Looking for a laptop

Looking for a laptop to start off college. I plan to wipe it and run Linux so bloat-ware isn't an issue, I'd like it to be Less than $750 USD. I don't need anything crazy, I have a plenty powerful desktop for that any suggestions are welcome including waiting for ryzen based laptops ;). I start in August but would like to have it by July. Thanks in advance.

So besides the basics what do you need it to do?

becuase if it's literally for only school stuff you could probably buy a 300$ laptop. so what extra does it have to do?

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Why not just buy the cheapest thing you can put your own SSD in and call it good?

I was just thinking the same.

Plus it's college so buy something that you don't mind spilling beer on or being stolen.

What screen size are you looking at?

Buy an early macbook for 20 bucks and wipe it.

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I would like it to have first and foremost good build quality I have some bad experiences with cheapo laptops as well as good battery life and I will be doing some light to moderate programming (as I am a Software Engineering major). but other than that I don't need much more than the basics.

medium to large

That kind of screams 300-400$ laptop with an extended battery to me.

I really do have to drive home the point of make sure you buy one that you don't mind ruining. If your 300$ laptop gets stolen or dropped , not too bad. if your 750$ aluminum laptop gets stolen or dropped , much worse. I kept an hp mini 110 alive for 7 years even though it was just an all plastic netbook. It was a 230$ netbook when new. Super cheap but stayed together fine even though it was plastic. All I'm saying is dont get too caught up too much in the material it's made out of. as in don't spend an extra few hundred for ones that's aluminum or something.

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any recommendations within that price category? I don't know laptops that well I'm a pretty dedicated desktop guy...

I'm not kidding here get an old ass macbook, like 2009 white one with a 9600 in it, replace the battery, max the ram (8 GB), get an SSD, you're good. Or get an 07 one and do that. I wouldn't do an 06 unless you don't mind Core Duo VS Core 2 Duo.

For doing generic school shit it will be more than enough.

http://www.macofalltrades.com/Refurbished-Used-Apple-MacBooks-s/301.htm

You can buy batteries and ram for fucking nothing. I'd get a Lumsing battery though if you want a recommendation, but these ones are pretty ok too.

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I'd prefer a bit more horsepower than a core 2 duo I will be doing some moderate code compiling and I would prefer to steer clear of apple (I have strong bias against them...)

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I hate to self advertise but I have a laptop for sale on the forum if you are fine with used. If not that is completely fine.
I used it mmainly for my C++ class but just ran Windows and visual studio. Not entirely sure how nicely the board will play with linux either so that is something else to consider.

I would but I won't be buying till around may as it is my graduation present from my parents...

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Ahh. Perhaps you could find some i5 HQ processors laptop. I am not sure when Kabylake variants will be out but my current 6300HQ does great compiling. I would recommend that over a dualcore hyperthreaded/not HT.

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they already are.

If you want new + horsepower

If you dont mind refurbed this is a lot of laptop for the money

The problem I have with this post is you're shopping for a laptop now when you wont get it until may. Things change quickly in the used/refurb market, you can probably get a lot of laptop for not much money if you're ok with one thats had its cherry popped. You also kinda said it yourself already.

Intel is going to be hurting if ryzen makes it to laptops with the same price/performance numbers they are putting up. which means you could snatch up a well spec'd intel (or just go AMD since support in linux is better anyway) for much less when that happens.

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I was referring to laptop HQ or HK processors not the mobile U processors for Kabylake.
Asuming the naming convention would be the same the i7 6700HQ would be skylake as the i7 7700HQ would be to kabylake.

Ah, yeah I missed that part.

They aren't that bad. I do code stuff on mine its not too bad. But whatever lol.

Might be able to find a Lenovo Y40-70 for stupid cheap on craigslist, I got one for 100 bucks.