LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:

Preferably under $1000 but realistically am willing to go up to $1200

• Are you open to refurbs/used?

Yeah, even open to buying parts separately if the process isn’t too risky

• How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

From most to least important, build quality, form factor, battery, performance

• How important is weight and thinness to you?

Not a deal breaker but I’d prefer something under 3.5 lbs

• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.

13 - 14”

• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.

Not at the moment, might potentially use an Inkscape-like program to draw maps in the future though

• If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?

N/A

• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?

I’m pretty careful (I’ve been using a Surface Book 1 that I bought new up until now), but I’d prefer something that isn’t fragile. I’m not too picky about keyboards but I also do most of my hobby programming on the ThinkPad my work gave me, so maybe I would be more particular if I switched over to my personal. Don’t care about finger-print reader, and as far as IO I mostly just want it to be durable (I don’t use a docking station for example); maybe an HDMI would be nice. Webcam and mic just need to be good enough to handle an occasional video call, I don’t care if I’m a little grainy. USB-C charging would be preferable, physical kill switch for cam and/or mic would be a nice-to-have. Repairability would also be cool; I don’t necessarily need to be able to do it all myself a la Framework but certainly don’t want a MacBook. Dual drive would be a nice touch since I’d like to use Linux for as much as possible and then dual boot Windows for the tools I can’t get on Linux (Ableton primarily). If I am dual booting I suppose coreboot would also be nice but now I’m just getting fancy

• Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.

My use case is mostly gonna be web browsing and light programming, with perhaps a bit of amateur music prod. Battery life doesn’t need to be stellar since I live in a big city and outlets are everywhere, but preferably more than 4 - 5 hours with standard usage.

Feel free to join our Discord server at: https://discordapp.com/invite/pes68JM for a faster response!

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:

$1999usd

• Are you open to refurbs/used?

  Yes but prefer not

• How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

1. Build quality
2. Battery
3. Would love 2 in 1

• How important is weight and thinness to you?

  Prefer lighter but not a deal breaker

• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.

  Prefer larger but understand 2 in 1s are smaller

• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.

  Very light video/photo editing

• If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?

  No gaming

• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?

I’m clumsy so need decent build. I have an old Lenovo that is still usable but the case is cracked from being dropped (by someone else) and from being in a car accident.

• Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.

I am having choice overload - adhd brain. I prefer minimum 32 gig memory and 1.0 tb ssd. I love my Lenovo and would definitely get another, but am open to other things. I’ve considered the surface pro, ASUS zenbook duo, and more. I do want something that doesn’t run too hot but know I can get cooling mats and stuff. I want a laptop that would make it easy to share my display with my partner.

I’m definitely open to clarifying questions and suggestions. Thanks.

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:

  I’m comfortable spending up to $1000.

• Are you open to refurbs/used?

Sure!

• How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

Performance, battery life, build quality, form factor

• How important is weight and thinness to you?

Not important.

• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.

I’ll be using it with a monitor 90% of the time so it isn’t particularly important.

• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.

Steam/MO3? I feel like I’m answering this incorrectly.

• If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?

I play a heavily modded Skyrim on my current setup and would love to be able to run Final Frontier, BG3, etc. I think I’m playing on pretty low settings at the moment but I just want it to be able to run lol.

• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?

Backlit keyboard is VERY helpful as I have visual issues, but if you know the perfect laptop and it doesn’t have this feature, it isn’t a dealbreaker!

• Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.

I’ve had two Acer Aspire 5s in the last five years and they were nice little machines for their price point, but the keyboard shit out on the first one and my current one is having charger/battery issues that there doesn’t seem to be an actual solution for. Mostly looking for something a little nicer that will last me longer. I’m looking for a laptop rather than a desktop PC because I do occasionally have to travel with it.

Thank you very much for your help in advance!

Basically I'm looking for a Windows-based equivalent to a Macbook.

• 15-16" screen.
• Good build quality with a minimal & clean look.
• Reasonably light weight.
• GeForce GPU - This is required, but it can be weaker like a 4050 or something.
• Doesn't have obnoxious fan noise all the time.
• Must be able to be charged & run via USB-C only. I have a 150w GAN charger and I want to completely eliminate the traditional laptop power brick.

The rest of the specs aren't as important.

Here's the rest of the form questions:

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase: $2-3k / USA
• Are you open to refurbs/used?: YES
• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? Light 3D and editing.

Appreciate any guidance!

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

* **Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:**

$1000-$1200, USA. Could maybe go a little higher if needed. 

* **Are you open to refurbs/used?**

 Maybe if there's a really good price and it's from a reputable place, but would prefer new. 

* **How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?**

 Build quality, performance, battery life, form factor.

* **How important is weight and thinness to you?**

 Not super important. I'd mostly be using it at home on the couch.

* **Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.** 

 Some preference for around 15-16" but open to other sizes. Ideally not over 16” though, I think that’s the size of the laptop pocket of my backpack. 

* **Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.** 

 This would mostly be to play the Sims 1, 2, 3, and 4, all their expansions, and a lot of custom content and mods. I would also like to get back into creating and modding for them, so some coding/programming, some Photoshop/GIMP, and some Blender/Milkshape. Nothing too extreme on any of them though. 

I do tend to go down rabbit holes where I get really, really into random tech things sometimes so if possible I would like a computer that's powerful enough to handle some more intensive things, at least on a short-term basis. It doesn't need to be able to handle a huge local LLM model lightning-fast, but maybe a medium one pretty fast and a large one will run if a little slow? Is that reasonable in my price range? If not, don’t worry about it.

Also, I know this is a little silly but I have a bad tendency to have a million tabs open at a time in my web browser which eats up memory like crazy. It really slows down my current laptops with 4gb of ram. I know modern laptops pretty much always have 8+ gb so maybe that can handle it? I thought I’d mention it just in case it affects anything.

* **If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?**

 See above. I would like to aim for the recommended hardware specs for Sims 4 rather than the minimum, if possible. I’d like to be able to play with large worlds and high-poly CC if I can. The recommended specs are as follows:

OS: 64 Bit Windows 10

PROCESSOR: Intel Core i5 (4 cores), AMD Ryzen 5 or better

VIDEO CARD: 1 GB of Video RAM, NVIDIA GTX 650, AMD Radeon HD 7750, or better

MEMORY: 8 GB RAM

HARD DRIVE: 50GB of free space, with at least 1 GB additional space for custom content and saved games

DIRECTX: DirectX 11 Compatible

* **Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?** 

 I am a huge data hoarder and I need a lot of storage space. Minimum 1TB, bonus if it can be easily swapped out for a larger HD if necessary, or if another can be added internally. (External hard drives are great, I've got several, but they're not very convenient with laptops.) 

I don’t buy laptops often - right now my newest laptop is a hand-me-down 2012 MacBook Pro, and I’m currently playing Sims 3 on a 2009 MacBook Pro in Bootcamp mode - so I want something that will last. It doesn’t need to be in perfect condition forever, or last 15 years like the Macs, but I would like it to be reliable for several years at least.

I would ideally like it to have multiple usb-3 ports so I can plug in more than one flash drives, external hard drives, external optical drive, etc, as needed - bonus if they are widely spaced or on opposite sides so thicker plugs don’t block multiple slots. At least one USB-C port would be great as well. A nice trackpad would be great so I wouldn’t have to attach a mouse, if possible.

* **Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.**

In a nutshell, I would like something that can play The Sims 4 (and the others - but they have much older, lighter requirements) on the more demanding end.

The laptop needs to have at least 1TB of internal storage, if not more - this is a hard line for me. In fact, that’s actually why I’m making my own post on here - I did search the subreddit for other posters looking for computers to play the Sims, but all the suggested laptops had 500gb hard drives. I’d rather sacrifice a little performance or pay a little more if necessary to achieve the higher storage space.

Also, just to clarify because I know I mentioned Macs a couple times in the post - I’m looking for a PC, not a Mac! I love my MacBook Pros, but they are way out of my price range and PCs are better for playing the Sims anyway.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you in advance for any suggestions and guidance you can provide!

Hi, budget to 400-600 euro for laptop very small, traveling, games Like league of legends, cs2 or others, programming and graphic

Hi everyone!! I’m a college student looking for a new laptop to replace my MacBook. I really have been wanting to switch to Windows. My main needs are a laptop that I can carry around with me at college without it being too bulky or too draining in terms of battery life. But I also need it to be able to comfortably and effectively run the Adobe Suite, specifically Premiere Pro. I’m a film and marketing student, so video editing is a part of my day-to-day. I’d also like to be able to use it to casually play the Sims or Minecraft if I feel like it. Nothing too crazy, just need it to do the job and mainly get my schoolwork done.

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:

Anything under $1000 (in the US)

• Are you open to refurbs/used?

  No. I need it to last me through grad school.

• How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

I don’t necessarily need a 2-in-1, since I have an iPad. I just don’t want it to be all that clunky, since I’ll have to carry it around a lot. I also would like a decent battery life, and for it to be able to run Adobe and some games, since I’ll be using it for mainly schoolwork.

• How important is weight and thinness to you?

Again, portability is important to me. If it could be decently thin and light, I would be very grateful. But I also don’t want it to break or nothing.

• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.

I’m coming from a 2017 13in macbook pro so I’m not really big on screen size. Any size will do.

• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.

I wanna be able to run the Adobe Suite on there, since I’ll be doing video editing and some gaming (Minecraft, Sims, etc.) I also want it to be able to run Microsoft Office / 365 since y’know. Windows. As long as I can get through schoolwork and editing without it overheating too much and a decent battery life, I’m okay.

• If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?

  I wanna be able to play Minecraft and Sims 4. I’m not really a huge gamer, per se. I mainly do it for fun, but it would definitely be nice if I could smoothly run those without yk. My computer exploding. I wanna be able to play with mods and texture packs and whatnot as well. Nothing too crazy.

• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?

  I would love for it to have a reliable build quality. I’m gonna be carrying it around A LOT so I’d like it to be pretty durable, lightweight, and have at LEAST a 16GB RAM. Also if it could have a decent battery and cooling system, that would be great. I want it to last me awhile, if I’m spending this much. I’ve had my macbook for 9 years so I’m sorry if my longevity standards are a bit high

• Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.

  Sorry if that’s an impossible ask, but I trust y’all to work your magic :))

Hey everyone,

TLDR: I want a compact gaming laptop that I can plug into my Dell Thunderbolt dock and drive three monitors for personal work and some light gaming, without compatibility issues. What models would you recommend that check these boxes?

I’m in the market for a laptop that fits a very specific setup and workflow, and I’d really appreciate your help finding the right one.

My Setup:

At home, I’ve got a workstation provided by my employer, including:

• Three 28" monitors
• Dell WD22TB4 Thunderbolt 4 docking station

Everything runs great with my work gear, and I’d like to reuse that exact dock/monitor setup for my personal laptop instead of duplicating it.

💻 What I’m Looking For:

• Laptop size: 14" (give or take) — portability is key since I travel often
• Primary use: Light gaming (some modern titles, not AAA maxed out), photo editing, productivity, lots of multitasking
• Docking compatibility: Must work seamlessly with the Dell WD22TB4 dock to drive 3 external displays
• Budget: Ideally $1500–$2000 (I can wait for sales if it’s slightly higher)
• Display: Doesn’t need to be big or super bright — I’ll mostly be docked at home
• Port: Needs Thunderbolt 4 or full USB4 with DisplayPort Alt Mode + charging — anything that plays nice with the Dell dock

🤔 What I’ve Considered:

I’ve been looking at the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024 OLED model) — I love the form factor and power, its around $1599 and I’ve seen it go on sale for a few hundred off once in a while. However, it uses AMD with USB 4, and I’ve heard inconsistent results when pairing AMD machines with Thunderbolt docks like the WD22TB4 (especially with multi-monitor setups).

✅ Ideal Features:

• Thunderbolt 4 or highly compatible USB4 implementation
• Good build quality and thermals
• At least RTX 4060 or similar GPU
• 14" screen for portability
• Solid battery life isn’t a must, but a bonus

❌ I’d Like to Avoid:

• Machines with known dock/compatibility issues
• Giant 16–17" gaming laptops
• Overheating or very loud fans

Thanks in advance!

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

·       Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:

$1000 USD – I’m a little flexible here, especially if it’s something that will last for years

·       Are you open to refurbs/used?

I’d rather have new, but if the price is right, I’d consider options

·       How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

Portability is the most important aspect, then build quality and battery life. Performance isn’t really an issue, as long as it can handle some basic photoshop tasks.

·       How important is weight and thinness to you?

Weight and size are the most important aspect. This needs to fit in a camera bag, so I’m looking for something super small.

·       Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.

The smaller the better. 13” is probably as big as makes sense.

·       Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.

Photoshop, but not heavy use, just basic tasks.

·       If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?

N/A

·       Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?

It absolutely must have an SD card slot or MicroSD card slot. And it absolutely must use USB-C for charging.

·       Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.

I’m in need of a very mobile windows machine for my photo editing workflow. I’ve been using an older LG Gram for a while, but it’s starting to show its age. I’m not too concerned about performance, since this is mostly for quick sorting/basic editing. I have a desktop for heavier tasks. But it absolutely must have a card slot (SD or MicroSD) and it absolutely must charge via USB-C. What is the smallest/lightest option that hits those requirements? I’ve been looking at the ASUS ProArt PZ13 ($1090), but I don’t know what else is out there.

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US: 6k-8k HKD ~ 1000 USD

Are you open to refurbs/used? Nope.

How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

1. performance 2. battery life 3. build quality
2. form factor

How important is weight and thinness to you? any is fine, but preferably thin to carry around

Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A. preferably 15.6” but 14” is fine too

Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run. i will do some video editing, coding with VS and some light gaming like sims4.

If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want? Minecraft, Stardew Valley, and the Sims 4. Id like to play them at at least 30 fps, but as long as they’re playable I’m alright.

Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?

not a too loud keyboard

Hi guys! Need some recommendations for a laptop. I’m going back to school this upcoming semester and would like something lightweight with good fps to game. I would also like good battery life if possible. I only usually play stardew, Minecraft, and the sims, so I don’t need anything too crazy. I have a $1000 budget. I’m sure I can find something nice in that range, but I can go a couple hundred outside the budget if it’s really necessary lol. I’m not really sure what I’m going to school for yet, so I’m just starting with something I can take notes on and do schoolwork with. This is my first time posting anything on Reddit so I don’t really know how to format this. If this isn’t enough information lmk! Thank you!

please answer.

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:
€2000 max — France (or Europe-wide delivery if the model is unavailable locally)

Are you open to refurbs/used?
Preferably new. I’m open to certified refurbished if the condition and warranty are solid.

How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?
Performance > Display quality > Battery life > Build quality > Form factor (ideally an ultrabook)

How important is weight and thinness to you?
Fairly important — I’ll be carrying it daily, so portability is a factor (light and compact preferred).

Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.
14 inches (ideal balance between portability and usability)

Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.
No heavy creative work or gaming. I’ll be running multiple virtual machines (VMware/VirtualBox), cybersecurity tools (Kali Linux, Wireshark, Burp Suite, etc.), and occasionally coding/compiling.

If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?
Not a priority. I don’t need a powerful GPU as long as it doesn’t throttle the CPU.

Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?
A high-quality display (preferably OLED or high-resolution) is important. I’d also appreciate a comfortable keyboard and reliable battery life. Not a fan of classic “corporate” designs like ThinkPads. Modern and sleek design preferred.

Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.
I’m starting cybersecurity studies and need a laptop that will support intensive multitasking (e.g., multiple VMs). I want something durable and powerful enough to last me at least 5 years. I’ve looked into ZenBooks and MSI models like the Prestige 14 Evo, but I’m open to any strong alternatives you can suggest. Thanks in advance!

Hello everyone,

I’m about to start my studies in cybersecurity, and I’m currently looking for the ideal laptop to support my academic work and personal projects. Here are my main requirements:

• Maximum CPU performance: I need to run multiple virtual machines and pentesting tools simultaneously. The processor must be top-tier and never hold me back (ideally paired with 32GB RAM in a high-end configuration). The GPU is not a priority as long as it doesn’t negatively impact CPU performance.
• High-quality display: A great display is essential (ideally OLED with high resolution) to ensure visual comfort during long work sessions.
• Portability: I’d like something I can carry around daily, preferably around 14 inches.
• Battery life & design: It should last a full day on battery, and I’m also looking for a sleek, modern design that feels reliable. I’m personally not a fan of the classic, corporate ThinkPad look.
• Repairability & upgradability: This isn’t a main priority, but being able to replace components like the battery or SSD would be a nice bonus.
• Long-term reliability: I’d like the laptop to last at least 5 years, ideally more, without becoming outdated or struggling with performance.

Models I’ve been considering:

• ZenBook: From what I’ve read, ZenBooks offer solid overall performance and good value. However, I’ve also seen quite a few negative reviews on some forums, which makes me hesitate.
• MSI: MSI laptops (like the MSI Prestige 14 Evo or newer models) seem to have great CPU performance on paper, but I’m struggling to find high-end configurations from official sellers in my region.

Summary:
I’m looking for a 14-inch ultrabook, high-end configuration (32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, top-tier CPU, good display), with a max budget of €2000. I’d really appreciate your recommendations or feedback based on your experience with similar use cases.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hello, I’m going to be an international software engineering and development student in another country, and I can’t take my PC with me. I’m looking for a laptop, and I’m hoping you could help.

• Total budget and country of purchase?

Budget is around €2000, with a max of around €2100. As long as I get something that lasts me a while, I’m willing to pay. I will be purchasing in Italy.

• Are you open to refurbs/used?

I’d prefer to get new or good-as-new laptops, but if I must, I can look into getting refurbs.

• How would you prioritize form factor, build quality, performance, and battery life?

Build quality and battery life are priorities, I think. A good enough screen would also be nice since I’d be taking only this and my phone to an apartment without a TV, and USB ports are nice, too. Battery life that’ll last me a while using a browser and some programs and a build quality that makes it last around three years are the priorities. Performance is nice but I don't think I need something too powerful (especially considering I want to be able to use the laptop without having to keep it plugged in), and for form factor I don't mind anything.

• How important is weight and thinness to you?

Not much. I’d have to carry it to class of course but I’ve brought along ancient, heavy laptops that look (and sound) like they hadn’t been used since the dark ages to school in the past with not much difficulty, so I’m pretty confident I could manage with a heavier laptop.

• Do you have a preferred screen size?

Not really, but I really do want a numpad included in the keyboard and laptops with small screen sizes usually don’t have a numpad, so anything above 15’’ is fine provided the laptop has a numpad.

• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming?

The most demanding game I play is Vanilla Minecraft. That is to say, I don’t think I need that good of a GPU. I don’t think I’ll have to do heavy machine learning either.

• Any specific requirements?

A nice keyboard with numpad and a good enough screen are pretty much all I need. If I can swap SSD, RAM, or even the battery that’d be nice, and if I can get the keyboard in English (EU or US, since the italian keyboard doesn’t have a tilde or backtick which I need), with or without retroillumination that’s a big plus. Oh, and preferably not Apple.

Hey everyone,

I'm a software engineer based in Malaysia. At work, I've been using an M3 MacBook Pro and love the keyboard, trackpad, and screen quality. Unfortunately, my current budget (around 850-900 USD) doesn’t allow for a Mac, and I'm not fully ready to dive into the Apple ecosystem for my personal device.

Right now, I’m stuck with an old 2020 Acer Swift 5 that has been sluggish lately and, compared to my macbook, it's screen is a lot smaller. It slows down and sometimes crashes when I’m juggling IntelliJ, multiple Chrome tabs, and VSCode all at once. I need an upgrade for personal projects, browsing, and streaming that can keep up with my daily workload without all that hassle.

What I’m looking for:

• Display: A bright, crisp screen that's at least 15.6 inches. Preferably thin bezels.
• Keyboard & Trackpad: A comfortable keyboard and a reliable trackpad are must-haves.
• Performance: A capable processor with at least 12GB of RAM to handle multitasking smoothly.
• Battery Life: Decent battery life
• Budget: Ideally below 850-900 USD
• Weight: Shouldn't be too heavy or thick as I carry it back and forth regularly

If you’ve got any suggestions or personal experiences with laptops that might fit these needs, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks in advance!

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US: Maximum of 4000 MYR. Ideally less.
• Are you open to refurbs/used? Yes, I am open to reliable refurbished or used PC's
• How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life? All 3 are quite important to me.
• How important is weight and thinness to you? This is somewhat important as I often carry both my personal and work laptop around.
• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A. I'll need at least a 15.6 inch screen. Bigger is better.
• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run. Nope but I do code and I'd like to be able to run intensive IDEs
• If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want? Nope
• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)? Having a good keyboard, trackpad and crisp screen are quite important to me.
• Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion. Overall, looking for a laptop with the same premium laptop vibe and reliability within my budget

Hello, so: I'm about to buy a new laptop for my own and I was wondering which one would be worth it between Macbook Air M1 (2020) or an Acer Helios Neo i7 13650hx, RTX 4060 and 16GB RAM. I'm gonna use it for video editing. What do y'all think?

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:

  From R$ 5.000,00 up to R$ 10.000,00

• Are you open to refurbs/used?

  No.

• How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

  Performance, battery life, build quality

• How important is weight and thinness to you?

  Not sure, I don't give much important to this

• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.

  N/A

• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.

  video editing mostly, but also for gaming. Adobe programs such After Effects, Premiere, Illustrator, Photoshop... Games: Minecraft, Fortnite, Overwatch, Rainbow Six, GTA V, League of Legends, Cyberpunk 2077, Black Mith Fukong, God of War, Marvels Spider Man 2, etc

• If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?

  Games: Minecraft, Fortnite, Overwatch, Rainbow Six, GTA V, League of Legends, Cyberpunk 2077, Black Mith Fukong, God of War, Marvels Spider Man 2, etc. I want to run them at max settings at least 60fps. but in case the game doesn't run it, at least 60fps at medium settings.

• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?

  Idk, not sure

• Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.

  I want it to run video editing programs softly

Hi all!

I'd love some help selecting my next laptop. My Lenovo Legion 5 17in is finally on its last legs -- and really trying my patience with its weight and extreme power hogging. I take my laptop to a coworking space each day, and often travel on cramped planes for work, so the size and power demands haven't been ideal. Unfortunately, I'm now accustomed to the screen and keyboard size -- I love my keypad and the ability to split windows when writing/reviewing docs -- but simply don't need this amount of comp power.

I don't do any gaming or intensive computing -- I lead research at a philanthropy, so it's lots of video calls with dozens of tabs open to type out Google Docs. I do, though, need something that can hold up to ~8h of airplane travel without guzzling power (and being unable to charge on most airline sockets, like my Lenovo!)

Thanks so much, all!

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US: Up to $2,000 USD, purchasing in the US (though I can go higher if absolutely necessary -- as my work will reimburse up to $1,750 of this)
• Are you open to refurbs/used? Would prefer something new to ensure it lasts at least 3y
• How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life? I really, really love having a large screen and keyboard for my workflow -- I'm now used to having my screen split in two for work quite often, and using a number pad format + fwd delete key for typing. That's important for me to keep. But in making this switch I do want something relatively portable and easy to charge, work for ~8h on a charge with no problem, whip out of my backpack when doing in-person research interviews to type up notes etc.. Don't care about Windows vs Mac and am happy to swich.
• How important is weight and thinness to you? I'd love to be at or below 2lb, and don't want another monster gaming laptop (as a non-gamer!)
• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A. 17" would be amazing, 16" ok, 15" is really starting to push my imagination for how I can multi-task between windows!
• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run. None. Just lots and lots of video calls, with dozens of Google Docs and other tabs open at the same time.
• If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want? N/A
• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)? Keyboard needs to be excellent, and I prefer a number pad + fwd delete key for my work flow. Don't care about the track pad as I'll probably use an ergonomic mouse. Will often put the laptop up on a raised stand + keyboard attachment when at my co-working space, but need to have something comfortable enough to use when traveling.
• Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion. I know I'm asking for some opposite things, here. But would love thoughts on whether I should go Mac for something like the Air M4 and just bite the screen size bullet, or whether I should look for something like the LG gram 17" to keep my size preferences alongside portability!

Hi all, my best friend needs a new laptop. I have a few things in mind but upon doing further research my pics weren't that solid. So I thought I would go to the experts.

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US: 500-575 euro, Netherlands
• Are you open to refurbs/used? No, must be new
• How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life? Must have a solid battery, be able to last at least 4 hours without battery for note taking.
• How important is weight and thinness to you? Very, this is a laptop for a student. It must be able to fit in a bag and be carried.
• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A. 5.6 inch (this was the size of previous laptop
• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run. No heavier programs than word and PowerPoint
• If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want? The only requirement is being able to run the Sims 4 smoothly (minimum of 30fps and no stuttering, or at least not frequently)
• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)? Must have a HDMI port and at least 2 usbs slots, a good camera and mic would be ideal. Does not have to be perfect but good enough for a zoom call
• Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion. While I think my friend is a heathen for this, both the qwerty and german keyboard are fine (yes, i know you can change the keyboard settings on a windows computer)

These two are on sale. Which would you recommend?

I'm looking for something I can do some light gaming on, but most importantly I'm looking for snappy and will be able to switch between apps quickly. I'm coming from an M1 MacBook, so something similar in terms of "snappiness".

I'm also looking for a great screen. Good resolution that gets pretty bright.

If you have any other recommendations that meet my requests, in the same price range, just let me know.

I had ordered Snapdragon X Elite processor laptop, but I got Snapdragon X plus. I had opened the laptop and even activated MS license and later I realised that I have lower CPU product. Can I now return it with activated MS office license? Also is there a major difference between X Plus 64 and X Elite 78? I just need laptop for browsing, office apps, and reading.

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US: budget 50000 INR , INDIA
• Are you open to refurbs/used? No
• How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life? 1- Performance 2- Battery Life 3- Form Factor 4- Build Quality
• How important is weight and thinness to you? Balanced
• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A. 14- 16 inch range
• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run- Auto Script , Microsoft Office, Adobe Illustrator, InDesign
• If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want? N/A
• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?-fill here, remove dashes-
• Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion. Basically, a work laptop for a content developer/writer/editor work and binge Netflix,etc

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:

~£1000

• Are you open to refurbs/used?

No

• How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

Performance, battery life, build quality

• How important is weight and thinness to you?

Not important

• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.

N/A

• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.

Unreal Engine, Da Vinci Resolve, Valorant and more

• If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?

Valorant, Elden ring, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered etc at max setting as high fps as I can get if possible (can compromise to below high)

• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?

Good keyboard and reliable build quality would be nice and 2k resolution preferably (monitor is 165Hz, 27" 2k)

• Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.

The main thing that can be compromised here is the settings on games but I'd like to definitely have them high.

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US: Purchasing in the USA, not looking to go over $800-$900, but I'm flexible
• Are you open to refurbs/used? Yes on refurbished but no on used.
• How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life? I don't know a ton about what I should be prioritizing, so I guess performance and battery life? I'm just trying to stay up for about 6 hours. But I don't think I'll ever not have my charger with me so that shouldn't be a huge issue.
• How important is weight and thinness to you? Something thin and lightweight would be great, but again, I'm flexible
• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A. 14 In. is fine and that seems pretty standard these days.
• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run. CAD mostly, I'm not 100% sure on the programs I'll be expected to use except for SolidWorks. Also looking to do some light gaming but nothing really demanding, probably just LoL.
• If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want? LoL runs on basically anything so doesn't matter
• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)? Touchscreen is good but not a need. However, I am required to have a webcam.
• Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion. N/A

ThinkPad E14 Gen 6 (Intel® Core Ultra 5 125U)

vs

Acer Swift 14 AI OLED (Intel Core Ultra 5 228V)

I just need a lightweight 14incher with Thunderbolt and 32GB ram. These two are about the same price 1200USD where I'm from and more or less the maxxed out laptop for my budget.

Specwise would tell me the Acer Swift is the better laptop with better battery; but its the one with not so good reviews and the soldered RAM worry me a bit. While the Thinkpads are known for their reliability, plus 3Y warranty but not sure if the E Series would last longer, as I'm planning to use this more than its warranty years. Also I need to spend a few bucks for an additional 16gb stick on the Thinkpad.

I will use this as a travel laptop for work which only needs to be used a few days a year. Work is graphic design focused on Adobe Illustrator and a bit of photoshop. Macbook is not an option as well.

Both of these were released last year, so I'm guessing a lot of people who own these laptops can help me decide. Thanks.

Hello o/

I am a Cybersecurity student and a Game Developer in my free time, I also do some light gaming, however I do have a desktop PC for that and other more demanding "Pro" uses.

Lately I've been looking for a laptop to buy so I could take it with me to the University, and after a long search I have come to only 2 options that I think would be suitable, although each one has something the other one lacks, and I really don't want to feel like I've made the wrong choice not picking the other one.

Anyway, Here are the Laptops and the specs:

Gigabyte AERO 14 OLED BMF

CPU: Intel Core i7-13620H
RAM: 16GB LPDDR5x 6400MHz (not extendable)
Screen: 2880 x 1800 90Hz OLED
GPU: RTX 4050 (with 45W TGP)
Ports: USB 3.2 Gen. 1 x1, USB-C x1, USB4-C (thunderbolt 4) x2, HDMI x1, microSD x1.
(This laptop comes bundled with a USB hub that has 2 more USB-Cs, 4 More USB 3s and an Ethernet Port, which might come in handy)

Acer Swift 14 AI

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 228V
RAM: 32GB LPDDR5x 4800MHz
Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1200 WUXGA 60Hz OLED
GPU: Integrated Intel Arc Graphics 130V
Ports: USB 3.2 Gen. 2 x2, USB4-C (thunderbolt 4) x2, HDMI 2.1 x1

Main things that I'd be doing on the laptop are:

1. Programming
   
2. Game Dev (The engine I'm mainly using is Godot, for both 2D and 3D projects)
   
3. Virtual Machines - For my Cybersecurity and Networking classes
   
4. Video Editing - Although very light and rarely. For bigger projects I will be using my desktop PC at home.
   
5. Light 3D Modeling - Same as Video editing, mainly for my Game Dev Purposes
   
6. Working on Group projects in my College
   
7. Light Gaming - I think the most demanding game I'd ever open on the laptop is Genshin Impact, so I would like my laptop to be able to run it while I'm on the go.
   

My priorities that I think about while choosing a laptop are:

1. Battery Life - My longest day on the campus is around 7 hours of constant classes. I would like my laptop to be able to last for the entire school day on a single battery charge, since I do not plan on carrying the charger with me to the university everyday, however I can if needed, just prefer not to. The best times on battery that I've seen from reviews were around 7h for the AERO and over 13h for the Swift.

2. Performance on Battery - I know that laptops perform a bit worse on battery than they do while plugged in, that's why I care to choose a device that will give me the best performance while unplugged, since I am mainly going to use the laptop exclusively on battery

3. It's ability to dual-boot Linux - I plan on having 2 systems on my laptop, Windows 11 and a Linux distribution of my choice, with occasional Kali Linux being live-booted on it. I've read that some laptops have a tough time getting some features to work under Linux, so I'm worried that for example the Acer Swift because of having an Intel Ultra series CPU will prove troublesome on Linux.

4. Display and build quality - From reviews I've seen that the AERO has way better build quality and display than the Acer Swift 14, though how much from those I am able to sacrifice depends on the performance I'd get from the laptops.

And lastly a thing that I'm worried and unsure about is the performance I'd get with my use case. I am aware that a dedicated GPU like the RTX 4050 even at 45W is way stronger than an integrated Intel Arc 130V, however I'm planning to use the laptop almost exclusively on battery, where the performance of the dedicated GPU will be significantly dropped, so here's me question:

Would a throttled (by working on a battery) RTX 4050 with 45 W TGP be outperformed by integrated Arc 130V? If so, or if their performance was near identical that would make me easily lean towards the Acer Swift because of it's battery life and 32GB of RAM.

Oh, and I forgot about the prices. The Asus Swift 14 AI is 500PLN (~$70) cheaper than the Gigabyte AERO, and those are really the only options available for me. All other laptops are either way over my budget, or completely unavailable where I live.

Anyway, Thank You in advance for Your help!! ^^