Which laptop should I get?

February 5, 2024 10:45 AM

I am getting a laptop soon and I am conflicted! Would you recommend one of the following four computers, or I should get something more powerful yet?

I will use it for internet, MS Office, and SPSS (data analysis). I need the portability of a 14' screen. Links are to Canadian stores.

Asus ZenBook OLED 14" Touchscreen Laptop
AMD Ryzen 5 7530U/512GB SSD/16GB RAM - LINK

HP Laptop 14
Intel® Core™ i7 1255U (12th Generation), Memory16 GB RAM, Storage 1 TB SSD - LINK

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 (14″ AMD)
AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Processor, Memory 16 GB RAM, Storage 1 TB SSD - LINK

Asus ExpertBook B1 (B1402)
Intel® Core™ i7-1255U, Memory 16 GB RAM, Storage 512GB SSD + TPM - LINK

posted by plant or animal to Technology (12 answers total)

The SPSS part of this question will be hard to answer. Do you know anyone working with similar data sets successfully? How much RAM do they have?

RAM usage in statistical packages really depends on what kind of datasets you use and the kinds of analysis you do on them. More is always better, but the question is often if even the bigger choice here is adequate. Of course, none of this applies if you use SPSS desktop to connect to an SPSS server and run analysis on there.
posted by advicepig at 12:00 PM on February 5, 2024 [1 favorite]

Other specs you should be considering:

Zenbook: Screen: 2880x1800 Webcam: 1080p Battery: 75Wh Weight: 2.98lb
HP Laptop 14: Screen: 1920x1080 Webcam: 720p Battery: 41Wh Weight: 3.21lb
Lenovo IdeaPad: Screen: 1920x1200 Webcam: 1080p Battery: ??? Weight: 3.42lb
Asus ExpertBook: Screen: 1920x1080 Webcam: 720p Battery: 42Wh Weight: 3.28lb

The Zenbook's screen resolution and quality, webcam, battery and weight specs are in a superior class than the other laptops with a somewhat less performant processor and only 512GB of storage. But those aren't necessarily dealbreakers. At the end of the day, it depends on your priorities (and, as advicepig wisely mentioned, how exactly you're using SPSS).
posted by eschatfische at 12:04 PM on February 5, 2024 [1 favorite]

Having owned several consumer grade HP laptops, all of which have failed prematurely ( < 2 years ), I'd avoid getting one. I'm pretty careful with hardware and try to get at least 5 years out of a laptop (current thinkpad going strong at year 7). If you're more devil-may-care replace em after two years regardless, then maybe it doesn't matter.
posted by roue at 12:12 PM on February 5, 2024 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: So I asked (this computer is actually a gift) and they are currently downloading the datasets. Currently they use a 8GB memory with 256 storage + a SSD for extra storage for a total of 300 GB being used in their computer, which is starting to drag with the bigger (for them) datasets. I asked the size of the datasets and will post here. Durability is an issue.
posted by plant or animal at 12:44 PM on February 5, 2024

For my recent purchase of a laptop I went with an HP Envy x360 but I was driven by a desire to dual boot (really ONLY boot under Ubuntu).

But part of my approach to the purchase *might* apply to your situation. I bought it at Costco which has a 90 day return policy and also offers an extended warranty. If you are a member and if Costco has a possibly suitable device it would give you the opportunity to be hands on and get an accurate feel of how it would perform with your software and datasets (???). I believe you also have a certain period of time to decide on the warranty extension (30 days if I recall correctly).
posted by forthright at 12:52 PM on February 5, 2024

Response by poster: So the datasets are quite small, between 15 and 40 MB.
posted by plant or animal at 1:06 PM on February 5, 2024

Not model or specs specific, but I've owned several HP's, a few Asus, and several Lenovos. (As well as some Dells, a Mac, some Acers...) The Lenovos I've used were the most dependable and durable, to the point where, now that I can afford to be a little pickier, they are all we purchase in our home.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:09 PM on February 5, 2024 [2 favorites]

Best answer: So the datasets are quite small, between 15 and 40 MB.

These machines will all be gloriously, wonderfully overpowered for such tasks and you should look for information about build quality and durability instead.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 2:26 PM on February 5, 2024 [3 favorites]

Durability is an issue.

The hinges on IdeaPads (and I think the Yoga line) are a frequent failure point, according to The Internet. I don't know how well The Internet reflects overall statistics. But maybe consider a ThinkPad, ideally from the T or X series?
posted by trig at 2:49 PM on February 5, 2024

SPSS Hardware requirements

I have used Lenovo Thinkpads (used) for years. They are sturdy, pretty easy to repair, business-class (parts are available, design changes are documented, generally better built) workhorses. My current Thinkpad has a touchscreen that I rarely use. If you need and/or really want that capability, the IdeaPad should suffice.
posted by theora55 at 5:42 PM on February 5, 2024 [3 favorites]

Knowing the size of the data sets for SPSS, you won't need a huge machine to deal with it. 16GB is good enough, but if you can afford to get more ram, it's usually a good idea.
posted by advicepig at 9:22 AM on February 6, 2024

I echo what theora55 and advicepig said about thinkpads. I'll add that sometimes lenovo offers steep discounts on otherwise brand new previous year models. Given the rate of change in performance you're not sacrificing much by getting a machine from the last iteration.
posted by roue at 7:36 AM on February 7, 2024