Is this laptop overkill?

[Mark7805]

Hi all,

I'm a little out of touch with laptop price points. I'm looking at this laptop here for someone not myself. Simple stuff, but I want to make sure it's "future proof enough" while at a good canadian budget for their minimal office use and hooking up to the TV to stream comfortably(4K), while being future proof. Is the Intel Iris Xe a sham or is it gaming-grade?

I will admit I was hoping for more space, but I do like that it has a backlit keyboard.

Any help is greatly appreciated - I'll be sure to reply quickly. =]

 

[newtekie1]

Is the Intel Iris Xe a sham or is it gaming-grade?

It's not gaming-grade at all and gets beat by a weak dedicated GPU from a few generations ago. If you want to play games, get something with a dedicated GPU.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Is the Intel Iris Xe a sham or is it gaming-grade?

Talk about extremes! ???

This is essentially saying you want all or nothing. Yet you also say the intended use of this system will be for,

Simple stuff

their minimal office use and hooking up to the TV to stream comfortably(4K)

It is not a "sham" by any means. For "office" tasks and streaming video, it is easily more than capable.

Is it gaming grade? No but then you didn't say you wanted a gaming grade system. You said "simple stuff", "minimal office use" and "streaming video".

If you want to play games, get something with a dedicated GPU.

I'll go a big leap further. If you want to play games, get a PC with a dedicated GPU in a quality case with good cooling. IMO, there is no such thing as a good gaming, or "gaming grade" laptop. Manufacturers can pack the horsepower into those tiny laptop cases, but not the cooling. If you consider the fact even quality tower cases are challenged to keep the components inside adequately cooled with gaming, it is not wonder tiny laptop cases regularly fail at the task.

I will admit I was hoping for more space

Again, you send mixed messages! For "simple stuff", "minimal office use" and "streaming video", 16GB of RAM is a HUGE amount of RAM (especially with a SSD). And since streaming videos does NOT involve long term or permanent storage of big video files, 512GB of disk space is a HUGE amount of space since office files (programs and user generated documents) don't take up much space (compared to games, for example).

Is this laptop overkill?

Yes. For your "stated" purpose for this system, it is overkill. But is it "way" overkill? No. It is a nice laptop that "should" provide years of quality service.

My only quibble at this point is that I feel it should already come with W11 installed. The fact it does not suggests it has been sitting on the shelf or in a warehouse for awhile. But then maybe that is why it is $150 off.

 

[dgianstefani]

The laptop is good. Iris XE graphics are just fine and good for futureproofing as they support hardware decoding of the major codecs.

If you care, look at notebookcheck.net to see good laptop reviews.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Don't think a quad core is ever going to be overkill
Price well this machine maybe a little overpriced but I've not compared yet but nearly 1k.us I do believe it is too much for what it's spec's show :/

 

[dgianstefani]

Hi,
Don't think a quad core is ever going to be overkill
Price well this machine maybe a little overpriced but I've not compared yet but nearly 1k.us I do believe it is too much for what it's spec's show :/

it's canadian dollars.

 

[Mark7805]

Let me be vivid, this is not a gaming laptop I want. I was only asking in regards for future proofing and making sure this will handle all streaming platforms with perhaps MS office, and a few web browser tabs open in the background. Doesn't have to be with ease, but just trying to give them the best bang for their buck. I always worry about build quality, and most of my laptops have lasted me 7+ years. I want to give them the closest experience to that as possible.

Edit: If anyone has any alternatives, I'd love to hear. It seems like the consensus so far is that this might be the one.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Canada market looks pretty slim on choices from a brief look on amazon.ca
MSI you pay a little more just for the brand opposed to Dell or H-P Acer/...

 

[Mark7805]

Hi,
Canada market looks pretty slim on choices from a brief look on amazon.ca
MSI you pay a little more just for the brand opposed to Dell or H-P Acer/...

Yeah I think HP has surprised me recently for build quality as well. back many years ago I wouldn't be caught dead with one. I might pivot to one of those brands you suggested, just need to find a proper model, without many sacrifices.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I was only asking in regards for future proofing and making sure this will handle all streaming platforms with perhaps MS office, and a few web browser tabs open in the background. Doesn't have to be with ease

That system will be able to handle those tasks "with" ease. And with 16GB of RAM, a lot more than a "few" tabs. If the system bogs down due to too many tabs open, it will NOT be the fault of the hardware.

 

[Mark7805]

That system will be able to handle those tasks "with" ease. And with 16GB of RAM, a lot more than a "few" tabs. If the system bogs down due to too many tabs open, it will NOT be the fault of the hardware.

Cool. For me I always worry about offline vs. cloud-storage or other what-ifs but this device appears to have options for expanding. Really appreciate everyone today. Everyone brought a lot to the table for considerations. I think with the sale price, we're just going to go for it with the MSI laptop. The processor isn't outstanding, and battery life could be more optimized from what I read, but it should still be fine.

Only gripe I have is with MSI and other companies when you're going between model numbers, so many small changes can give such broader results from website reviews of the laptop. I'm hoping there isn't any insane oversights when it arrives as I wasn't able to find a direct review for this specific model which always gives me paranoia when trying to help someone.

 

[Bill_Bright]

but this device appears to have options for expanding.

Not sure what you mean there. All laptops, even the most flexible, are proprietary and offer very limited flexibility and typically even less upgrade options. Yes, you can attach USB devices, like external drives. And you can attach a full size monitor, keyboard and mouse. But beyond that, you typically are stuck with what you got at the time of the original purchase. CPUs and even RAM are often surface mounted (soldered in) and cannot be upgraded, for example.

 

[Mark7805]

Not sure what you mean there. All laptops, even the most flexible, are proprietary and offer very limited flexibility and typically even less upgrade options. Yes, you can attach USB devices, like external drives. And you can attach a full size monitor, keyboard and mouse. But beyond that, you typically are stuck with what you got at the time of the original purchase. CPUs and even RAM are often surface mounted (soldered in) and cannot be upgraded, for example.

It has two SSD slots to circumvent my storage concerns if it's review is accurate.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Well, for what's it worth, last year I finally replaced my trusty, 11 year old Toshiba laptop with a new MSI laptop and I've been very happy with it. Its a different model than yours, so YMMV.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Most problems are cooling related
Just review and see how many space heater reports there are might be a good thing in Canada

As far as future proofing I suppose if it's win-11 compatible that's as good as it gets.

 

[Mark7805]

I've never been more paranoid in my life.

Edit: Seriously, thanks again y'all

 

[de.das.dude]

Let me be vivid, this is not a gaming laptop I want. I was only asking in regards for future proofing and making sure this will handle all streaming platforms with perhaps MS office, and a few web browser tabs open in the background. Doesn't have to be with ease, but just trying to give them the best bang for their buck. I always worry about build quality, and most of my laptops have lasted me 7+ years. I want to give them the closest experience to that as possible.

Edit: If anyone has any alternatives, I'd love to hear. It seems like the consensus so far is that this might be the one.

I would actually say, dont go for MSI. They have been known to be a hit or a miss.
Plus at this price point, it really seems like a waste.

Personally i have choosesn these laptops for people and have been amazed by quality : acer nitro, hp omen, thinkpad.

all of these come with ryzen 5 processors, and other than the thinkpad have decent GPUs as well. THe thinkpads gpu will eat any intel gpu any day.

Plus all these have superb battery life. I personally use the thinkpad for work. it has a 5500u and its silly fast compared to the hp notebook with the i5 10th gen i had before. Plus the battery seems to last for ever (6hrs on med power saving, when i am coding and browsing stuff)
and the screen is just awesome. 98% coverage and 1080p IPS

Acer and HP one are game oriented, thinkpad one is more durable and better for work in my opinion.

links:

Acer AN517-41-R6QT Gaming Laptop AMD Ryzen 5 5600H 3.30 GHz 17.3" Windows 10 Home 64-bit - Newegg.com

Buy Acer Nitro 5 - 17.3" IPS - AMD Ryzen 5 5000 Series 5600 H (3.30GHz) - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 - 8 GB DDR4 - 512 GB PCIe SSD - Windows 10 Home 64-bit - Gaming Laptop (AN517-41-R6QT ) with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.ca

Amazon.ca Laptops: Lenovo ThinkPad E495 14" Full HD Laptop, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 8GB Memory, 256GB SSD, Windows 10 Pro

Amazon.ca Laptops: Lenovo ThinkPad E495 14" Full HD Laptop, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 8GB Memory, 256GB SSD, Windows 10 Pro

www.amazon.ca

edit: huh it seems the prices are higher there? what gives lol

 

[ThrashZone]

Third party sellers are always higher than sold and shipped by newegg.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I would actually say, dont go for MSI. They have been known to be a hit or a miss.

Name one brand that has not had their ups and downs!

I personally would take MSI over Acer and HP. And I would avoid Lenovo like the plague. While they may make some quality products, their repeated planting of malware on their systems eliminates them from the mix. Lenovo does it again.

Dec 14, 2020, MakeUseOf.com, Why You Should Avoid Lenovo PCs: 7 Security Risks to Consider.

It is impossible to avoid Chinese made products completely since essentially everything is made in China, or has components within that are made in China. The difference here is Lenovo itself is a Chinese company that has a long history of violating our trust over and over again. Since the Chinese government has no qualms conducting cyber-warfare on democratic, free societies, or their private citizens, I recommend sending Lenovo a message that we consumers will not tolerate (or reward through purchases) their malicious behavior and urge consumers to avoid Lenovo products.

Even IF Lenovo management and executives are not active participants in all these repeat malicious activities, the fact it keeps happening over and over again (and with new code too) is a clear indication they are not doing much, if anything, to prevent it from happening again and again! Whether it is because they are lining their greedy pockets, or it is through intimidation and coercion by the corrupt and hostile Chinese government, or both, Lenovo computers cannot be "trusted".

Again, I am not disputing the quality of their products. The problem is, the company behind them have demonstrated over and over again, they take an active role in malicious activity against their customers.

The bottom line is this - do your homework and research specific models. Don't go just by the brand name (except, IMO, for Lenovo).

Third party sellers are always higher than sold and shipped by newegg.

Often the case with Amazon's third party sellers too. The bigger concern, IMO and experience is when something goes wrong. Often neither Newegg nor Amazon will help. In some cases, there are no problems and the third party seller handles the returns with no problems. Other times, not so nice.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Return policy is so-so on newegg
There is always extended warranty options
Something at this price range I would usually opt for a two or three year warranty if offered on the add or at checkout.

 

[de.das.dude]

Name one brand that has not had their ups and downs!

I personally would take MSI over Acer and HP. And I would avoid Lenovo like the plague. While they may make some quality products, their repeated planting of malware on their systems eliminates them from the mix. Lenovo does it again.

Dec 14, 2020, MakeUseOf.com, Why You Should Avoid Lenovo PCs: 7 Security Risks to Consider.

It is impossible to avoid Chinese made products completely since essentially everything is made in China, or has components within that are made in China. The difference here is Lenovo itself is a Chinese company that has a long history of violating our trust over and over again. Since the Chinese government has no qualms conducting cyber-warfare on democratic, free societies, or their private citizens, I recommend sending Lenovo a message that we consumers will not tolerate (or reward through purchases) their malicious behavior and urge consumers to avoid Lenovo products.

Even IF Lenovo management and executives are not active participants in all these repeat malicious activities, the fact it keeps happening over and over again (and with new code too) is a clear indication they are not doing much, if anything, to prevent it from happening again and again! Whether it is because they are lining their greedy pockets, or it is through intimidation and coercion by the corrupt and hostile Chinese government, or both, Lenovo computers cannot be "trusted".

Again, I am not disputing the quality of their products. The problem is, the company behind them have demonstrated over and over again, they take an active role in malicious activity against their customers.

The bottom line is this - do your homework and research specific models. Don't go just by the brand name (except, IMO, for Lenovo).


Often the case with Amazon's third party sellers too. The bigger concern, IMO and experience is when something goes wrong. Often neither Newegg nor Amazon will help. In some cases, there are no problems and the third party seller handles the returns with no problems. Other times, not so nice.

i avoid all lenovo stuff like the plague, but the thinkpad series is different.

i am pretty sure my employer wouldnt have given us a thinkpad if there was any chance of weird stuff happening.

 

[Bill_Bright]

i am pretty sure my employer wouldnt have given us a thinkpad if there was any chance of weird stuff happening.

Assuming he knew. Lenovo sure does not advertise their mischievous deeds.

The problem with employers is they are profit minded.

 

[de.das.dude]

Assuming he knew. Lenovo sure does not advertise their mischievous deeds.

The problem with employers is they are profit minded.

not he. i work for large corporation. current clients are a ~200 year old finance company.

we need to get multiple levels of clearance each time we need to install even open sourced softwares.

hell i cant even trade stocks without holding them for set periods or getting prior clearance on buy and sell lmao.

you are being a bit arrogant.

 

[Mark7805]

 

[Bill_Bright]

@Mark7805 I hear you. And again, for your stated purpose of that machine, it is more than capable of supporting your friend/colleague's needs, hopefully for many years to come. I say hopefully because we never truly know what the future will bring - especially when there are bad guys involved. And until Man can create perfection 100% of the time, even the best products from the most reliable makers can have a unit that fails prematurely. So to that I say, "good luck!"

you are being a bit arrogant.

LOL

What did I say that demonstrates even a shred of arrogance? I sure didn't attack you or your boss, criticize you, or accuse either of you of anything. I said bosses are "profit minded" but that is just a characteristic (and a desired characteristic) of all bosses - unless your company is a non-profit charity.

I posted 2 links to supporting evidence about Lenovo planting malware on their consumer products because, unlike others, I don't expect my words to automatically be believed just because I say them. In fact, even Lenovo admitted it! And the company is still doing it. See Lexmark, Lenovo tech funnels data to China intelligence services.

You post comments about your boss and company as though that is supposed to mean and prove something to us.

So who is being arrogant?

You say you avoid Lenovo like the plague, but then say Thinkpads are different. No they aren't. They are made by Lenovo and Lenovo pre-installed spyware on Thinkpads too. But don't take my word on it. See Lenovo Caught (3rd Time) Pre-Installing Spyware on its Laptops and note where it says,

Now, the Chinese computer manufacturer is making news once again for embedding tracking software into its laptops and workstations from Lenovo ThinkPad, ThinkCentre, and ThinkStation series.

And once again, I never said Lenovo makes poor quality products.