Any tips on buying a new laptop.

[TSF]

With the ASUS I'm considering, plus a few other similar priced models by other manufacturers that I've been checking the specs, the RAM is soldered in 1 slot, so cannot be upgraded.  

[TSF]

I'm leaning towards the ASUS Zenbook UM433DA-A5029T / R5-3500U / 8G / 512SSD / UMA / W10 / 14 ". 

It's compact & light. 8 gig ram (cant be upgraded which is a negative) but 8 gig is OK. 512 SSD (good I dont want smaller) but more important some higher than usual display specs like: Display Size: 14.0 '// Narrow border // Bend + 300nits // FHD 1920x1080 16: 9 // Anti-Glare / / NTSC: 72% // Wide View NTSC: 72% 

 

However processor is AMD Ryzen 5 3500U and I've been advised to go for R7. Is buying with the R5 instead of R7 that much of a deal breaker?

[Ombra]

How do you ensure that a new laptop doesn't have illegal software installed? Four or five years ago, my wife bought me an Acer model in a PowerBuy store and much of the software turned out to be illegal. Windows stopped working after six months, then IDM, and then other programs. It was frustrating and time wasting.

[TSF]

2 hours ago, Ombra said:

How do you ensure that a new laptop doesn't have illegal software installed? Four or five years ago, my wife bought me an Acer model in a PowerBuy store and much of the software turned out to be illegal. Windows stopped working after six months, then IDM, and then other programs. It was frustrating and time wasting.

Not sure really. The model I'm interested in is advertised as coming with pre-installed genuine Win 10 home. I'll ask and check about this when I buy just to confirm. I'll need to get the product key. Beyond that I don't know. If it turned out to be illegal software I guess I could go back to the store and complain as it is advertised as having genuine Win 10. All I'm interested in is the operating system, I don't want Office or anything else as I already have loads of legal freeware, most of it portable apps, which I far prefer.

[Eindhoven]

5 hours ago, Ombra said:

How do you ensure that a new laptop doesn't have illegal software installed? Four or five years ago, my wife bought me an Acer model in a PowerBuy store and much of the software turned out to be illegal. Windows stopped working after six months, then IDM, and then other programs. It was frustrating and time wasting.

 

Why would you expect there to be free software installed in the first place? IDM? Since when has that been supplied with laptops. Unless the laptop has an official Windows sticker, install everything yourself.

[Ombra]

19 hours ago, Eindhoven said:

 

Why would you expect there to be free software installed in the first place? IDM? Since when has that been supplied with laptops. Unless the laptop has an official Windows sticker, install everything yourself.

Why do you assume that the software was not paid for? My question concerned dishonesty.

[Eindhoven]

3 hours ago, Ombra said:

Why do you assume that the software was not paid for? My question concerned dishonesty.

 

Because of your statements;

 

Quote

Windows stopped working after six months, then IDM, and then other programs.

 

There is no reason for paid software to stop working because Windows is not licenced. You definitely didn't pay for Windows, unless you think that 300 baht for a dodgy install covers it. So the dishonesty would be on your part.

Anyway, no need for you to derail the thread.

Unless the laptop has an official Windows sticker with Windows 10 preinstalled, install everything yourself.

 

You likely purchased a laptop without OS and paid a couple of hundred baht on top for a hooky install replete with dodgy software.

 

Easy enough to run a clean install yourself. But for those who choose to remain ignorant of anything related to their PC, it will remain an insurmountable problem.