So, my laptop's display went out. It's an old brick anyways. My main computer at home is my desktop, an imac from 2008. I want to get a windows desktop. I looked at chromebooks, but I want to be able to run an HDMI cord from the laptop to the TV, and Windows seems the best bet.
I want something cheap. I value cheap over performance for this machine, but I would prefer if it can at least play web-based games pretty well. Any brand recs? Best place to buy? I'm debating between Amazon and Fry's.
Re: Laptop Recs?
HP always makes me nervous. I've avoided them for years, but maybe they are better now.
I've had friends and family that have liked their Toshiba laptops over the last few years.
Depending on the web-based games you want to play, you will need a gaming lap top that usually starts in the $1000 range. My current lap top is only 3 years old and I was told it was on the edge of being a gaming computer but I found out that it doesn't like Diablo III and I have troubles with some of the older high graphics games.
Mine is an ASUS computer that I have no problems with. I don't trust HP never have never will. Dell computers can't be too bad since we using them at work for heavy 3-D design.
I took web based games as being flash/HTML5 based games.
ETA: We also use Dell laptops at work. They are ok.
Mostly flash based, yes, although if it could at least run D3 that would be nice.
If you want a gaming laptop I would do one of the Asus Republic of Gamer Laptops: https://rog.asus.com/ .
Might be a bit pricey but they are solid for most games. If you plan to do any 3d rendering look for at least 8gigs system ram, I7 quad core and at least 2 gigs video memory.
Another good option is https://www.walmart.com/ip/iBUYPOWER-Black-17.3-Valkyrie-CZ-17-WA929-Gaming-Laptop-PC-Intel-Core-i7-3740QM-Processor-and-Blu-ray-Disc-Player/23745941
Decent stats and still a 17 inch.
If you are looking more for portable and dont mind giving up a few inches on the screen size. Look at the M14x from Alienware. (See my notes on Dell below.)
https://www.alienware.com/Landings/laptops.aspx
All these are technically "gaming laptops", and have a decent amount of horse power if you wanted to save as much as possible and rarely use 3d rendering I would consider moving down into things like a Lenova Yoga or maybe a mid range Lenova laptop. Dell's and HP's still have some issues with the suppliers they use. Alienware is owned by Dell now and has had some of the same issues that Dell's do. I had to return two top of the line Alienware laptops with issue so they makes me a bit wary.