I am looking at laptops I can use as a desktop connected to a monitor. Mostly word processing, email, internet browsing. No gaming. I like to have multiple tabs open for multitasking. I would like at least 16Gb RAM.
Hoping the brains trust have any feedback on these 2 models that are within my price range -
https://www.harveynorman.com.au/hp-15-6-inch-r7-5700u-16gb-5…
https://www.lenovo.com/au/en/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-e-ser…
Thanks
Thanks
I've kinda been looking at this Lenovo E14 too but tossing up whether the T series is worth the step up. Any experience or opinions on the differences between these?
The main draw with the T series is a nicer keyboard / slightly better screens / lighter and more business type feature focussed. All up they are a nicer machine but if you are using it via a dock / monitor(s) and keyboard most of the time the E series is fine for most users as you won't notice much differece between similarly spec'd models.
If you are using the machine as a laptop most of the time then the T could be well worth the jump - I had an X1 yoga for about 2 years and loved it until recently being given an XPS 13 by work as a replacement. I would say I much prefer the keyboard on the X1 compared to the XPS and its certainly a more sturdy machine (in terms of being able to take abuse) compared to the dell.
I prefer to keep my work laptop docked and everything else I want to be able to do from a more portable, thus smaller, personal laptop from the couch mainly. So thinking of it in those terms is very helpful. Thanks.
I am also in the same market.
I have noticed that Lenovo laptops are not really upgradeable (soldered RAM) and difficult to access, whereas HP provide easy access and upgrade parts (RAM & SSD).
Have you looked at the DELL XPS 13" range, they get very good reviews also upgradeable (RAM & SSD) with easy access.
The Lenovo E series outlined here has both soldered RAM (8GB) and a SODIMM slot with another 8GB in it capable of taking a 16GB module.
Also the more recent XPS13 models are all soldered on - I know as I have a 9310 sitting on my desk that I had to take apart to fix the thermal issues on the other day.
The push towards soldered RAM does have its benefits as you often get much higher speeds available and lower power (such as 4267 LPDDR4x) - this sort of much tighter integration is pretty much the secret sauce beind Apple's recent M1 success so you will be seeing even more of it in future. I will say the performance difference on intel 11th gen processors between 3600 DDR4 and the 4267 LPDDR4x is astounding particularly when it comes to GPU performance and that is all down to the fact that its more tightly integrated.
As somebody in the tech industry for the last 20 years I can in all honesty say that just buying a machine with acceptable specs upfront (16GB today is more than enough for general users) is the way to go as ugrading is a limited performance improvement compared (unless your workload specifically requires it) to the vast performace improvement you'd get moving to a newer system. It looks like normal system requirements are going to stagnate at the ~16GB mark for some time to come much as they have at 8GB for the past 5-6 years.
I like your answer BUT first and possibly foremost is manufacturing efficiency, which includes both quality control and cost reduction.
Every additional removable piece, especially including a SODIMM slot, introduces more cost and another potential fail point.
More pertinent, though, is the fact soldered RAM can be placed just about wherever engineers decide resulting in thinner and slimmer AND a move to 'throw away devices'.
Dry solder joint on RAM = not worth the cost of fixing…260 soldered pins, which one has the dry joint???
I had a quick look at the Dell XPS but i think they were about $500-$600 more with the similar features.
I am also factoring 13% cashback cashrewards for the Lenovo hehe
Yeah the XPS (along with the carbon etc) range is very much a "premium" end of the market where the prices don't make much sense if you are purely looking at it as a bang-to-buck spec type frame of mind.
You are paying for light weight, premium materials and design in those kind of laptops.
Is there a way to know how hot these laptops get? Are they mostly made of plastic ?
Thermally these are all going to be fine laptop / desk use wise unless you are cryptomining / gaming with no pants on or sensitive wrists.
They will all be plastic in the lower price ranges - you are looking at the $1800+ (normally) before you are starting to look at magnesium / aluminium chassis & panels where it can become an issue.
The way I figure it is that if you are regularly doing stuff laptop wise that causes the thing to run flat out and get uncomfortably hot, you either need to be using it in an upright dock with some airflow or you need to look at something with a bit more power and a better thermal solution.
If it is just going to be on your desktop do you need to spend that much.
Like, I get it if you want to carry it around from time to time but for the simple tasks you mention I would consider just a micro system you could mound behind a monitor. DELL or HP each do one that has thousands in the field. Each to their own.
I may need to carry it around on occasion. I looked at micro systems but they seem to be around the same price, and the intel 11th generation were out of stock. Is there any microsystems you recommend?
By comparison, the cheapest Dell and HP small form factor that I can find that have 16Gb RAM, and 512Gb are -
Dell $1350
https://www.dell.com/en-au/work/shop/desktops-workstations-a…
HP $1359
https://www.hp.com/au-en/shop/desktops/hp-slim-desktop-s01-p…
So they are more expensive than those 2 laptops above.
Fair call. I have a few ex lease ones floating around that I get for about $200 to $300. They have been super handy for their purpose (light stuff like you mentioned).
Butt if you want new and need a laptop you need a laptop.
The Lenovo would be my bet if I was spending the cash as I have had good experiences with them vs HP in terms of build quality and service.