Posts by darkowl72

I added more, but since I edited my first post, you probably won't even see a notification for new replies...

People still call them optical drives, but let's be real—with constant Wi-Fi and cheap thumb drives, SD cards, or external hard drives, nobody actually uses a DVD drive anymore.

I respect your choice; four years of warranty is four years of warranty, but white is white... 😬 And don't get me started on those "discounts," we aren't doing that today...

If you really want white, don't grab the one you linked because the processor is garbage. Get one of these instead:

https://www.amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com

Or maybe pink 😍

https://www.amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com

Or even purple:

https://www.amazon.com

Everything except the first option includes an optical drive. Apple offers a 2-year warranty plus "Apple promotions," while Dell gives you 2 years plus Dell no Matter What.

Apple promotions: If the laptop breaks during the first year of the warranty, you get your money back along with a repaired unit.

Dell no Matter What: If you accidentally crack the laptop, damage it, or if it gets caught in a flood, fire, or even stolen during the first year, you get a new one.

For both deals, you actually need to read the fine print on their websites and register the laptop within 7 or 14 days of purchase—I can't remember the exact window, though.

You see where this is going, right?

Basically, there's not much you can do since the drive itself is fine. It isn't going to explode on you, so don't sweat it, but be smart about your data (back it up constantly) and run tests every now and then to see how it's holding up.

Yeah, most drives are pretty much a lost cause once they fail, but it really depends on what actually broke. If the magnetic heads or platters are shot, nobody is fixing that outside of a factory setting—it requires a sterile environment, specific materials, and a ton of time, so it’s usually just not worth the money. They could have fixed it if it was just an electronic glitch or a motor issue and they actually had the parts and the know-how to swap them out... In that case, if the repair was done right, it should be reliable—not quite like a brand-new unit, but more like a solid refurbished one. 😬

And yeah, I realize my answer sounds a bit wishy-washy with all the "ifs" and "buts"—it's all just guesswork, because honestly, only the technician who actually opened it up knows what went down.

If we were talking about high-end models, you’d definitely see a massive difference. In this case? Not really, even when watching movies. Still, if you have the option, go for the higher resolution. It gives you more screen real estate for work, so you can actually see what you're doing.

As for warranties, everything is laid out in the megathread. You should've checked there first—it's literally written specifically for anyone buying a laptop.😬

The Intel HD5500 is perfectly fine for everything except gaming, so you shouldn't have any issues there. Also, just so we're clear, ODD stands for an optical disc drive—basically a DVD player.

You can learn to code—and actually do some coding—on pretty much any laptop that has a modern processor and 4GB of RAM. So, both options work. It’s hard to beat that Lenovo on price alone since it packs a ton of specs for what you're paying, but if you want it, move fast; I doubt they have many left in stock. Just a heads-up: Reinvent is Lenovo's label for refurbished laptops. This basically means they were swapped out and sent back to the factory for repairs due to things like shipping damage or being returned within the first 15 days. That doesn't necessarily mean they're junk; they get restored to factory standards and pass the usual QC, but let's be real, they aren't "brand new." Lenovo is upfront about it, though there are always shady sellers out there who try to pass them off as new without mentioning the refurb status.

A powerful CPU, plenty of RAM, a Full HD screen, Windows, and a 17" display all for under $4,000. If you don't mind that it's a refurbished machine, grab it quick... though I'll add a disclaimer: I don't know anything about this specific company. I haven't heard a single good or bad thing about them, nor have I seen anyone else buy from them, so watch your wallet until you actually see the machine in person. 😬

If for some reason you decide against that, here are a few other interesting options:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/example1
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/example2
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/example3
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/example4
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/example5
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/example6
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/example7

Or a 17" model:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/example8

Seriously, look 😬 at what just happened. Did the dollar suddenly spike or something? I was checking out that Samsung Dell at Best Buy earlier today and it was under $500, now it’s sitting at $520... 🤷 It's holiday madness. Looks like they're running low on stock 😬

Therefore, having 4GB of VRAM doesn't mean much if the processor can't handle any heavy lifting anyway. That Radeon in the Dell is 128-bit and technically a bit faster and better than a GeForce GT 710—that's just a fact—but barely. And honestly, it's going to be trash for gaming.

On Amazon, I think it's pretty ridiculous how they show the game benchmarks on that graph below using 1366x768 resolution when the laptop is actually Samsung 😬 It's probably not intentional, but still...

I don't know, I'm leaning more towards the Dell because it feels more reliable. It comes with 8GB of RAM right out of the box and the graphics card isn't actually that much weaker. Plus, Dell offers a three-year manufacturer warranty, whereas the Dell 2 + 2 has that two-year Salesforce protection plan... But hey, it's not like I'm the one buying it. 😬

CAD demands a processor with tons of fast cores, heaps of RAM, and ideally a GPU you can actually push to help with the heavy lifting. Based on what you're looking for, I think you've scouted out the best possible setup on the market... at least, I don't know of anything better for the price.

Taking your specific needs into account, I have to mention that Dell has been dominating our market lately by offering the strongest hardware combos. For example, with something like this:

you’d get a powerhouse CPU paired with a graphics card that provides hardware acceleration to speed up your workflow (assuming your software supports it). Plus, the GPU performs surprisingly well for gaming, all wrapped up in a Samsung display. Sure, an N series would be ideal, but this isn't some bottom-of-the-barrel X series either. It also comes with a two-year warranty, and with those current Best Buy deals, if the laptop craps out in the first year, you'll get your money back plus a repaired machine. That's gotta be worth something.😬

The i3, especially the newer 5005u, is definitely an upgrade, but honestly, for what you're looking for, the new quad-core options in all three laptops are more than enough. Personally, I'd take the bigger screen over a slightly faster processor any day—you won't even notice the difference in speed anyway.

8GB of RAM? That’s plenty. A 2-core/4-thread processor? I guess it’ll do if you can't afford better. But the graphics... yeah, absolutely not.

Check out the benchmarks for the games you actually want to play and decide for yourself (keep Samsung resolution in mind):

http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-....138763.0.html

If you're trying to game at Samsung resolution, you really can't go any lower than a GTX850/950.

A decent replacement will do the job, sure. Just watch who you're buying from (do a quick Google search to make sure the company isn't sketchy or getting trashed in reviews 😬) and don't get anything too old—definitely nothing more than two years out of production.

They go for about 10 bucks on eBay, though shipping takes forever (anywhere from 15 to 30 days), so stick to sellers with solid feedback. Around here, they run anywhere from 300 to $133 (just plug it into Google), but there are a few places where you can pick one up...

https://www.amazon.com/hp-laptop-deals
https://www.techcrunch.com/articles/laptop-market-trends
http://www.bestbuy.com/electronics/laptops-prices

The first one comes with macOS pre-installed and a 2-year manufacturer warranty. Plus, there are some Apple promotions during the first year—basically, if the laptop breaks within that first year, they fix it and refund the cost. You just have to make sure to register for that specific coverage on their site right after you buy it.

The second and third options don't include macOS. That Pavilion model has a 3-year warranty, while the HP one has 2 years plus 3 years of extra protection through a provider like Allstate.

Since we're talking about a desktop replacement, I suggested the 17" model. I'm assuming she'll mostly keep it in one spot rather than lugging it around constantly. Honestly, for those of us getting older, having a larger screen makes a massive difference for the eyes. Believe me. 😬

I don't get it: they claim it's an RMA unit and then try to sell it at full retail? A brand new one over at Best Buy costs this much:

MSI makes solid laptops, sure, but this one feels like an older model because of the GPU... Once you factor in the shady vibes from that company and the mediocre price tag, I don't see the point in overcomplicating things. There are plenty of other options out there:

Maybe give a system restore a shot? If some files got corrupted, it might fix things, though I’m not holding my breath. At least you won't make things any worse by trying it... 🤷

I’m not positive, but it might be an issue with your default playback device. Head over to sound->properties->playback devices and check what’s actually installed and which one is set as the default. While you're in that window, right-click and make sure you select the option to show all devices, even if they aren't active. If your speakers weren't showing up before but they do now, just set them as the default device...

Anyway, let me know what you see in the playback devices menu and what's happening there...

Laptops aren't really meant to be upgraded. Especially not one that's ten years old. If you actually tried, you'd find out pretty quickly that it’s either a complete waste of money or physically impossible because you'd have to swap out basically everything inside—the motherboard, since modern components like the CPU, RAM, graphics, or even the drive won't fit, and even the screen, since those old resolutions are obsolete now.

So, you'd essentially be replacing everything except the shell, which would cost an absolute fortune. And even then, there's no guarantee the new parts would actually fit, given how much chassis designs and dimensions have changed over the years.

Basically, it's a non-starter.

Think of it like trying to restore a vintage car from the Prohibition era just because you're feeling nostalgic, but finding out there isn't a single spare part left on the planet. The only difference is that if you've got deep enough pockets, you might be able to get a custom part fabricated for a classic car. With a laptop? Not a chance.

http://support.hp.com/us-en/product/...ment/c01617122

I'm not even sure if they'll take it in for repair if it's still actually printing... 🤷

You clearly haven't heard... Around here, there have been plenty of complaints about people taking a deposit for a job and then, well, nothing happens. Just vanished. Suddenly there's "problems," and they aren't exactly thrilled when you try to file a complaint or anything like that. It's a mess.

Cougar MX200? What even is that? It sucks regardless. The Design is over five years old, plus it's got those 80/92mm fans? With the power supply sitting right on top? For that kind of money, I bet the chassis feels like thin sheet metal—watch out, or it'll rattle and vibrate like you're riding a motorcycle. 😬