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Laptop expert needed

Discussion in 'Entertainment and Technology' started by Randy, Jul 26, 2013.

  1. Randy

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    If you saw my last thread posted in this section: I, ultimately, decided to go with Asus.

    Now, I'm planning to spend around $200-$300 for either a new or refurbished. I decided to go on Newegg and found this refurbirshed for $249.99 + free shipping + tax:
    Model
    Brand
    ASUS
    Model
    X401-RBL4

    General
    Color
    Matte Deep Blue
    Operating System
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    CPU Type
    Intel Pentium B970 2.3GHz
    Screen
    14"
    Memory Size
    4GB DDR3
    Hard Disk
    320GB

    CPU
    CPU Type
    Intel Pentium
    CPU Speed
    B970(2.3GHz)
    CPU Support
    2MB L3 Cache

    Display
    Screen Size
    14"
    Wide Screen Support
    Yes

    Operating Systems
    Operating System
    Windows 7 Home Premium

    Hard Drive
    HDD
    320GB

    Memory
    Memory
    4GB
    Memory Type
    204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM

    Communications
    WLAN
    802.11n Wireless LAN

    Supplemental Drive
    Card Reader
    Digital media reader
    Webcam
    Yes

    I then hopped onto Staples to catch some good college deal sales and found:

    Laptop Hard Drive Speed 5400RPM
    Laptop Hard Drive Capacity 320GB
    Bluetooth Compatibility No
    Laptop Display Type HD Slim
    Laptop Memory Expandable No
    CPU Cache 1MB L2
    Laptop Processor Speed 1.4GHz
    Laptop Processor Type AMD E1 1200
    Laptop Color Matte Deep Blue Square
    Laptop Screen Size 15.6"
    Touch Screen Enabled No
    Laptop Audio Built-in Altec Lansing speakers
    Media Card Reader SD+MMC+MS+MS PRO SDHC(SD 2.0)
    Laptop Style Laptop/Notebook
    Windows Select PC No
    Laptop Refurbished No
    Laptop USB Slots 1 x USB 3.0 / USB 2.0
    Laptop Warranty 1 Year Parts (Including battery and AC adapter, 1 Year Limited Labor
    Laptop Weight 4.4 lbs.
    Laptop Dimensions (L x W x H) 15" x 10" x .95"
    Laptop Battery Type 6 cell
    Laptop Battery Life 6 hours (estimated)
    Laptop Webcam 1.0MP
    Laptop Video Graphics UMA
    Laptop Hard Drive Type SATA
    Laptop Other ports 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1x VGA Port (D-Sub), 1 x RJ45 LAN Jack for LAN insert, 1 x Headphone-out & Audio-in Combo Jack, 1 x Line-in Jack
    Laptop Extra Features ASUS 302mm chiclet keyboard with 19mm full size key pitch
    Laptop Operating System Genuine Windows 8 (64-bit)
    Laptop Network Card Integrated 10/100/1000 Mbps Fast Ethernet, 802.11n
    Laptop Optical Drive None
    Laptop Memory Type DDR3
    Laptop Memory RAM 4GB
    and this one is a new laptop for $259.99 + free shipping to store + tax

    Which one is better and why?
    What is the main difference between L2 and L3 cache?
    What's the difference between processors?
    They're the same memory type, but what exactly does that mean by DDR3?

    I don't game that much. So my laptop would primarily be used for Everyday stuff (browsing, watching YouTube videos, iTunes, the games that are preloaded etc.)
     
  2. UndercoverGypsy

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    DDR3 is the speed of RAM, and nowadays DDR3 is standard - I wouldn't go below it.

    The second one is a very cheapo sort of computer - 1.4GHz is not much above some phones and tablets. Also, AMD CPUs aren't as reliable (although I could cause an argument by saying that). The first is hands down better, but it depends on what you can afford.

    Just to let you know, neither of them will handle any gaming that's more intense than Minecraft...

    Edit: I just noticed that the first one is cheaper and has better specs. Definitely go with that, Newegg are really reliable. Also, for clarification on CPUs, Intel and AMD are kinda at war with eachother. They each have their own fanboys/girls and I happen to be an Intel supporter simply because of reliability. That said, AMD tend to be cheaper and more cutting edge.
     
    #2 UndercoverGypsy, Jul 26, 2013
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2013
  3. Randy

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    Thank you Gypsy. Furthermore, what are the pros & cons of buying a refurbished laptop as opposed to a new one?
     
  4. UndercoverGypsy

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    While I've never bought a refurbished laptop, Newegg are really reputable and I imagine they have great support, so it probably won't be a bad decision to buy from them, and even if it doesn't work out, they'll most likely be pretty helpful.