Looking for ~$500 Core i3 laptop for general usage. - Hardware & Software

I saw one on the Office Max site for an Acer Aspire something for $500, not realizing that a week later it would be gone. I was thinking about holding out till black friday. (Do laptops get cut by much on black friday?) Maybe a max of $550. Anyone able to make some suggestions? I'm thinking the Acer Aspire would be my best bet.

Your better of with an AMD Phenom II x2 instead of an i3.

explain?

You can get an AMD CPU instead of an Intel CPU for less money.

And end up with worse performance...? [editline]24th October 2010[/editline] If you increase your budget to $600, you can get a Toshiba laptop with a Core i3 @ 2.13, 4GB RAM, 16" screen size, 12-cell battery, and 500GB HDD. Apparently it lasts 6.5 hours...?

[QUOTE=waxrock;25610452]And end up with worse performance...? [editline]24th October 2010[/editline] If you increase your budget to $600, you can get a Toshiba laptop with a Core i3 @ 2.13, 4GB RAM, 16" screen size, 12-cell battery, and 500GB HDD. Apparently it lasts 6.5 hours...?[/QUOTE] He is looking for what he can get, for how much he has, not what he can't afford.

[QUOTE=Axiom :D;25610345]Your better of with an AMD Phenom II x2 instead of an i3.[/QUOTE] Isn't really the case for laptops

[QUOTE=not_Morph53;25611342]He is looking for what he can get, for how much he has, not what he can't afford.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Peacekid;25609968][b]Maybe a max[/b] of $550. Anyone able to make some suggestions? I'm thinking the Acer Aspire would be my best bet.[/QUOTE] Yeah. Because his budget is 100% defined and static. All he has to do is wait maybe a week longer to build up the extra $50 if his max really was $550.

Well I'd really like to keep it to $500, $550 would be pushing it. I'm not pulling money out of my ass, you know?

$500 is cutting it really close for an i3, even if you find one it could be a shitty manufacturer. I would dig deep to find some extra cash, it will pay off down the road.

Well alright. But if I did want to skimp down to $500, what would be the difference in performance between an i3 and a T4500 or other dual core processors? and a T4500 vs. the AMD Phenom mentioned earlier?

Wait a minute isn't a T4500 an intel atom? Intel Atom vs Phenom; Decisions, Decisions. [editline]24th October 2010[/editline] oh its a pentium, my bad

I have a Timeline X for school. Works well for what I do with it.

[QUOTE=Axiom :D;25627919]Wait a minute isn't a T4500 an intel atom? Intel Atom vs Phenom; Decisions, Decisions. [editline]24th October 2010[/editline] oh its a pentium, my bad[/QUOTE] The Atom is a garbage CPU, a Phenom is way better.

I don't think you can compare an Atom to a Phenom...

guys its not a bloody atom its a pentium

[QUOTE=Peacekid;25632189]guys its not a bloody atom its a pentium[/QUOTE] Which is just one step higher.

Found this; [url]http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/packard-bell-easynote-tm89-gn-025uk-06539254-pdt.html[/url] [code] Processor Intel® Core™ i3-330M Processor - 2.13 GHz - 2.5 GT/S DMI - 3MB Smart Cache Operating System Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit RAM 3GB Graphics card Intel® HD Graphics <- What the hell? No model numbers or anything Screen type Widescreen LCD Screen resolution 1366 x 768 Screen size 15.6" Hard drive 320GB Optical disk drive SuperMulti 8X SATA Memory card reader 5 in 1 USB 3 Modem/Ethernet 10/100/1000 Wi-Fi b/g/n Video interface HDMI, VGA Audio interface Stereo Out ; Microphone In TV output HDMI, VGA Sound Stereo Realtek ALC272X [/code]

[QUOTE=Adzter;25633909]Graphics card Intel® HD Graphics[/QUOTE] Don't expect to be doing any gaming on that

if you only patch your budget a bit i would recommend this [url=http://www.ideapadtoday.com/the-lenovo-ideapad-y460-multimedia-laptop-has-hit-the-shelves-updated-spring-2010-review.htm]IdeaPad Y460[/url] PS. Don't ever, i mean never get a laptop with a integrated vid cards. you wont be doing any gaming on that ! (lastest games) 2000 and below games still work thou

@adzer: $500 US, since I'm in the US. thanks anyway [editline]25th October 2010[/editline] also I really dont plan on gaming

[QUOTE=Darkimmortal;25643938]Don't expect to be doing any gaming on that[/QUOTE] Looking for ~$500 Core i3 laptop for [b]general usage.[/b]

Thanks for repointing that out Adzter. Seems like if somebody wants a laptop in X-Y price range for like youtube, blogging, facepunch etc, they find a good one they immediately get shunned for having integrated graphics and not being able to game. Not everyone games here, bros.

Well excuse us for thinking the OP would want to play a game or two once in a while, while he asks advice on a forum started for a modification of a game and most of the users are gamers. And for general usage, you don't need an i3.

I was only pointing out what the op wanted

Intel kinda pushed AMD out of the Notebook market thats why there are more Intel CPU laptops than AMD CPU's

Bump, since this topic is being slightly derailed. [url]http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6587458&CatId=4965[/url] [url]http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6076017&CatId=4965[/url] What about these two laptops? The battery life isn't too spectacular but I think they look right. Anything bad to say about them? Never bought refurbished before, however.

boomp.

[QUOTE=Peacekid;25627843]Well alright. But if I did want to skimp down to $500, what would be the difference in performance between an i3 and a T4500 or other dual core processors? and a T4500 vs. the AMD Phenom mentioned earlier?[/QUOTE] My laptop has a T7300 Dual core in it, worst cpu I have ever used. [editline]28th October 2010[/editline] I would go for the Gateway laptop. [editline]28th October 2010[/editline] Here's a laptop I found, [url]http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=48387[/url] It's alright.

found a $500 asus u50f laptop. good specs, has what I need, but is there anything to worry about it being refurbished?