Best value Laptop/Tablet - Laptop reviews

I’m not sure that ARM and Windows have been fully optimised for one another just yet. It may be worthwhile to wait a few years until the market settles.

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It is arguable anything can be optimised with Windows excepting Microsoft’s income. Stability is job 1 followed by usability. If it performs well enough and looks like Windows ‘optimised’ is not on most peoples’ worry lists. Now for those pesky applications and games following along in quantity…won’t hold my breath for now.

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By which time the market will have moved on to some where else, and Microsoft will no longer need to provide the solution it is still to perfect?

Self fore-filing!:grin:

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Compare laptops with our updated review, including new models.

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We’ve also updated our ‘bring-your-own device’ buying guide for those heading back to school :nerd_face:

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Our laptop review (2019) has recently been updated (member content).

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Laptop and tablet reviews have been updated (member content).

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I’ll be the first to diss the update because it does not have many of one vendors models (2 to be precise, each with a different OS) even though its products dominated last years tests from most all sources and continues to be atop most specialist reviews.

Do people who don’t want to know what is under the hood select computers from Choice tests? I suggest they do and the omissions of top products that are so recognised seems a 'diss’ervice. Perhaps you could not acquire models with the 10th gen Intel processors in time, but you have models with 8th gen CPUs tested.

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Is there really much value in comparing laptops with tablets? I see them as separate markets, operating systems, and use cases.

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One of the hot segments seems to be the 2-in-1, so maybe?

I have a 6 year old laptop, top of the range touch screen and so on. Over the years I use the touch screen more and more and sometimes lament the need to touch the keyboard. I think how we use these devices is evolutionary rather than this or that and my next will be a 2-in-1. If my primary application would run an a tablet I could be tempted, but it requires Windows :frowning:

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Of course there is always the Surface Pro 7…well it’s sort of a 2 in 1 but marketed as both a tablet and a laptop. Or the Surface Go

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The Surface Pro was tempting but If I were to buy one today it would probably be an HP Spectre X360 13 since I am still more a PC than a tablet type, although evolving. :slight_smile:

The application (Quicken) won’t run on Windows S and reviews suggest it struggles mightily trying to run on a Go with the real 10.

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Then perhaps this Surface Book 2

You don’t need to remain with S on the Surfaces that come with it, you can upgrade them one way to Win 10 HP or Pro but can’t go back to S after the upgrade.

One version of how to do it:

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The 2 seems to still only have 8th gen chips, and the HP is reviewed as a bit better than the MS offers. You may have misunderstood about S vs 10 re my comment. A Go running 10 running Quicken is s.l.u.g.g.i.s.h from what I can discern from the very few reports of users trying. It is a terrible application but has many unique features I am unwilling to live without so long as Quicken stays alive. It ‘uses’ the hardware more than is reasonable, but it is what it is.

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We’ve reviewed the Acer ConceptD 5 Pro laptop:

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Good to see a more capable laptop at an ACER reasonable price.

It’s worth noting it’s an Intel 9th Gen CPU, with the 10th Gen laptop devices recently released in April. There may be some great discounts coming up when the next models come onto the market.

The review notes mention CAD use. The Installed Quattro T1000 (4GB ram) is from the lower end graphics options depending on how complex your CAD needs may be. It may be worth checking on line if you are hopeful of heavy CAD use.

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$3800…maybe reasonable for some, but expensive for others.

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It’s relative to your needs? Whether that was well enough explained by Choice in the review of the ACER? I found the review text sufficient to decide what that model was intended for.

Which brand of laptop is the most reliable?
Which brand of laptop has the best warranty and customer service?
No comment, but Choice is not as well placed to comment compared with other resources and publications.

If I had a requirement for a high end laptop model capable of high quality video and animation editing, etc. I’d compare the ACER with as an example only, the $4,399 16” MacBook Pro. The base model is $3,799 the same price as the ACER. You do lock yourself into the MacUniverse with software, although you can still run Windows using Bootcamp or a VM, eg Parallels. If I needed AutoCad IOS compatible, for complex engineering design, or Solidworks which has no IOS version would I be looking at a Choice review? I may also be looking beyond Apple for a higher end less laptop more luggable solution.

If you just need to keep in touch a $200 tablet device or a large screen mobile device might be all you need. There are plenty of low cost laptops in the marketplace which can meet the mobile needs of most users. Even in the home environment the ability to move the laptop around the house makes me wonder how necessary a desktop might be. VR gaming and million movie media server collections excepted. :wink:

P.S.
I think Choice does serve a purpose with some of these tech reviews in providing content more suited to the average consumer. It may not meet the standards of those with a little more experience, but then we probably know where to go to find the content we need.

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It would have also been interesting to see how the price compares to a similar spec desktop. If one wants a higher end spec computer without mobility, then a desktop may still be the better/cheaper option. Desktops also traditionally have been more flexible in relation to customising for an individual/business needs.

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I was emailed the below question from a supporter - does anyone have any tips for tablets they’d like to share?

I’d like to know what size tablet people recommend for older people (75+) who want to read the local news now there’s no printed local newspaper. I need to procure one for my mother and am not sure about the “free” 8” Samsung tablet will be big enough.

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