[RESOLVED] Please Help a Fellow OzBargainer Who Knows Nothing about Computers

FlyingTofu on 29/07/2016 - 14:50
Last edited 03/08/2016 - 01:36 by 3 other users

I am urgently looking for a laptop up to $400. If possible, I would like it to be 14" or more. I will require it for Uni to use programs such as Microsoft Office and to also browse the internet and and watch youtube videos. I have been searching online for hours but all of these fancy terms such as "Rams" and "processor" make no sense to me.

To list a few laptops I am interested in:

HP 14-AF102AU 14" Laptop
Acer Aspire ES1-431-C9D6 14" Laptop
Lenovo G40-45 14" Laptop
Asus E402SA-WX016T 14" Laptop
Asus E402MA-WX0031T 14" Laptop

I need it urgently within a week so I would like to purchase it in-store.
Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated!

Computing

Comments

  • angelkulit025 on 29/07/2016 - 14:54
    +3

    wow! you just narrowed yourself to just Harvey Norman eh..are there no other shops close by your place?

    • FlyingTofu on 29/07/2016 - 15:29
      +2

      I am not too sure where to look. I chose Harvey Norman as it seems to have a range of laptops..

      • Unknown1 on 01/08/2016 - 15:27
        +1

        Go to Static ice search (website).

      • filmoscope on 02/08/2016 - 12:48
        +3

        Order at MSY, PCCASEGEAR or something like that but they do not have showroom. They should have delivery as well. Harvey Norman is quite pricey.
        btw Officeworks has good price on sale - check online as sometimes they sell smth cheaper than in show room.
        Re hardware -
        if you need laptop for studying and home office work CPU is not really important unlike RAM and disk.
        Cheaper CPU(i3 or i5 not celeron) +better screen+4-8G RAM will make it cheap and good. SSD is good option if you fit in budget.

        Check model MSY has or others have, go to harvey norman or officeworks to have look at it and then buy over internet.

  • tonyjzx on 29/07/2016 - 15:12
    +5

    Man, these are all shitbuckets. I wanted to recommend least bad but they are all bad. AMD sucks and Celeron dual core sucks. 2gb sucks.

    Ok you have no money. You ideally want a reasonable speed dual core (ie. something like a Pentium 2.0+) with 4gb ram and I would take a 500gb slow hdd over a damn 32gb emmc. All of these above laptops would be poor on battery (ie. 3hrs).

    Spend a bit more. You ideally want 6hrs battery and a 120Gb ssd.

    • spackbace on 29/07/2016 - 15:20
      +4

      Dell Inspiron 11 is $499, should do the trick and portable as hell

      • tonyjzx on 29/07/2016 - 15:22
        +4

        Outlet? Yeah this guy right ^^

        • spackbace on 29/07/2016 - 15:40
          +1

          Nah website price currently :)

    • FlyingTofu on 29/07/2016 - 15:32
      +1

      Sorry can you explain 2gb? Is that storage or speed? yes I plan to not spend too much money as I already have an iPad and Mac computer. I just need a laptop to bring to uni for 12 weeks. I don't require anything other than to use Microsoft office programs and some internet usage.

      • goraygo on 31/07/2016 - 22:35
        +5

        Hi,

        I think you can just use your iPad. It can run Microsoft Office on iPad. You just need a year of Office 365 subscriptions and may be a Bluetooth keyboard cover which all up costs you less than $200.

        Look up App Store and download word, excel, PowerPoint and stuffs. Try it.

      • newsynthetic on 02/08/2016 - 12:08
        +1

        Your University might have free 365 office subscription, you should ask them. Use for iPad and Mac.

    • magic8ballgag on 30/07/2016 - 08:16
      -1

      Well the main thing is you tried.

  • SeaSalty on 29/07/2016 - 15:43
    +6

    Higher ram means you can run more multiple programs at once i think?

    • filmoscope on 02/08/2016 - 12:54

      higher ram means it has more cache and can run more programs less readings/writings to disk. It makes computer working faster as HDD as slowest part of computer

  • rompastompa on 29/07/2016 - 15:43
    +41

    Central Processor Unit (CPU) is the 'brains' of the computer. It's how fast it can process the data you send it (when you open a program, it has to process the data). It's made up of three main points. Clock speed (eg 2Gigahertz), Cores (Dual core/quad core), and Level2/level 3 cache (how much data can the CPU take at once).

    Random Access Memory (RAM) is how much storage is needed to open a program/data. This holds the data that you have ope,n. More you have open, more memory you'll use. Have too little, and it uses your hard drive as virtual memory, which makes it very slow. You always want more ram than you need. If you're using 2GB of RAM and you have the space for 4GB, that's good. Utilizing 2GB of RAM when you have 16GB is over kill and won't speed up your system. Using 2GB when you've only got 2GB is bad. This is the temporary location when you open things.

    Hard disk drive (HDD) or Solid State Drive (SSD) is your storage. This is the place where all your data is stored. Windows, all your programs, photos, e-mails, documents are all stored here. HDD's are mechanically, spinning up a disk. This all takes time and can only pull one thing at a time. SSD's are memory based (like your USB flash drives). There are no moving components, so no 'seek' time to get the location of your data. Much faster (~10x), but more expensive and smaller sizes. You'll see HDD at 500GB minimum, and SSD's at 120GB minimum nowadays.

    Generally speaking, data goes from your HDD, to RAM then to your CPU to be processed. So, when you open a photo, it opens the program that views the photo by taking that data from the hard drive, storing it temporarily in RAM, then sending it over to the CPU to process what it needs. Once you close that program, it'll take it back out of RAM and if changes have been made, it overwrites the data to your HDD.

    You're looking at the cheaper range of things, so you won't get much for your money.

    Using the first laptop you listed;

    The CPU is a Dual Core running at 1.4GHz @ 1GB L2 cache. This is bad, as it can only process 1MB at a time.
    The RAM is 2GB DD3. Windows will probably use around 1GB by itself, it doesn't give much room for you to open a few programs at once.
    The HDD is 500GB. This is standard size, you won't get anything smaller without going to an SSD. They're the slow hard drives, but they do their job.

    • FlyingTofu on 29/07/2016 - 15:51
      +2

      Thankyou so much for explaining! Really appreciate it.

    • FlyingTofu on 29/07/2016 - 15:59

      I have a question for you. There is a price difference of around $100 between the ASUS E402ma and the HP14 (example only)I only need to use the laptop for really downloading a program and Microsoft office. Are there any differences between the two I should be aware of? Is the extra $100 worth it? Thanks.

      • rompastompa on 29/07/2016 - 16:07
        +7

        The Asus has a 2.5GHz compared to 1.4GHz, so considerably faster clock speed. They're both dual cores with 1MB L2 cache (1MB cache is the bottleneck anyway).

        The RAM is the same.

        The biggest difference is the HDD. The HP has a 500GB hard drive and the Asus has a 32GB eMMC. 32GB is tiny, but will be faster to read and write to the HDD. Windows and programs will take up half of that straight away. eMMC is basically a SD card like you would use in a digital camera. I think 500GB HDD is probably better, as atleast you could take this out and replace it with an SSD if you wanted to. 32GB is a big risk.

        If you're not storing anything on the eMMC (purely documents, browsing internet), you may be able to get away with it.

        Bare in mind, these machines are made for documents/browsing only. It will only last for a year or so (the manufacturers want to create the mindset that you have to change your laptop every two years, like the mobile phone industry)

        See SpackBace's comment below. That would be a much better system. Not sure how long Dell factory outlet would take to get delivered though, might be longer than a week. The ~$400 machines are just a headache to work with. Everything is painfully slow.

      • adkt on 29/07/2016 - 16:09

        The HP14 has an AMD processor which is more likely to overheat than an Atom based Celeron. Heat is the worst enemy of any laptop because heat does serious damage to the laptops battery - and guess what the first thing to degrade in a laptop is - the answer: the battery.

        This is the best 14" sub $400 laptop from harvey: http://www.harveynorman.com.au/computers-tablets/computers/l…

        It has a new celeron based on atom and designed for cool cheap computing.

    • MrSammyMcG on 31/07/2016 - 00:44
      +2

      This is an excellent explanation, and coming from someone in IT too. Some of this stuff o didn't even know (the order things are run etc.) Thanks and Kudos.

  • cDNA on 29/07/2016 - 15:58
    -4

    Go here: http://www.dell.com/learn/au/en/audhs1/campaigns/dell-outlet…
    Look at Inspiron laptops. Use the Live Chat tool to purchase by quoting the catalogue number on the left of the list.

    The absolute minimum I would buy is Intel Core i5 5200U/6200U, a 256 GB SSD, and at least 8 GB RAM.

    • spackbace on 29/07/2016 - 16:05
      +7

      The absolute minimum I would buy is Intel Core i5 5200U/6200U, a 256 GB SSD, and at least 8 GB RAM.

      Ahhh… not for what the OP needs it for!

      DFO-2706-1534 REFURBISHED Inspiron 15 3000 $389 - Should be good enough
      i3/4GB/500GB/DVD/Wifi

      • adkt on 29/07/2016 - 16:12
        -2

        What ever you do do not buy REFURBISHED or second hand if you want the laptop to run on battery only - the battery life is the first thing to fail… and all second hand stuff will have a battery that will only last you 40 minutes.

        • spackbace on 29/07/2016 - 16:15
          +3

          Which is why I originally mentioned the Inspiron 11 for $499 delivered. Good little 2-in-1 that would suit a student and would do the basic stuff that OP needs it to do.

        • adkt on 29/07/2016 - 16:29
          -1

          @Spackbace: Yes the Inspiron 11 is the best buy at $500 (it has an SSD and a 2015 14nm processor both contribute little to no heat which = longer battery lifespan), BUT it is not within the OP's budget or desired features (the screen size too small). I was actually considering buying one of these last week just to have (I don't need it) because that price point is soo good right now.

        • WalterPPK on 31/07/2016 - 14:21

          Which is why the refurbs all have a warranty that includes the battery. Sure, it'll fail, but you just get it replaced under warranty (usually with Next Business Day replacement) and the upside is you save about 40% off the price of a new laptop.

        • PVA on 01/08/2016 - 19:23

          not true at all. Dell refurbs are like new. I am using one now and battery is perfect.
          Refurbs from non-manufacturers are a different thing but from Dell, Appl etc are as good as new and with a same as new warranty.

      • adkt on 29/07/2016 - 16:18
        -2

        A 2016 celeron from harvey norman is better then the 2013 i3 that dell POS thing has… http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-N3060-vs-Intel-Core-i3-4005U

        Trust me, http://www.harveynorman.com.au/computers-tablets/computers/l… is the best buy for the thread owner, especially since said original poster is a noob when it comes to specs. Numbers mean nothing just buy the newest technology you know "Moore's Law"…

        The GHz of a processor means nothing at sub $1000. Under $1000 it is all about the "nm" / chip size, power consumption and heat.

        • FlyingTofu on 29/07/2016 - 16:35

          Can I just ask what is the difference between Lenovo Ideapad 110 15.6" Laptop and Lenovo ideaPad 100-14IBY 14" Celeron Laptop (http://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/lenovo-idea…)

        • adkt on 29/07/2016 - 16:44
          -1

          @FlyingTofu: The 110 has a larger 500gb vs 32gb and more reliable hard drive (longer lasting storage) the 100 from officeworks has a faster harddrive but is much smaller at 32gb and being flash eMMC memory will last about 2 years then will have a random chance to just not work one day… (well that is in my experience since thats what happened to my eMMC 11" laptop)

        • Audisez on 30/07/2016 - 20:09

          The i3 will probably perform better than the Celeron, whereas the Celeron would draw less power and would technically last longer. However, with these budget laptops, the battery life is usually poor which means that it is a non-factor. The main determining factor for performance is Architecture, clock speed, and core count/hyper threading. You are deluded if you think GHz doesn't matter at the sub $1000 mark.

          In addition, the N3050(which is basically a N3060 with a lower boost clock, however, I doubt either CPU will hit their boost clocks on a budget laptop anyway) saw basically no performance from its predecessor the N2815 which was released in 2013 and is a very budget, low performing cpu. Source: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Celeron-N3050-Notebook-Pr…

          Lastly, CPUboss is a terrible website and by looking at the page you linked, there isn't even a benchmark present which makes it all the more useless. Here is an example of how terrible CPUboss is:

          http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-Pentium-G4400-vs-Intel-Core-i7…

          According to CPUBoss, the Pentium defeats two of Intel's top of the line desktop processcors in terms of the overall score. I mean I could understand if it won the value section but overall score? Seriously?

        • [Deactivated] on 31/07/2016 - 08:56

          @Synk:

          I always use passmark, it gives a score based on real world test

          https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Celeron+N2840…

          3678

          https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i7-5960X…

          15969

          However that pentium is seriously good value, 4x faster than the cpu used in those budget laptops. Its a shame OP can't use a desktop instead

        • [Deactivated] on 31/07/2016 - 11:42

          Newest technmology is a very poor comparison
          smaller nm chip size means

          • less heat
          • cheaper to produce
          • smaller physical size
          • less power consumption

          It says nothing about performance.

          https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp%5B%5D=2762&cmp%…

          The i3 processor is actually more than 2x faster

  • FlyingTofu on 29/07/2016 - 16:38
    +3

    Thankyou everyone for spending your time with all of the suggestions so far. Really appreciate it. I have little knowledge about technology so I am very thankful for all of the replies!

  • mosquito on 30/07/2016 - 07:52
    +2

    There are many stores where you can purchase at a lower price than Harvey Norman but that store will have friendly customer service!

    I would suggest that you test the screen/keyboard in store unless you intend to use the laptop docked/connected to an external keyboard/monitoring most of the time.

    You do not have to purchase at the same place you look at them…

  • Speckled Jim on 30/07/2016 - 14:12
    +2

    HP 250 G5 $394 inc insured delivery to 7000

    Because (at a quick glance and compared to the HP you linked):
    -15.6 vs 14"
    -Twice the memory
    -Slightly faster CPU 1.6 vs 1.4
    -7200 HDD, I suspect the 14" is only 5400*
    -DVD/RW drive — not listed for the 14" and some reviews say not installed

    Read the reviews at the Domayne page for the one you linked. Also page 2 of reviews on HN, two people say no optical drive.

    *Specs at Domayne and HN pages don't specify. Safer to assume 5400 rpm.

  • Speckled Jim on 30/07/2016 - 14:27
    +1

    I'll also throw this out there. That site (shoppingexpress) has two 14" Lenovo alternatives that might suit if you prefer the smaller option.

    1. Cheapest (no optical drive, only 2GB ram, 5400 HDD)
      Lenovo B4130 for $295 + delivery

    2. Upgraded spec (DVDRW, 4GB ram)
      Lenovo B4130 for $344 + delivery

    I know you need it fast, but my experience with this vendor suggests you'd get it in time if you ordered this weekend, it's in stock and AusPost haven't totally stuffed up.
    Actually that's a lot to rely on :/

    • FlyingTofu on 30/07/2016 - 15:14

      Hi USB-V, thankyou for this information. I am now tossing between these options;

      Lenovo B4130 http://www.computeralliance.com.au/lenovo-b4130-14-celeron-n3050-notebook-win-10-pn-80lf000tau-save-$50
      HP - 250 - G5 (http://www.computeralliance.com.au/hp-250-g5-celeron-n3060-1…)
      Acer Aspire ES1-431-C9D6 (http://www.harveynorman.com.au/computers-tablets/computers/l…)
      Lenovo Ideapad 110 (http://www.harveynorman.com.au/computers-tablets/computers/l…)

      If I can just ask, which would you purchase or which is the best option?

      • Speckled Jim on 30/07/2016 - 15:40
        +1

        Personally, I prefer 15" laptops. A DVD drive and 7200 HDD is also preferred.

        Of the two 15" you linked I'd go for the HP 250 G5. If from the Mt Gravatt retailer, I'd ask for a 7200 rpm hard drive upgrade to match the one I linked.

        If you're stuck with a 5400 drive, be prepared to defragment it weekly.

        • scrimshaw on 30/07/2016 - 20:28
          +2

          manual drive defrags are not required in modern versions of Windows. Back in the pre-Vista days, yes, but Windows is smart enough to do some defrags when you're not using the computer bit-by-bit to improve performance. User intervention is unneccessary.

          I have not defragged any of my machines in years…still runs fine.

          But seriously tho: buy an SSD and you can turn any shitty laptop into a decent laptop. The SSD is the most 'cost effective' upgrade you can do for a laptop — you can spend $100 dollars on the RAM and it could yield little to no difference, but a HDD => SSD upgrade will always make huge difference.

        • Speckled Jim on 30/07/2016 - 21:24

          @scrimshaw:
          Sheesh, tell my Win7 Acer. It's a hot mess according to Auslogics but I haven't defragged for ~6 weeks.

          My faster HDD is in an older machine with a dead inverter. The newer Acer has locked InSyde BIOS so no point trying to swap.

      • donnot on 30/07/2016 - 21:17
        +1

        My choice would probably be the Acer. The other 3 use a very slow Carleton N3050 /3060 CPU, which will struggle with anything more than very light web browsing and multitasking (slower than the last gen Atom's found in budget <$100 windows tablets).

        The Acer uses a Celeron N3150, which is a quad core variant of the 3050, offering far better performance.

        • [Deactivated] on 31/07/2016 - 11:53

          These laptops will all be limited by the terrible hdd speed, not the CPU.

          Of course for similar money, the N3150 is much more powerful, but I doubt there will be any real world difference in ms word or internet browsing, due to the hdd.

        • donnot on 31/07/2016 - 14:10

          @rememberme:

          The HDD is perfectly sufficient. The CPU struggles to even render pages like Facebook, regardless of the browser, and you can be waiting 20 seconds just to scroll a very small amount (out of the box). Absolute pain for everyday use.

          Also, if it's being used for Uni, there's likely going to be points where OP is browsing multiple sites where the 3150 will really spread its wings.

        • [Deactivated] on 31/07/2016 - 16:08

          @donnot:
          I use a laptop with a similar power cpu (a 1.6ghz dual core 9600u from 2009) and don't have any issue with performance since adding an ssd (and upgrading from windows vista)

          I agree the 3150 is a much better choice, I tried to find a 15 inch model with this cpu @$400 but no luck

        • donnot on 31/07/2016 - 16:34
          +1

          @rememberme:

          The U9600 was a very low power CPU in 2009, and still has a ~25% advantage over the N3050.

          The 3050 looks like an alright entry level CPU on paper, but it just 'feels' slow, even with an SSD. My T7100 based laptop (from '07) runs a lot quicker.

          We need more ~$400 laptops with the 3150.

      • dcuksuop on 31/07/2016 - 00:28
        +1

        I think the size is an important personal preference, 14" vs 15.6" - this usually reflects in the weight of the laptop. If you plan on taking it around with you everyday, you'll probably want the smaller lighter one. If you only occasionally carry it around, then a bigger heavier one is fine.

      • mrluke on 01/08/2016 - 16:28

        One word: Toshiba!!!

  • Flying Ace on 31/07/2016 - 07:29
    +14

    Disclaimer: I work at Officeworks.

    Do yourself a favour, don't buy from Harvey Norman. They prey on people such as yourself who go in there not knowing very much - they'll be rubbing their hands together at the sight of you! They work on commission so be very wary of what they're offering you. You'd be best off going to somewhere like Officeworks who will give you impartial advice as we don't have to sell any particular brand. I'm not in the computer area so I can't give you any advice, but I do know that the computer guys in my store are all really genuine and would offer the best machine for your needs, not what would give them the highest cut :-)

    • donnot on 31/07/2016 - 14:22
      +4

      This *1000. Advised my grandfather to buy one of the Lenovo 100S laptops from HN ($236), and they tried to sell him (I kid you not) a $1600 Lenovo gaming laptop, saying that the lenovo (100S) was "useless" and "real slow", using the old "pay more, last longer" trick. It's for emails and word processing!

      Only usually go there if OW doesn't stock.

    • fruit on 31/07/2016 - 20:35
      +2

      Don't forget price match!

  • ITveteran on 31/07/2016 - 08:22
    +2

    Under $400 there won't be quality laptops from department stores. Although those laptops are suffice for the purposes you mentioned, the experience of use can't be good.

    To have decent user experience the key is to have I core and ssd. You may try finding one from Gumtree where you can get it quick from local fellows. For example recently I bought a Dell Latitude laptop from eBay for $265, with 3rd gen i5 CPU, 8g memory and 128 GB ssd. It's way better than any one you mentioned in your list.

  • zoombie on 31/07/2016 - 10:02
    +3

    I just want to say that the other members are making this process harder than it should be. If you want a laptop for the purpose you've described above, any computers can do the job. Remember, 5 years ago people still surf the web, watched YouTube videos and do word processing. I can assure you that the entry level laptop 5 years ago were not as powerful as they are today.
    I haven't look what options is best but others have provided you advice in this matter. My advice to you is instead of looking at the processing power, look at the weight of unit. As a Uni student you will be carrying your laptop around all day, and trust me you don't want to carry a heavy one around.
    Personally, I don't buy new computers, a second hand one is much better in value.

    • [Deactivated] on 31/07/2016 - 11:33
      +2

      I would do this myself, purchase secondhand, buy new battery and SSD.

      However for someone who has little knowledge, replacing computer parts and reinstalling windows is not easy

  • voiletmay on 31/07/2016 - 10:55
    +3

    You need light to carry and a battery charge that lasts all day.

    Also a good warranty and easy to return if there is an issue.

    I have an ACER that died (hard drive died) as soon as the warranty expired. The ACER repair people wanted $1400 or so to repair it, luckily hubby bought a replacement drive and fixed it himself. Toshibia on the other hand is excellent with after warranty fixing.

    Goodluck with your decision!!

  • goraygo on 31/07/2016 - 22:38

    Seriously, think about using your iPad to run all the office apps. Just get the office 365 subscriptions so you have the license for the office apps on iPad and equip your iPad with a cover case keyboard. :)

    • [Deactivated] on 01/08/2016 - 13:38
      +1

      They may even be free if OP has a .edu email

  • meatgasm on 31/07/2016 - 22:50
    -1

    Is new really a must? A used thinkpad will be cheap, sturdy, and any recent one should be leagues ahead of those machines.

  • Lucky13 on 31/07/2016 - 23:20
    +1

    I bought this one for uni does everything I need it to, $279 + $5 delivery. No click and collect near me by the looks of it, but delivery is still available for $5 in metro areas. Also comes with 1 year Microsoft Office - https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/asus-x205-116-inches-qc-atom-…

  • fredzfrog on 01/08/2016 - 10:33
    +3

    Theres some great info here regarding the hardware, but lets go onto software… Office.
    DON'T: Use a pirated version. Your leaving yourself open to some nefarious guy who puts extra hidden code in.

    DO: Google your uni's name and office.
    I spent a minute and found this page for fed uni: https://federation.service-now.com/ess/kb_view.do?sys_kb_id=…
    FREE office 365! (This one expires once a year so you'll need to get a new code from the uni)
    Or this one for Monash.. http://www.monash.edu/news/articles/download-microsoft-offic…
    Or university of melbourne! http://ask.unimelb.edu.au/app/answers/detail/a_id/6077/~/mic…

    Good luck with your studies :D

  • [Deactivated] on 01/08/2016 - 13:28

    Roughly put, the performance equation is $50 per window of PORN you want open at anyone time.
    So a budget of $400 allows you to afford a computer which can handle up to 8 windows open at once without the computer slowing down too much.

  • mrluke on 01/08/2016 - 16:27

    I got a good Toshiba about 2 years ago for under $500… as someone who used to work in laptop repair I can confirm Toshiba's have the best reliability, and this one is no exception. Unfortunately I got it from Dick Smith.. so I don't know where the best vendor is now for Toshiba but I highly recommend one.

    • FlyingTofu on 01/08/2016 - 19:15

      Thankyou for your advice.

  • mrluke on 01/08/2016 - 16:29

    And whatever you do don't get an Acer, they are notoriously difficult to obtain replacement parts and break down constantly… Fujitsu is alright.

    • FlyingTofu on 01/08/2016 - 19:25

      Yes I have to agree that Acers do break down. My highschool provided take-home Acer laptops and they constantly frozed!

  • Dhandoftime on 01/08/2016 - 16:37
    +1

    Bought my Asus F8S from gumtree for $40
    2GB Ram
    250GB Hard drive
    Core 2 Duo T7500 2x2.5GHz chip
    Hence you don't need that much.

  • BK12 on 01/08/2016 - 16:42
    -1

    or sell your ipad and Mac and buy brand new Surface pro 4 which would suit all your needs may be more you mentioned above

  • coolhand on 01/08/2016 - 21:07

    Buy a used HP 8460p, should be available in your price range with a decent cpu and an SSD in your area. Great business grade laptop

  • FlyingTofu on 02/08/2016 - 00:16
    +1

    Hello fellow ozbargainers! I must thank each and everyone of you who has posted on this thread. I have received very insightful information. I must mention that only yesterday I had realised I still had my 7 year old laptop (ASUS eeePC 1008HA) that was tucked away in a dusty cupboard never bound to see the light because of how slow it was. I decided to try and speed up the laptop by performing a disk clean, defragging it, uninstalling programs, removing temp folders, removing every file I could find, clearing cache and cookies and now it has gone from "slow" to being "fast enough" for Microsoft words and a required program in my uni course. My uni studies do not require too much technology use so I should be fine with what I have. Once again, I really appreciate all of your advice and I hope others have found this thread helpful.

    • Ryugen on 02/08/2016 - 01:52
      +3

      You should win Ozbargainer of the month. Not spending money on something you won't need = the best bargain. Good luck in your Uni course!

      • FlyingTofu on 02/08/2016 - 08:41

        @Ryugen Haha yes, its always worth it to recognise our needs from our wants. I think I can do with the slow laptop for now anyways!

    • mosquito on 02/08/2016 - 07:41
      +1

      You might want to look if you add more RAM into that laptop if you have a friend or are happy to look at a youtube video/online tutorial. It's a very quick job and second hand laptop RAM can be under $20 to upgrade, you want to try go to get to 4GB as your likely running a 32bit OS.

      • FlyingTofu on 02/08/2016 - 08:44

        Thanks for the tip!

        • MrGareth on 02/08/2016 - 09:58

          I'm pretty sure these machines can only take 2Gb max, but I'm also pretty sure you can install an SSD. :)

        • donnot on 02/08/2016 - 20:27
          +1

          If you do decide to upgrade the RAM, here's a guide on adding it, and here's the RAM you'll need (chose a used eBay listing as it's considerably cheaper, and there isn't much risk with used RAM if it's tested).

          Will make a HUGE difference over the included 1GB.

        • FlyingTofu on 02/08/2016 - 22:51

          @donnot: Thankyou, thankyou!

  • MrGareth on 02/08/2016 - 09:42
    +1

    In their latest catalogue Australia Post are selling a HP 250 laptop for $349, apparently including a case. It's a 15.6" one with a Celeron N3050, 4Gb RAM and a 500Gb HD.

    http://catalogue.auspost.com.au/offer/notebook-laptop-comput…

    The CPU lets it down though, but it's good enough for MS Word and stuff like that.

  • Unknown1 on 02/08/2016 - 10:14

    People considering a laptop for under $500 should check out MSY.

    Currently, they have a
    15-AF131AU(P7F62PA) for $449:
    With the following specs:

    CPU:AMD Quad-Core A4-5000.
    Storage: 1TB SATA.
    Ram: 8gb.

    Cpu could be better. However, when buying a laptop under $500 you can't expect anything too great.

    Or

    $429
    ES1-431-P2SZ
    CPU: Intel Quad-Core Pentium N3700.
    Ram: 4gb.
    Hard drive: 500 SATA.

    Better processor than Celeron n3050.

    or

    R3-131T-C62X

    Hybrid (tablet+laptop) $339
    CPU: Intel Celeron N3050 1.6GHz(Turbo 2.16GHz)
    OS: Window 10 32bit
    RAM: 4GB RAM
    HDD: 32GB SSD

    SSD faster than SATA. Once you go SSD there's no going back.

  • Teamfight Tactics on 02/08/2016 - 18:36

    Toshiba Satellite C50-C02E 15.6 HD/C i3-5005U/4GB/1TB/Intel HD5500 Graphics

    AU $390.95

    more info at

    http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Toshiba-Satellite-C50-C02E-15-6-H…

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