Anyone know enough about laptops to help me out?

[jACKx]

A bit of a random question. My old laptop is overheating to the point where I don't like using it all that much. I want to get a new one but seeing as I only watch videos and browse online, I don't need anything too fancy. I want something that can handle multi-tasking without jumping off the table to end its life though. Anyone know enough about laptops to recommend one that is under $300? 

[watery buffalo]

Well, I can tell you that you are better off going with a refurb that has an option to upgrade the memory. 

My younger bro got one a few weeks back. I can't remember the exact price but it was under 300. Got the HP EliteBook 840 G1 14". 

[SNAK3S]

On 9/4/2018 at 11:51 PM, watery buffalo said:

Well, I can tell you that you are better off going with a refurb that has an option to upgrade the memory. 

My younger bro got one a few weeks back. I can't remember the exact price but it was under 300. Got the HP EliteBook 840 G1 14". 

Can you actually upgrade the memory on that one? Most HP's I have seen make it very hard or impossible. 

Laptops in general are made to only last 2 to 3 years so whatever you get, expect to need to upgrade it in a few years unless you spend more or as mentioned, can upgrade things yourself.

[TheHansonGoons]

Most laptops are very easy to add RAM chips or change the harddrive. I recommend going to crucial.com to check out upgrades for memory. For most models you open the back panels, slide in a chip of Ram or swap out your hard drive, and replace the panel. You can always do a Youtube video search of your model laptop to see where it is and how to do it.

Lenovo makes some decent affordable laptops. Again, at your price range you will have to upgrade memory later on. Even adding RAM to run processes more efficiently. RAM is where your CPU or central procesing unit is quickly storing directions before they get sent out, in a sense. Having a decent CPU with only 4Gb RAM is pointless as it gets stored up quickly and cant effectively sort all of the background processes taking place.

[GatoNegro]

On 9/8/2018 at 9:43 PM, TheHansonGoons said:

Lenovo makes some decent affordable laptops.

I have heard some pretty bad stuff about their Think Pads though. A friend of mine bought one for college and the thing didn't even get him through the year. Started overheating and crashing. He only used it to browse and write papers. 

Edited September 10, 2018 by GatoNegro

[TheHansonGoons]

I am on my third laptop of theirs. Second one I had some issues with but I had bought a refurb off Newegg. First one I had lasted about 3 years until my dog knocked coffee onto the keypad and it seeped in. The second was a refurb that had issues with dvd drive. Sent it back to them and because it was too old, they bought me a new one laptop and sent it to me. 

By no means have I been overly impressed with any of them, but for the price and functionality, they put me through college to get an IT degree, so lots of computer work and labs.