Update?

[MaryR]

Hi Brian,

I am in the category of probably getting a new computer. Mine is a HP 2016 PC and I am getting all the notifications of the updated PS not working in some of the processes with AI.    I know so little about computers to be honest. Do you feel that Dell is better than HP. I had thought about a laptop but not sure I would really take one with me anyway if I went anywhere. Thanks so much. Should I just give your recommendations you five to which ever company I inquire about.  I appreciate your time for sure.

[Brian]

1 hour ago, MaryR said:

Do you feel that Dell is better than HP.

YES!

I can not stand HP Laptops. They used to be good 10-15 years ago, now...notsomuch. Their Trackpads are garbage and the Eco-Friendly Solder they use with their products just doesn't hold up. Dell is decent for what it is.

But which Laptop Brand do I like? LENOVO.

If you have the money to CLICK BUY NOW, here is a laptop that has limited Stock and is a very decent price:

Lenovo 16" Legion Pro 5i 16IRX8 Gaming Laptop (Onyx Gray) - $1569.99

[Brian]

Now, if money is no option, here is a search on B&H's website for the various components that I recommend. Here is one such Laptop that checks all of the boxes:

Lenovo 16" Legion Pro 7i 16IRX8H Gaming Laptop (Onyx Gray)

And this one is a BEAST:

Lenovo 16" Legion Pro 7i 16IRX8H Gaming Laptop (Onyx Gray) (This one is the same as the other one, but it has a faster CPU and better Video Card, etc.) It's very much like buying a Honda CRV, do you want the Basic, Mid-range or Advanced Model? The Basic Model may not have butt-warmers, and the Advanced Model does, in addition to a Sunroof and better interior with upgraded Entertainment System, even though the Chassis is the same between all three. It all boils down to your budget and what you are willing to spend. 

[MaryR]

Thank you so  much Brian, I really appreciate it. I hate buying new computers and transferring all the data, programs etc.

[MaryR]

Does Lenovo have good customer service?   I'm thinking about a 2 TB and a PC instead of laptop.

[Brian]

Meh. 

In my honest opinion, “Customer Service” is a thing of the past. All of the manufacturers suck at it, with variations between them. It really depends on the support rep you get and often, they will refer you to a website / chatbot first. I’ve personally never have spoken to Lenovo, but have dealt with Dell in the past. I also am one to fix my own things and when I am forced to call tech support, I often play the game of ”Let’s Stump the Tech Rep” because I’ve already done the things on the script!  So I might not be the best one to ask  

If you get Dell Consumer computer, you are very likely going to talk with someone in India who will read from a troubleshooting script. If you buy from Dell Business, the chances of speaking to a Tech Support Rep in the US increases, though not guaranteed.

The reason is money. Plain and simple. Americans want silly things, like a living wage, vacation time, health benefits, etc.  Companies want to make as much profit as possible, and they would rather pay someone in India for Pennies on the Dollar instead of full price to do a similar job. 

Just look at the amount of local computer stores that existed in the past; 30 years ago, you could see Joe at the local computer shop who would give you advice on what to do or how to fix things. Since home computers have been around since the late 70’s or early 80’s, which is over 40 years ago, you are expected to “know computers” by now. I know, I know…but it’s the truth.

For comparison, just look how difficult it is to contact your local bank directly. Press 1 for English, for this Dept press this number, then press this number, then wait on hold for 45 minutes, then the dreaded “…all of our agents are busy and we will call you back…” message.  

If you do decide to go the Desktop route, the prerequisites are similar. Give these two articles a read:

Buying a Computer in 2023 

Today’s Modern Photoshop

[MaryR]

So true on all of the above!   I appreciate your time entirely.

[MaryR]

Hi Bryan, 

Here is a quote I got today from Lenova.   Thanks

	Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 Intel (16") with RTX 4070 82WRCTO1WWUS1	$ 2,514.99	$ 2,078.85 OFF	1	$ 2,078.85
Processor：13th Generation Intel® Core™ i9-13900HX Processor (E-cores up to 3.90 GHz P-cores up to 5.40 GHz)  Operating System：Windows 11 Home 64  Operating System Language：Windows 11 Home 64 English  Microsoft Productivity Software ：None  Memory ：32 GB DDR5-5600MHz (SODIMM) - (2 x 16 GB) - selected upgrade  First Solid State Drive：1 TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 TLC - selected upgrade  Second Solid State Drive：1 TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 TLC - selected upgrade  Display：16" WQXGA (2560 x 1600), IPS, Anti-Glare, Non-Touch, HDR 400, 100%sRGB, 500 nits, 240Hz, Narrow Bezel, Low Blue Light  Graphic Card：NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4070 Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR6  Camera：1080P FHD with Dual Microphone  Color：Onyx Grey  Keyboard：Per-Key RGB Backlit, Black - English (US)  Keycap Kit：No Keycap Kit  Wireless：Wi-Fi 6E 2x2 AX & Bluetooth® 5.1 or above  Battery：4 Cell Li-Polymer 99.9Wh  Power Cord：300W Slim 3pin AC Adapter - US  Language Pack：Publication - Polish/Portuguese/English  Warranty：1 Year Courier or Carry-in

[MaryR]

Or this one.  

Your requested quote:   ITEM LIST PRICE SALE PRICE QTY TOTAL PRICE   Legion Pro 5i Gen 8 Intel (16") with up to RTX 4070 82WKCTO1WWUS1 $ 2,264.99 $ 1,905.94 OFF 1 $ 1,905.94  Processor：13th Generation Intel® Core™ i9-13900HX Processor (E-cores up to 3.90 GHz P-cores up to 5.40 GHz) - selected upgrade  Operating System：Windows 11 Home 64  Operating System Language：Windows 11 Home 64 English  Microsoft Productivity Software ：None  Memory ：32 GB DDR5-5600MHz (SODIMM) - (2 x 16 GB) - selected upgrade  First Solid State Drive：1 TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 TLC - selected upgrade  Second Solid State Drive：1 TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 TLC - selected upgrade  Display：16" WQXGA (2560 x 1600), IPS, Anti-Glare, Non-Touch, HDR 400, 100%sRGB, 500 nits, 240Hz, Narrow Bezel, Low Blue Light - selected upgrade  Graphic Card：NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4070 Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR6 - selected upgrade  Camera：1080P FHD with Dual Microphone  Color：Onyx Grey  Keyboard：4 Zone RGB Backlit, Black - English (US)  Wireless：Wi-Fi 6E 2x2 AX & Bluetooth® 5.1 or above  Battery：4 Cell Li-Polymer 80Wh  Power Cord：300W Slim 3pin AC Adapter - US  Language Pack：Publication - Polish/Portuguese/English  Warranty：1 Year Courier or Carry-in 3Y Sealed Battery Add on 5WS0Q89624 1 $ 26.70 3Y Accidental Damage Protection Add On 5PS0K75707 1 $ 53.40 3Y Legion Ultimate Support with Onsite 5WS0V17081 1 $ 66.75

[Brian]

The only difference I see between the two, is the more expensive one has a more powerful battery. 99.9Wh as opposed to 80Wh (Watt Hours). What does this mean in Layman's Terms?

The 99.9Wh Battery in the more expensive model, is rated for around 7.85 Battery Life Hours total, in a perfect world / situation. That said, this is all subjective on how bright the screen is, how hard the CPU and Video Card is working, what the RAM is doing, what you are doing, etc. You also lose some battery life to heat, not only from the computer / motherboard and its components, but from the heat generated by the battery itself due to the current draw. Basically, in real world situation, conversationally speaking:

99.9Wh Battery = I'd say 6+ hours of battery life.

80Wh Battery = I'd say around 4 hours or so of battery life is to be expected.

So if you are going to be mobile a lot, spend the $178 and get the higher priced version. From a hardware POV, either is fine.

[MaryR]

Thank you so much!