Good Budget Laptop

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RVR

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My Lenovo ThinkPad (was given to me after my mum acquired a new work laptop) is now heating up badly and super slow. I got 2 years more use of it after her but it's now like unbearable.

I need to get another Laptop but unfortunately my budget is really low due to not working however there are times I make little money online. It's not much but its something.

Budget is only 3K - 4K (so probably only get one end of this year considering the financial situation). I know its not enough for a really good one but I see there's some consumer ones.

I know that even an i3 would be good but will be hard to acquire with my budget. Also, I'm kind of avoiding second hand/refurbished but not totally against it.

I need it for studying, some online work like using marketing softwares and heavy multi tasking. Windows OS

I'm also looking to start a small online business (no idea when but hopefully soon as jobs are scarce) but I would definitely need a functioning laptop.

Any good options or tips?

Appreciate it!
 
Last edited:
might be able to breathe some life into the old dog yet ...

Windows OS grinds anything to a halt over time, might be what you are experiencing, you could try Linux Mint for example, but even if you stick to Windows, a fresh install every couple of years at a minimum is the only way to keep things running smoothly

if you don't have a SSD as the main OS drive in the laptop yet, that's another thing you could do: buy a new SSD, install it, plus a fresh OS install ... I've done this to an old laptop long ago and the difference was like night and day, didn't need a new laptop, just SSD and fresh OS and it was flying again
 
NarrowBandFtw said:
might be able to breathe some life into the old dog yet ...

Windows OS grinds anything to a halt over time, might be what you are experiencing, you could try Linux Mint for example, but even if you stick to Windows, a fresh install every couple of years at a minimum is the only way to keep things running smoothly

if you don't have a SSD as the main OS drive in the laptop yet, that's another thing you could do: buy a new SSD, install it, plus a fresh OS install ... I've done this to an old laptop long ago and the difference was like night and day, didn't need a new laptop, just SSD and fresh OS and it was flying again
Click to expand...
Great, this seems like my last option if I can't get anything. The laptop has an SSD. I do need windows but I could do a fresh install.

Thanks for the tip!
 
Open the back and gently clean the fans with a soft paint brush and see if it helps with the heat issues. If they overheat they always slow to a crawl.
 
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RVR said:
Great, this seems like my last option if I can't get anything. The laptop has an SSD. I do need windows but I could do a fresh install.

Thanks for the tip!
Click to expand...

Cleaning out the fans and a general dedusting and new paste breathed new life into my 13 year old laptop. Stopped my overheating problem.

You have a SSD but if you are low on RAM then that could help as well with speed.
 
Chris Titus Debloat Script - Disable all services, thing will fly and security will still function.
 
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No you don't:
What happens is fibers and dust in the air build a thin 'blanket' that lies on the cooling fins, completely blocking airflow and overheating the notebook.

Quick Fix:
Take a deep breath and basically sneeze-blow into the hot air exhaust of the off notebook.
Start the notebook so the fan blows - should be lots of dust blowing out.
Switch off and repeat 3 to 5 times.

Ideally:
Look for a how to open my 'full pedigree' notebook and dust it properly.
(I also use vent-slot-wide strips of ~500 grit sandpaper to round the edges of all the vent slots and get rid of mould flashing.​
Then I round the edge of the fan's intake hole/plate, and the leading edges of the cooling fins. (and 'sharpen' the trailing edges), But that's just because I know a thing or 2 about aerodynamics)​

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
Now you are likely sukkeling with a SLOOOOW, old, half broken, bloated, fragmented, copy of Windows right?
Linux (Mint) just works.
It JUUUST WUCKIN FIRKS! :)

It's FREE and it's all 'pointy - clickey' just like WIndBlows.

Free OS, free (Libre) Office that reads and saves (as) MS Office's .docx if you like.
​
Plug in a printer and you think it hasn't been detected because you are used to WindBlows's:​
"Ooooh! New printer!​
Downloading the driver (and a whole lot of bloatware)​
Click accept, yes, OK, Confirm, Yes you can have my liver for genetic identification............. Installing.............bla-bla-bla........ reboot............"​
Nope:
It's just there. Ready to print.
Same for anything/everything:
Windows NTFS drive, TV, network, you name it!

All the software you will ever need is FREE in the Software Manager. Just search the net for the name to type in.
The Terminal is just search-copy-paste-enter, IF you ever need to.

It will boot and load "WhatTF!?" fast, and use WAAAAY less data.

Download and make a bootable USB to test it n see:
Set the bios to boot from USB 1st if it isn't set like that already.
Launch/test Mint.
It will NOT touch your WindBlows drive
It's a bit slow from USB, but point is; you get to test drive it...

From there you can 'pointy-clicky' sort out your drive: (NTFS partition) for all your docs etc if you like, or make a backup of stuff.
Then you can 'pointy-clicky' install it.

(do this: https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.com/p/speed-mint.html
and install the uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger extension in FireFox)
And you will feel like you just escaped from jail! :)
 
RVR said:
My Lenovo ThinkPad (was given to me after my mum acquired a new work laptop) is now heating up badly and super slow. I got 2 years more use of it after her but it's now like unbearable.

I need to get another Laptop but unfortunately my budget is really low due to not working however there are times I make little money online. It's not much but its something.

Budget is only 3K - 4K (so probably only get one end of this year considering the financial situation). I know its not enough for a really good one but I see there's some consumer ones.

I know that even an i3 would be good but will be hard to acquire with my budget. Also, I'm kind of avoiding second hand/refurbished but not totally against it.

I need it for studying, some online work like using marketing softwares and heavy multi tasking. Windows OS

I'm also looking to start a small online business (no idea when but hopefully soon as jobs are scarce) but I would definitely need a functioning laptop.

Any good options or tips?

Appreciate it!
Click to expand...
my 8th gen Dell i7 became slower than a snail on drugs and it turns out it was because i hadn't updated the Bios in a long while - try that as well as windows updates and see if the speeds improve before deciding to buy a new one - and i then installed a new battery as well an SSD to replace my conventional drive and the laptop was as good as a lower end current model

BTW you will struggle to even find a new Celeron leave alone an i5 with an R4k budget - so pre-owned is your only option if you want something decent at that price range
 
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Another thing to keep in mind is that ssd drives that are full are slower than those that are not the cheaper ones are even worse so keep a healthy margin free on the OS ssd.
 
B-1 said:
Another thing to keep in mind is that ssd drives that are full are slower than those that are not the cheaper ones are even worse so keep a healthy margin free on the OS ssd.
Click to expand...
Yep.
If Overprovisioning is'nt an easy option:
You can put a partition the size of the Dynamic (NB) pSLC cache on your drive/s, after a secure erase.
That means the drive is only 1/3rd (TLC) to 1/4th (QLC) the size, but last for ever and is quick!!

Then there's Optane drives being tossed out with old notebooks. 🤯
DON'T: Q1T1 R4k I/O speed is what makes systems fast, NOT the large sequential #s advertisers wave around!
That's why all system have RAM: Random Access..!
With the right drivers; (Win-Raid Forum) They make great cache drives with Primocache (WindBlows) or BCache. (Linux)
 
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naughty001 said:
my 8th gen Dell i7 became slower than a snail on drugs and it turns out it was because i hadn't updated the Bios in a long while - try that as well as windows updates and see if the speeds improve before deciding to buy a new one - and i then installed a new battery as well an SSD to replace my conventional drive and the laptop was as good as a lower end current model

BTW you will struggle to even find a new Celeron leave alone an i5 with an R4k budget - so pre-owned is your only option if you want something decent at that price range
Click to expand...

Yep a half decent SSD makes a world of difference.
Now try one with Linux (Write Cache Enabled): The speed will blow your mind! Then the software cost and data savings will. :)
 
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