Need Help w/ Laptop Specs

[bayonetbrant]

So I don't do Windows machines....

But my mother-in-law is offering to get Bayonet Jr a new laptop for Christmas, so I'm looking at a few options to see what might work for him.  It's primarily a school machine, with some light gaming thrown in, and no need for heavy-horsepower coding or anything.

Here's the thing - we can't do a custom-build or make it ourselves.  The MIL is getting this, so it has to be an off-the shelf purchase.

Option 1, from Amazon, no touchscreen
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LNOELA6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Options 2 & 3, both from Costco, both with touchscreen
http://www.costco.com/HP-Pavilion-15-au123cl-Touchscreen-Laptop---Intel-Core-i5.product.100314589.html

http://www.costco.com/Lenovo-Ideapad-310-15-Touchscreen-Laptop---Intel-Core-i5.product.100306676.html

Option 4, but currently trailing
http://www.target.com/p/hp-notebook-15-ba042nr-silver-z2k88ua-aba/-/A-51668036

[mirth]

Any of those are decent choices for the money. In the past few months, I've been researching inexpensive ($500 or less) laptops. The IdeaPads and the HP Pavillion came up often.

[Barthheart]

Lenovo are owned and built by the Chinese... so unless you want a spy box in yer home I'd stay away from them.

[mirth]

I don't disagree about Lenovo, but you're going to be hard pressed to find a laptop that doesn't contain Chinese manufactured components. And if it's running Windows 10, it's a loaded with spyware.

[bayonetbrant]

howzabout this one?  It's a HUGE steal right now thru tomorrow...

http://www.costco.com/HP-Pavilion-15t-Touchscreen-Laptop---Intel-Core-i7---1080p.product.100312016.html

[Barthheart]

Looks good except for the integrated video... what's it going to be used for? It's fine if not for high graphics intensive games... Civ VI probably won't run on it because of the video....

[mirth]

howzabout this one?  It's a HUGE steal right now thru tomorrow...

http://www.costco.com/HP-Pavilion-15t-Touchscreen-Laptop---Intel-Core-i7---1080p.product.100312016.html

That's the one I'd go with, personally. Hard to argue with the price. Nice Christmas present from the MIL.

[bayonetbrant]

Looks good except for the integrated video... what's it going to be used for? It's fine if not for high graphics intensive games... Civ VI probably won't run on it because of the video....

probably nothing more fancy than Minecraft/Terraria-level games, since it's Bayonet Jr's and not mine. 

I doubt he's going to run anything too fancy.  It's mainly a school computer, and maybe some light coding once he starts messing around with it.

[mirth]

In the price range you're looking at, you're going to have to accept integrated GFX. Those low-end machines are a series of compromises.

[Barthheart]

Looks good except for the integrated video... what's it going to be used for? It's fine if not for high graphics intensive games... Civ VI probably won't run on it because of the video....

probably nothing more fancy than Minecraft/Terraria-level games, since it's Bayonet Jr's and not mine. 

I doubt he's going to run anything too fancy.  It's mainly a school computer, and maybe some light coding once he starts messing around with it.

Then it's fine and a good buy for the price.

[bbmike]

howzabout this one?  It's a HUGE steal right now thru tomorrow...

http://www.costco.com/HP-Pavilion-15t-Touchscreen-Laptop---Intel-Core-i7---1080p.product.100312016.html

Not bad but the HD is a dog. I'd upgrade it SSD if possible or a 7200rmp regular HD.

[bayonetbrant]

It's off the shelf. Can't do anything to it before he opens it

[bbmike]

It's off the shelf. Can't do anything to it before he opens it

Yeah, I figured it would have to be an after market mod.