recommendations for laptop under 20K thb

[jaideeguy]

For new Years I'm giving my self a new laptop to replace my antique 8 yr old pc.

budgeting 20K THB and plan to connect it to my 21 inch monitor and use a wireless mouse and keyboard, so it will mostly sit on my PC desk with occasional outings. Also would like to connect it to my 40 inch LCD TV by HDMI cable for video, so screen size is not an issue.

would like to have at least 4gb ram and 1 tb hard drive and a decent [fast] processor.

I won't work it too hard............mostly downloads and checking email etc. not really into gaming.

thinking of upgrading my OS from XP to windows 7 and would appreciate any suggestions and/or feedback.

and another plus would be an extended guarantee for 3 years after which I would sell it and buy a new model based on my computer guru's advise for trouble free computing.

And of course, good local support.

Thanks in advance.............

Edited December 31, 2013 by jaideeguy

[Issanman]

Hello Jaideeguy. I have used Dell laptops for years and never had a problem. My current Dell laptop is the XPS14Z w/8gb RAM. Very nice.

Windows 7 is fantastic, however, all the new computers only seem to offer Windows 8 now. I haven't heard of anyone being thrilled about Windows 8.

Maybe you could downgrade to 7 after you find the computer you like. I may be able to help you do that part if you end up with a Dell. I'm no guru, but I do know my way around Dells.

I hope to be visiting your area soon:)

Edited December 31, 2013 by Issanman

[MrGaoMungGawn]

High JD,

I am glad you asked, because I really do LOVE my ASUS X501A thin laptop.

You don't even need to pay 20K because I think you can get this for around 11K or a little more.

I really do love it, and it is powerful enough to do what you say you want to do.

I like to run virtual machines and have many tasks running, so this slows things down.

I therefore just purchased a PC with an i5 4670 CPU, and this is quite a bit more powerful.

But you certainly don't need this for email. And I find now that I still use the laptop 4 times more than I turn on and use the PC I just purchased.

I have had my laptop since January 18th, when it sort of saved my sanity, if not my life.

I am completely happy with it and would not change it for anything in the same price range.

Try one out next time you go to the mall. They probably have slight newer versions of the X501A, but will be basically the same thing.

So, hope you buy, and hope you enjoy it as much as I.

Edited December 31, 2013 by MrGaoMungGawn

[puukao]

bought an MSI for just over your budget (22,000) and it's amazing. had it 9-months already. why so great? hard to find, so not too mass produced. great resolution (1900 x whatever), and it came with speakers (didn't need). i did have to do some stuff when their windows 7 expired, lol, but i know how to mess with computers. i cannot recommend this brand enough. keyboard is nice, i don't care about fingerprints, and i've never had a problem. sure, it gets a little hot, but just a little.

I would put ASUS in the top-2 or top-3 for sure, as they have great motherboards and are overall very good. they are at a better price point. good luck

[NeverSure]

Hello Jaideeguy. I have used Dell laptops for years and never had a problem. My current Dell laptop is the XPS14Z w/8gb RAM. Very nice.

Windows 7 is fantastic, however, all the new computers only seem to offer Windows 8 now. I haven't heard of anyone being thrilled about Windows 8.

Maybe you could downgrade to 7 after you find the computer you like. I may be able to help you do that part if you end up with a Dell. I'm no guru, but I do know my way around Dells.

I hope to be visiting your area soon:)

I'd like to tell my story again if you don't mind. I recently bought a new Toshiba laptop with Win 8 Pro. I installed that program "make Win 8 look like Win 7" or whatever it's called. Nice program.

Then I clicked start, typed "cmd" and at the top of the screen was the dos screen. I right clicked on that and chose "run as administrator." Then at the Dos prompt I typed diskpart and cleaned my disk of everything including the hidden restore partition. Next I installed Win 7 Ultimate.

Next I found out that there are no drivers for that machine for Win 7, so I had to go back to 8. I have a Win 8 pro disk so I installed it. It wouldn't validate.

On many brands of new machines, Microsoft has convinced them to hard burn the product key into the bios. These new bios are made by a company I never heard of, so there was no flashing it. There is no stop screen to enter a product key, and the key is encrypted in the registry. Believe me, I spent a day trying to install what I had paid for with the laptop - Win 8 pro, but no go. There is also no product key sticker on the bottom of the laptop. Upon installation, the bios enters the product key and it must match the OEM number on the Win CD. No luck.

I finally had to order a restore CD from HP for US$40 and it came as a bootable memory stick. I had to give them my model and serial # to order it. On that memory stick was a bootable image which restored my hdd including the rescue partition. It self validated and I was golden.

Bottom line is don't count on installing a different OS on a new laptop, and if you try, don't delete your restore partition.

[MrGaoMungGawn]

One thing we can be SURE of is that we can NEVER have too much information:

Here is more about my favorite laptop:

Asus X501A-XX402H Specifications

Notebook: Asus X501A-XX402H (X501 Series)
Processor: Intel Core i3 2328M
Graphics Adapter: Intel HD Graphics 3000
Display: 15.6 inch, 16:9, 1366x768 pixels, glossy: yes
Weight: 2.1kg
Price: 400 euro

Links:

Asus homepage
Asus notebook section

Average Score: 70% - average
Average of 1 scores (from 1 reviews)

price: 80%, performance: 80%, features: 60%, display: - % mobility: - %, workmanship: 80%, ergonomy: - %, emissions: - %

Reviews for the Asus X501A-XX402H

70% Asus X501A-XX402H review
Source: PC Advisor
On the plus side, the Asus weighs a portable 2.1kg, which is well below average for a 15.6in laptop. It’s no ultraportable, but the X501A can easily be carried around. With a battery that provides a good 4.5 hours of video streaming over Wi-Fi, it’s a real bargain.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 02/18/2013
Rating: Total score: 70% price: 80% performance: 80% features: 60% workmanship: 80%

[JimShortz]

Happy New Year. What a lovely gift!

In choosing a laptop that must have. 1Tb hdd you severely limit the options. Many still come with 500 or 750Gb drives.

Could you accept a smaller drive and add in a USB 3.0 2Tb external such as the seagate desktop expansion for 3k Baht? That drive also has a 3 year warranty and you can keep it with all of your downloads intact when you trade in your computer in three years time. Also great for sharing stuff with friend - or getting from friends. No problem leaving permanently plugged in these days; they spin-down when inactive so don't get too hot.

In choosing your laptop my advice is to look at http://www.invadeit.co.th/category/notebooks-laptops/ and consider all apart from Acer (cheap rubbish...). Find machines that interest you and read reviews. I have an i5 Lenovo and love it. They make business class (i.e. Decent quality) machines, but so do many other companies, so long as you avoid the cheapest offerings...

IMHO avoid Amd chips, go for an Intel i3 or i5 (I have Machines with both, but for regular use, as you describe, I don't believe you will notice ANY difference- even an i3 is very powerful). You do not need an i7 for sure; almost nobody does.

I would focus on a keyboard that you love, 4Gb memory (plenty for what you describe), a USB 3.0 port, a hdmi port, a well respected manufacturer, and the right warranty. You may also want to consider weight and size.

Happy New Year

[MrGaoMungGawn]

Happy New Year. What a lovely gift!

In choosing a laptop that must have. 1Tb hdd you severely limit the options. Many still come with 500 or 750Gb drives.

Could you accept a smaller drive and add in a USB 3.0 2Tb external such as the seagate desktop expansion for 3k Baht? That drive also has a 3 year warranty and you can keep it with all of your downloads intact when you trade in your computer in three years time. Also great for sharing stuff with friend - or getting from friends. No problem leaving permanently plugged in these days; they spin-down when inactive so don't get too hot.

In choosing your laptop my advice is to look at http://www.invadeit.co.th/category/notebooks-laptops/ and consider all apart from Acer (cheap rubbish...). Find machines that interest you and read reviews. I have an i5 Lenovo and love it. They make business class (i.e. Decent quality) machines, but so do many other companies, so long as you avoid the cheapest offerings...

IMHO avoid Amd chips, go for an Intel i3 or i5 (I have Machines with both, but for regular use, as you describe, I don't believe you will notice ANY difference- even an i3 is very powerful). You do not need an i7 for sure; almost nobody does.

I would focus on a keyboard that you love, 4Gb memory (plenty for what you describe), a USB 3.0 port, a hdmi port, a well respected manufacturer, and the right warranty. You may also want to consider weight and size.

Happy New Year

Just a moment, Bro:

I agree with all you say.

And I wonder why you did not mention that if the OP were to buy my laptop, the ASUS X501A, and then add the 1TB drive,

This would be exactly what he wants, BUT at a lower price than he anticipated.

Here you can find a drive for USD87 http://www.amazon.com/WD-Blue-Mobile-Hard-Drive/dp/B005DVJJWQ

I have not checked on the ASUS site yet,

But it must be possible to order a similar to X501A laptop BUT with the 1 TB drive.

Then you don't need to worry about adding anything.

Don't you agree?

[NeverSure]

I bought my Toshiba because it had everything I needed, and was on sale at Walmart for (I think) US$399 or 13k baht. I can't remember the processor speed but at the time I thought it was fast. It came with 6 gig of RAM, a 750 gig hdd, and Win 8 pro. I chose the oversized battery which gives it 8 hours advertised. It's a 15" screen.

It's not the greatest at anything, but it's plenty good, and the Windows OS has to be worth something, installed.

[dddave]

A friend is a paid business consultant who advises companies on what devices to buy. He keeps track of all sorts of repair data and history. He believes that overall, LENOVO provides the best build quality and value in most price ranges. They don't always have the latest, flashiest features but they are dependable and built to last.

[JoePai]

Dell are offering good deals in Thailand at present. For an older (last gen Intel ) for 20,266 Baht :

Latitude 3330
• 3rd generation Intel® Core™ i3-3217U
processor (1.80GHz)
• Windows® 7 Professional
• 4GB* DDR3 SDRAM
• 320GB* Hard Drive
• 13.3” HD LED Display with Anti-glare
• 1 Year Limited Warranty
(Next Business Day On-Site* Service)
• McAfee® SecurityCenter - 30 days trial

or the latest Haswell for 22,690 Baht :

Latitude 15 3000 Series
• 4th generation Intel® Core™ i3-4010U
processor (1.70GHz)
• Windows® 7 Professional
• 4GB* DDR3 SDRAM
• 500GB* Hard Drive
• 15.6” HD WLED Display with Anti-glare
• 1 Year Limited Warranty
(Next Business Day On-Site* Service)
• McAfee® SecurityCenter - 30 days trial

Both of these are biz class machines i.e. not consumer and so built better - read last longer

[MrGaoMungGawn]

Dell are offering good deals in Thailand at present. For an older (last gen Intel ) for 20,266 Baht :

Latitude 3330

• 3rd generation Intel® Core™ i3-3217U

processor (1.80GHz)

• Windows® 7 Professional

• 4GB* DDR3 SDRAM

• 320GB* Hard Drive

• 13.3” HD LED Display with Anti-glare

• 1 Year Limited Warranty

(Next Business Day On-Site* Service)

• McAfee® SecurityCenter - 30 days trial

or the latest Haswell for 22,690 Baht :

Latitude 15 3000 Series

• 4th generation Intel® Core™ i3-4010U

processor (1.70GHz)

• Windows® 7 Professional

• 4GB* DDR3 SDRAM

• 500GB* Hard Drive

• 15.6” HD WLED Display with Anti-glare

• 1 Year Limited Warranty

(Next Business Day On-Site* Service)

• McAfee® SecurityCenter - 30 days trial

Both of these are biz class machines i.e. not consumer and so built better - read last longer

Wait another minute Bro:

I respectfully beg to differ with what you think is a good deal.

I think it is NOT a good deal, for the money.

1. The CPU is slow, when you can get the faster i3 by buying the ASUS.

2. The OS is the same on the ASUS

3. 4 GB RAM, same

4. ASUS has higher capacity HDD now. At least 750.

5. Screen size is the same. But you will need to check the specs on this yourself. The ASUS screen is really nice though.

6. Warranty is the same.

7. Mcafee is BullSht, and you must get rid of it first thing. Windows 8.1 or 8.0 offers the antivirus software designed by Microsoft which is superior, BUT you need to get rid of Mcaffee BS, and then activate the Windows program. THe reason they do this is that the computer makers get some sort of kickback from McCafee to put their SCAM software on each computer, so that they can cheat you the unwary consumer out of you money when the 30 day free trial expires. What utter CRAPOLA This is!

8. The ASUS is build well, and will outlast Dell, and has a very good MB, no doubt.

THE ASUS IS CHEAPER!

Save some money, and get more at the same time!

[jaideeguy]

Good input guys, thanks. OK, I can see the logic in downsizing my hd to 500, as I have a few external HDs already, so no problem.

Asus has been reliable for me so far in a small netbook and only issue is heat, but that model has that known issue and I just keep a fan on it. Two other selling points with Asus is the 2 year guarantee and it comes with USB 3.

Looking at the InvadeIT website there is what looks like a good deal http://www.invadeit.co.th/product/notebooks-laptops/asus/x452cp-vx016d-white-intel-core-i5-3337u-4gb-ddr3-500gb-14inch-led-radeon-hd8530m-dos-p017829/

Any comments on this??

[JoePai]

Sorry son you do not know what you are talking about - a Dell (or Lenovo) biz laptop will far outlast a consumer Asus. The specs - especially the Haswell laptop - are quite sufficient. Asus is cheaper, agreed - but there is a reason and that is the build quality.

Saying that, I am actually using an Asus to post this

[MrGaoMungGawn]

Sorry son you do not know what you are talking about - a Dell (or Lenovo) biz laptop will far outlast a consumer Asus. The specs - especially the Haswell laptop - are quite sufficient. Asus is cheaper, agreed - but there is a reason and that is the build quality.

Saying that, I am actually using an Asus to post this

Well, it is entirely possible I do not know what I am talking about.

Although I do know that ASUS offers two types of MBs, one which is quite a bit more expensive due to its use of higher grade components.

How much better it may be, I don't know.

Probably it is best to get a laptop which will last 3 - 4 years, then buy another.

[Pinot]

I bought my Toshiba because it had everything I needed, and was on sale at Walmart for (I think) US$399 or 13k baht. I can't remember the processor speed but at the time I thought it was fast. It came with 6 gig of RAM, a 750 gig hdd, and Win 8 pro. I chose the oversized battery which gives it 8 hours advertised. It's a 15" screen.

It's not the greatest at anything, but it's plenty good, and the Windows OS has to be worth something, installed.

Your requirements are minimal. Buy the best deal and deals will be plentiful after the 1st. I got half off a Lenova laptop at Powerbuy. 10k instead of 20k for all you want to do. Ask about in store deals.

I would suggest you add memory to get to 8 GB. You won't believe how fast your new laptop is. Windows 7 is bulletproof and easier to use than XP.