Author Topic: (Second-hand) laptop recommendation please - robust with big screen. (Read 3791 times)

Delta · « **on:** January 15, 2019, 07:55:11 pm »

I'm looking for a second hand laptop, looking to spend up to £150.

It does not have to have much grunt, I won't be gaming or video editing.

I travel a lot, so it mustn't fall apart in a rucksack.

I am learning to program, blundering my way through Python; I like to use daft_long_variable_names, so would like a good, sharp, large wide screen.

Can anyone please recommend any makes and modles to look out for on the Bay etc, or conversely anything to avoid.

Thanks!

Monkeh · « **Reply #1 on:** January 15, 2019, 07:58:28 pm »

I'm a big fan of my Latitude E6530. Takes chunks out of walls. You just have to dig around to find the proper screens.

rsjsouza · « **Reply #2 on:** January 15, 2019, 08:13:45 pm »

The series mentioned by Monkeh is quite nice; I have used the E6520 for several years and they are war tank (heavy as heck as well). The only drawback of the E6520 is the absence of a suitable USB3.0 port (which can still be added on the dock) - the E6530 does have native USB3.0 ports. Another is screen resolution: the model I used was full HD (1920x1080) but the majority is the 1600x1200 or something similar. Always pay close attention to the specifications.

If you need a bit more portability, I got an off-lease Latitude E5440 for my mother and it is quite nicely built as well.

bd139 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 15, 2019, 09:07:23 pm »

Lenovo Thinkpad T or W series. Look on ebay for what you can afford.

I've used T-series or X-series for the last decade or so and they have had the shit beaten out of them and just will not die! Spare parts are cheap. I just upgraded the screen on my T440 to a full HD IPS one for £39 delivered to door for example.

Delta · « **Reply #4 on:** January 16, 2019, 11:24:45 am »

Ah yes, ten years ago or so when I was a Field Service Tech we all had company Dell laptops (can't remember the models) and they seemed pretty sturdy. I will keep my eyes peeled for an E65X0 with a 1920x1080 display.

I've had two Lenovos; the first was back from the IBM Thinkpad days (402?) and is still going, albeit without a battery. The only reason I upgraded was because its 1024x768 resolution just became too low for modern websites.
That thing took a HUGE amount of punishment, and I mean HUGE - beer spilt all over it, dropped onto concrete whilst open and running... It has a replacement hinge which a friendly mechanic machined for me from a lump of brass...!
I bought another Lenovo to replace it based on that, but the newer one (non IBM branded) feels nowhere near as tough (and has just developed a fan problem), so I think I might try a Dell this time. Might even push the budget up to £200!

Gyro · « **Reply #5 on:** January 17, 2019, 11:34:34 am »

Seconded (thirded?) on the Thinkpads. If you need a big screen then you'll probably want a t5x0 15.6" series. For £150 you're probably looking at a T520 or T530, I doubt your (ebay) budget will stretch to a T540. All are Magnesium rollcage internal chassis so plastic corners tend to take the beating).

The T520 gives you 4 x USB2, the T530 gives you a USB3. You can always stick a USB3 card into the 34mm ExpressCard slot (albeit needing a second cable to a USB2 slot to get sufficient power to run an external HDD).

The basic HD (1366x768) screens are pretty poor contrast. The HD+ (1600x900) is a decent compromise, FHD (1920x1080 Full HD) models tend to go for rather more. The processor performance difference between the T520 (Sandybridge) and T530 (Ivybridge) is pretty small but the T530 has rather faster graphics.

What is more or less essential (the difference is night and day!) is to either put in an SSD, or better still, a 128GB MSATA drive into the internal dedicated slot. Then you can cheaply add plenty of traditional HDD storage and still get SSD speeds from the OS. If you pick up a £5 HDD Ultrabay caddy off ebay you can add yet another HDD, so you can have a laptop with 3 drives that way.

T520s come with a Windows 7 COA, I think the T530 is Win 10.

List of differences here (albeit for the smaller 14" T420/430 models)... https://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=127525&sid=d878b7ec3b3e2b2c997224481b43ca3b

Delta · « **Reply #6 on:** January 17, 2019, 12:56:21 pm »

I've spotted a Dell E6520 with a 1920x1080 display that seems good.
It's only got an i3 processor, but does have 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. (Most of them seem to be 4GB / mechanical HDD).

I'd think that more RAM + the SSD would give snappier OS performance, compared to a more grunty CPU with less RAM and a spinning disk, so this could be what I'm after.

I will also search for some Thinkpads....

knapik · « **Reply #7 on:** January 17, 2019, 01:23:00 pm »

I had a thinkpad t420 for quite a while and that took quite a beating! Dropped many times and the only thing that ever broke from doing so was the mechanical hard drive, which is shock mounted. Too many drops I guess, an SSD would definitely help for extra robustness. Unfortunately what took it out in the end was a can of fish opening in my bag with my laptop, damaging the screen with oil. I decided it just wasn't worth the money to repair and bought a new laptop instead.

I use a thinkpad t540p now which I'm quite happy with as well. I recently dropped this one onto a corner from chest height while cooking and nothing was damaged.

rsjsouza · « **Reply #8 on:** January 17, 2019, 01:25:58 pm »

That is a good find, if the price is right and it was not abused by the previous owners. The E6520's screen is harder to replace than the processor (if the need arises). IIRC these computers can take 16GB, but I only have 8GB on mine as well and can't tell for sure without searching.

The USB 3.0 dock adapter for the E6420 works on the E6520 (despite the Dell website does not list it as compatible). I have been using this adapter for about five years without a problem.

GeorgeOfTheJungle · « **Reply #9 on:** January 17, 2019, 01:26:11 pm »

Any 17" MacBook Pro unibody (from early 2009 on), the i5 A1297 are the best imo.

Monkeh · « **Reply #10 on:** January 17, 2019, 02:09:38 pm »

Quote from: GeorgeOfTheJungle on January 17, 2019, 01:26:11 pm

Any 17" MacBook Pro unibody (from early 2009 on), the i5 A1297 are the best imo.

Okay, he asked for a big screen, but he also asked for robust and on a budget..

bd139 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 17, 2019, 02:33:12 pm »

Err yeah they’re certainly not robust!

GeorgeOfTheJungle · « **Reply #12 on:** January 17, 2019, 03:18:37 pm »

Quote from: bd139 on January 17, 2019, 02:33:12 pm

Err yeah they’re certainly not robust!

The core2duos and i5s are very robust, the i7s not so much. And the battery is huge: 95Wh!

bd139 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 17, 2019, 03:51:24 pm »

No they're not. 6 inch fall onto carpet when closed. Yes it was mine (2013 15" rMBP)

nsrmagazin · « **Reply #14 on:** January 17, 2019, 04:27:16 pm »

The delivery to the EU is 20 EURO.

https://www.kvantservice.com/

GeorgeOfTheJungle · « **Reply #15 on:** January 17, 2019, 04:27:56 pm »

Well... don't drop it ! :-)

Monkeh · « **Reply #16 on:** January 17, 2019, 04:28:30 pm »

Quote from: GeorgeOfTheJungle on January 17, 2019, 04:27:56 pm

Well... don't drop it ! :-)

What if you hold it wrong?

Apple need not apply to this discussion..

GeorgeOfTheJungle · « **Reply #17 on:** January 17, 2019, 04:44:35 pm »

You mean a Lenovo doesn't break when dropped? LOL

bd139 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 17, 2019, 04:46:47 pm »

Quote from: GeorgeOfTheJungle on January 17, 2019, 04:44:35 pm

You mean a Lenovo doesn't break when dropped? LOL

Eventually

I have NEVER broken a Thinkpad (I've had 7 of them) and they have been knocked off tables, fallen out of car doors, all sorts.

Monkeh · « **Reply #19 on:** January 17, 2019, 04:52:09 pm »

Quote from: GeorgeOfTheJungle on January 17, 2019, 04:44:35 pm

You mean a Lenovo doesn't break when dropped? LOL

Depends how and where you drop it..

I'll re-iterate: My Latitude takes chunks out of walls. It breaks things it hit, not the other way around.

My old Thinkpad has a great deal of cracked up plastic but nothing else has been damaged, and it's been dropped, kicked, dragged across concrete by cables..

They don't crack hinges or frames, rot away at the first sign of moisture in the air, have glued on parts start separating..

GeorgeOfTheJungle · « **Reply #20 on:** January 17, 2019, 04:59:48 pm »

The video: LOL. I've got three A1297s, I've never broken one.

SiliconWizard · « **Reply #21 on:** January 17, 2019, 05:01:51 pm »

Quote from: bd139 on January 15, 2019, 09:07:23 pm

Lenovo Thinkpad T or W series. Look on ebay for what you can afford.

I've used T-series or X-series for the last decade or so and they have had the shit beaten out of them and just will not die! Spare parts are cheap. I just upgraded the screen on my T440 to a full HD IPS one for £39 delivered to door for example.

I have a T420S, the last in the T series with a decent keyboard AFAIK

I maxed it to 16GB RAM, and changed the panel to a FHD IPS as well. Very usable.

GeorgeOfTheJungle · « **Reply #22 on:** January 17, 2019, 05:02:07 pm »

Quote from: Monkeh on January 17, 2019, 04:52:09 pm

have glued on parts start separating..

The unibodys don't have any glued parts, they're a single piece milled out of a solid block of aluminium. I can't stand this guy, but... look:

bd139 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 17, 2019, 05:17:44 pm »

Battery is glued in on all the new ones. They’re a fucker to get out too. Have done one already. Was being stripped for parts.

GeorgeOfTheJungle · « **Reply #24 on:** January 17, 2019, 05:23:04 pm »

Quote from: bd139

Battery is glued in on all the new ones. They’re a fucker to get out too. Have done one already. Was being stripped for parts.

Nope, not on any unibody 17", it's not glued. Nothing is glued in fact.

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+17-Inch+Unibody+Battery+Replacement/3403


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Author Topic: (Second-hand) laptop recommendation please - robust with big screen. (Read 3791 times)

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