Laptop recommendations please

patrickc

Hi
Our Sony vaio is 9 years old now and well due an upgrade.
We're looking for something that will enable our son to do online music lessons so a good camera / sound is important. It won't be used for gaming. He'll be using it for online schooling so all the work that comes with that too but shouldn't be very tasking on a laptop. Other than that itll be used for YouTube etc. The budgets about €500.
Thanks

this and buy another 4gb ddr4 ram single 2400Mhz on amazon

https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computing/laptops/laptops/lenovo-ideapad-3-15-6-laptop-amd-ryzen-3-128-gb-ssd-black-10212815-pdt.html

screen brightness is not amazing but it's the budget zone

most laptops come with bad webcams.

worth spending another 30 or 40 on a usb one from amazon with autofocus, wide angle, full hd, bright

patrickc

Thank you very much.
If we upped the budget to 600/650 would that make a difference do you think? Or stick with the above and upgrade ram and camera?

the hp's with the i5 either 14inch or 15 inch from this list are ok

https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computing/laptops/laptops/315_3226_30328_xx_xx/499-699_499-699_xx_xx_5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-criteria.html

come with 8gb ram so no upgrade needed there

better screen (the models with ips screen)

although a lot seem out of stock

Brexit has currently killed off a lot of options

https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computing/laptops/laptops/315_3226_30328_xx_xx/1_20/price-asc/500-600_xx_xx_xx_5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-criteria.html

Pcgamer

Id be going for this Ryzen 5 laptop with 8gb of ram for your budget. Much better CPU for the one glasso posted and 256gb SSD

https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computing/laptops/laptops/acer-aspire-3-a315-23-15-6-laptop-amd-ryzen-5-512-gb-ssd-silver-10212872-pdt.html

Edit: Glasso posted some other models there, make sure its 8GB of Ram, at least 256GB hard drive and at least a Ryzen 5 or an I5 processor.

patrickc

Brilliant I have a look tonight and in DID too I appreciate you're help.

Pcgamer

Pcgamer wrote: »

Id be going for this Ryzen 5 laptop with 8gb of ram for your budget. Much better CPU for the one glasso posted and 256gb SSD

https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computing/laptops/laptops/acer-aspire-3-a315-23-15-6-laptop-amd-ryzen-5-512-gb-ssd-silver-10212872-pdt.html

Edit: Glasso posted some other models there, make sure its 8GB of Ram, at least 256GB hard drive and at least a Ryzen 5 or an I5 processor.

seems out of stock as far as I can see.

there site is poor for showing what is actually in stock

patrickc

I've never heard of this make but what do you make of this?

https://www.did.ie/avita-liber-v-amd-ryzen-5-14-8gb-256gb-laptop-space-grey-14a8ukv541-sg-14a8ukv541-sg-prd

very new brand don't know where it's from

reviews are thin on the ground but seems ok - better than the "pura" models

https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/review/avita-liber-v-3799209/

after 3 month review from some punter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuXEzKUWU-A

patrickc

https://www.did.ie/lenovo-ideapad-3-14-amd-ryzen-5-4gb-256gb-laptop-platinum-grey-81w000bsuk-81w000bsuk-prd
maybe this would be a better buy so.

thanks for your input it's appreciated, I'm clueless

the other one has full metal case in it's favour

that ideapad has a dim screen afaik and also fairly short battery life

go look at both if possible yourself - they are open

Dafterss

Cameras have not got better in 20 years on laptops I think your budget is low

runawaybishop

Buy an honour magicbook, best bang for buck around usually.

runawaybishop

runawaybishop wrote: »

Buy an honour magicbook, best bang for buck around usually.

his budget doesn't go that far, plus lack of availability in Ireland for the cheaper 3500u model

Amazon price up also and other options gone with Brexit

runawaybishop

glasso wrote: »

his budget doesn't go that far, plus lack of availability in Ireland for the cheaper 3500u model

Amazon price up also and other options gone with Brexit

Budget is 600/650 and you can just buy from amazon.de, they have an English language version too.

patrickc

Amazon.de won't deliver to Ireland from what I see.

I can get it from buy it direct for about €650 including delivery.

https://www.buyitdirect.ie/p/honor-magicbook-14-amd-ryzen-5-3500u-8gb-256gb-ssd-radeon-vega-8-14-inch-full-hd-windows-10-laptop-silver-free-honor-watch-2-53010whw-001?refsource=bidieadwords&mkwid=sBq7Tg9pC_dc&pcrid=442499092025&product=53010WHW-001&pgrid=101646756846&ptaid=pla-896772412279&channel=googlesearch&gclid=CjwKCAiAxeX_BRASEiwAc1QdkRDCS4gtjC6UxGNLWQ9IxXXBXseICXwYo8o4o1Vvf6q4fSEdH_XTSBoCYCsQAvD_BwE

runawaybishop

runawaybishop wrote: »

Budget is 600/650 and you can just buy from amazon.de, they have an English language version too.

link?

patrickc

patrickc wrote: »

Amazon.de won't deliver to Ireland from what I see.

I can get it from buy it direct for about €650 including delivery.

https://www.buyitdirect.ie/p/honor-magicbook-14-amd-ryzen-5-3500u-8gb-256gb-ssd-radeon-vega-8-14-inch-full-hd-windows-10-laptop-silver-free-honor-watch-2-53010whw-001?refsource=bidieadwords&mkwid=sBq7Tg9pC_dc&pcrid=442499092025&product=53010WHW-001&pgrid=101646756846&ptaid=pla-896772412279&channel=googlesearch&gclid=CjwKCAiAxeX_BRASEiwAc1QdkRDCS4gtjC6UxGNLWQ9IxXXBXseICXwYo8o4o1Vvf6q4fSEdH_XTSBoCYCsQAvD_BwE

yes it's a solid option

very good build quality

ips screen

longer battery life and backlit keyboard on the 14 inch version

quad-core cpu is still plenty for your needs

unusual angle on the webcam (pops from key) puts off some but as said usb webcam for heavy video use recommended (can use old phone on tripod also using paid android app) which is going to have a much better camera than the webcam in a laptop

https://www.tomsguide.com/news/how-to-use-your-phone-as-a-webcam

patrickc

I've just ordered it and a webcam so thanks for all the help its appreciated everyone

what webcam did you go for out of interest?

patrickc

https://www.buyitdirect.ie/p/full-hd-1080p-usb2-webcam-with-built-in-dual-microphone-eiq-webcamusb1080pw

that's it, I'm not too fussed it'll do the job I imagine.

patrickc

patrickc wrote: »

https://www.buyitdirect.ie/p/full-hd-1080p-usb2-webcam-with-built-in-dual-microphone-eiq-webcamusb1080pw

that's it, I'm not too fussed it'll do the job I imagine.

hopefully. claims to have autofocus but may not in reality

seems to be this one

https://www.amazon.ca/Microphone-Computer-Streaming-Widescreen-Recording/dp/B087TJ5R31#customerReviews

runawaybishop

glasso wrote: »

link?

Sorry I didn't send much time looking and I don't have an account so filtering the ones that ship is painful sometimes. But in general any of the EU Amazon's will work here without having to worry about vat etc. De, fr, it etc. I just know de has an English language option, idk about the rest

runawaybishop

runawaybishop wrote: »

Sorry I didn't send much time looking and I don't have an account so filtering the ones that ship is painful sometimes. But in general any of the EU Amazon's will work here without having to worry about vat etc. De, fr, it etc. I just know de has an English language option, idk about the rest

couldn't find any English keyboard on amazon.de for sale myself.

maybe I missed it.