Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

I was just wondering if you'd meant by that - 30 Million, M …

Dikdik Loc: Winnipeg, Canada

As noted a good gaming laptop is in order...but, check the screen. HP used to be #1, in my books, but their quality has slipped over the decades.

My main laptop is an ASUS Zenbook... but nearly 3x the price you were looking at. Depending on the use, you may have to 'up the ante' a bit.

Dik

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

M - when you make a mistake in your original post - click on the EDIT button, to correct. There's an open window, to do this - which lasts ONE HOUR - after the original post was made. Okay, M? … Try it!!!!

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

ALL of my four desktops are Lenovos - three with Intel CPUs, and the fourth with an AMD - which runs rings around the other three, but, unfortunately, I've found it's not as secure as the Intel-based ones. Looked at some Lenovo laptops - but they all seemed to have a different price structure than the desktops, which is why I finally settled on the Acer Aspire. But, I wouldn't touch Acer desktops with a ten-foot pole!!!!

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Lenovo makes very nice equipment. They also have an outlet. However, their search system leaves a lot to be desired. But, if you hack your way through it, you can get a nice deal.

lsaguy Loc: Udall, KS, USA

I bought an Acer E5 17" four years ago. I use it every day and it is still mechanically like new. I had two before it, an IBM that I bought used and a Dell Inspiron 15".
The IBM just died one day and the shop I took it to, from which I bought it said it couldn't be revived.
The Dell I bought as an instore special at Sam's Club. It was a total POS that began to fall apart almost as soon as I fired it up for the first time. Screws fell out, the battery swelled and died. The screen hinges began to drag and then seized altogether. I had been a loyal Dell customer for desktops and was surprised that junk like this had their name on it.
The Acer is robust has a bright clear screen and handles tough software like CAD, both 2D and 3D, and everything else I've tried. I've used an HDMI cable to hook it to our 65" big screen and its output is as bright and clear on it as it is on its own.
I'm not a gamer so I can't comment on video intensive high activity software but I think it would do just fine. I just loaded the XPlane sampler to see how it runs and plan on buying it soon; I'll know more later.
My Acer was $529 with free shipping so it fits your budget. I bought it through the Acer store. Service and help were great. I'm very happy with it and recommend Acer highly. Good luck. I hope you're as successful as I was.

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

Not too sure what you'll get for $500 BUT if you're planning on using Lightroom:

1) Go for at least an i7 CPU/processor

2) Minimum of 16 GB of RAM/memory

3) A SSD (solid state) drive would also speed things up.

bwa

P.S.: I have two Lenovo laptops and like them.

jwjensen356

I agree re Lenovo. Re one of the previous messages, I have a T420s from 2012. Easily upgradeable (now has a 500 GB SSD and 16 GB memory). Built like a tank.

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

I've worked a lot of IT. Toshibas were known to be uber reliable.
They also have docking stations. You slide it in, turn it n- and instant desktop! External full sized monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, network, etc. Add an external HDD dock and you're golden.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

streetmarty Loc: Brockton, Ma

Hi I appreciate all the responses. I started off by saying I know zero about laptops maybe I should have said I know zero about computers! All this talk about CPU RAM GB graphics card monitors etc I might as well try to learn Finnish.

The only thing I don't get on the above is a SSD would speed things up? So if I was to buy a Lenovo would I need to add an SSD because the one that comes with it is substandard?

I'm getting there...
Thank you.

Marty

Haydon

I have a Lenovo 330S and I installed an Samsumg SSD M2 as a main drive. It use to boot in 35 seconds on the 1 terrabyte mechanical drive. It's now down to 13 seconds at the desktop. Applications definitely feel much quicker. Your computer is only as fast as the slowest component installed.

streetmarty Loc: Brockton, Ma

Awesome!!

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Marty … a couple of things, like SSD Drives, and Graphics Cards, CAN be installed as extras in laptops, but these items - are far more likely to be options in DESKTOPS, rather than in laptops. Since you're looking for a LAPTOP - really, the ONLY components you need be concerned about are the other items, and - the size of the screen, of course. Most laptops, today, come with a 14" or 15" screen, but some have 17" ones.
The other items - are good ways of figuring out how capable a computer will be. For instance, the speed of the CPU is FIRST priority - which can be anywhere from 1.5Ghz all the way up to 3.5Ghz (or even - 4.) Obviously, the faster the CPU is - the quicker you will access your programs - both OFF-LINE and ON-line.

After that, the next most important thing is the AMOUNT of RAM (Random Access Memory) which can be as little as 2GB on a laptop, to as much as 16GB - obviously, the more you have, the better off you are - because you will be able to do MORE with it. Photo Editing Programs are especially notorious for eating up HUGE amounts of RAM. Some here are using as much as 64GB or even - 128GB!!! … But, don't look for that on a laptop … because the more RAM you have, coupled with the faster CPUs - the more efficient cooling you will need, and since laptops are deficient in that area (because of their design) it's next to impossible to find such ready-made solutions in that regard. Next thing is the SIZE of the Hard Drive - which, today, fluctuates between 500GB and twice that, or ONE Terrabyte - the usual size, today - in most computers - whether they be laptops or desktops. Some have 2TB Hard Drives, and some might even have 3, 4, or even 5 TB Hard Drives. This element is far less important than how much RAM there is, and/or the speed of the CPU. Beyond 2TB - is largely - overkill, on a laptop, most certainly, and to some extent, on a Desktop, as well. Now, then, going back to the Graphics Cards and SSD Drives, improvement in these areas are not going to be that significant an advantage in laptops. An SSD Drive is nice to have, though, and IF it's provided IN ADDITION to a regular Hard Drive - it most certainly is welcome, but if it is provided IN LIEU of a regular hard drive, I'd be a little wary of it, as typically - SSDs are only 250GB or 500GB - which is fine for your Operating System, but it doesn't leave you much left over to use your programs. However, as Haydon has already pointed out - your boot-ups will be much, much faster. Now, then - typical graphics cards are about ONE THIRD to ONE HALF - the size of a typical laptop - so, one can plainly see - they are not suitable for use in laptops, but CAN be a welcome addition to DESKTOPS. Most are either GeForce cards or the AMD variety. Graphics cards, in themselves - also come with a range of stats - including a) speed of the processor b) amount of Video RAM … and various OTHER specs, as well. Since AMD makes BOTH Computer CPUs AND Graphics devices, you can usually be sure of getting a pretty fast combination of able graphics, along with a pretty fast CPU - when you choose a laptop based on an AMD-made CPU, and will NOT need to look to upgrade your Graphics Capability. But, on Intel-made devices - which, more often than not - come with a moderate Intel-made graphics assist chip, on-board - you might want to look for those Intel-made devices which employ GeForce chips - which will tend to have much faster Graphics throughput, than the ones based on Intel Graphics chips, alone. In a Desktop, this is YOUR decision to make - either, at the time of purchase, or AFTER the fact. AMD Radeon Graphics Cards - especially, the ones in the 4GB to 8GB range - make for some very fast-handling computers. Also, the nVidia-based devices (typically, now, known as Ge-Force) - can also speed up graphics handling to the nth degree. But, nVidia's Ge-Force cards - typically, max out at 2-4GB, although, I have seen some in the 16-32GB range, as well - but, those - will cost you a pretty penny, and are just not obtainable for laptops.

Other than those elements, the only things which allow one to tell one laptop apart from another, are things like the inclusion of ports - you might want to look for two EACH of both USB 2.0 AND 3.0, and the software, which might, or might not - be included. Things to look for are a capable Virus Protection program like Norton or McAfee (most will come with one or the other - Intel-based units tend to use McAfee - which is now OWNED by Intel) but they could come with Norton, too. These are 30-day trials, though, and you will be expected to pay to upgrade to the final product (unless you find another solution in the interim) and inclusion of the Microsoft Suite (Word/Access/Powerpoint/and their spreadsheet.) This could be either a one-month trial, or a three-month trial. Unfortunately, you can no longer decide on taking one, without the others. To tell you the God's Honest - you don't really need any of them, but the provisions supplied in Word, particularly - are very nice to have. WordPad - which comes WITH Windows - is very basic, but it IS a capable processor none-the-less. However, there are some FREE Word Processors which can be downloaded from the NET - which emulate Word - pretty closely. And, unless you do a lot of intensive work - making videos, incorporating graphics, you don't really need Powerpoint, either. The other two - only YOU can decide. Some folks wouldn't DREAM of using a computer w/o an efficient spreadsheet, NOR would they DREAM of using one w/o an internal Database, either - but only YOU can decide how important those two elements are, to you. Other than those two items, the ONLY things which set one laptop apart from another are the included a) music-handling elements b) video-handling elements c) Games included. I wouldn't worry about the latter, if Games don't interest you, but many buy them - just FOR the Games … you'd be surprised!!! … Anyway … that's about all she wrote. Oh, yes - one more word … HP Desktop Computers - are OVERLOADED with unnecessary additional programs, which may be an advantage to you, or may NOT be. If you tend to go with an HP, rather than an Asus, or an Acer, or a Lenovo, or a Dell - my advice to you - would be to UNLOAD (Delete) all those extra programs - A.S.A.P. … as they will eat up your memory, and slow down your computer - right quick!!!!

terpentijn

And Lightroom works well on that machine? Adobe itself advises 12GB of ram and a fast multi core processor. I have a toshiba satellite 8G of ram, i5 and LR crawls...