[LNuneek]

I need a new laptop, but I'm not in the best position financially ATM. My current one is too old, too many issues, and might not last me much longer. The most I can probably spend is around $600 Canadian.
 
I'm a multi-tasker so I need something that can handle doing a couple things at once. The laptop will be used primarily for media consumption and some media creating. I'll be streaming movies to my TV, recording and editing audio in Adobe Audition, might use programs like FL Studio too. Might do occasional video editing as well, but nothing fancy.
 
I haven't been in the market for a new computer for almost a decade, so I'm lost in the specs, processors, etc., and I'm feeling overwhelmed trying to figure out what kind of specs would be suitable for my needs versus what I can afford.  
 
Does anyone here have any suggestions on specific laptops that will fit the bill and do the job pretty well for the price range or can direct me somewhere where I can get better advice? 
 
I would ask elsewhere, but I'm not on any computer or tech related forums, and don't know good ones to join. Also, Best Buy Canada would probably be the best place for me to pick one up as I live in a rural area and that is really my best option to pick up electronics somewhat locally.
 
Please help a head-fi brother out! 

 

[OldDude04]

How important is portability to you? Are you looking for something in the 14" and under or the 15.6" to 17.3" size? Also, is touchscreen something you're looking for?

 

[LNuneek]

  How important is portability to you? Are you looking for something in the 14" and under or the 15.6" to 17.3" size? Also, is touchscreen something you're looking for?

 
 

Portability, screen size, additional functionality like a touch screen are not important to me. I'm mainly concerned with getting something powerful enough, and something that will last me a good while.
 
An optical drive would be nice, but I see those are getting phased out.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I would think just about any decent and modern laptop would have the hardware you need.
Something with a processor that has at least four cores (or more)
For video editing, guess the more ram the better, guessing 8GB or 16GB, so get a laptop that you can install the memory you need.
If you have been running your programs on a 10 year old laptop, any laptop make in the past few years should offer more processing power.
Guess you could find a good deal on laptop that is two or three years old
It seems like you just have to have load your programs onto the laptop and your ready to go.
Maybe an external hard drive to store/backup your work.

 

[LNuneek]

  I would think just about any decent and modern laptop would have the hardware you need.
Something with a processor that has at least four cores (or more)
For video editing, guess the more ram the better, guessing 8GB or 16GB, so get a laptop that you can install the memory you need.
If you have been running your programs on a 10 year old laptop, any laptop make in the past few years should offer more processing power.
Guess you could find a good deal on laptop that is two or three years old
It seems like you just have to have load your programs onto the laptop and your ready to go.
Maybe an external hard drive to store/backup your work.

I'm confused about new laptops, cause I've been a mac guy. Things have changed and I can no longer afford to stay in the Apple ecosystem. 
 
I have had no real experience with Windows for a very long time, and I'm just really not sure what to get in that world that will give me the best bang for my buck, and I would have to start from scratch with programs and everything, the programs I mentioned are just the ones I think I would be using. I'm used to the Apple suites like Logic.

 

[OldDude04]

For your budget, you ought to be able to get into a nice laptop with at least 8gb ram, an Intel i5 or i7 cpu (recommended), or if you prefer AMD, an A10. Like PurpleAngel said, most models you'd be looking at would be capable of doing what you're looking to do. If at all possible in your budget, try to find one with an SSD, you'll enjoy a large speed increase over a regular SATA hard drive. Good luck.

 

[LNuneek]

  For your budget, you ought to be able to get into a nice laptop with at least 8gb ram, an Intel i5 or i7 cpu (recommended), or if you prefer AMD, an A10. Like PurpleAngel said, most models you'd be looking at would be capable of doing what you're looking to do. If at all possible in your budget, try to find one with an SSD, you'll enjoy a large speed increase over a regular SATA hard drive. Good luck.

This is the kind of thing I'm confused about. I don't know if I would prefer an Intel or AMD processor, because I don't know what the difference is. I'm much more artistically bent than technical, and I need the advice of people who are more knowledgeable and technically inclined.
 
What is your take on the different processors?

 

[OldDude04]

AMD are more entry level CPU's. The AMD A12, their current top laptop CPU's are roughly equal to an Intel i5 quad core in performance. So, getting an i7 is best, if possible, with at least 8gb ram and preferably an SSD (Solid State Drive). I'm in the states, so I'm not sure what exactly you'll be able to get locally, and unless you need it immediately, don't limit yourself to just your local stores. You can check out places like amazon.ca and newegg.ca for decent deals. 

 

[LNuneek]

BTW, I have been looking at Best Buy Canada's website. In my price range I'm seeing a lot of Intel i3 4gb RAM, and maybe the occasional Intel i5 with 8 GB RAM. 5400RPM drives for most.
 
The Intel i5 8GB RAM would be the better choice there.
 
All these other options with various processors is more confusing.

 

[LNuneek]

  AMD are more entry level CPU's. The AMD A10, their current top laptop CPU's are roughly equal to an Intel i5 quad core in performance. So, getting an i7 is best, if possible, with at least 8gb ram and preferably an SSD (Solid State Drive). I'm in the states, so I'm not sure what exactly you'll be able to get locally, and unless you need it immediately, don't limit yourself to just your local stores. You can check out places like amazon.ca and newegg.ca for decent deals. 

Here, so far, i7 seems to be out of my league. It's mostly i3 and i5. Either 4 or 8GB RAM. 5400RPM drives.
 
From what you are saying it's probably in my best interest to stick with Intel i_ processors.

 

[OldDude04]

That is a safe bet for the most part. Although, an AMD A10 or A12 will give you more bang for your buck than the i3.
 
 
*EDIT* If you don't mind buying a refurb from ebay.ca, you could really get a good deal for your budget. Something like this: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Toshiba-Satellite-S55-C5274-Core-i7-5500U-2-4GHz-12GB-RAM-1TB-HD-Win-10-Laptop-/272425042357?hash=item3f6dcc41b5:g:iooAAOSwA3dYDkgR 

 

[LNuneek]

  That is a safe bet for the most part. Although, an AMD A10 or A12 will give you more bang for your buck than the i3.
 
 
*EDIT* If you don't mind buying a refurb from ebay.ca, you could really get a good deal for your budget. Something like this: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Toshiba-Satellite-S55-C5274-Core-i7-5500U-2-4GHz-12GB-RAM-1TB-HD-Win-10-Laptop-/272425042357?hash=item3f6dcc41b5:g:iooAAOSwA3dYDkgR 

Thanks for the input so far. It's helping me narrow things down.
 
I looked at that link. Seems like a good deal. Not sure how I feel about getting a laptop from Ebay or refurbs. I'd have to think on it more, but I really do prefer getting something brand new with warranty. Can't afford to take gambles as much lately.

 

[PurpleAngel]

 
This is the kind of thing I'm confused about. I don't know if I would prefer an Intel or AMD processor, because I don't know what the difference is. I'm much more artistically bent than technical, and I need the advice of people who are more knowledgeable and technically inclined.
 
What is your take on the different processors?

 
Each Intel cpu core offers about 25 percent more processing power, for a given core speed.
But an AMD CPU can give you twice as many cores, for a given price.
AMD is a lot more into graphics processors, then Intel.
So lets say an AMD 3.0Ghz CPU, with 4 cores and integrated graphics should offer you better over all performance, over an Intel 3.0Ghz CPU with 2 cores and integrated graphics, and the AMD and Intel costing the same to the laptop manufacturer.
If your Audio and video software is designed to take advantage of multiable cores, like more then two,  then AMD starts to look even better.
 
I'm not the expert, this is my opinion and two cents.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LNuneek /img/forum/go_quote.gif

This is the kind of thing I'm confused about. I don't know if I would prefer an Intel or AMD processor, because I don't know what the difference is. I'm much more artistically bent than technical, and I need the advice of people who are more knowledgeable and technically inclined.

 

What is your take on the different processors?

 

The first thing you have to understand is that these aren't just CPUs, these have a GPU chip built into them. Technically both are APUs but only AMD really uses the term, likely because theirs have the better graphics processing chips. On the processor side though Intel is a lot better, and that's even when you control for the same price point. AMD only edges out Intel on benchmarks, price controlled or even when not, when the GPU is part of the benchmarking process.

 

If you're not doing anything that will require that much from the GPU like gaming or video editing, Intel isn't a bad choice for the money. It might be even better for what you'll do, like multi-tasking, since Skylake processors are still better than current AMD processors not to mention more energy efficient (so you don't wear out the battery as much with more charging cycles). Skylake is basically 6th Gen (ie why the 4-digit processor codes start with a 6 - i3-6100U, i5-6600K, i7-6700K, etc), and AMD's Zen architecture while leaps and bounds better than what they had in 2013 is basically just along the same performance as what Intel had in 2014. That said, they're still more energy efficient than the older AMD processors, a lot better, and by next year they'll come with Polaris GPUs, so if​ GPU performance is important to you, then might as well wait for that.

 

In any case for the kind of money you have skip the hybrid models since you'll get better processing hardware when you're not shelling out cash for the touchscreen much less a 360deg hinge or detachable tablet.

 

[LNuneek]

   
Each Intel cpu core offers about 25 percent more processing power, for a given core speed.
But an AMD CPU can give you twice as many cores, for a given price.
AMD is a lot more into graphics processors, then Intel.
So lets say an AMD 3.0Ghz CPU, with 4 cores and integrated graphics should offer you better over all performance, over an Intel 3.0Ghz CPU with 2 cores and integrated graphics, and the AMD and Intel costing the same to the laptop manufacturer.
If your Audio and video software is designed to take advantage of multiable cores, like more then two,  then AMD starts to look even better.
 
I'm not the expert, this is my opinion and two cents.

 
 

 

 

The first thing you have to understand is that these aren't just CPUs, these have a GPU chip built into them. Technically both are APUs but only AMD really uses the term, likely because theirs have the better graphics processing chips. On the processor side though Intel is a lot better, and that's even when you control for the same price point. AMD only edges out Intel on benchmarks, price controlled or even when not, when the GPU is part of the benchmarking process.

 

If you're not doing anything that will require that much from the GPU like gaming or video editing, Intel isn't a bad choice for the money. It might be even better for what you'll do, like multi-tasking, since Skylake processors are still better than current AMD processors not to mention more energy efficient (so you don't wear out the battery as much with more charging cycles). Skylake is basically 6th Gen (ie why the 4-digit processor codes start with a 6 - i3-6100U, i5-6600K, i7-6700K, etc), and AMD's Zen architecture while leaps and bounds better than what they had in 2013 is basically just along the same performance as what Intel had in 2014. That said, they're still more energy efficient than the older AMD processors, a lot better, and by next year they'll come with Polaris GPUs, so if​ GPU performance is important to you, then might as well wait for that.

 

In any case for the kind of money you have skip the hybrid models since you'll get better processing hardware when you're not shelling out cash for the touchscreen much less a 360deg hinge or detachable tablet.

Thanks for the input! I think I have more of an understanding to base my decisions on regarding this.
 
Just simple things like the 1st digit in the 4 digit processor code signifying the gen of the processor I wasn't aware of. Also that AMD typically offers more cores.
 
I got to try out someone's Intel i3 Dell laptop with 4gb RAM today, and yeah I found it too sluggish and slow for my needs, so the advice here so far has been pretty good and much appreciated.
 
Another thing. What specific programs am I going to need that are best for keeping a Windows computer safe on the internet in terms of anti-virus, firewalls, and anything else that might aid in that?