Need a Laptop for School Quite Urgently. Budget ~ $800. Is HP Intel Core Ultra 5 U5-125H @ $700 an Acceptable Deal?

Llevqchi on 21/05/2025 - 22:29

I have a few desktops but no laptop. Sadly I need to go to school and a laptop is needed. 15.6+ inches is a plus since I've always found 14 inches too small, and I need the 10 keys for typing numbers. But if a good deal comes then 14/13 inches is acceptable too.

Found this on officeworks https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/hp-15-6-in…
Intel Core Ultra 5 U5-125H processor at $700 sounds reasonable to me. 8GB RAM is a disgrace but I know down the line I can upgrade it.

Would have prefered AMD with 780M integrated graphics or the AMD AI genreration, but the cheapest is https://www.lenovo.com/au/en/p/laptops/ideapad/ideapad-3/ide… at $900. And at 14 Inches which I'm not a fan. Still the 780M though, I'm big fan of AMD's integrated graphics. Be me playing Baldur's Gate 3 on Vega 8 with Ryzen 5800H.

I've been watching laptops on Ozbargain for almost 2 years but the prices just seem to go up and up. Inflation and all that. But the need (yes, actual need, not just want) for a laptop is becoming more and more urgent.

What should I do so as to keep my OzB badge?

Computing Computer Laptop

Comments

  • oscargamer on 21/05/2025 - 22:39

    What specs does the school recommend?

    • levqchi on 21/05/2025 - 22:41

      It's for higher education not high school, probably anything that runs Excel would suffice. Still, I want something fairly powerful for occasional gaming. I'd also like to run some small AI models locally on it as well, just for tinkering.

      • Joshminey on 21/05/2025 - 22:45
        +1

        Have you looked on the second hand market?

        • levqchi on 21/05/2025 - 22:47

          Yes I have (looked at every single ozb listing tagged laptop) but it's mostly 8th gen intel which doesn't excite me :\

          • McMaferMur on 21/05/2025 - 22:49
            +2

            @levqchi: He meant 2nd hand market on marketplace gumtree cashies cx etc

            • levqchi on 21/05/2025 - 22:50

              @McMaferMur: Oh I see, I mostly looked at the refurb market. I'm not sure I'm savvy enough to survive the 2nd hand market without getting swindled.

              • scrimshaw on 21/05/2025 - 23:03
                +1

                @levqchi: I don't think you will find any AI-capable laptops on the second-hand market anyway. You would have to buy a new or as-new refurbished device if you want Ryzen AI or Intel Ultra series with an NPU chip.

                At the minimum for AMD, you'd be looking at a 8840U/H chip (16 TOPS) and for Intel you'd be looking at the Meteor Lake CPU's, like Ultra 5 125U (11 TOPS)

                These CPU's are still pretty new, usually found at the $1000~$1200 price ranges.

                • levqchi on 21/05/2025 - 23:15

                  @scrimshaw: That's why I'm asking whether the Ultra 5 125H is a good deal at $700, even though the RAM and the build quality is kinda rubbish. Both of the chips you suggested are in the links for the contenders that I'm considering. I'm just wondering if I'm making a fool of myself by buying such bad build quality and warranty that HP is notorious with.

                  • scrimshaw on 21/05/2025 - 23:42
                    +1

                    @levqchi: If you are buying 15 inch laptop and are not concerned about weight I would just buy a budget gaming laptop in the 15" class. RTX 4050 would be ideal.

                    Look at Lenovo LOQ, Acer Nitro V (commonly sold at a variety of brick and mortar stores like Bing Lee, Harvey Norman etc), HP Victus 15 or Victus 16.

      • MS Paint on 21/05/2025 - 23:04
        +2

        That's a lot of grunt for $800. Good luck.

        • Hugh G Rection on 23/05/2025 - 09:38

          lol, that is like asking for a 20 room mansion with ocean view for 100k

  • viewfinder on 21/05/2025 - 23:01
    +1

    @levqchi , have you had a look at the Lenovo Outlet ? Some of the devices are certified refurb and some are new - there seems to be a few that might fit the requirements/budget, e.g. IdeaPad Slim 5i (15", Gen 9), Lenovo LOQ 15IAX9 Gaming Laptop, or for a little bit more this next one has beefier GPU and it is new Lenovo LOQ 15IAX9E Gaming Laptop

    PS - regarding the lenovo that you shared, there's an Intel version with double the storage for $735.85 on the Lenovo Outlet site as New IdeaPad Slim 3i (14", Gen 10)

    • levqchi on 21/05/2025 - 23:25

      Yes I have been looking at them for the past year. I might just get the 3050 6gb one, thanks for bringing it to my attention.

      • freefall101 on 22/05/2025 - 10:49

        Are you going to be in classes all day without a chance to charge?

        I'd be more focused on battery life than hardware specs. Anything that's relatively modern (and not something like an N100) with 16GB RAM will be fine for Excel work, but it doesn't mean anything if the battery dies 4 hours into the day.

        • levqchi on 22/05/2025 - 13:05

          You're right, that makes the Lenovo LOQ not ideal. Previously I've used a macbook air with all day battery so I've grown accustomed to that.

  • JustinFR on 22/05/2025 - 09:37
    +1

    From a repair perspective these budget 15.6" HP laptops are some of the lowest quality we see. Very poor hinge design, often snapping the plastic anchors sometimes within only a few months of use. For school use, you'd probably want something more durable. Just as an example, we are currently selling refurb Lenovo Thinkpad L15 - i7 11th Gen, 16GB, 512GB, 15.6" for $750 (not a sales pitch, just genuinely giving you a comparison). If it were me, I'd be taking the Lenovo or something similar for that price range.

    • levqchi on 22/05/2025 - 10:56

      Thank you! I've decided against the HP 15.6 due to the poor build quality you mentioned.

  • Killer Inc on 22/05/2025 - 13:24
    -1

    Get a mac book - https://shop.greengadgets.net.au/products/ma1018bbs63sg-c?va…

    Im so over Windows laptop wth i5 or i7.. they r severally slow compare to Mac m1 models.. plus mac battery life far more superior than any windows laptop

    • levqchi on 22/05/2025 - 13:39

      I use M1 8GB Mac at work and it's painfully slow. I would have bought an M3/M4 macbook if software compatibility issues for school weren't a concern.

  • levqchi on 22/05/2025 - 22:06
    +2

    Ended up getting this one https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/906910 which matches none of my criteria but life is not a dream.

    • levqchi on 12/07/2025 - 13:57

      actually returned this cuz the condition was terrible. missing screws, badly scratched screen. ended up buying thinkpad e14 gen 5 i3-1315U for $650.

  • Muppet Detector on 23/05/2025 - 23:04
    +1

    One of my kids completed his senior high school, Electrical Engineering undergrad and Masters Electrical Engineering in 2018? On a $250 refurbished second hand laptop that he bought off some old dude in Tasmania.

    He even had $8,000 of bursaries for new computer equipment from the beginning of his undergrad but never needed to use it. He only used it at end of Masters because the bursary was going to expire.

    The laptop he used through uni until end of Eng Masters cost less than the scientific calculator he was supposed to have for Grade 11 & 12 Math.

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