come-out-on-top


I am genuinely surprised when i saw the results albeit old. I never knew Asus will beat Toshiba in terms of reliability.

Lenovo : 21.5%

Okay. I am getting a bit worried now.

Well, this newer report places Lenovo higher: http://www.rescuecom.com/news-press-releases/computer-reliability-report-2014.aspx

That being said, it only targets repairs it deals with directly, so it's not necessarily an accurate indicator. One of the things you need to note though is that there is a disparity between premium laptops and entry laptop failure rates and the overall graph doesn't show that in the 21.5% above.

For completionist sake here is the older older study's complete report: http://www.squaretrade.com/htm/pdf/SquareTrade_laptop_reliability_1109.pdf ; checkout the graph showing the disparity in the different laptop categories.
Need technical discussion? I can help! How i sell my method:
Very well.
Apr 18, 2014 11:08 AM
#22
elemein
Offline
Jan 2014
47
Not to be a nozzle, but you guys are all doing it "wrong."

HP is both a great, and an awful brand.
Toshiba too.
Dell too.
Lenovo too.

See a trend? Good.

It depends on the model and series lines. My old workplace used Dell Latitudes that would legitimately withstand falls, minor spills, shocks, and were extremely easy to repair. They normally lasted 10+ years (since we have 10+ years laptop still in service today.)

My ex used to have a Dell Inspiron and it conked out in under 2 years. That being said, she wasn't the most delicate flower when it came to technology, but it wasnt being stressed out of spec.

The same is true for HPs. I used to have an HP Pavilion dv6. The hinge broke after a year and a half. My father's 14 yr old business-class Pavilion zd8000 (back when HP had business/media/consumer grades and there was tons of cross-over in components back then) is under my bed right now. Besides a flat battery and minor (fixable) overheating issue, it still functions just like the day we got it (the speakers may have even gotten better with age oddly enough...)

It's (very) important to understand the model of notebook you're purchasing and what components are being used. If you're eyeing Lenovo's, you're making a fine choice. Ideapads are classed as "media" notebooks and are higher quality than whatis normally referred to as Lenovo's "Essentials" line. Of course, they're not like the Thinkpad's that populate the business lines, but do take a look. A good idea is to eye this little star:

http://shop.lenovo.com/ca/en/laptops/thinkpad/x-series/x131e-intel/

If you're looking for quality, that is. Unfortuately it still uses the older Ivy Bridge platform, but that's fine. Of course, if you don't mind going lower on quality, you can get a Haswell platform laptop for similar price. If you can raise your budget though, I push you to look at the X240. 12 hours of battery life and a Haswell platform.
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