I'm looking for a laptop that mixes performance, moderate graphics and a fair weight; all at a price point of $500. I could go higher or lower depending on build quality and specs, but that's the target range I'm looking for. I plan on using it for writing and the occasional indie game. I've got a gaming rig I built last year, and I'll be upgrading it this month, hence my budget. I'm fine with buying used, as I'll be stripping it of whatever OS it has and installing the newest version of Ubuntu it can handle and also upgrading memory and adding a solid state drive if possible. So ebay is definitely a viable option. I've decided to get into writing (journalism, novella's, etc.) and I need a notebook that will allow me ease of use and the options i'm looking for. Sorry if this is more of a ramble than a question, I've come off of a 12 hour night shift and I'm quite tired. Thanks ahead of time for your help! (now, hopefully, you're obligated)
Has an i7, 8 gb of RAM, 750 gb hard drive, Only thing it is missing is a SSD but like you said you'll be upgrading. As far as build quality goes it feels sturdy and doesn't flex much at all. Backlit keyboard. The product I recieved showed no signs of being refurbished and I was overall very happy with it.
Cheers
EDIT: You would probably be able to find one on ebay for around 500, I'm just usually scared to buy electronics off of there lol
That is actually right up my alley. I love NewEgg and I was actually looking at the same laptop, but one step down. So that confirms my suspisions that this is in fact the probable choice. However, I'd still love to hear anyone else's thoughts. I looked at a few thinkpads as well, but I've not heard anything of them for ages. Are they still viable?