Ok... Last computer Q I promise

[Legyoyo (Daniel)]

@WildCat23

Something I forgot to add; many cheap laptops have absolute junk chipsets. So while it may boast an i5, the motherboard in the computer is absolute garbage and wastes that power.

Alright. So I think I got most everything down pat, BUT… How can I tell that the computers motherboard will use the i5, i3, AMD a6, wisely? Like, will some brands have a sure fire board and run better with the 6gbMemory/500gbRAM than one that boats 8gbM/1Ram?

[sparhawk]

Just wondering but exactly what generation I5? I could see some of the older gen i5’s falling under the $500 mark for sure so would think it would depend on that

[PlasticWhip (WildCat23)]

@sparhawk

Just wondering but exactly what generation I5? I could see some of the older gen i5’s falling under the $500 mark for sure so would think it would depend on that

There are 4 generations of i Core processors. They are distinguishable by how they are numbered. If they have 3 numbers, they are gen 1. 4 numbers and start with a 2 then its gen 2. 4 and start with 3 then gen 3. 4 and has 5, then it’s gen 4.

3rd generation (Desktop) i3’s can be had for less than $150 (Depends on model), i5’s for less than $250, and i7’s for less than $350.

I don’t claim to be an expert on AMD stuff (Processors, I understand how their video card naming system works), so when looking at it I read a lot about them.

@Legyoyo

Alright. So I think I got most everything down pat, BUT… How can I tell that the computers motherboard will use the i5, i3, AMD a6, wisely? Like, will some brands have a sure fire board and run better with the 6gbMemory/500gbRAM than one that boats 8gbM/1Ram?

It’s hard to explain all of this stuff. It’s taken me many months to learn. Basically, you need to find the motherboard, and find out which chipset it uses (Letter followed by 2 numbers, eg. Z77). If you google the chipset, you can probably find a ton of diagrams that show how good it is compared to other chipsets for the same CPU series.

@Hudakjoe

I feel like I would be more along the lines of the guys who actually know what they are talking about. I may not know everything, but realistically I know how to make a proper recommendation and understand what is a good option.

That being said, at my store we have at least 3 laptops with what I mentioned for AROUND $500 like i said, from HP and Samsung.

I agree on the “taking advice with a grain of salt” IF you are shopping at a store like HHGregg or a commissioned store. I pride myself on selling the proper solution for a customer, no more and no less. I’ll never talk someone into buying something that they don’t need.

Also, about those pentiums… the pentium processor has progressed exponentially over the years and is the next best processor to an i3, although they are not very good for much. I hate that they exist but at a price point around $300 it makes sense, an i3 is only like $20 more most of the time(at least on our shelves)

I wouldn’t say to stay away from any particular brands, but personally you can’t really go wrong with HP, Asus(FYI they’ve been making computer internals for a long time and are at the top of their game), Samsung, or Lenovo(IBM’s Brand).

Also. Low Price Guarantee at Best Buy. If you think its a little pricey, ask the sales associate to price match to other retailers, they have a tool to do so and shouldn’t argue about doing so if asked ;D at least I never do

Actually, even the “Recent” Pentiums are based on the old Pentium architecture, and still run (Generally, it obviously depends on the model) slower than a Core 2 or i Core. The Pentium remains a budget processor, intended for cheap laptops and desktops that won’t be used for anything other than word processing and surfing the web. They are Better but still highly lacking.

Back to retail stores; it’s great that you are one of few remaining caring store employees.