Is it worth it? Dell Inspiron 15 5000 Laptop 8th Gen Core i7-8550U 16GB RAM 2TB HDD Win10 FHD $1520

mutnyi2001 on 07/11/2017 - 10:44
Last edited 07/11/2017 - 14:41

Hi,

Just have come accross with this item on ebay: Dell Inspiron 15 5000 Laptop 8th Gen Core i7-8550U 16GB RAM 2TB HDD Win10 FHD for $1520 (after the discount 20%). http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Dell-Inspiron-15-5000-Laptop-8th-…

I need a laptop for home use (portability is not the factor) with decent specs for another 5-7 years, and budget $1- 1.6K. So, the questions will include the built quality, value for money and specs range (not to become too obsolete after that time frame).

P.S. I already possess another Dell XPS for 8 years now. Can Inspiron range last that long?

Also, do you think if it is a good time to buy it now or wait futher (I plan to putchase a laptop before Feb 2018).

Thank you very much for your opinions.

Computing

Comments

  • scrimshaw on 07/11/2017 - 11:05
    +2

    Inspiron range last that long?

    Inspiron range is low-to-mid end series, so it's not meant to be as durable as their Latitude counterparts. How long it lasts will depend on a lot of factors.

    That being said $1520 is pretty damn expensive for a laptop with not many redeeming qualities. It is fairly light for a 15 inch device (2 KGs) and it has a backlit KB. It has USB type C and Quad core CPU.

    However, that's where the redeeming qualities end since the display is not very bright (according to reviews of an older 7th gen unit on Notebookcheck), the AMD graphics chip is very entry level and…. wheres the SSD?

    If weight is not an issue, and it never leaves the home, maybe you should consider a desktop machine, or a larger sized 17 inch notebook.

    When you try to cram a quad core CPU into a thin and light notebook, you usually sacrifice performance as thermal throttling kicks in when you push the CPU load to the maximum. You could buy a desktop-replacement gaming machine for the price target of 1500.

    • Presence on 07/11/2017 - 12:11
      +1

      …. wheres the SSD?

      I completely agree. Has anyone who's used a PC with an SSD ever gone and bought a PC without one? The difference is night and day.

      I think buying a laptop to last 7 years is ambitious. It might physically last, but it will be so outdated. No computer will not be obsolete after that long.

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 07/11/2017 - 12:50
    +1

    I think an educational campaign is needed on the importance of SSD drives.

    If you were to open up Microsoft Word for the first time on a 1st generation i7 (from 2010!) with an SSD you'd think it was the newer, faster machine. I believe a lot of modern-day stress is caused by mechanical hard drives.

  • klaw81 on 07/11/2017 - 13:18
    +1

    I would strongly suggest that if you want a laptop to last a long time, you don't buy a cheap one. Your XPS was a premium product at the time, it certainly wouldn't have been cheap.

    You can currently grab a current-model XPS 15 for around $1800 via the eBay 20% deal - that's the sort of thing you should be looking at: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Dell-XPS-15-7th-Gen-i7-7700HQ-Qua…

  • mutnyi2001 on 07/11/2017 - 14:37

    Thank you guys, so far ALL the comments left here have been very helpful. Can anyone suggest if it is worth waiting for particular upcoming dates/deals to buy a 8th Gen laptop (with SSD and 16GB memory, not amazon)?

  • twobit on 07/11/2017 - 22:14

    I got one for a Not for Profit (not that high spec but in the 5000 series). The mechanical drive is extremely slow and DELL wont even look at it. Id suggest get a SSD….

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