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My old laptop is really struggling with most things these days and has been for a while, so I have been looking to see what's out there.
I started with new laptops, but then started looking at refurbished ones too and now I am confused about what to go for!
I don't really play games (never had a laptop powerful enough to try!), Zwift would be the main thing and then mostly YouTube, films etc...
I originally found this - https://www.hp.com/gb-en/shop/product.aspx?id=6W7H3EA&opt=ABU&sel=NTB seemed that it would be good enough for me, but then I looked at refurbished ones and was finding ones like this - https://thetechoutlet.co.uk/collections/laptops-in-stock/products/refurbished-upgraded-hp-i5-11th-16gb-ram-256gb-nvme-ssd-full-hd-i5-1135g7-laptop-14s-dq2512na-windows-11 and
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145608038260?hash=item21e6ea5774:g:~HQAAOSwRcxlygRx&_trksid=p5731.m3795
Both have a 1 year warranty, is there any reason not to go for a refurbished laptop with better spec than a new one?
To give you any idea of what I have now, its a Fujitsu Lifebook U904 (10 years old!!) that I bought second hand a few years ago, so just about anything should be a vast improvement on this!
Thanks in advance for any advise you can give me.
Ive just got a lenovo from back market for generic use and its a couple of hundred quid.
Their stock changes a bit as its a market place.
This looked ok on my very mediocre knowledge. https://backmarket.onelink.me/j4lA/n65ijb01
@cougar you're IT ish. Any good?
From what you have listed, I would be tempted to go with one of the refurbs... but I can't comment on the companies in question/quality of refurb!
Dell UK outlet can have some bargains if you mix voucher codes and cashback, with proper warranty and aftercare https://www.dell.com/en-uk/dfh/lp/outlet
Bought a Dell inspiron 15 3000 for £299 maybe 18 months ago and it has been superb. fast start up fast close down and pretty quick for general surfing. probably a bit more now, but same or similar refurbs will be same price I presume.
This place was recommended on a previous thread but haven't used them so can't personally recommend, but good prices. There's usually some discount codes available also (maybe when you sign up for their newsletter).
Also check out the Dell Outlet
https://www.dell.com/en-uk/dfh/lp/outlet/a >
Newandusedlaptops4u on eBay are good. Very happy with the cheap laptop I bought from them.
XPS 13 is in your budget:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234629862742
Newandusedlaptops4u on eBay are good.
And they partake in the eBay discount codes every week or two so don't buy it without the extra 10/15/20% offers.
@cougar you’re IT ish. Any good?
Honestly,
I'm not bang up to date on whether the Nth generation i7 is better or worse than the N+1th generation i5. Aside from this desktop I have two laptops on rotation, one is from 2011 and the other 2008. But this question crops up on STW on like a weekly basis, "what laptop to do very little" and it's difficult to go wrong with those modest requirements. It's like asking "what bike to dribble down towpaths?"
Zwift I think is RAM-hungry (I've never used it), a quick google would suggest 8GB+ is recommended so your 16GB machine linked there should be fine. Whether there are better options at that price point I've no idea. Personally I wouldn't stray much past Dell or Lenovo, but that's just me, I've worked on too many systems which were technician-hostile (I'm looking at you, HP).
If you're open to Apple a used MacBook Air (2017) is within budget. Get one with as much memory as you can afford. Just make sure it has a low battery cycle count. My previous one lasted 6/7 years of abuse before I chose to upgrade to a bigger screen.
"I’ve worked on too many systems which were technician-hostile (I’m looking at you, HP)."
Good point my HP Pavillion has been a nice machine other than the keyboard getting a bit stick after spills. I went to our local repair shop and they said it wasn't possible or economcally possible to replace the keyboard.
Dell or Lenevo it is then when this one finally dies.