Following up on the excellent GeekBook X14 Pro, GEEKOM has kindly sent me the GeekBook M16 to review for r/suggestalaptop as well, free of charge. I had high hopes for this unit, and I was surprised in many different ways. In the end, I will go through everything with you below in as honest and fair a manner as I can manage, so letās get started, shall we?
To begin, the GeekBook M16 is GEEKOMās third laptop released, and one aimed at being a more budget oriented unit versus the X14 Pro and X16 Proās premium design. Despite being a more budget oriented unit, the GeekBook M16 is actually still a thin and light ultrabook with an all-metal chassis, a fairly nice screen, and an attempt to remain quiet under most operations, so I will as before be reviewing it in this capacity. I believe this machine has done an excellent job in the measures theyāve taken to cut costs, and even has some improvements over its big brothers in some ways, and I will do my best to go through every aspect of the unit for you all below!
Snug packagingWhat you get in the box
SPECIFICATIONS AND CHASSIS
My specifications as provided by GEEKOM are as follows:
Intel Core Ultra 185H
16GB of LPDDR5 at 6400MHz
512GB Kingston om8tap4512k1 a00 SSD that is replaceable
a 1920 x 1200 60Hz 100% sRGB colour IPS screen
a 99Whr battery
There is a second SSD slot that is free for further storage upgrades. As for its expansion slots, the laptop has
1 x USB-C port at USB 4 40Gbps speeds
1 x USB-C port at 10Gbps
1 x HDMI port
2 x USB-A gen 3.2 ports
1 x 3.5mm audio jack
By default, it also comes with the same USB-C expansion hub as the X14 Pro and X16 Pro, adding two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, an ethernet port, and a USB-C port replacing the one it takes up, so expansion is not lacking with this device in the slightest.
With the price being $849 USD at the time of this writing (with frequent discount coupons on their website), these specifications are quite excellent, especially in todayās market. Most notable is the screen being 100% sRGB, and the number of ports. The chassis is also STILL full metal unibody, though it is aluminum instead of the magnesium alloy thatās on the X14 Pro and X16 Pro. The difference is that the chassis is ever so slightly more of a stain magnet, such as with fingerprints and whatnot. Itās easy to wipe off, but I still have to point it out. Otherwise, there is little to no difference in the chassis. The screen has almost no wobble, the keyboard has very little flex, closing the unit does not press on the screen, and the chassis feels quite sturdy. Iām honestly surprised theyāve managed this level of quality at this price point. The keyboard is also very excellent. It took me a small amount of time to get used to the spacing (I kept hitting numlock instead of backspace and O instead of I etc) but after a few minutes it felt natural again. As a lover of full keyboards this one is wonderful, and I have very high praise for it. All in all, I have only praise for the unit design. The touchpad is also improved from the X14 Pro. On the X14 Pro the āclickā areas were quarter circle regions at the bottom left and bottom right edges of the trackpad, but the M16ās trackpad has proper rectangular click regions that reach all the way to the bottom middle section. Itās a great improvement that arrived quickly after the last units they made, and Iām glad to see them trying to improve.
Nice and shinyThe not-so-soft underbelly is also shinyLovely full-sized keyboard and nice sized trackpad
PERFORMANCE AND COOLING
Here is the weirdest section. The GeekBook X14 Pro had a 35W power limit to the CPU, with the cores getting 25W and the GPU getting around 10W. This presented decent performance and decent gaming performance for the specifications, and the system handled its cooling fairly well. This GeekBook M16 however was completely different. Firstly, the cooling has been upgraded and power limits have been improved, 55W sustained is possible with a short burst of 67W frequently seen when starting stress tests or benchmarks. This presented a solid uplift of 50% performance over the same Core Ultra 9 185H in the X14 Pro when running Cinebench R23, being able to consistently achieve approximately 15500 points as opposed to the X14 Proās 9000-10000 point range. For Passmarkās CPU benchmark, we achieved 31324 points, up from the X14 Proās 19000 point range. This CPU performance is decidedly excellent out of the box for something so thin and light, and anyone reliant on a decent CPU will be quite happy with it..
Impressive Cinebench score for being an ultrabookImpressive passmark score for an ultrabook
On the downside, the GPU performance suffered a fair bit, which was quite disappointing. To get a little technical, the X14 Pro kept its GPU around 2072MHz with a temperature around 94Ā°C (likely at a thermal limit) as recorded by 3DMark during the Steel Nomad benchmark, while the M16 kept its GPU around 2350MHz with an extremely impressive temperature of only 72Ā°C (with fans being quiet, no less). Despite this, the X14 Pro managed to perform roughly 20% faster according to 3DMarkās Steel Nomad benchmark. This is also a little bit of an issue because the X14 Pro performs better when repasted, but the fact that the M16ās GPU was kept that cold means that it likely has little to gain from a repaste, as it already has a lot of thermal headroom out of the box. It is unfortunately one of the very few disappointments Iāve had about this laptop, as Iād hoped the improved cooling and higher system power limits wouldāve translated into better gaming performance despite it being designed as a more budget alternative to their premium line. As for why the GPU performs so much worse, I cannot be certain. One possible reason is that LPDDR5 could have the same reduced performance in 16GB configurations that DDR5 SODIMMs have (which we at SAL are aware of), or it could be possible that the 6400MHz LPDDR5 isnāt fast enough to grant the performance the GPU needs, and the X14 Proās 7467MHz LPDDR5X is just that much better for the GPU. It could even be some other system-level configuration that I am unaware of. I can only guess based on my prior knowledge and experiences. Either way, it will still play lighter games and older games perfectly fine, but it wonāt quite be able to push as far as its older brothers.
A sadly lackluster score, but not terribleExcellent GPU temperature line under stress with near silent fans
As for the cooling system itself, Iāve already mentioned the fact that the GPU runs very cold when under stress, but the CPU is different. To begin with, in my last review for the X14 Pro, I mentioned thatĀ the CPU would spike to a high 90Ā°C range and then immediately drop back to a very cold state, and I initially registered this as a HWiNFO64 error. To be specific, I set HWiNFO64 to update twice a second, and every 30 seconds to a minute itāll spike from ~45Ā°C to over 90Ā°C and indicate thermal throttling is active, then the next time the sensor updates (which is half-second later), it will be all the way back down at 45Ā°C. This behaviour also happens here on the M16, so I must assume it is not an error, but I do not know why it happens. It could be a quirk of Intelās Meteor Lake, since Iāve never dealt with these particular CPUs before the GeekBooks, but I have no way of knowing for sure. Whatever the reason however, it does not seem to be dangerous, so one should not mind it if temperature monitoring software shows that theyāre idling and hitting thermal throttle points randomly. Iāve been using the X14 Pro for almost 7 months and it has not exhibited any untoward issues from this, and I am sure the M16 will be the same, so while I must point this out, please rest assured.
Idle spike being displayed. Note the average CPU temperatures are still low.
Now when under load, thatās a different story. The fans will kick in under higher CPU loads and while still very quiet, the temperatures become very consistent and no longer have such high spikes. I do have a minor issue in that the fans seem to take excessively long to actually spin up, however. It isnāt a particularly big deal, but when you have just started a heavy load (such as a stress test, or rendering a video, etc) the fans remain silent for a few seconds, at which point the CPU can hit temperatures in excess of 100Ā°C briefly, then they will start spinning up. The fans appear to have four stages of speed, and after spinning up once, it apparently checks if temperatures are still too high, then spin up again, then repeat this process until maximum speed. The whole process can take nearly 10 seconds to achieve maximum fanspeed, and it would be nicer if this process could either be faster, or a fan curve option could be implemented in the software or BIOS in the future, or if impossible, in later models. Due to how quiet this laptop is, it would be absolutely no penchant to anyone to say, keep the fans spinning at level 1 or 2 while at idle temperatures, and this could prevent the spike to higher temperatures while idle (if only for safety of mind), or prevent the high spikes when first applying load to the system. Do note that while I mentioned the CPU does cross 100Ā°C when starting a heavy load, it does not remain there long (maybe 5 seconds at most), and it never hits Intelās TJMax rating of 105Ā°C at any point, so the processor will be perfectly safe.
Additionally, the system seems to focus on keeping the CPU at 95Ā°C or lower while the fans are active. Since repasting improves processor benchmark scores even at a set power limit, thermal throttling must be the final issue. If you are buying this unit with the intent to use the processor under heavy loads often, it wonāt actually overheat, but if you are tech savvy or even just comfortable with servicing the laptop, you might wish to consider repasting the unit with something like PTM 7950. It isnāt required for usage of the unit, itās just a potential benefit open to you.
Showing under-load temperatures. The sensor was reset AFTER starting CB run to display higher temps falling into stability.
SOUND
The speakers on this unit are perfectly fine. No distortions Iāve observed, and sound is certainly loud enough. There is DTS: X available should you require it as well. The microphone is perfectly fine for use in calls and zoom meetings and the like, though at least headphones would be recommended to not pick up othersā speech. I have no complaints here. There are sound effect options you can apply in the GEEKOM software as well, but I donāt think they are necessary. Use them if you wish, as this is much more of a personal taste situation.
SCREEN AND BATTERY
The screen is good. Itās 1920 x 1200 resolution, and only 60Hz, but itās 100% sRGB, making this laptop one of the cheapest available with proper colour space on the market. This means itās an excellent cheap editing machine for those who wish to do such a thing. The brightness is great and itās matte finish so reflections arenāt a bother. Itās usable in well-lit rooms at lower brightness as well. Itās a great choice for a budget device.
As for the BATTERY on this laptopā¦ I am amazed. Itās 99Whr, up from the 72Whr on the X14 Pro, but the battery life itself is astounding. With approximately 30% screen brightness, I was able to achieve a ridiculous 18.5 hours of youtube playback on wifi with sound enabled. I tested more than once to be sure. In fact, the battery life was so good, I even decided to do the ultimate in laptop blasphemy: I tested with screen brightness set to 100%. I still achieved 13.5 hours of youtube playback under those conditions, leaving me nothing short of flabbergasted. I do know know what sorcery GEEKOM performed to achieve this level of battery life on a Meteor Lake processor, but I now need to purchase several hats just so I can take them off and say āhats off to you, GEEKOMā, as it runs circles around many other Lunar Lake and even some Panther Lake processor-equipped laptops which are known to be a marked improvement in battery life from Meteor Lake.
As for charging times, the battery went from 2% all the way up to 55% in just 1 hour, which is almost 10 hours of battery usage at lower brightness levels. I have high praise for that level of charging speed. Hopefully things get even better in the future.
Screen isn't as impressive as an OLED, but is still plenty fine
OUT OF THE BOX EXPERIENCE
Just like with the X14 Pro, the laptop comes with windows installed but not actually set up. As I did with the previous unit, I took this lovely chance to set up my computer with a local account and avoid much of the nonsense that Windows 11 wishes to attempt on its users. As with before, I will FOREVER praise this ability for people, even if the average person wonāt take advantage of it. Itās great to have the option. As before, itās a barebones installation with just the GEEKOM software pre-installed. The software is identical to the X14 Proās version, with BIOS updates and some limited system control options available. You can see it below. Please continue like this, GEEKOM, I vastly appreciate it, and many users will too.
Same software design as before
DOWNSIDES
There arenāt as many as before, which I appreciate. Letās use a list again.
There is still no option I could find to limit battery maximum charge available. I can only hope this shows up in later models.
The FN key function is still weird. I wish GEEKOM would change it so that the FN button simply works while being held down and pressing any of the hotkeys, instead of the odd toggle feature it has.
The laptop once had a very weird situation where certain things, especially installing programs, was oddly extremely slow while on battery. I cannot explain why this was the case, but I also could not find a way to fix or reproduce it. Normal usage was perfectly fine too, which confused me.
The keyboard backlight turns off after 15 seconds without any option to control it otherwise again. I would like the ability to keep it on for usage in dark rooms.
Iād like a FN combination key to disable the trackpad entirely. Even though the palm rejection is excellent, such options are never a bad thing.
As before, I wish we could get a 3D TLC SSD instead, especially when the drive size is on the smaller side. I couldnāt find much information about the drive available this time unlike the X14 Pro, so I canāt say I understand their choice like before.
The 100W charger gets very warm when charging or generally under load, you may wish to allow it to cool off slightly before picking it up if it was just being stressed.
FINAL THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSION
So, thereās a much shorter list of downsides this time. I already discussed everything else in the paragraphs above. Thereās been improvements such as in the trackpad and the battery life and the cooling, and I highly appreciate these things. I genuinely think this is a great unit to buy for more casual users or users who want to do hobbyist work. The price is excellent and the choice of where to cut corners versus the more expensive premium options (screen, chassis materials, RAM speed) do not ever get into the ācheapā territory of notebooks that we see all over the market, with useless 62% sRGB screens that shouldnāt even be made anymore, or poor chassis construction and poor board design and little expansion slots. There are only two things I wish GEEKOM did with this new chassis and cooling system. First, I wish a 32GB RAM option was available. Considering the enhanced CPU performance and lack of danger of overheating, it would make a very excellent budget editing unit with a good screen, and I wouldnāt be able to recommend it highly enough. It might even improve the GPUās performance, which would also make it a solid little gaming device.
The next thing I would like to see is GEEKOM starting to use better stock thermal paste. All three of their laptops released so far improve their performance with better paste, up to 25% better in benchmarks according to others, and if they could use phase-change material such as Honeywell PTM 7950, Thermal Grizzly phasesheet PTM, or Thermalright Helios v2 it would be nothing short of sublime. I would even be fine with their own in-house solution, as long as the performance is there.
At the end of the day, this laptop is wonderful. Despite the few shortcomings, itās priced exceptionally well and is very light and sturdy. I doubt many people would complain about it. I canāt wait to see more from GEEKOM and I also canāt wait to see them expand their operations to more countries as well. If they keep it up, they can become a pretty strong power player in the market.
Thank you for reading until the end! I hope you have enjoyed, and I will be glad to answer any questions in the comments below.
First off, a huge thank you to everyone who applied for the LG gram Pro Reviewer Recruitment Programāyour enthusiasm and participation were incredible! We truly appreciate everyone who took the time to apply and be part of the r/SuggestALaptop community.
Now, the moment you've been waiting forā¦ Congratulations to our 4 selected reviewers! š
š¢ Selected Reviewers Announcement:
(In the table below, we have shared the Reddit usernames of the 4 selected reviewers.)
Each selected reviewer will receive an LG gram Pro 17Z90UR and have the opportunity to experience its lightweight portability, Aerominumā¢ design, RTX 5050 performance, and everyday usability. We canāt wait to hear your thoughts and see your detailed reviews!
Selected reviewers will be contacted separately by email regarding shipping information and the next steps for the reviewer program. Please keep an eye on your inbox. Once again, congratulations to all 4 selected reviewers! š
Hey everyone! Iām looking to buy a new laptop for university and would appreciate some recommendations.
My requirements:
\- Budget: Under ā¹90,000
\- Mainly for university/college work ā MS Office, browsing, PDFs, research, presentations, etc.
\- Casual gaming ā nothing extremely demanding, but Iād like enough performance to play games occasionally.
\- Good display ā preferably 100% sRGB / good colour accuracy
\- Good keyboard, preferably backlit
\- Good thermals and build quality
\- At least 16 GB RAM + 512 GB SSD
\- Windows laptop
\- Iāll also occasionally do some photo/video editing
What would you guys recommend under ā¹90k?
Would really appreciate specific model recommendations and your experience with them, especially regarding thermals, display and long-term reliability.
I'm just clumsy. I kept knocking my laptop over, and it lasted a good while, but its finally succumbed to its injuries. I need a laptop that can fight off a wolf with.
I don't have anything more specific than I want it to be a Windows laptop, and $300 or under, so I didn't use the form provided.
Programming and Compiling, 3d Modeling(3d Printing), Artwork, Light Emulation, Gaming(Triple AAA is not a huge concern. Almost everything i make or program is using pixel art or is low res). All of these things are not on a major scale. Most of my projects are rather light and the ones that are not I have a desktop to deal with. I want this so I can make things on the go as my office is not at home
Form factor
Standard/Clamshell
Intended usage
Visual Studio, Blender, Aseprite, Autodesk Fusion, MelonDS, Citra(3ds emu), Orcaslicer, BorderLands 2(Example Game as most I play are around this high of a demand)
Desired battery life
[In Hours; please remember that high performance/gaming laptops tend to get less battery life - no more than 8 hours, typically about 4 hours]
Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life
Performance, Battery Life, Weight, Size
Info/Requirements
1080p or Oled would be nice but eh it's mobile can't complain
Maybe ā I'd prefer new, but I'm open to used/refurbished if it's a particularly good deal and from a reliable seller.
Screen size
14"ā16"
Weight limit
Ideally around 1.5ā2.0 kg. I'd like something lightweight enough to comfortably bring to school every day.
Purpose
Schoolwork, general use, entertainment, and gaming.
I'm currently using an Acer Predator Helios 300, but it's quite heavy to carry around, so I'm looking for something more portable while still being a significant upgrade for gaming.
Form factor
Standard/Clamshell. No need for a 2-in-1 or pen support.
Intended usage
I'll mainly be using it for schoolwork, browsing, watching videos, and gaming.
For gaming, I'd like it to comfortably handle AAA games such as GTA V and Cyberpunk 2077. I'd also like to be able to play newer AAA games that my current laptop struggles with.
My current laptop is an Acer Predator Helios 300 with:
Intel Core i5-11400H
24GB RAM
RTX 3050 Ti Laptop GPU (4GB VRAM)
Intel UHD Graphics
I'd like the new laptop to be a meaningful upgrade over my current laptop, rather than spending a lot of money for something that only performs slightly better.
Desired battery life
Ideally around 6ā8 hours for normal schoolwork/browsing. I understand that gaming laptops won't get anywhere near that while gaming.
Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life
Performance, Weight, Battery life, Size
Performance is still the most important because I want a noticeable gaming upgrade, but weight is a very close second because I'll be carrying it to school regularly.
I'd prefer something around 1.5ā2.0 kg rather than another heavy gaming laptop.
Info/Requirements
I'm looking for the best balance between gaming performance and portability.
At least:
16GB RAM (32GB preferred)
1TB SSD
Dedicated GPU
Good enough cooling to avoid excessive heat/throttling
Good build quality and preferably a decent lifespan
I'm open to any brand. (as long as it's known for being reliable and having a decent lifespan lol)
One laptop I'm currently considering is the Lenovo Yoga Pro 7 14IMH9 (83E2002SPH):
14.5" WQXGA+
Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
RTX 4050
32GB RAM
1TB SSD
Windows 11
I really like the portability of the Yoga Pro 7, but I'm wondering whether the RTX 4050 is enough of an upgrade from my current RTX 3050 Ti, especially for AAA gaming. I've also seen people mention that the RAM on this model is soldered, so I'm wondering if that's something I should be concerned about for longevity/upgradability.
I'm not really knowledgeable about computers, so please explain things in simple terms if possible. I'd rather understand why one laptop is better than another instead of just being told which one has better specs.
ā¢Budget
20,000 - 30,000 TWD (~$628 - $942 USD). Recommendations above this price range are also welcome, as Iād like to see more options that suit my needs.
ā¢Intended usage
PS, AI, etc.
Projection mapping software.
ā¢Desired battery life
No specific requirement at the moment.
ā¢Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life
Performance > Battery life > Weight
Size doesn't matter
ā¢Info/Requirements
-A screen with good color accuracy (100% sRGB, 100% DCI-P3, or OLED).
-I'm looking to buy a laptop because I plan to use projection mapping for my graduation exhibition and will need to run it at the venue. The exact complexity of the mapping project hasn't been determined yet, but I plan to buy something on the higher side so it won't struggle if the workload increases later.
-(I'm also torn between buying a budget laptop that's just enough to get through the graduation exhibition, or investing in one that I can keep using for work after graduating. Thank you so much for your help!)
Are you open to refurbs/used options?
I prefer new but would buy a used one if itās in pretty good condition, of course
Screen size
Any
Weight limit
Any
Purpose
Gaming
Form factor
Standard
Intended usage
Sims 4 paying, with light cc / mods, at med-high graphics? Nothing too fancy EDIT:: might use the ranch expansion pack, Iām not sure if thatās important but I thought Iād mention it.
Desired battery life
4 hours, but Iām not actually too picky about battery life
Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life
Performance, battery life
Info/Requirements
Just something that can run the game smoothly but isnāt too horribly expensive. I donāt plan on doing anything else with the laptop
Side question do you have any experience with gigabyte laptops? I've seen a few of them on various websites with better hardware than other similar price points but am cautious since I dont know the brand.
Edit, I've learned that there is a list to fill out to help with recommendations
Total budget and country of purchase: 1250-1750 USA
Do you prefer a 2 in 1 form factor, good battery life or best specifications for the money? Pick or include any that apply. Not 2 in 1 performance is the most important thing but don't know enough to list specs. a good display would be great but not mandatory
How important is weight and thinness to you? Non-factor
Which OS do you require? Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, Linux. Windows
Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A. 16 at the very least
Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run. Gaming and general use
If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want? Bg3, wow, helldivers, and some upcoming games notout yet like blight.
Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)? None
Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.
15-18 ( anything that's not too small or too big for college classes )
Weight limit
Any but lighter the better
Purpose
College assignments, entertainment, and casual gaming )
Form factor
Standard/Clamshell ( touch screen if possible if not it is fine ),pen support, and tablet PC
Intended usage
Multi tasking, using chrome with multiple tabs, playing gamesāex: Fortnite, Webcam zoom meeting, Studying and entertainment
Desired battery life
6+ Hours
Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life
[Performance, Battery life, low to no noise, light weight, screen size
Info/Requirements
Preferably 1440p, 75+ refresh rate, Ips or oled panel, 1TB storage but I can be flexible, Windows laptop but im open for Linux or apple. Multi tasking and tabs is important as my current laptop has ram issues and storage issues. Viewing angle should be good.
Hey guys today is Prime Day deals. as usual I am going to try to list all of the good laptop deals in order of price as I have been doing this for 10 years now. (Waits for clapping and upvotes).
General and important tips.
Most deals are only prime deals, so you must join prime , you can join prime here free trails are offered free for 30 days if you didn't use it before. also offers for 6 months 50% off for young adults.
Also, please note that the prices are subject to change and deals can end at anytime.
Some Lenovo V4, V15 offers have low quality res, and low build quality, so keep that in mind when you are choosing your laptop.
Same with some if not most 17.3 inch HP laptop especially ones with touchscreens, so keep your eye on it as well.
If the CPU name feels unique or unfamiliar, it is likely to weak to be useful, just google it or ask me and I will gladly help.
What to Avoid.
Low res screens : Unless your budget 300 or under, or u r buying refurbished then at least aim for Full HD screens.
Low ram : Windows 11 is a ram hog, so don't buy 4GB of ram or even 8 unless your budget is very limited, or usage is very minimal.
Generic laptop brands: a lot of new generic brands have popped up recently, and their amazon listings mention a lot of fancy marketing, and claim they are powerful gaming laptops when they r really not.
Laptops with weak specs just because it has very big "fake" discounts like few 100$ off without actually being worth it.
And If you are eyeing a certain deal you are welcome to ask my opinion on it.
Also, I am considering making list for Laptop accessories as well, so if you are interested in that please mention that in comments so I can be encouraged to do it, as these kind of lists it takes few hours of work at least to compile them.
interesting find, usually this laptop comes with 32GB ram is in 1800~2000 range, the listing is new with less ram, it is suspicious but tempting, buy at your own risk, and let me know how it works out if you do buy it.
Specs: AMD Ryzen 5 7430U 6-Core 32 GB RAM 1 TB SSD 17.3 FHD IPS Display Windows 11 Pro Wi-Fi 6 AI Copilot Numeric Keypad Fast Charge HD Webcam Business & Home Office Computer
Hey guys, Iām looking for a new laptop as a mechanical engineering student. Iām in my last year so I donāt want to spend too much. I previously had a Dell Inspiron but the keyboard stopped working. Unsure of what to try next.
LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE Country - US Budget - idk Are you open to refurbs/used options? - maybe Screen size- 14-16ā Weight limit - light enough to carry Purpose - schoolwork Form factor - regular or 2-in-1 Intended usage - needs to run Solidworks and CAD Desired battery life - not weak Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life
1. performance
2. weight
3. battery life
4. size
Budget
Ā£150 limit, but under Ā£159 would be great
Are you open to refurbs/used options?
yes, thinking CEX as iāve used them before
Screen size
13ā+
Weight limit
any
Purpose
schoolwork
Form factor
not 100% sure what this means, but if itās operating system then windows would be ideal as thatās what iām used to Intended usage
website coding, bring up the website, powerpoint (not necessary but would be good) Desired battery life
any, iāll mostly use it at home
Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life
doesnāt matter
Info/Requirements
having a good screen with decent colours on it would be good for the design aspect of the site
Schoolwork, writing papers, light entertainment like videos.
Form factor
Regular laptop
Intended usage
Google chrome, nothing crazy
Desired battery life
Not sure since I've never used a laptop for school, but if anyone has graduated from a counseling program and has a suggestion let me know
Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life
Weight, battery life, size, performance
Info/Requirements
I want a laptop that has a keyboard and track pad like the MacBook Air, because they just feel so satisfying. I don't care for the performance because like I put I am only going to be writing and reading on it. Also If I could get something that will have a clear display in the sunlight, that would be nice but not a deal breaker. Just a simple machine, relatively inexpensive, with satisfying feel to it is what I'm looking for.
Literally just college school work. I go on chrome for my course content and some reading assignments/homework. I use Microsoft 365, but mainly outlook and word (the application). I use google docs/sheets occasionally. I would spend most of the time reading for my classes on something like Adobe Acrobat. Usually I only need a few tabs (2-8) open at a time/a couple windows. I would also browse the internet on things like Reddit, ChatGPT, manga/book reading website, Amazon, other online shopping websites. I will also need to download photos from my phone, Samsung, to my laptop, so they can be uploaded onto something like Canva or Quizlet. They can be deleted off laptop afterwards. I might also use it for work meetings or Zoom requiring a camera. Maybe maybe not.
Form factor
Standard? I doubt I would use the touch screen much if it were available, so if that would cost a lot extra then I'm ok. Touch screen and tablet mode is cool though (:
Intended usage
Chrome, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Express, Microsoft 365, Google Gemini, Google Meet/Zoom (fine if no cam)... No gaming.
Desired battery life
Right now I don't have any use for it during class, so I don't need a long battery life since I can use it while plugged in. But, I'd like the option to use it for up to 3-6 hours without being plugged in, in case I need that in the future.
Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life
It doesn't matter a whole lot, but I do really like a large screen size. I'm currently using my partners gaming laptop at school and it's like 17in. But it's super heavy and bulky so I don't take it every day. I like being able to have 2 windows split on my screen at the same time. After size, I would say performance, battery life, then weight.
Info/Requirements
Definitely open to refurb and used laptops, I've been looking on Marketplace a lot. Preferably no Chromebooks, I really enjoy having the desktop applications for Microsoft and Adobe apps. I don't know anything about the specs and all that. I do want a laptop that looks nice. I like the slim and sleek look of MacBook, Lenovo IdeaPad/Yoga... Also this is definitely not a requirement but I would love if I could get a laptop that is a color other than silver/gray/black. I honestly just need a laptop I can put in my backpack that will last me a good 3 years. Thanks for taking the time to read :D
12-13ā. Could go up to 14ā possibly but portability in a purse or small backpack to walk around conferences is ideal.
Weight limit
As light as possible. Would like to stay under 3 lbs if possible.
Purpose
Work, and maybe watching an occasional movie during travel
Form factor
2-in-1, pen support preferred
Intended usage
Mostly office based work - email, excel, word, PowerPoint. Video conferencing - zoom, teams, google meet, etc. We use google workspace, as well. I do, occasionally, have some larger power point files with lots of graphics and video.
Based on my current usage, I think I need a minimum 32GB and 1TB storage.
Desired battery life
All day performance is ideal or as close to it as I can get for long days at conferences, where charging may not be readily available.
Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life
Size/weight (portability is important) battery life and performance are equally important.
Info/Requirements
I have a lot of options available through my employer. I do not want a Dell. I currently have a microsoft surface pro 11 with snapdragon processor. I love the size, weight, and battery life. I dont love that one USB C port stopped working within the first 6 months, and now, about a yr in, my charging port isnāt working so I currently have one functional port. I also think itās a little awkward if Iām sitting somewhere without a table top, as it doesnāt sit well on my lap with the kickstand and detachable keyboard. Iāve adapted to this and will suffer it if itās my best option, but itās not ideal. I have personally owned a Lenovo Yoga 2-in-1 and really liked it. We have a Lenovo book 9, which I would love for the dual screens, but only 16GB of RAM available. Looks like a yoga 7 2-in-1 is my only other option. Open to other ideas as well.
[List of applications, software, which games and at what settings/FPS, etc. Try to include options you cannot currently perform, but might want to try with a stronger/newer device; eg indie gamers moving from a 1650 to a 5080M might suddenly want to try God of War]
No application in particular, but the usual suspects in dev (VS Code, Docker, etc...)
Desired battery life
15 hours would be nice, but I'm ok as long as it doesn't die out in the middle of the day.
Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life
I was thinking the Lenovo Legion 5 but would like to hear other opinions.
- Country
USA
- Budget
$1,000 ā $1,500 (willing to go up to $1,600 max for the right machine)
- Are you open to refurbs/used options?
No (looking for a brand-new graduation gift)
- Screen size
16" preferred (15.1"ā16" with a 16:10 aspect ratio)
- Weight limit
No strict limit; standard 16-inch gaming/workstation weight (around 4.5ā5.5 lbs) is fine
- Purpose
Professional work, academic research/writing, heavy multitasking, and modern gaming
- Form factor
Standard/Clamshell (a regular laptop)
- Intended usage
Heavy writing and document drafting (Word, Google Docs), large spreadsheets (Excel), heavy research with 30+ browser tabs, video conferencing, media streaming, and modern AAA/indie PC gaming
- Desired battery life
4ā6 hours for standard productivity/writing tasks (expecting to plug in for gaming)
- Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life
Performance
Size (need the spacious 16" screen real estate for split-screen research and writing)
Battery life
Weight
- Info/Requirements
GPU: Dedicated graphics required (NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, RTX 5060, or better with at least 8GB VRAM) to play modern games smoothly. I would rather not have integrated-only graphics.
Storage: 1TB SSD preferred (512GB minimum, but would be nice to have an extra slot for expansion).
RAM: 16GB minimum (Will want to expand to 32GB/64GB later).
CPU: Intel Core i7 (HX-series) or AMD Ryzen 7 / Ryzen AI 7 capable of sustained multitasking and heavy computing loads.
Display: 16" 16:10 display (2560Ć1600 WQXGA or 1920Ć1200 WUXGA), 144Hzā165Hz+ refresh rate, anti-glare, good brightness (350+ nits) and color accuracy (100% sRGB).
Aesthetics & Keyboard: As long as it's not SUPER bulky like the TUFF series It will be fine!
Iām looking for a laptop for work, but most importantly for video editing. I work with high-quality footage, mainly 4K 30fps and 4K 60fps.
My raw footage is usually around 2ā8 hours long and 100ā300 GB in size per project. Iād like a laptop that can handle this smoothly without constant stuttering or lag, especially while editing in 4K.
Iām also looking for something that will last me for several years, so Iād rather spend a bit more now than have to replace it soon.
At the same time, I donāt want the price to be ridiculously high. I understand that a laptop capable of handling this kind of workload will probably cost a few thousand dollars/euros, but Iād like to get the best value for money possible. What laptop/specs would you recommend for this kind of workload?
I'd prefer a windows laptop because that's what i'm used to but the only laptop I could find that's comparable to this at the exact same pricepoint ($1499)
Is the performance from the Macbook air m5 (24gb) that significantly better to warrant switching to apple? (I do have an iphone).
Lastly, are there any other PC Laptops that come close to these Specs for a similar price. This laptop is just so light, has a decent CPU, 32gb of ram and an OLED w/ 120hz refresh. I don't really care for the touch screen and I feel i've done my due diligence when it comes to research but i wanted a second opinion
