need a new laptop - advice needed

[Subserved_Meteor]

hey guys, so I need to get a new laptop as the current one which I am using is starting to act up on me and I need a reliable computer, as I need to get work done in uni.

My current laptop is a 2 1/2 year old HP Pavilion dv7 which I find gorgeous with it's 17 inch screen, although it gets a bit annoying when I need to carry it to university at times to get work done. I own a Surface RT too, which I usually take notes on during lectures etc, but I really get all my work done on my laptop.

I am just thinking if I should go with a desktop replacement again, like my current laptop, or get an ultrabook. As my laptop isn't working properly anymore, my friend was friendly enough to lend me her macbook air, which makes me really interested in getting an ultrabook over a desktop replacement.

I do use my laptop often for a whole day, sometimes even pulling an all-nighter, additionally i do a lot of multitasking...having several browser windows and tabs open, using powerpoint and word at the same time and charging my phone or listening to some music while I work, so do you think I should opt for a core i7 again, or will the i5 do? what laptops do you guys recommend?

I was looking at some ultra books, but many of them are just a bit too expensive for my budget. I am looking for something around $1000 to a max of about $1500, as I'm a student I really need to watch my money.

so what would you guys recommend or suggest? ultra book or desktop replacement? which models?

​Thanks in advance everyone

Here are the specs of the HP i'm using at the moment. HP Pavilion dv7-3170ez Entertainment Notebook PC Product Specifications | HP? Support

 

[Zulfigar]

Look at Dell and HP, customize a laptop on each site and see which one gives more bang for the buck. If it's an ultra book you're looking into, then see what the latest Surface Pro has and, if anything, wait for Daniel's full review of it. If you're in college, the year is ending (unless you have summer classes).

With a 1,000 - 1,500 limit, you're in a sweet spot for laptops, so look around.

 

[smoheath]

Surface pro 3? I know it isn't for everyone. I've been using the pro 2 for the past year of grad school and I love it. I'm an engineering student and I take all my notes by hand using the pen and OneNote. I've already preordered my pro 3. I realize it might feel a bit cramped coming from a 17 inch screen. In my opinion the surface pro 3 is the one of the best (from reviews) ultrabooks out there. But if you don't need the stylus, I'd go for a Lenovo yoga or Acer aspire s7.

 

[Prateek Kumar]

Go for surface pro 3 for a full Microsoft experience. Plus the pen might help you in note taking

 

[Subserved_Meteor]

actually I'd rather have a proper laptop, the surface pro isn't really something for me...I was looking at it, and it seems like a goo device...however I still prefer the full laptop experience. I was actually look at those two laptops. The lenovo seems quite intriguing.

 

[Prateek Kumar]

actually I'd rather have a proper laptop, the surface pro isn't really something for me...I was looking at it, and it seems like a goo device...however I still prefer the full laptop experience. I was actually look at those two laptops. The lenovo seems quite intriguing.

But you said you are looking at ultra books. Surface pro 3 is a good choice as far as ultra books are considered. For full laptop experience you can go for HP, Dell it even the Lenovo ones. They look quite good.

 

[Danjp]

Why don't you just try reloading window from scratch first, what's acting up?

 

[Subserved_Meteor]

Why don't you just try reloading window from scratch first, what's acting up?

Have to keep resetting WiFi adapter, doesn't charge properly anymore, laptop tends to overheat during intensive work and the fans will just blast out hot air, when I close the laptop and put it to sleep it won't resume properly and I have to force shut down and reboot. I might need to add that I am running win8.1 pro on this machine.

 

[Danjp]

Well you have a very broad question, you need to first figure out what is important to narrow it down, Scrren size/resolution, battery Life, full size keyboard ect..

But I could say based on what's stated that you use your laptop for you probably could get an i5 ultrabook to do what you need.

 

[Poirots Progeny]

In the $1000-1500 range you're in the sweet spot for laptops, you have a load of choice!

The Dell or hp brands are good, and you could get something really powerful.

The surface pro 2 or 3 could see you well. And the macbook air is also a contender. With win 8.1.

 

[xandros9]

I recommend you avoid HP laptops since they are (In MY experience, YMMV) typically cheaply built and designed.

I might say the same for Dell, but if you must go for either, I would recommend springing for one of their business-grade offerings. they are generally designed for easier maintenance en masse and longevity.

Lenovo is a brand that has treated me nicely, I want to plug their ThinkPads, but they (at least older models) are built like tanks.
Don't know about their IdeaPad line, but some of my friends like theirs.

An i5 or i7 would work IMO, I'd be more concerned with how well it's built.

I'd recommend something in between, a desktop-replacement might be too bulky, an ultrabook might not be what you want.
Maybe something in the 13" - 15.6" range would be nice.

Whatever you do, try to check out reviews and other things.

 

[Loco5150]

I consider Lenovo and HP laptops to be the best. I wouldnt take any other atm. But, talking about the premium models, HP Elitebook and Lenovo T or X series.

I have HP Elitebook 8470p, i7, 16gb ram, 14" HD+ resolution, 180gb ssd and 500gb 7200rpm in dvd's place, integrated 3g wwan/gps and a docking station... Still after 1 1/2 years a great machine. Maybe little bulky, but I wouldnt go back to 1 hdd setup anymore.

 

[Loco5150]

Just looked your budget.

Look at Lenovo t440 (if I remember it correctly). For that price you should be able to find a great machine, either a Lenovo or a HP.

 

[blehblehbleh]

Try looking at the Thinkpad Helix or some of the offerings from ASUS or MSI. Depending on the latter two's lines and where you shop they fall within your budget, e.g. ASUS ROG G750 Series G750JM-DS71 Gaming Notebook Intel Core i7 4700HQ (2.40GHz) 12GB Memory 1TB HDD NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M 17.3" Windows 8.1 64-Bit - Newegg.com

MSI GT Series GT70 Dominator-895 Gaming Notebook Intel Core i7 4800MQ (2.70GHz) 8GB Memory 1TB HDD NVIDIA GeForce GTX 870M 3GB 17.3" Windows 8.1 64-Bit - Newegg.com

 

[Madam ImAdam]

I'm loving my ASUS N550JV-DB72T 15.6-Inch Touchscreen Laptop, but I would seriously consider the Surface Pro 3 - 256GB / Intel i7 now. It will be around $1550.

For around $1100, I got the touchscreen version of the Asus, primarily for the dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M card with 2GB DDR3 VRAM, and the Haswell 2.4 GHz Core i7-4700HQ

 

[WillysJeepMan]

actually I'd rather have a proper laptop, the surface pro isn't really something for me...I was looking at it, and it seems like a goo device...however I still prefer the full laptop experience. I was actually look at those two laptops. The lenovo seems quite intriguing.

That 17" notebook is a beast! LOL Do you still need to have a 17" notebook? I understand the benefits of the larger screen, but could a 14" or 15.6" notebook suffice and pick up a 21" monitor or HDTV for your home/dorm?

Lenovo and Asus offers some excellent options, I'd recommend one that fits your needs and budget. (not a fan of Dell or HP)

But you said you are looking at ultra books. Surface pro 3 is a good choice as far as ultra books are considered. For full laptop experience you can go for HP, Dell it even the Lenovo ones. They look quite good.

Not exactly. I know it is en vogue to suggest the SP3 as the answer whenever anyone asks about a notebook or tablet, but honestly, the SP3 makes a poor replacement for a 17" notebook. It isn't even a decent replacement for a 14" or 15.6" notebook that I'm recommending.

 

[Subserved_Meteor]

Well, I don't "need" a 17 inch laptop. But it sure has its perks...especially for multitasking. Tho I often find myself walking around campus or working on group assignments with my laptop and carrying around all day, with battery life not being too great I have to carry a charger with me too, so the weight just adds up...

I was looking at the lenovo ideapad carbon x1 - it is a bit on the expensive side tho - or the yoga pro 2... Can anyone share any opinions or experience with lenovo?
I always used HP and compaq since I started using the PC

 

[Subserved_Meteor]

I eventually settled for a Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus 13.3" with core i7... Managed to get a good deal. thanks everyone for the help!