Laptop recommendations under $3,500

Hey there,

0. Store doesn't matter much—had a decent run with Best Buy before.
1. Looking for a 13.3" or 15" screen size.
2. 3. Doesn't really matter.
4. Just basic, everyday tasks.
5. The machine absolutely has to support a Windows 7 install—I'll be handling that part myself.
6. I am definitely not looking at Acer.
7. $1167 That's my total budget for both the laptop and an SSD.
8. Warranty? Not a priority.
9. I’d love to have both a DVD drive and an SSD, which means I'm happy to ditch the internal HDD entirely.

I need a laptop for some general stuff—nothing crazy, no gaming, maybe just running some management software here and there.

So, the plan is to grab a laptop for roughly $1000 and then shell out another $167 for an SSD (120GB should be plenty, honestly). I don't really care about the hard drive since I've got an external one for storage anyway—plus, I'm assuming in this price range I won't find anything that comes with an SSD pre-installed. Please hit me with some recommendations for both an SSD and a laptop; I actually care way more about build quality than raw performance.

My ex used to have a Lenovo, I think it was a T-series, 14" model... the build quality was perfect. If anyone knows of something similar that I could pick up used, let me know.

Honestly, you can actually find them...

For example:

The HP has an excellent processor and integrated graphics for this price range. It's got a spill-resistant keyboard, a rugged build, a fingerprint reader, and it’s incredibly light at just about 4.4 lbs. My only gripe is the price tag and the fact it only comes with a one-year warranty.

The Lenovo packs a discrete GPU and a two-year warranty, but it's pretty pathetic when it comes to USB ports and battery life.

If I had to pick, I'd go with the Fujitsu. Yeah, the one-year warranty and integrated graphics aren't perfect, but everything else—the spill-resistant keyboard, easy access service ports, 3 x USB3.0, solid battery life, quiet operation, and great build quality—makes it a killer deal for under $3,000.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Fujitsu....147411.0.html

Thanks a ton, darkowl72—I actually have one more question for you. I’ve got an opportunity to pick up a used machine from a buddy of mine:

Dell 3521
i5-3317U@1.70 ghz
6GB RAM

I don't know every single little spec, but for $500, plus I’d probably grab an SSD for $167... would it actually be worth dropping a total of $667 on a used rig (though maybe I'll skip the SSD)? Or should I just stick to your recommendation and go with that Fujitsu for $1000?

Microsoft is alright. They’re the only ones offering a three-year warranty on all their laptops, which shows they actually trust their hardware quality. But look, new is new. The one area where Microsoft is going to get crushed is the battery. An old battery probably wouldn't even last three hours when it was brand new. Battery tech has come a long way—between better manufacturing and actual R&D, modern laptop battery life has basically doubled compared to what we were seeing four or five years ago.

Sure, that i5 might technically outperform a standard i3 today, but it’s definitely going to pull more power and the integrated graphics are pretty weak, which is my biggest gripe with it. Add in a battery that has a finite lifespan regardless of how you use it (even if it just sits on a shelf) and you’re looking at something that’s almost certainly reached its limit.

People talk about a "lifespan" for both the laptop and the battery—usually around five years, though that's subjective. In my opinion, you only buy used when you're strapped for cash and can't afford a fresh unit... 🤷

If you actually have the money, just get something new. It's just better.