New PC

[Kalah]

I just realized that it's been quite a while since I bought my old laptop - no wonder it's getting sluggish. Also, the shift buttons don't work anymore and so I have to use an external keyboard, and since it's an HP machine it always gets very hot. One time, it overheated and did an emergency shutdown since it was sitting on the table; the fan underneath needs more room to cool the thing down, so now I place it so that half the machine is off the edge of the table ...

I was going to keep using this machine until it became unusable, but then I discovered some good deals on cheap new laptops; this one, for instance, is only about $265.

So, let's have your general advice on buying a new, fairly inexpensive laptop. Points to keep in mind:
- avoid HP since they have a tendency to overheat,
- uses will include light image editing, web browsing, light gaming and writing,
- it should last a while,
- I have avoided using Win8 until now, but I guess it's time to learn that too ...

[Panda Tar]

Windows 10 then? No point in learning Windows 8, I think.

Mine is an Aveo. I don't know how popular it is. It's quite good. The only thing that happened in 3 years was the battery going down, then I had it replaced already.

[Pitsu]

I was going to keep using this machine until it became unusable, but then I discovered some good deals on cheap new laptops; this one, for instance, is only about $265.

I have a 14 years old toshiba satellite and still using it (not on battery power though) for some older applications. I am certainly no expert, but for the linked computer you may think whether you need a DVD reader and check is the integrated Intel HD graphic card good enough for the games you want to play.

[Kalah]

I'm not sure I even need an optical drive anymore - not on the laptop, anyway ...

[Pol]

Why not HP? I have one, now a little older ProBook 5310m, it's not overheating and it's not for gaming. Pretty small, so nimble, easy to get it everywhere with you.

As for build quality get Dell or Toshiba, often these are the best, and even cheap Toshiba notebooks are somewhat decent. For other brands it's going to be more difficult.

So, that one which you linked is probably acceptable but it depends on You!

No one here, knows your requirements, for what do you desire to use it.

Windows 8.1 is ok, Windows 7 is too old now and Windows 10 are still far, far in the future.

[Kalah]

No one here, knows your requirements, for what do you desire to use it.

Uhm, you did read what I wrote, right?

- uses will include light image editing, web browsing, light gaming and writing,

Why not HP?

since it's an HP machine it always gets very hot. One time, it overheated and did an emergency shutdown since it was sitting on the table; the fan underneath needs more room to cool the thing down, so now I place it so that half the machine is off the edge of the table ...

It gets extremely hot! I can't even place it on a normal table without running the risk ov overheating. So no more HP laptops.

I have (...) a little older ProBook 5310m, it's not overheating and it's not for gaming.

Mine will be. When I bought my current laptop, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to use it for gaming, but ... well, that didn't last long. I don't run high-end games on it, but some games, yes. Problem is, once I run a full-screen program or watch a video, the heat levels skyrocket. I guess the graphics card just needs a lot of cooling, and the cooling system is not powerful enough. Not just because it's old, btw. I has always been running hot.

[Pitsu]

Mine will be. When I bought my current laptop, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to use it for gaming, but ... well, that didn't last long. I don't run high-end games on it, but some games, yes. Problem is, once I run a full-screen program or watch a video, the heat levels skyrocket. I guess the graphics card just needs a lot of cooling, and the cooling system is not powerful enough. Not just because it's old, btw. I has always been running hot.

And maybe that would be a reason to invest slightly more into the graphic card, so that it could handle more things without sweat?

[Pol]

And screen size, ie it should be portable? Or it can be just a sitting 17" duck? These are actually very apt for gaming.

For gaming, even light, you should get a dedicated gaming card. Although it's true that mine nb can play Torchlight in FS for days, what is strange is that it doesn't like TV tuner and it's having just intel graphic adapter in processor - so, no horse powers.

This is low gaming machine (but with small even if fast SSD)
http://www.elkjop.no/product/data/barba ... ar-pc-solv

Tad better with dedicated gaming card
http://www.elkjop.no/product/data/barba ... ar-pc-solv

As for heating I really can't tell you. Intel processor is usually cold, very cold but dedicated graphic is usually not. A combination of AMD A10 processor may be actually a better idea from money/heating perspective, of course, it cannot beat Intel+dedicated card from point of performance.

[Kalah]

Those are too expensive.

I guess the graphics is the main problem causing heat, then...

[Pol]

Those are too expensive.

I guess the graphics is the main problem causing heat, then...

Yes. It depends on construction - heat dissipation and chips heat production.

Also on your definition of light gaming. Because and mostly H1-H4, Torchlight, Apotheon, GalCIVI. fall in the category of light games.

Whereas H5-7 and plethora of others are "mid" games where you need dedicated graphic card. In case of AMD it still can be in one chip but from the point of performance it's dedicated (Kaveri based A10 mobile CPU).

And for true gamer you need a gaming notebook, which seems to be totally out of your interest.

Seek for reviews, they will help.

Also I should probably warn you that Ubisoft do not cooperate with AMD only with Nvidia, so for his games you should go with Nvidia based cards.