how much is my laptop worth?

Aaron

I would like to sell my laptop and get a Macbook.
Below are a list of its specs, features, etc.

Manafacturer: LG electronics
Processor: Intel Core i3 - 2.1 GHz
RAM: 4GB
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
Windows Experince Index rating: 4.6
Graphics card: nVidia Geforce 520M with 256MB memory
HDD: 500GB (Toshiba)
CD Drive: DVD RW
Screen size: 15" (37, 5cm)
Everything's in good condition and working properly, but the warranty is up
Additional features: HDMI cable port + Webcam + Bluetooth + Network

It is roughly about 1.5 years old, got it as a Christmas present in 2011.
I did a price-up at gadgetvalue.com and it listed my computer at R4 700 (roughly $470)
When I got my laptop, it costed R5 000, so I don't think they got it right on that site.

If anyone could help me, I would greatly appreciate it
Thanks :)

PS: Please don't link me to eBay or other sites that could tell me what my laptop is worth. If you know alot about this stuff, then please answer my question :)

Thanks in advance :D

Answer
If you need to sell a laptop to buy a MacBook, you cannot afford the MacBook. They are very overpriced for their specs, and don't do any more than the laptop you have.

Gadgetvalue I find is very wrong.

Manafacturer: LG electronics
Intel Core i3 - 2.1 GHz (i3-2310M most likely), 4GB RAM, Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (only has value if a licensed and legal copy), Geforce 520M, 500GB, DVD RW, 14.7"
Everything's in good condition and working properly, but the warranty is up
Additional features: HDMI cable port + Webcam + Bluetooth + Network

I am guessing you are in South Africa, with Rand as currency. Used prices of laptops can be very different by country, just as new laptops vary in price with duties and taxes added.

The value of a laptop used in private sale is 60 to 80% of an equivalent performance new laptop.
Warranty and wear need to be considered including the battery aging.

2310M ranks at #166
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Processors-Benchmarklist.2436.0.html
Intel Pentium B980, AMD A8-5550M or AMD A8-5557M, Intel Pentium 2020M or other used i3-2310M systems.
GPU GT 520M rank 302 as between HD 3000 and HD 4000 is not significantly better than the HD 3000 already in the i3-2310M, and is below the 8550G in the AMD CPUs, but a little above the Pentium graphics
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Computer-Games-on-Laptop-Graphic-Cards.13849.0.html
http://ark.intel.com/products/52220/Intel-Core-i3-2310M-Processor-3M-Cache-2_10-GHz?q=i3-2310m

LG laptops are not sold in the USA, but would be considered generic quality, as Acer-Gateway, Lenovo Essentials, HP-Compaq or Pavilion, or a Dell Inspiron, or Toshiba Satellite, all basic laptops.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olstemplatemapper.jsp?id=pcat17080&type=page&qp=cabcat0500000%23%23-1%23%23-1~~cabcat0502000%23%23-1%23%23-1~~cpcmcat247400050000%23%23-1%23%23-1~~q4661737433736b75313230~~nf1241%7C%7C4e6577&list=y&nrp=50&sc=abComputerSP&sp=%2Bcurrentprice+skuid&usc=abcat0500000
http://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-V5-552-8404-15-6-Inch-Laptop/dp/B00DDFEXWA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1375990392&sr=1-1&keywords=a8-5557m
http://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-V5-552-8404-15-6-Inch-Laptop/dp/B00DDFEXWA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1375990392&sr=1-1&keywords=a8-5557m
Looking at offerings, $360 to $420 new would be a fair range, so $390 new in the USA would be a middle ground, and you can compare to local pricing with taxes.
That ranges the value as $234 to $312. $312 would be no warranty, a battery holding a couple of hours of run time, in a very clean condition with no signs of wear.
The typical value is about $275 in average wear condition. Your screen size became non-standard.
Accounting for Windows 7 ultimate 64 bit, if genuine, $300 to $325. If not licensed and recoverable in a restore or sold with valid disks, $230 is the laptop value typical.

If $275 makes the difference of whether to buy a MacBook, it is the wrong product for you.
They have some nice canned applications, but limited freeware. It has a very good battery and thin profile, but prices are outrageous for it.

Why would anyone buy that used laptop for $470, when $450 gets a new i5-3230M and better HD 4000 graphics:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834215992
or $540 gets a better brand Samsung, with better CPU and graphics and a free gaming mouse in full warranty:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834131510

In South Africa, looks like now about R 4700 new would be about right, so R3250 plus Windows additional value in ultimate is about right. R3750?

Gaming PC or PS3? Not sure what to pick?

Of Aeons

I currently don't have a console or a PC of my own. I had a 360 but sold it because I was tired of having to send it away for repairs, that and the fact that the future of 360 seems a bit bland to me. Gears of War 3, Halo ODST, that seems to be about all there is to look forward to.

I had planned on splurging $900 on a gaming PC and picking up an MMO while playing a bunch of single player games. It has a fair long-term value, but I already have a laptop, and I played WoW to death in the past. Diablo 3 is the main reason why I'd want one, and well, the ability to play games more easily than on console.

PS3 is tempting because it has blue-ray and better exclusives and in my opinion, sharper images, or so my friend's PS3 has shown me. I feel like the PS3 will last well into 2011, where as the 360 will probably only last til the end of next year before the 'next' Xbox comes out.

What should I do? I honestly don't know. Both options are good.

Answer
Keep this in mind. When you buy a computer for gaming purposes, you'll constantly be needing upgrades for sound and video cards. Buying a PS3, you wouldn't run into that problem. Also, keep in mind that the PS3 is a computer, and the wireless feature is free unlike the 360. Also, the PS3 has some MMO games coming out for it. Hope this helped!

Personally, I'd go with the PS3.

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I'm looking for a laptop, which one should i buy?

best gaming laptop value 2011 image

Tyler Jord

I need a laptop that i can use for my programming class and daily use. I need to be able take it to school so it can not be too fragile. I'm looking for about $600 if possible. It should be able to handle Steam and some games too. I don't want a mac.

Answer
I worked at IBM+Lenovo for a lot of years in Procurement Engineering. In only a few weeks in Y/A I've answered a lot of laptop questions and take each question as you write it.
No Mac is sensible at $600 and if you prefer a windows system. Mac's are generally the best hardware, but expensive for what you get. To make a choice you start with a couple of things. What size exactly is first. You get the most function and screen size in a 15", but they are much heavier than smaller ones.
Use two information sets:
1) Quality + reliability at the time. This is one good article: http://www.pcworld.com/article/211402/reliability_and_service_laptops.html

Many laptops fail. Many laptops overheat for not enough cooling for the performance.
2) CPU+Graphics performance. I am using http://www.cpubenchmark.net/

Decide any must-haves like maybe camera and mic for skype or video broadcast. Some have fingerprint readers or face readers. Which is more important to you, graphics (for gaming) or RAM amount and CPU speed for programming?

Typically, every selling company has one or two units on sale that will usually be the best value from them. At $600 and less including tax, those are probably the best choices.
I think HP/COMPAQ has messed up their quality and support, and overheating issues are all over this board. Acer is a re-label with little R+D. Big issue is time to get it back if sent to them for warranty. Dell USED TO BE excellent. They fell apart in quality and service, raised their prices vs competitors, and I don't think they ever earned respect back. Toshiba is generally good. Lenovo watch ratings by model - feedback important. You can't judge any opinions on a brand. Either their units failed or didn't. PC's are made cheap today. A lot fail; most reasonable to fix.

When about ready to buy within a few days, look hard and fast at what is offered. The deals keep changing. Know in advance about quality and what you want. Write down what you see and compare to another at about the same delivered price. When down to three, come back to this board and give a lot of details if you need advice.
How heavy can it be? Heavier is usually cheaper and more reliable. Bigger is cheaper with the exact same functionality. Get as much DRAM as you can, and the CPU+Graphics cannot be changed like a desktop later. What you buy is it until you buy another system.
Here is a start of a nice system for the price. Now look for better in a decent brand by the charts and surveys $529+tax
http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/cdetland.to?poid=2000006043
AMD Quad-Core A6-3400M Accelerated Processor, Windows® 7 Home Premium, 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 RAM, 320GB 5400 hard drive, AMD Radeon⢠HD graphics, DVD SuperMulti drive, 1366x768 native screen resolution, LED backlit keyboard, HDMI output, 802.11bgn wireless, Integrated webcam, Premium harman/kardon® speakers, Fusion® X2 Finish in Platinum, 6-cell, 4400 mAH battery,
Customizable: Upgrade to 500GB 7200 rpm drive for $10
Upgrade to Bluetooth and EDR internet for $25
Price $564 plus tax now. Nice for the price. Not a gaming system, but a lot of nice stuff in a decent brand.
decide about battery upgrades or other options.
1 Review is here
http://www.gadgetreview.com/2011/08/toshiba-satellite-p750d-bt4n22-15-6-inch-notebook-laptop-499-free-sh.html
Now find better at the price. Could not find the weight anywhere easy. Probably almost 6 lbs
PS- Not gaming means not what high end $1200+ gets

Should i get and ipad or a laptop?

Ace

I know that this might have been asked, but im just wondering what exactly an ipad cant do that a laptop can. If its a flash problem im okay with that, im okay with no keyboard, and it has stuff like word, is there anything else that seperates it from a laptop?
Oh yeah, it is an hp g62 with intel i3 processor,500gb, 4gb memory, 2.4 ghz, it is abou the same price as the ipad

Answer
You need a computer to use the iPad, and it's rather expensive and you don't get very much, you'll always face a new one next year and another $500-$1000 comes out of your pocket.

Like the iPod Touch and the iPhone, it's mostly used for games. Next use is going on the web and using entertainment.

There is nothing the iPad can do that a laptop can do better.

You can run whatever software you want on a laptop, it has it's own built in monitor stand and real keyboard so you can reinforce your touch typing skills.

The iPad is a entertainment peripheral device to a computer, it can't replace one.

You need to get work done, you need a computer, a iPad just shortchanges the computer experience.

I have a new MacBook Pro, it's expensive, but it will out last 10 iPads and cost only a fraction of the amount and do much, much more.

So a iPad is not a good value. Even this guy gave up on it and found out a laptop is better after all.

Now his iPad sits unused.

http://www.businessinsider.com/ipad-review-day-300-2011-2

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Where should I buy a cheap computer?

best gaming laptop value 2011 image

oogabooga3

We need a new desktop. I want something up to date and reliable which is good for checking email, paying bills, downloading videos and is inexpensive. We don't need it for video games or anything really fast like that. Where is the best place to buy a cheap computer?

Answer
First question is how cheap?
There are used PCs as both laptops and desktops on Craigslist and Goodwill stores for under $100.
They are not up to date and not necessarily reliable, but they function, and that is cheap.

The second is about your monitor-display, or are you using a TV that hopefully is higher resolution than x768. 720p TVs cause display issues in WIndows 8. Most computers today do not include the monitor, but do include a keyboard and mouse, and may or may not include USB speakers.

Third question is whether you go ethernet connected by cable, or do you need wireless. Some computers include wireless. Others need an added PCI card or USB stick.

Fourth question is form factor. There are towers called desktops in various sizes and go down to slimline and bookshelf and mini's. Often, you get better performance out of a low priced laptop, especially if including a display, and the laptops usually have HDMI outputs and can accept inexpensive mice, keyboards, improved speakers, and have portability.

With form factor goes the ease of upgrade or repair. In general, the larger and less integrated the system, the easier it is to repair or upgrade it.

Although you do not need high performance, we usually want the best value for the money, and a bit faster response times can't hurt. More ram is better. Larger HDD is better. CPU scores can be looked up:
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_list.php
A second tab has graphics scores that are less important to you.

Places to buy are many in the US.
There are weekly sales of a couple of models and clearances.
Walmart, Staples, Best Buy, Newegg.com, Tigerdirect.com, Amazon.com gets you a variety and you can google a model once you find one to see if it is offered for less somewhere else.

You read a couple of surveys on quality:
2012 survey:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2020964/apple-and-lenovo-desktop-pcs-tops-in-satisfaction.html
2011 Survey:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/244481/desktop_pc_reliability_and_satisfaction_dell_and_hp_home_pcs_get_poor_grades.html
and use it as a factor, but Apple is expensive for what you get.

My sister wanted what you describe. She has a few older PCs and monitors, but wanted one where the internet worked faster and boot up faster and application responsiveness up to $500 and she ended up with a Lenovo H430 at Staples with Windows 8, a Core i5-3330 and 8GB RAM and a 1TB HDD and that met her requirements well in a tower pc.

Now, you start with a couple that meet your needs and see if you can do better:
A basic slimline Acer-Gateway for $340
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883113245
Model SX2370-UR13
A6-Series APU A6-3620(2.2GHz)
1x4GB DDR3 500GB 7200 RPM SATA III HDD
AMD Radeon HD 6530D
Gigabit ethernet, Bluetooth and WiFi
memory card reader
2USB 3.0 in back. 4USB 2.0
VGA and HDMI outputs
CPU score 2924, and graphics G3D 548
It would be nice to buy and install a second 4GB RAM card. That is easy.
$30 to $35 in a do-it-yourself
http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/memory/#t=11&v=1500&z=4096&c=90&n=1&sort=a8
Just match what it has already in speed.
It is an early 2012 CPU below an Intel i3 but still fast enough with graphics power you don't really need but is above Intel integrated HD 4000 but not gaming level. It is the new Windows 8 to get used to, but is a faster boot and shutdown. Does what you want and the price is considered cheap and size is small, but upgrading is minimal.
In Intel, whether Newegg or Walmart at about the same price, size and brand, gets an Intel G640 Pentium with 4GB RAM and 1TB HDD. The CPU and graphics are a little lower in performance but the HDD is bigger:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gateway-SX2865-UR308-Small-Form-Factor-Desktop-PC-with-Intel-Pentium-G640-Processor-4GB-Memory-1TB-Hard-Drive-and-Windows-8-Monitor-Not-Included/22018103
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883113244

The choices are endless, so you have to narrow down your preferences and price point. Then you can just browse the online circulars and sites.

What would you bury and found it dug up in 200 years from now?

mauha

Ok so this is for a scholarship so I need ideas. Please help me brain storm this!!

"In 200 years, one of your relatives is going to be digging in what is now your backyard. They are going to find something that you buried in 2011 and it is going to put any financial worries they have to rest. Your job today is to decide what to bury. Your goal is to find something that will have immense value in the future."

must be currently sold in stores

Answer
Things that will be rare or extinct, especially the last of something.
A gallon of gas. By then it will either be extinct or sold for a billion dollars a gallon. ***
A library cards. **
Paper items. A sears catalog, a set of encyclopedias, news papers, library cards, a dictionary, a dictionary of slang, a phone book, computers for dummies, cell phones for dummies, etc **
Paper forms, income tax, job applications, medical, etc. **
Plastic items. Prepaid credit card, drivers license and other id's, membership cards, club cards, savings/discount cards, etc. **
Seeds, as many varieties as you can fine. Especially trees and grass **

Anything that has just been or is about to be banned or eliminated due to political correctness, addictive health issues, public safety issues, new laws, protests, etc.
A carton of cigarettes. **
Guns- hand guns assault rifles, but don't include ammunition, it's too unstable.
Caffeine products and pills. **, ***
The wrappers and menus from fast food joints like McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, KFC **
Candy wrappers. **

Collectible items and memorabilia especially newly invented or first issue items
A set of a book with both hard and soft cover versions, that just came out and is on the best sellers list. Be sure and include the best sellers list too. **
A set of coins and bills from the year it is buried. **
Comic books, DVDs, Books, Toys, etc. *, **
A bottle of wine ***

Tech stuff that is constantly changing
A TV, a radio, an MP3 player, a game console with game discs. *, **
A record player, a tape recorder, a CD player, a DVD player, a Blu-ray player, etc each with appropriate media. *, **
A cell phone with pictures, movies and music, etc on it. *
A laptop computer with web page archives of new popular sites *
A copy of the latest version of Microsoft OS and other products.
A blank floppy disk *
A thumb drive *
A GPS *

Common everyday items that will change by then.
Bills- electric, phone, insurance, utilities, rent, etc **
Prints of photos of the house interior and exterior, the inside of your refrigerator and freezer, car interior and exterior, the house's surroundings, local businesses, near by mall, etc. **
Currently trendy clothes and appeal.
A fashion magazine.
A news magazine.
A TV guide.

Things that are changing to protect the environment
Disposable but not biodegradable, diapers, an empty lighter, razors, plastic bags- grocery, trash, storage, etc. Plastic containers bottles, packaging, containers, etc. Cleaning supplies- Air fresheners, Swiffer duster/mops, soap, cleaning products, etc. **, ***
Light bulbs, all types, Incandescent, old florescent, compact florescent, and led.

Disposable and biodegradable, diapers, plastic bags- grocery, trash, etc. Cleaning supplies, green products, recycled products, etc. **, ***

Note- When burying these things they need to be sealed up properly so they don't degrade.

* Anything with batteries have to have them removed and an AC adapter included as the batteries won't last and corrosion will destroy anything they are in and don't forget the built in batteries in things. Also capacitors are bad except for solid state ones. And magnetic media will not last ie- hard drives floppy disks. Solid state media that doesn't loses it's information after x years should be used. Also include all cables, adapters, and manuals.

** Anything that is paper or otherwise degradable needs to be vacuum sealed. Anything that will fade should have a reference photo printed on and with permanent media and ink.

*** Corrosives, gas etc, need special containers, probably glass jars or bottles with a sealing method that won't degrade. Maybe melting the opening shut. Most lids/caps will degrade.

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