[Wolf 335]

I was wondering if someone could provide some feedback on what would be a better option to go with when comparing the two laptops listed below.

Things to note: This laptop's use will orient mainly around internet browsing and music/movie downloading, along with general MS Office use. This will not be a gaming laptop.

Link to the same specs I posted below: http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/compar...button_laptops

Thank you.

[VRG_135]

Absolutely go with the i5! Unless you run graphically intense programs, then go with the AMD, with the graphics card.

[ccdre]

If these are your only 2 options, I'd go with the VivoBook - Intel processor and weighs less than half of the 1st AMD equipped laptop.

[jpnh]

Both are bare bones entry level machines

The lesser expensive box with the AMD processor is the better value....and you get an extra USB port

Both have slow as shit HDD's but you also get more RAM with the AMD box

The AMD has 4 cores to the Intel's 2 AND a lot more l2 cache which improves response time

[Wolf 335]

Originally Posted by VRG_135

Absolutely go with the i5! Unless you run graphically intense programs, then go with the AMD, with the graphics card.

Originally Posted by ccdre

If these are your only 2 options, I'd go with the VivoBook - Intel processor and weighs less than half of the 1st AMD equipped laptop.

I think the addition of the Optical drive contributes to the weight.

Could you guys elaborate a bit on why i5 over A10?

[R3dliner]

Go with the i5. Amd is sub par with there processors.

[jpnh]

http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-Core-i...-Gen-A10-9600P

[Wolf 335]

Originally Posted by jpnh

http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-Core-i...-Gen-A10-9600P

I saw that comparison earlier.

From what I can see there they tested I5-6200U where as the one I got listed is i5-6198DU.

Regardless looking at the site wouldn't you say AMD A10-9800P outperforms i5-6200U

[Torgus]

I wouldn't buy any computer without a SSD in this day and age. But I would go with the intel lappy.

[GottWhat]

My current computer I built has an i5 CPU. However, I would recommend the one with the AMD. Based on what you are doing with it, the additional USB port and 50% more RAM at a $50 less price will be more beneficial.

[Lt. Leary]

I would go for the AMD, but I first would check if the hdd is easily swappable. You can turn that $500 laptop into an $800 laptop by switching out the hard drive to a SSD. I just upgraded my wife's old laptop this weekend, and it went from a slow POS to a speed demon!

[Joe240]

Go with the i5. Intel runs cooler and uses less energy (usually means charge lasts longer, but maybe by 10minutes or maybe by 30minutes). It's a laptop so heat can cause a ton of issues like a failed hard drive, CPU fan (saw it happen a lot) and in rare instances the CPU itself.

I love AMD, but regardless what the add says, it doesn't support DDR4 yet. Their new processor architecture will (Zen platform). Also, the "graphics card" mentioned by someone else is false. The A10 is an APU with a couple more graphics cores on it. It does not have a dedicated graphics card. Also, the extra l2 cache is good, but when on a 5400rpm hard drive it means absolutely nothing.

Expertise: Worked Geek Squad for 5 years fixing computers and selling new ones. Plus I've built a countless number of desktops and upgraded them and laptops more than I care to count.

[dzvero]

If the weight is not a factor I will go with AMD

[dzvero]

Originally Posted by Lt. Leary

I would go for the AMD, but I first would check if the hdd is easily swappable. You can turn that $500 laptop into an $800 laptop by switching out the hard drive to a SSD. I just upgraded my wife's old laptop this weekend, and it went from a slow POS to a speed demon!

With regular hdd you can always swap with ssd but installing windows can be an issue

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by dzvero

With regular hdd you can always swap with ssd but installing windows can be an issue

It's a non issue if you buy some SSDs which come with cloning software or if you already have cloning software like Acropolis.

[dzvero]

http://www.costco.com/HP-Pavilion-15...100319608.html

[dzvero]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

It's a non issue if you buy some SSDs which come with cloning software or if you already have cloning software like Acropolis.

Win is hardware locked and might not work with other hdd

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by dzvero

Win is hardware locked and might not work with other hdd

Incorrect. I've done it numerous times. As long as the motherboard and various components like NICs and GPUs (if valid) are the same, it will work. I've done it personally on Win 7 and Win 8.1.

[Joe240]

Originally Posted by dzvero

Win is hardware locked and might not work with other hdd

The only thing hardware locked is the factory OS recovery discs. They look for specific hardware to verify it is the correct OS for their laptop. This is done because it doesn't prompt for a product key because of the mass license they purchase from Microsoft. Guaranteed the hard drive isn't one of the checked items because those go bad much quicker than say something specific to the model like a motherboard. A normal copy of windows that comes with a product key only checks for a storage medium to put the files onto during the install.

[dzvero]

Originally Posted by Joe240

The only thing hardware locked is the factory OS recovery discs. They look for specific hardware to verify it is the correct OS for their laptop. This is done because it doesn't prompt for a product key because of the mass license they purchase from Microsoft. Guaranteed the hard drive isn't one of the checked items because those go bad much quicker than say something specific to the model like a motherboard. A normal copy of windows that comes with a product key only checks for a storage medium to put the files onto during the install.

Have you ever replaced a hdd? Win complains and asks you if you changed it and wants to register again online

[Joe240]

Originally Posted by dzvero

Have you ever replaced a hdd? Win complains and asks you if you changed it and wants to register again online

Lmao, yes I have replaced more hard drives than the average user. My comment above said that I worked for geek squad for 5 years. I've obviously replaced more than just hard drives in a computer. Again, the only OS that complains is manufacturer OS recovery discs because it checks for specific hardware, such as a motherboard because the manufacturer pays for specific licenses for their machines. They don't want people using their recovery discs to install windows on any machine they want because that's illegal and I'm sure that it's in the contract they have with Microsoft that they have to have some kind of check because it doesn't ask for a product key to be input during the install. Also, the recovery image has drivers specific to the model it was created for so it may not be 100% "plug and play" for the average user who may not know how to retrieve drivers.

Edit: Forgot to mention that the only thing that would cause windows to "complain" about a hard drive is if it couldn't recognize it. This however is usually because the motherboard doesn't support the size of the hard drive (usually not a problem now days). This would be due to a 2TB limit on the SATA controller, or a BIOS limitation (usually fixed with a BIOS update). The only time it is due to Windows is if you're running an old version of Windows (XP 32-bit I believe, think 64-bit fixed the issue) where windows doesn't support over 2TB storage media. On either of the laptops in question though, Windows 10 recovery media wouldn't care if it was a HDD, SSD, or over 2TB in size and neither would the hardware.

[Wolf 335]

So just a quick update:

I didn't end up getting the AMD one.

However I did get this Dell laptop $499 from Microsoft Store (as it was one user's suggestion) along with the Asus VivoBook i5.

Currently I am comparing the two side by side and Asus is loosing the battle. Screen quality on Asus is horrible. Dell's HD screen blows it away. A few additional perks that Dell offers are touch screen, backlit keyboard and cd drive and a slightly newer i5 gen.

from the link above:





So far I am leaning towards returning the Asus and staying with this Dell machine.