Looking for best value laptop

[sophianicole091905]

Hi, I'm looking for an affordable laptop with decent performance for college paperworks and presentations and a little video editing. I'm considering an asus zenbook, dell 14/15 5000 or acer e15. I really like the acer's specs but I've read somewhere that acer is like a glass cannonball, high performance but not very durable. Hope you can help, thanks!

 

[mcintyrelr20]

I recommend the aspire e5 576g 5762. It has a mx150 which is great for video editing, and it can do some light gaming.

 

[GreyCatz]

A "glass cannonball"... that's a new one!

Assuming the laptops are broadly similar in terms of specs and price, here are a few thoughts:

1. The Dell would be the 'sensible' choice. Sturdy chassis but they tend to be more expensive than rivals with similar specs. Battery life is typically 6 to 8 hours of useful up-time.

2. The Zenbook would be the stylish choice. Very slim and light, but their battery packs are still a bit wobbly. When they do work, you should be able to get some 9 to 11 hours of battery life.

3. The Acer would be the gambler's choice. Routinely high on specs, but sadly still low on build-quality. Any malfunction will typically - and at best - result in a replacement machine since Acer have decided not to maintain a costly customer support structure nor an even more costly parts inventory. The high-specs strategy also includes very decent battery life - on par with the Zenbook.

For a college student, indeed any person who needs to move the laptop around every day, I would favour sturdiness above all. A Dell Inspiron 15 5000 will see you through college easily and without major issues. Once you've finished college you can try out some of the more stylish Zenbooks or some of the spec-heavy Acers.