Notes up front
Trying to decide whether to replace my 5-year-old Dell Latitude E6520 now or to wait about a year, and if buying now, whether to go for something more ultrabook-y or not. I’m in the final stages of my PhD. Terrified something will die on me mid-thesis, but also don’t want to mess with something currently working. (Yes, I know: make back-ups!) Also, I don’t know what life will be after I finish the program: I might still be in academia, I might be out of work (so then definitely no new computer) and I might be in a different field, thus using the laptop for browsing and e-mail only (but maybe I’ll let myself back into my Steam account as a reward).
Current specs: i5-2520M, 4GB 1333MHz RAM (2x2), Nvidia 4200M 512MB, 250GB ssd, 1920x1080 LED. Also have a tablet (Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition) that I would only replace if the new one supported active stylus, too.
Things I don’t like about my current notebook as-is: heavy and clunky, now bad battery life, runs uncomfortably hot, runs into some trouble multitasking when Gimp/statistics stuff is running. Should probably put in some more RAM, just haven't gotten around to it.
Things I do like about my latitude: build quality, keyboard, calc pad, screen screen screen! Came with 3-yr international warranty (more or less living in two countries) that I used once (power adapter issue) and gave me piece of mind. Like the idea of being able to easily upgrade and swap out hardware myself, though admittedly didn't really need to (except hdd/battery).
I was initially looking at maybe a Precision 5510 or the XPS 15 but I think I might miss the calc pad, and it seems like a lot of money to spend for what I would use it for. (And at the end of the day, a 15” notebook is always going to be ‘big’ - I realize I can't have both sweetly compact and full-productivity in one product.) Thinking maybe a Latitude 5000-serie would make more sense if I stick with Dell, but maybe moving to Lenovo or Asus is better. Would also consider getting a clunkier laptop and a higher-spec’ed tablet/convertible if that seems smarter. Or just waiting.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
I would prefer to stay under $1000 but could go higher for the right machine. See also (16).
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
d. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) Where will you buying this notebook? You can select the flag of your country as an indicator.
Either in the next three weeks in the US or any time in the next year in the Netherlands.
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
a. Like: Dell
b. Dislike: Apple, Acer, Toshiba, Fujitsu
5) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed?
Absolutely, though probably not Scratch&Dent.
6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
I’m a grad student/lecturer at a university. I do A LOT of reading and writing (and grading papers) on my notebook. I also use statistical software (SPSS, R) and do some minor/basic graphic editing (mostly Gimp), usually while I also have FF, Adobe, and Office software open. Part of my data consists of video files, that I play and annotate. I would also use it for typical home-use things.
7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?
Essentially both. This machine will be my only home computer, and I’d need to be able to work from home using it. However, I also take my laptop with me on conference trips, and though I’m tired of lugging around my current laptop, I don’t want to sacrifice too much productivity on the go. I bought a tablet to use on conference trips, but I find myself using the tablet to take notes and do quick e-mails at the conference only; back at the hotel/to do any real work I go for the notebook.
8) Will you be playing games on your notebook? If so, please state which games or types of games?
I don’t play anything new or fancy.
9) How many hours of battery life do you need?
I’d love to get at least what I used to get on this machine, i.e. 7+ hours. Currently I’m tethered to a wall – doable but unfortunate.
10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?
Online is fine.
11) What OS do you prefer? Windows (Windows 7 / 8), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
Windows 10.
Screen Specifics
12) From the choices below, what screen resolution(s) would you prefer?
Minimally 1920x1080. It’s important to get two pages of legible text side-by-side/ have R and other windows open at the same time.
13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Matte/non-glossy. Screen has to be at least as nice as on my current notebook.
Build Quality and Design
14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
Somewhat. I’m looking for something that is noticeably less clunky than my current machine. I don’t like machines that look or feel cheap, but it doesn’t have to be ‘sexy’. Build quality and ease of use more important - definitely more of a business-user than consumer-user.
15) When are you buying this laptop?
Between now and next year. (See point 3.)
16) How long do you want this laptop to last?
The more $$, the longer it needs to last. My current laptop (Latitude E6520, bought for $756 on Dell Outlet) is 5 years old and all I’ve replaced is the hdd (wanted an ssd). The one before (Inspiron 1501, $500) lasted me 4,5 years, though I did replace the screen at some point.
Notebook Components
17) How much hard drive space do you need? Do you want a SSD drive?
At least 320GB. I swapped out my HDD last year for a 256 SSD and am running out of space. Love how quiet and quick it is, but a quiet/cooler-running regular drive would be fine.
18) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD Burner, Blu-ray Reader or Blu-Ray Burner?
No. Have one now, almost never use it.
Scratch my tech itch or wait?
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