# HP Notebook - 15-AY012CA for $399.88 at Shoppers Drug Mart



## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

What is your thought about this HP laptop. It's on sale for two days at Shoppers Drug Mart for $399.88 plus GST. I am planning to purchase it. Anything should be aware of it. 

http://www8.hp.com/ca/en/products/laptops/product-detail.html?oid=12261682#!tab=specs

The last HP laptop I purchased was in 2007 and it has been working great but lately making noise and getting warmer.


----------



## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

jeez scorpion....I'm (still) in the market for a new laptop too. I saw that ad too...was gonna post same thing!!! who thinks about SDM for a laptop? FYI, also saw these in this week's flyers:
HP 15-AY010CA -$300 @ Best Buy
Aspire 15.6" laptop (model ?)-$400(save $70) @ Wallymart
But I'm thinking there with Black Friday next week - maybe hold off for a week...?
I'd like to see more comments?
(ps ...re specs, I'm told I should get at least 4GB of memory. What should i look for in Hard Drive - 500GB, or what?)


----------



## Spudd (Oct 11, 2011)

I have not been a fan of HP laptops, all the ones I've had (one personal laptop, several work-issued laptops) have had hardware problems and not gone the distance. But since you purchased your last one in 2007 and it's still going strong, I guess there are some good ones out there too. 

The specs on that SDM one look good, and for the price it's hard to go wrong. 

Jargey, for hard drive look at your current PC and see how much space you're using. Add a bit of buffer and you'll be fine with anything that size or above. I suspect that pretty much anything on the market should suit you, except for maybe the smaller solid state drives available in a few of those sexy slim laptops.


----------



## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

While I don't follow every computer model out there, the fact that it's being sold at shoppers drug mart tells me that it's most likely far from being a top of the line, current model.

In my experience, you can usually get a better model on clearance at the big box electronic retailers on a price/performance basis. There are some non conventional places (London drugs for example) that actually stock a good selection of computers, but shoppers generally isn't one of them so this is most likely some sort of "special purchase" old stock that they are just dumping. Nothing wrong with that at all, but getting an end of line clearance model from a big box store may get you a better deal, but it won't be advertised as much since there are likely to only be a few in stock.


----------



## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

scorpion_ca said:


> The last HP laptop I purchased was in 2007 and it has been working great but lately making noise and getting warmer.


Probably need to replace the cooling fan which is likely making the noise and letting it heat up. Pretty cheap fix at a tech shop.


----------



## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

jargey3000 said:


> HP 15-AY010CA -$300 @ Best Buy


I would not buy this laptop as it has 4GB RAM and 500GB HDD compare SDM's laptop which has 8GB RAM and 1TB HDD. The difference is just $100.


----------



## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

I just bought that Laptop at SDM for $251.07 incl. GST. I redeemed 95,000 SDM points for $170. They also gave me 34,000 SDM points that is close to $55.

I use SDM's app on my phone and they usually give coupons that needs to be loaded. There was a coupon for 15X points for purchase more than $20 that I used and got 32,000 bonus points. 

The actual cost of this laptop for me is around $200.


----------



## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

excellent!


----------



## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

kcowan said:


> Probably need to replace the cooling fan which is likely making the noise and letting it heat up. Pretty cheap fix at a tech shop.


Thanks. I will find out more about it.


----------



## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

The HP 15-AY012CA laptop other stores are selling around $500.

http://www.visions.ca/catalogue/category/Details.aspx?categoryId=714&productId=32377&sku=15-AY012CA

https://www.amazon.ca/HP-X6V85UA-ABL-15-6-Inch-15-ay012ca/dp/B01HSRZU9S

http://www.thesource.ca/en-ca/compu...b-ram-1tb-hdd-windows-10---silver/p/108062045


----------



## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

scorpion_ca said:


> I just bought that Laptop at SDM for $251.07 incl. GST. I redeemed 95,000 SDM points for $170. They also gave me 34,000 SDM points that is close to $55.
> 
> I use SDM's app on my phone and they usually give coupons that needs to be loaded. There was a coupon for 15X points for purchase more than $20 that I used and got 32,000 bonus points.
> 
> The actual cost of this laptop for me is around $200.


DOH!! I just created my SDM Optimum acct - to see how many points I have.
I have 3500, I need another 4500 to get to 8000 to be able to redeem for $10 off!!! I wont live long enough!!
WHAT THE HECK do you BUY at SDM..to rack up 170,000 optimum points???


----------



## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

scorpion_ca said:


> I would not buy this laptop as it has 4GB RAM and 500GB HDD compare SDM's laptop which has 8GB RAM and 1TB HDD. The difference is just $100.


yes.... but do I _*NEED?*_ 8GB ram and 1TB HDD???? to google stuff, check email, & watch the odd youtube video...(oh and to come on to CMF) ????


----------



## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

4 GB of ram is really getting to be too little for Windows to run smoothly. Web browsers are actually surprisingly memory-hungry. I would suggest going for the 8GB option, especially if you want to keep these computer for 5+ years. The processor is pretty pokey, though, but this is what you're going to get in this price range.


----------



## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

jargey3000 said:


> DOH!! I just created my SDM Optimum acct - to see how many points I have.
> I have 3500, I need another 4500 to get to 8000 to be able to redeem for $10 off!!! I wont live long enough!!
> WHAT THE HECK do you BUY at SDM..to rack up 170,000 optimum points???


SDM has a lot of 20x points offers, buy Y and get X points, etc.


----------



## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

jargey3000 said:


> WHAT THE HECK do you BUY at SDM..to rack up 170,000 optimum points???


It's not 170,000 points. It's 95,000 points that is equivalent to $170. 

I don't buy much stuff from SDM...mostly milk, cookies, eggs and perfumes when they are only on sale. Monthly couple of times I get coupons such if I spend $10 or $20, they will give 3,000 to 5,000 points. Thus I accumulated points for the last couple of years. I don't buy anything at SDM if items are not on sale.


----------



## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

jargey3000 said:


> yes.... but do I _*NEED?*_ 8GB ram and 1TB HDD???? to google stuff, check email, & watch the odd youtube video...(oh and to come on to CMF) ????


I don't plan to buy another laptop in 10 years. With all the windows and software updates, 8GB RAM is minimum. Windows 10 seems slow compare to windows 7. So, I wouldn't buy anything less than 8GB RAM


----------



## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

scorpion_ca said:


> I don't plan to buy another laptop in 10 years. With all the windows and software updates, 8GB RAM is minimum. Windows 10 seems slow compare to windows 7. So, I wouldn't buy anything less than 8GB RAM


K. I plan to have a good look around come Black Friday....


----------



## bgc_fan (Apr 5, 2009)

kcowan said:


> Probably need to replace the cooling fan which is likely making the noise and letting it heat up. Pretty cheap fix at a tech shop.


That's a possibility, but the cheap fix could be to blow out some accumulated dust.


----------



## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

Oops...this HP laptop does not have any optical drive.


----------



## bgc_fan (Apr 5, 2009)

scorpion_ca said:


> Oops...this HP laptop does not have any optical drive.


Honestly you are going to see fewer laptops with optical drives these days. USB sticks have higher capacity storage, and manufacturers need to cut costs. Similar to the disappearance of floppy drives.


----------



## Spudd (Oct 11, 2011)

I think laptops with optical drives are very rare nowadays. Most programs are downloaded from the net instead of purchased in a store these days.


----------



## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

...now i'm confused (again) WTF is an optical drive? & why should it matter??...


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

jargey3000 said:


> ...now i'm confused (again) WTF is an optical drive? & why should it matter??...


DVD/CD reader/player.


----------



## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

ok TY


----------



## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

I used to get cds from library and save it in my laptop. Now I cannot do it.


----------



## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

You can buy an external DVD drive for about $25 at a computer store.


----------



## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

^ Would the external DVD drive have an issue with Windows 10? I think whoever buys one of these optical drives need to make sure the laptop have at least an USB outlet to plug and play.


----------



## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

We use a small external drive for backup. It is about half the size of one of a cigarette packet. Great for our photo collection. Small unit, 2 TB, and it fits into our safe deposit box. We bring it our twice a year or so and upload any new photos or data that is important to us.

I would not buy a device that did not have at least 2 USB connects. Why...because on of the three on my notebook has gone on the fritz.


----------



## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

I never thought that I would see a laptop without an optical drive. Not sure what we would see in the future. Laptop without a keyboard... 

I would keep my old laptop for CD/DVD burning/watching.


----------



## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

scorpion_ca said:


> I never thought that I would see a laptop without an optical drive. Not sure what we would see in the future. Laptop without a keyboard...
> 
> I would keep my old laptop for CD/DVD burning/watching.


There are laptops without keyboards. They're called tablets.


----------



## aliwaaliwa (Feb 9, 2017)

That's really great HP Notebooks but the convertible like the Envy X360 is the best nowadays and certainly the HP brand is one of the best


----------



## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

For those with older HP Laptops, if your want to relegate it to trival work like browsing and email, hit F5 on startup and run the HP Web Interface:
https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c02043846#AbT3


----------



## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

This is an old post. Notwithstanding that I would want a minimum of three USB ports and 8GB of memory in notebook purchase.

I have had lots of Hp and Compaq product over the years. There are always differences in quality between the various notebook product lines. I currently have an Hp desktop, Hp notebook, and an ipad. I have hardly used the notebook since acquiring the ipad several years ago.

Have you looked at Costco offerings (in store and on line)? They change frequently. There are two big benefits. The first is their no nonsense return policy. You have 90 days. This can also provide you with some price protection/advantage especially if your purchase date is within 90 days of black friday, christmas, and boxing day sales territory.

The second Costco benefit is the extended two year warranty that comes with their tech product sales.

Don't let what appears to be a good price distract you from what your requirement are otherwise you will simply spend money on upgrades or a new unit sooner than later.


----------

