# $249 Laptop at WalMart?



## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

me again... still haven't bit the bullet on a new laptop, but the ol' HP Mini is really slowing down.
Saw this baby in this week's WM Flyer @ $249: http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/hp-stre...-celeron-n3060-16-ghz-processor/6000196284889
Not sure what "HP Stream" means? Is that just like, a model name or does "stream" mean something else??
Haven't seen anything comparable any cheaper at your best buys, staples etc.
My needs in a laptop are pretty basic: emails, googles, the odd youtube thingy..etc. No games or spreadsheets or anything too intricate. Waddaya think? good buy for me? (FWIW.. when you click on WalMart.ca "Online Specials", this same machine is showing up on the very first page there at $349 - go figure. 
Comments appreciated.


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## Spudd (Oct 11, 2011)

Did you read the reviews on Walmart.ca for this machine? They are pretty bad.


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## bass player (Jan 27, 2016)

I would never buy a computer or electronic item a week before Christmas. It's probably best to wait for a Boxing Day sale.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

Spudd said:


> Did you read the reviews on Walmart.ca for this machine? They are pretty bad.


hmmmm...nope, didn't read...must do


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

bass player said:


> I would never buy a computer or electronic item a week before Christmas. It's probably best to wait for a Boxing Day sale.


'Boxing Day sale'....._*shivers!!!*_:smile:


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

These use pretty low powered CPUs and very little RAM. Do yourself a favour and look for something that has 6-8 GB of RAM and a pentium chip. Unless you are content to do just basic web browsing...


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## new dog (Jun 21, 2016)

I agree with spudd look at the reviews on the add you linked us.

What I do besides reading reviews, is to go to Best Buy or wherever and ask questions about the products I wish to purchase. For example I would see a 55 inch 4k brand name TV for $1200.00 and another one that is 4k and 55 inch for $2000.00 and ask why that is.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

new dog said:


> I agree with spudd look at the reviews on the add you linked us.
> 
> What I do besides reading reviews, is to go to Best Buy or wherever and ask questions about the products I wish to purchase. For example I would see a 55 inch 4k brand name TV for $1200.00 and another one that is 4k and 55 inch for $2000.00 and ask why that is.


I'm of the opinion that $250 buys more at Walmart than it does at Best Buy. Am I wrong?


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## zylon (Oct 27, 2010)

My 2nd-best friend, YouTube might help with a review.

If this isn't exactly the laptop you're looking at, just tweak the YouTube search, and you might find a review for the exact machine.


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

jargey3000 said:


> I'm of the opinion that $250 buys more at Walmart than it does at Best Buy. Am I wrong?


Doesn't matter. $249 does not buy you anything other than a paperweight. Look 'in the middle of the pack' for something that will serve intended purpose.


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## new dog (Jun 21, 2016)

jargey3000 said:


> I'm of the opinion that $250 buys more at Walmart than it does at Best Buy. Am I wrong?



You could be right but I don't think they can help you in Walmart with questions. Best Buy, Visions or the Source will probably have more knowledgeable people working there. Futureshop was very good at answering questions because they were on commission and wanted sales. You don't have to buy at these places it is just to get you on hand visual and knowledge.


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## NorthernRaven (Aug 4, 2010)

That looks more like a Chromebook sort of thing? Be careful with confusing Walmart specs and descriptions. Checking the actual HP specs page, you've only got 32GB of internal storage - there's no "HDD", and the 1TB refers to a free one-year subscription to Microsoft's Office 365 and OneDrive cloud storage, which you'd have to pay for ($70/year) after that. The internal storage is slower eMMC, not an actual SSD, and at 32GB will be fairly full just with Windows and other preinstalled stuff. 

With a Celeron CPU and 4GB of RAM, you'd want to be very careful that you didn't need more than a disposable thing for rudimentary browsing and whatnot before buying this, and find some place to try it out.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

NorthernRaven said:


> That looks more like a Chromebook sort of thing? Be careful with confusing Walmart specs and descriptions. Checking the actual HP specs page, you've only got 32GB of internal storage - there's no "HDD", and the 1TB refers to a free one-year subscription to Microsoft's Office 365 and OneDrive cloud storage, which you'd have to pay for ($70/year) after that. The internal storage is slower eMMC, not an actual SSD, and at 32GB will be fairly full just with Windows and other preinstalled stuff.
> 
> With a Celeron CPU and 4GB of RAM, you'd want to be very careful that you didn't need more than a disposable thing for rudimentary browsing and whatnot before buying this, and find some place to try it out.


good info raven - thanks.


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

AltaRed said:


> $249 does not buy you anything other than a paperweight. Look 'in the middle of the pack' for something that will serve intended purpose.



jargey the forum has been through so many versions of which new (or used off kijiji) computer you are going to buy, it's hard to believe you are still at it.

what are you using right now? still that older machine with non-updated Win XP?

i'm slightly embarassed for you because you can perfectly well afford to buy a decent machine & get on with life. You need 8 GB of RAM to work most websites these days. You can find decent new laptops for $600-1,000. Don't buy celeron, i'm surprised they're even selling it these days, better something with a more powerful chip.


.


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

humble_pie said:


> i'm slightly embarassed for you because you can perfectly well afford to buy a decent machine & get on with life. You need 8 GB of RAM to work most websites these days. You can find decent new laptops for $600-1,000. Don't buy celeron, i'm surprised they're even selling it these days, better something with a more powerful chip.
> .


+1 False economy when one get machines one can be happy with for about the cost of 2-3 major concert tickets. Life is too short.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

humble_pie said:


> jargey the forum has been through so many versions of which new (or used off kijiji) computer you are going to buy, it's hard to believe you are still at it.
> 
> what are you using right now? still that older machine with non-updated Win XP?
> 
> ...


There are some uses for which lightweight computers are not bad options. Like a low-feature htpc or just a child homework computer. I would not try to use one as a primary computer.


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## Retired Peasant (Apr 22, 2013)

Microsoft sells laptops, and one advantage is that they don't have a lot of crapware on them.
https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msca/en_CA/list/Laptops/categoryID.64517600

I have purchased 2 laptops from the online store, and been quite satisfied with both. Here's a good deal on right now:
https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msca/en_CA/pdp/Dell-Inspiron-15-i5559-4682SLV-Signature-Edition-Laptop/productID.333111400


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

Good examples of good mid-range PCs in the $500-800 range. 

I agree with above. Avoid Celeron processor and try to get 8GB of RAM so that response is better. IMO, touchscreen is not necessary. I rarely use mine.


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

andrewf said:


> There are some uses for which lightweight computers are not bad options. Like a low-feature htpc or just a child homework computer.



it's astonishing how many kids need computers with mucho power for games, though.

i know couple teenagers who since the age of 10 have been the proud owners of machines with double the RAM of mine. Those kids would download simulated battle software & other complex games.

.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

That's a parenting decision.


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## mordko (Jan 23, 2016)

I prefer laptops with solid drives... but it depends on your priorities.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

jargey3000 said:


> me again... still haven't bit the bullet on a new laptop, but the ol' HP Mini is really slowing down.
> Saw this baby in this week's WM Flyer @ $249: http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/hp-stre...-celeron-n3060-16-ghz-processor/6000196284889
> Not sure what "HP Stream" means? Is that just like, a model name or does "stream" mean something else??
> Haven't seen anything comparable any cheaper at your best buys, staples etc.
> ...


It's your very basic student grade laptop. Ok for emailing and very light surfing. 4gB of DD3 Ram isn't that much cache memory for Win10 if it even offers 4GB, not 2GB. . and then it has 1.6Ghz Celeron processor which is the cheaper lower clock rate/performance processor of the Intel family.
Yes. it will do the job for some things, but if you want to stream movies, it may be a bit slow loading your screen. Not sure about the graphics processor performance,they didn't specify it.
These days, you should have a laptop with a faster processor, bigger HDD and more DDR Ram. Win10 will
suck this one down where it can be as slow as molasses in January.

It will run slow with the minimum of cache since it will had to go to the HDD (32GB only) to get stored data that is not on cache. 



> These machines are slower than normal laptops and they should be at the price point they are at! But they are fine for people that have very basic computing needs like email, light web surfing and such.
> 
> Yes it would be better with 4gb of memory but for the budget crunched crowd that is needing a simple descent computer to surf the web or look for better jobs this will do the trick. if you want more power then spend a little more. Everyone expects a vette for the price of a cruze.



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If I was buying a laptop, I would look at a refurbished for about the same price..A Dell with the I5 processor
which runs at 2.4Ghz and some decent HDD storage 

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product...spx?path=72c720e3de2fa5f732b8c699129e3559en02


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

I've never streamed a movie in my life...prob. never will. As i say, MY requirements for a laptop are pretty basic...


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

...also interesting: when i ran an earlier thread on this subject a couple months ago, the consnsus advice seemed to be to get at least 4gb of memory. Now, on current thread, a min. of 6 to 8 gb is being touted. When will it end???
What was it Bill Gates said years ago .... about "x" being more than enough memory than anyone would ever need!
I'm reminded of the immortal words of H.J. Simpson: "WOW! Look at the length of that line-up! The only thing I'd wait THAT LONG in a line-up for these days is a _slightly-better_ cell-phone!"


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

Win10 will run on 4GB RAM but experience suggests 8GB is usually worth the cost for increased response. For someone with basic needs not needing a ton of processing power for things like gaming or complicated spreadsheets, more RAM is more useful than higher clock speed processors. It is a personal choice....but in my opinion, cheaping out at $100 lower cost is not worth it over the 4-6 year life of a PC.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

Retired Peasant said:


> Microsoft sells laptops, and one advantage is that they don't have a lot of crapware on them.
> https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msca/en_CA/list/Laptops/categoryID.64517600
> 
> I have purchased 2 laptops from the online store, and been quite satisfied with both. Here's a good deal on right now:
> https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msca/en_CA/pdp/Dell-Inspiron-15-i5559-4682SLV-Signature-Edition-Laptop/productID.333111400


Thank you Peasant. What do others think of this deal ?
https://www.microsoftstore.com/store...ctID.333111400


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

IF it is the


> Dell Inspiron 15 i5559-4682SLV Signature Edition Laptop


 then I'd grab it. An i5 processor and 8GB RAM. It won't last long at that discount so....


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

AltaRed said:


> Win10 will run on 4GB RAM but experience suggests 8GB is usually worth the cost for increased response. For someone with basic needs not needing a ton of processing power for things like gaming or complicated spreadsheets, more RAM is more useful than higher clock speed processors. It is a personal choice....but in my opinion, cheaping out at $100 lower cost is not worth it over the 4-6 year life of a PC.


agreed. a boat anchor is a boat anchor whether it's new or 4-6 yr older model.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

AltaRed said:


> IF it is the then I'd grab it. An i5 processor and 8GB RAM. It won't last long at that discount so....


It is that one.


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## mordko (Jan 23, 2016)

Ok, here is the thing...

1. Nobody needs more than 4GB of RAM just to run Windows 10 and a a browser. Just don't open 20 browser sessions all at the same time. You need larger RAM for photoshop, video processing and complex data managing software.

2. Similarly i5 is an overkill unless you are into gaming, and then you also need a dedicated graphics processor. i3 is awesome for any tasks except gaming and professional applications.

3. Storage space... That really depends on what you need. Has to be more than 100 Gbytes to store basic software. Unless you plan to store data, lots of photos or videos, you don't need much more than that. I tend to use external WD storage for backup as well as Google drive.

4. Solid drive is actually useful. For one thing, your computer will start a lot faster.

I am not an expert but know enough to assemble my own computers. People often go for big numbers without appreciating what these numbers mean.


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## mordko (Jan 23, 2016)

And having just looked at specification of Intel Celeron n3060, it should be more than plenty CPU for simple applications. Will be noticeably slower than i3 for more complex applications like 3D movies but for browsing and word processing you won't be able to tell the difference.

Where you may lose out with that Walmart laptop is on the general case, screen, keyboard, general build quality. CPU and RAM are just fine.


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## Spudd (Oct 11, 2011)

That and the fact it only has a 32GB hard drive. That's nothing. It will not be enough.


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

As oers have said, kust bite the bullet and buy a middle range type of computer. I think my youngest daughter's computer is more powerful than than that and she had it since she was 6.

The reason for getting better than what you need minimally is that it will allow your computer to not have to be replaced as quickly. Technology requirements just keep going up to run things. If you get the bottom of the line now, on a couple of years, you will have to replace it again. Probably woth bottom of the lone which will be close the the mid range now. You could have had a stronger and faster computer in the meantime. Also, the components on theses cheap computers fail more frequently. 

I understand why a poor student would have to do that, but you are not that case.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Spudd said:


> That and the fact it only has a 32GB hard drive. That's nothing. It will not be enough.


Obsolence factor built in. It's ok for basic needs but if you want to do anything more intensive, 32Gb won't be enough today in the future, so it will more than likely become one of those you toss and buy a better one with
more HDD capacity.

But for now,on a laptop with only a 32gB HDD, I suppose if he wants it for just for windows and email and some personal files, it may be enough. 
But he may have problems with space issues on future upgrades as well and reliability issues with the cheaper
laptops is one of the main causes for discarding it and buying a better one.


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## mordko (Jan 23, 2016)

Windows 10 by itself takes 20 GB. There are other programs you need to store. 32 GB isn't enough. I would say 100 GB is the smallest hard drive worth having.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

appreciate all the (conflicting) input guys!
again...my requirements for a computer are pretty basic, NO GAMES, NO MOVIES (3D or otherwise!) NO SPREADSHEETS, NO COMPLEX FILES etc.
Also, I'm the type of guy who waits for toothpaste and tissues to go on sale at SD Mart for 88 & 69 cents...before I buy!!
So suggesting I spend $500, instead of $250 to bet a "better" machine will take some convincing....


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## zylon (Oct 27, 2010)

*off topic*



jargey3000 said:


> Also, I'm the type of guy who waits for toothpaste and tissues to go on sale at SD Mart for 88 & 69 cents...before I buy!!
> So suggesting I spend $500, instead of $250 to bet a "better" machine will take some convincing....


*jargey,* are you stingy or frugal?

I find a good cure for stingy is to drop a few twenties into the SallyAnn kettle.

If you're frugal, then as-you-were!










http://www.psychmechanics.com/2014/10/personality-traits-stinginess.html


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## OnlyMyOpinion (Sep 1, 2013)

jargey3000 said:


> appreciate all the (conflicting) input guys!
> again...my requirements for a computer are pretty basic, NO GAMES, NO MOVIES (3D or otherwise!) NO SPREADSHEETS, NO COMPLEX FILES etc.
> Also, I'm the type of guy who waits for toothpaste and tissues to go on sale at SD Mart for 88 & 69 cents...before I buy!!
> So suggesting I spend $500, instead of $250 to bet a "better" machine will take some convincing....


As others have pointed out, its not much computer. But it is a good price. We usually buy Dell and just checking their online specials I see they have a very similar one and it is $349 as well. They have a lesser one (2Gb ram) for $249 but it is sold out. So if you are seeing it for $249 thats a good price. 

So... recognize that Win10 has a learning curve if you are used to Win7, recognize that it is intended that you end up saving files externally (either in 'the cloud') or on an external drive/usb stick). If you really don't have many files (music, pictures, docs, pdf, etc) then you might get away without going external for a while. Recognize that HP likes to load some of their own apps/programs that add some bloat. Make sure the keyboard is what you are used to - some have Fr? layouts that set some keys differently.
Because this is an online purchase, I'm not sure where you get answers but: Recognize that this may be a reconditioned laptop - that should be ok if you confirm its warranty is intact. You should not have to take expensive additional warranty that they may try to sell you. Make sure of Walmart's return policy for laptops - what if you use it for 2 wks and decide you want to return it?? Keep all packaging and your receipts. Good luck.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

thanks only. It's not an online purchase at WM - it's in store.
my current lap is HPMini 110...about 7-8 yrs old....works fine, just seem to be slowing down on opening emails etc...


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

jargey3000 said:


> appreciate all the (conflicting) input guys!
> again...my requirements for a computer are pretty basic, NO GAMES, NO MOVIES (3D or otherwise!) NO SPREADSHEETS, NO COMPLEX FILES etc.
> Also, I'm the type of guy who waits for toothpaste and tissues to go on sale at SD Mart for 88 & 69 cents...before I buy!!
> So suggesting I spend $500, instead of $250 to bet a "better" machine will take some convincing....


You gotta be kidding, no? An extra $250 is less than $50/yr spread over the next 5 years. That is 2 nites per year out at the movies, or a cheap evening out for you and your SO. I understand extreme frugality as a starving student. Been there myself but????


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

AltaRed said:


> You gotta be kidding, no? An extra $250 is less than $50/yr spread over the next 5 years. That is 2 nites per year out at the movies, or a cheap evening out for you and your SO. I understand extreme frugality as a starving student. Been there myself but????


exactly!


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

If you know what you want, after Christmas shopping can be a breeze if you do it on the net. Easy to compare prices, get the right price, and get good delivery without having to fight the crowds, listen to the extended warranty spieils, and line up at the cash to pay. Have you looked at the PC Mag on line reviews?


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

OK...so which is more important when it comes to computer "speed" (ie starting up, opening google search pages, opening email etc): Memory? or Storage?


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

jargey3000 said:


> Thank you Peasant. What do others think of this deal ?
> https://www.microsoftstore.com/store...ctID.333111400


You mean this one? https://www.microsoftstore.com/stor...-Signature-Edition-Laptop/productID.333111400

It is a fantastic deal. It's a real computer.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

jargey3000 said:


> OK...so which is more important when it comes to computer "speed" (ie starting up, opening google search pages, opening email etc): Memory? or Storage?


An SSD is a faster kind of hard drive (storage). None of the computers you are looking at feature them. The $250 WM special has a tiny amount of storage space, of slower memory (equivalent to a usb thumb drive). Fast storage means your computer will start up faster (mine boots into windows in about 7 seconds) and can launch programs like a web browser faster. More RAM/memory means your computer can have more applications open at the same time. People saying don't worry about it for web browsing seem to be forgetting that modern web browsers are absolute pigs when it comes to RAM. I have regularly seen single chrome tabs using >500 mb of RAM. A quick check of my computer right now shows Chrome using >1.5 GB of RAM right now.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

andrewf said:


> You mean this one? https://www.microsoftstore.com/stor...-Signature-Edition-Laptop/productID.333111400
> 
> It is a fantastic deal. It's a real computer.


Yes. That one! How come my link doesn't work??


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

jargey3000 said:


> Yes. That one! How come my link doesn't work??



click on andrew's link, i bet it works.

jargey u are getting near the hot one! as Plugging says upthread, kust bite the bullet. Won't you please stop lolling around & demanding that others sacrifice their time & effort to persuade Uncle Curmudgeon why it's time for him to upgrade from 89 cent toothpaste


.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

eighty-EIGHT cent toothpaste, humble. on now at SD Mart Stock up!


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

jargey3000 said:


> appreciate all the (conflicting) input guys!
> again...my requirements for a computer are pretty basic, NO GAMES, NO MOVIES (3D or otherwise!) NO SPREADSHEETS, NO COMPLEX FILES etc.
> Also, I'm the type of guy who waits for toothpaste and tissues to go on sale at SD Mart for 88 & 69 cents...before I buy!!
> So suggesting I spend $500, instead of $250 to bet a "better" machine will take some convincing....



I am all for frugality. It's not up to us to convince you to buy a more expensive machine. It sounds like you don't see a value in spending more. If you don't, then don't. there are certain things that make sense to spend a little more than bottom of the line (if one has the funds). A laptoptop that you will use for 5 years is one of them. If you don't see that, they buy the cheap one. You are spending way too much time looking into something you don't care that much about. It's the equivalent of agonizing over a dollar store purchase. 

The time it would take me to convince you to buy the more expensive computer, is more than $250. 




jargey3000 said:


> OK...so which is more important when it comes to computer "speed" (ie starting up, opening google search pages, opening email etc): Memory? or Storage?


Does it matter if you are you only doing basics.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

humble_pie said:


> jargey u are getting near the hot one! as Plugging says upthread, kust bite the bullet. *Won't you please stop lolling around & demanding that others sacrifice their time & effort to persuade Uncle Curmudgeon why it's time for him to upgrade from 89 cent toothpaste*


Well said Humble. This thread is becoming a time waster. 

If "uncle curmudgeon" doesn't know his HDD from a SSD and DDR3 Ram to evaluate these offers on more than just Walmart's price,and needs everyone to explain it in detail, he shouldn't be asking these questions on this forum.

It's not really a PC computer forum, but there are other forums that are, and may in fact..tolerate his questions over and over.
Maybe it's a way of him seeking attention on this forum.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Plugging Along said:


> I am all for frugality. * It's not up to us to convince you to buy a more expensive machine. * It sounds like you don't see a value in spending more.
> 
> If you don't, then don't.
> 
> ...


"Plugging"; If he doesn't know the difference by now, (and he's had several valued opinions from CMF members), it's all wasted words and our efforts to convince him otherwise at this point.


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## Retired Peasant (Apr 22, 2013)

jargey3000 said:


> Thank you Peasant. What do others think of this deal ?
> https://www.microsoftstore.com/store...ctID.333111400


Jargey, I bought this laptop on Black Friday for the same price. I am quite pleased/satisfied with it.
I use it for surfing, email, but also use it for word processing, spreadsheets (don't you use a spreadsheet to track your finances/investments?), database development.

You could likely get by with an i3 processor rather than i5, but honestly I think you'll be happier with this one.

Just do it. Shipping is free too.


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

Jargey - Looking at the Microsoft one, that's a good value for your money. You get so much more computer for marginally less. Think of it as value investing. You wouldnt buy penny stocks, just because they are cheap, you still want good value. If the computer is still $500 then get it. 


As a side story, we just went through a very similar conversation with a friend. His sister has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. She is on an extremely low budget, and it will unfortunately be truly short term (two years max). My friend my husband what about these Walmart computers. Even in such a situation where it is known to be short term use and she is on a nonexistent budget, we couldn't recommend it. We ended up giving her one of our older computers (which was still better). 

My point is, life is really too short to wait around for silly things like this. The extra aggravation and fruition of waiting for computer wasn't worth it.


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## doitwithsam (Nov 26, 2016)

*No*

After reading the reviews i do not recommend this product.


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## STech (Jun 7, 2016)

If you know what you're looking for, fantastic value can be found in refurbished business class laptops. Business machines not only have more computing power, but parts are far more durable than consumer laptops. A 2 year old business machine will still have the latest technology, room for expansion, and you'll easily get another 5 years out of them for the same price you'd pay for a lower end consumer laptop that's new.


Value to me doesn't mean the cheapest, because almost always, the cheapest doesn't mean value.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

^Fair enough except on expansion. Most business machines are not designed with much extra room or power for expansion cards, etc.


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

I have a 1.6 gb 4gb of ram HP laptop and have used it a while ,it is currently on sale at bestbuy for $249 this week.I play poker and casino games on this laptop and actually read my emails and check this forum.It is definitely adequate for everyday use but I do own more powerful desktop computers.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

marina628 said:


> I have a *1.6 gb* 4gb of ram HP laptop and have used it a while ,it is currently on sale at bestbuy for $249 this week.*I play poker and casino games on this laptop* and actually read my emails and check this forum.It is definitely adequate for everyday use but I do own more powerful desktop computers.


This must be the same as Walmart and a few other retailers who are pushing these for Christmas shoppers, as an affordable laptop Christmas present under the tree for "Billy" or "Sis" or Uncle Jed, even Grandma to experience the laptop convenience of learning how to use a computer.

I think the "1.6 gb"was a typo? yes/no? as these are 1.6GHZ Celeron processors.
In all it's "not bad for a package deal...." (I may have changed my mind if I was going to buy it as a present for a student, which is basically what it was intended for..

So Marina..you are still gambling I see. :encouragement: It may actually help you get better foryour next trip to Vegas.
Better than playing XBox or Sony Playstation3, I suppose, especially if you are good with them.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

bump


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

bump...2


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

hey guys- what about this 'un, at stples boxing day, for my needs? (reg $55o, on for $400):
http://www.staples.ca/en/Lenovo-Ide...-DDR4-Windows-10/product_2491932_2-CA_1_20001


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## mordko (Jan 23, 2016)

Nothing's wrong with it. Will do the job.


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

Yes I still gamble and will likely til the day I die lol .I don't play any xbox etc my reflexes just aren't fast enough or that.


p


carverman said:


> This must be the same as Walmart and a few other retailers who are pushing these for Christmas shoppers, as an affordable laptop Christmas present under the tree for "Billy" or "Sis" or Uncle Jed, even Grandma to experience the laptop convenience of learning how to use a computer.
> 
> I think the "1.6 gb"was a typo? yes/no? as these are 1.6GHZ Celeron processors.
> In all it's "not bad for a package deal...." (I may have changed my mind if I was going to buy it as a present for a student, which is basically what it was intended for..
> ...


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

There is a wide world of gaming that is not based on quick reflexes. Strategy games, adventure/role-playing games, etc. Really, quick reflexes are only needed for shooters and maybe some platformers.


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

I have no time for gaming but when i have a few hours I still play poker ,I am lucky to get to play one day a week now.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

Hey! I just 'gambled' on a NEW LAPTOP! Bought the Lenovo at Staples mentioned above - for $400!
Thanks for all the input!
Merry Christmas!! :kiwi-fruit:


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

jargey3000 said:


> Hey! I just 'gambled' on a NEW LAPTOP! Bought the Lenovo at Staples mentioned above - for $400!
> Thanks for all the input!
> Merry Christmas!! :kiwi-fruit:


 Congrats, for a "*Few Dollars More"*..just like that a spaghetti western starring Clint Eastwood in the late 60s..
(I give away my age here ).... but it was and still is a great movie. *you get a much better laptop*. 

Much better specs and performance you will get for basically $150 more. 

The AMD A9 processor at 2.4Ghz clocking speed, blows the pants off that HP low performance Celeron processor, and you get 8GB of DDR3 RAM for it to run faster on different applications in Windows.

1 TB (Terabyte HDD) Thats 1024 GB of fast disk storage, compared to 32GB in the "blue HP"..you will never run out of disk space again in your lifetime! 

Good Radeon R5 Graphics processor, if you want to play some video games or bring up
some nice family photos in high resolution. 

3.0 USB port is a fast port for connection faster peripherals and the newer USB3.0 compatible flash drives. 

2.0 USB port is pretty much standard these days.
LAN and Bluetooth connectivity. I like that I use it myself at home. and 3 hr battery is not too bad, but if you are on it more than 3hrs, just leave it plugged into the charger. 



> 2.4GHz AMD A9-9400 processor
> 8 GB DDR4 RAM memory
> *1 TB Hard Disk Drive storage*
> Windows 10 Home (64-bit) operating system pre-installed
> ...





> *USB 3.0*
> Data signal. *Bitrate. 5 Gbit/s* *(625 MB/s*) USB 3.0 is the third major version of the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard for interfacing computers and electronic devices.


I


> n other words, USB 3.0 is theoretically more than ten times faster than USB 2.0.


Many of the newer flash drives work a lot faster for copying files for backup on USB 3.0.

USB 2.0 (standard in most older computers and laptops)
Also referred to as Hi-Speed USB, USB 2.0 is an external bus that supports data rates up to *480Mbps*

The Lenovo brand is the "middle of the road" as far as performance and price range..
but I would definitely consider it, since it would be sufficient to last me for a "few years more".


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

Thanks for the comments Carverman.!
Oh boy! I can hardly wait to have my emails open 1/10th of a second faster compared to that piece of junk I'm using now! wink wink...


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

^ And now you can ask more of these questions ... "which momentum stock should I buy?" or "where do you see the stock markets going for 2017, 2018, 2019,. etc. " or " fill -in -the-blank stock market related question". :topsy_turvy:


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product...spx?path=f8da216796ca3519a9e81559c7657ef1en02 Just bought this one for myself but I have to wait til xmas night to open it lol


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

marina628 said:


> http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product...spx?path=f8da216796ca3519a9e81559c7657ef1en02 Just bought this one for myself but I have to wait til xmas night to open it lol


oooooo....$800 bucks. sweet.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

marina628 said:


> http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product...spx?path=f8da216796ca3519a9e81559c7657ef1en02 Just bought this one for myself but I have to wait til xmas night to open it lol


That's a good buy as well. Core I7...why that puts all the other processors out there to shame in performance.



> If you want a plain and simple answer, then generally speaking, Core i7s are better than Core i5s, which are in turn better than Core i3s. Nope, Core i7 does not have seven cores nor does Core i3 have three cores.
> The *numbers are simply indicative of their relative processing powers*.





> A family of 64-bit x86 CPUs with up to eight cores from Intel that were introduced in 2008 as the successor to Core 2. The Core i7 chips are the high-end CPUs in the Core "i" line, although Intel's Xeon chips, which use the same architecture, have more enterprise features (see Xeon). The first models included a graphics processing unit (GPU) in the same chip package as the CPU; however, 2nd Generation Core models, introduced in 2011, integrate a GPU on the same die as the CPU. See GPU, Nehalem and Sandy Bridge.


*Enhanced Memory Control*
Supporting three channels of DDR3 memory, the* Core i7 contains its own memory controller that runs with a separate clock in the "uncore" area (a part of the chip that is not executing program instructions)*.

*QuickPath and Turbo Boost*
A major feature is the QuickPath system interconnect, which is a high-speed, packet-oriented, point-to-point pathway between the CPU cores and memory and between the cores and I/O hub. Depending on the multiprocessor capability supported by the chip model, an integrated crossbar router between the cores may be included.


> The i7 line also introduced Turbo Boost, also available in some i5 models, which allows the speed of CPU cores to be adjusted (see Turbo Boost). See Core i5 and Core i3.


 "lions (i3 core) and tigers (i5 core) and bears (i7 core) ..oh my! (Dorothy; Wizard of Oz) ...and Turbo Boost..what will they think of next?



> Another big difference between *DDR3 and DDR4 is speed.* DDR3 specifications started at 800 MT/s (or Millions of Transfers per second) and some went as high as 2133.
> 
> DDR4, meanwhile,* starts at 2133 MT/s*. The increased speed means an overall increase in bandwidth.


so what do you get for the $400 extra bucks...a whole lot of processing power and speed..speed....
a Maserati vs the old Toyota lap top clunkers you were going to buy (HP Stream for $249. 
....and we haven't reached the price range plateau of the "top of the PC line" gaming laptops...$1849.99



> ASUS ZENBOOK Pro 15.6” Ultrabook – 15.6” IPS 4K Touch Display, Intel Core i7 6700HQ 2.6GHz, 16GB DDR4, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M w/2GB GDDR5, 512GB SSD, WIN 10 Home, Webcam, WLAN, BT - UX501VW-DS71T


http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=9962503&csid=_21

and here is why you need one...:indecisiveness:.. now don't forget you only live once (unless you are in the James Bond movie...(You only live twice)..

*What It Is And Why You Need It:
*
*Intel Core i7 6700HQ 2.6GHz quad-core processor;* gives a high speed computing performance with *max turbo speed of up to 3.5GHz*

*16GB DDR4 memory*; adds super multitasking ability and improves system responsiveness
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M graphics with 2GB GDDR5 SDRAM; delivers rich graphical output for creative and multimedia projects
Windows 10 Home 64-bit operating system; provide easy navigation and wide compatibility
*10/100 LAN, 802.11 ac WLAN and Bluetooth 4.0; provide seamless network connectivity on the go*

*15.6-inch IPS screen with LED backlight; gives bright and full detailed visuals at 4K resolution
Multi-touch display; enables easy operation control*

*512GB SSD*; saves important data and multimedia files along with reducing application launch time
Thunderbolt, USB 3.0 and HDMI interface; enable easy peripheral connectivity with high speed data transfer

SSD = Solid State Drive..no more spinning disks to crash or wear out.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

i7s are good for users who have workloads that benefit from multithreading. Video encoding, etc. Average users who want to play games, etc. are often better off with a higher clocked i5, because many applications are still single-threaded and benefit from one core being faster.


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## dwyanec (Dec 29, 2016)

There are a lot of laptop choices that are affordable but the performance is powerful. Just like the Acer Laptop I saw at http://www.laptoprunner.com/ and got only for $300.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

dwyanec said:


> There are a lot of laptop choices that are affordable but the performance is powerful. Just like the Acer Laptop I saw at http://www.laptoprunner.com/ and got only for $300.


WHICH Acer Model was that? & where'd you get it?


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## aliwaaliwa (Feb 9, 2017)

See the Asus TP200 , it awesome with touchscreen and flip ability


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

aliwaaliwa said:


> See the Asus TP200 , it awesome with touchscreen and flip ability


how much $$?? (I'm looking for something that I can flip!)


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

^ Are you sure you can handle buying the above and this other suggested one? 

http://canadianmoneyforum.com/showthread.php/103282-HP-Notebook-15-AY012CA-for-399-88-at-Shoppers-Drug-Mart/page4



> Quote Originally Posted by aliwaaliwa:
> See the Asus TP200 , it awesome with touchscreen and flip abilityThat'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


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