This comprehensive kit includes a demonstration board that uses the MC9S12NE64 on chip EMAC and EPHY to demonstrate typical MC9S12NE64 applications ...
The Memorial Day sales are here, and while we haven't been terribly impressed with most of the tech sales, we found a very nice deal at HP. The PC maker's online storefront has the HP 15t laptop with a Comet Lake Core i7 for $580Remove non-product link. This laptop usually sells for $800. A modern Core i7 doesn't appear in laptops this cheap very often.
The Comet Lake CPU in question is the quad-core, eight thread "Comet Lake" Core i7-10510U with a base frequency of 1.80GHz and a boost clock of 4.9GHz. This isn't one of the gaming-grade Comet Lake H parts we saw roll out in early April, but U-series processors excel at everyday tasks.
Beyond the CPU, this laptop includes a 15.6-inch display with 1366-by-768 resolution, but you can (and probably should) upgrade to 1080p for an additional $50. The 8GB of memory is ideal for a day-to-day laptop like this, while a 128GB M.2 "gumstick" SSD connects via SATA III. It should be plenty fast and responsive, but if you want even faster speeds or a larger capacity, upgrades are available.
You also get a good set of ports, including HDMI 1.4, two standard USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, and 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C port. This laptop is also very portable coming in well under 5 pounds at 3.84lb. For colors, it's your choice of silver or gold.
If you've been pining for Core i7 power but typically only have a Core i5 budget, hop on this deal straight away.
[Today's deal : HP 15t for $580 at HP.Remove non-product link]
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Ian is an independent writer based in Israel who has never met a tech subject he didn't like. He primarily covers Windows, PC and gaming hardware, video and music streaming services, social networks, and browsers. When he's not covering the news he's working on how-to tips for PC users, or tuning his eGPU setup.
Four months after AMD announced SmartShift, we're finally getting a taste of the new technology that will feature in a whole lot of gaming laptops going forward—as well as Sony's PS5 later this year. Today, Dell launched the G5 15 SE, a new laptop equipped with the brand new Ryzen 4000 series CPU and the Radeon RX 5600M GPU, and, for the PS5 nerds, SmartShift.First, let's talk about the G5 itself. Designed to be a sub-$1,000 gaming laptop it's not gonna go toe to toe with Nvidia's latest GPUs or Intel's latest CPUs. Instead it's intended to undercut them while still giving a reasonable boost of speed over the previous generation of Intel and Nvidia products.There are three CPU options ranging from the Ryzen 5 4600H with 6 cores and 12 threads and up to a 4GHz boost, to the Ryzen 7 4800H with 8 cores, 16 threads, and up to a 4.2GHz boost, to the Ryzen 9 4900H with 8 cores 16 threads and up to a 4.4GHz boost. AMD claims its Ryzen 9 4900H is nearly 69 percent faster than the Intel Core i7 9750H in Cinebench R20, 57 percent faster in AMD's 7zip benchmark, and 30 percent faster in Fire Strike. With a big speed boast like that it could be quite a bit faster than i9-10980HK announced in April too. Though we won't know until we actually test the two in similar laptop designs.As for the GPU, it's packing the Radeon RX 5600M, which is roughly equivalent to Nvidia's RTX 2060. Lucky for AMD, as Nvidia hasn't released a version of its latest GPU, the 2060 Super, for laptops yet. The 5600M is based on the first generation of AMD's RDNA GPU architecture too, and it lacks flashy features like ray tracing.G/O Media may get a commissionAMD also acknowledges the GPU is a little power hungry compared to Nvidia's offering. "What we have in the market right now, it's not the most efficient, honestly, in performance per watt," Frank Azor, AMD's chief architect of gaming solutions, told me over the phone. But it's at least faster than the RTX 2060 in the benchmarks AMD has shared thus far.So, how is the aging GPU holding up so well? Supposedly because of SmartShift.Traditionally, the GPU and CPU are two completely separate components that rely on a computer's BIOS and operating system to communicate with one another. When you get a laptop with Intel and Nvidia inside, the two processors will be separate. If you were to crack open the case and take a peek, you'd see the two parts physically separated on the board. Sometimes, however, the two processors can be on the same chip, or even die. Intel's integrated GPUs, and its i7-8809G, which paired an AMD GPU with an Intel CPU, all function this way.SmartShift is a little different. The CPU and GPU are technically separate, but they're paired together and sharing the same heatsinks. AMD provides guidelines for laptop makers to integrate the technology. "There are little things you have to do here and there to properly architect it," AMD's Azor said. The idea was to have hooks in both the CPU and GPU so that a laptop maker could pair the two together "so that they can communicate with one another very similarly to how they do so within an integrated graphics processor."Azor noted that other companies could do something similar, and they do via software tweaks to the BIOS and drivers in the operating system, or directly on the silicon. However, "it requires an enormous amount of collaboration many, many years ago for two separate companies to be able to do that," he said.All the back-and-forth communication between the CPU and GPU can add costly power draws and thermal demands—particularly as the communication has to travel through the silicon, BIOS, OS, and any additional applications and drivers. "The way SmartShift works is all of that happens in real-time within 2ms constantly between the silicon," said Azor. "The OS doesn't know or care what's going one, and there's no whitelist. It is not application-specific. It's just very smart at understanding what kind of a workload is being processed at any given time."Ultimately, the CPU and GPU can be a whole lot more efficient. And because they're being more efficient, they're going to create less heat, which means they can operate more powerfully for longer than a non-SmartShift pairing. While Azor wouldn't speak to the performance gains in upcoming products (including the PS5), he did note that in the Dell G5 SmartShift resulted in up to a 14-percent boost in performance. That would make it a lot more difficult to say the PS5 is just a PC with Sony's PlayStation operating system tacked on, despite the PC-like specs. The PS5 is using upcoming AMD CPUs and GPUs while relying on the same architecture found in its PC products. You could theoretically build something just as powerful as the PS5 yourself given the time and money. Only SmartShift is exclusive to laptops and devices like the PS5. So that 14-percent performance boost won't be found in any PC you built out of AMD parts.It also means any discussions of performance as compared to traditional PC gaming desktops are going to be a lot more complicated.The G5 only came out today (we'll be reviewing it shortly), so we won't know just how efficient SmartShift is, or what a potential boon it could be for the next generation of consoles until more testing occurs. What we do know is that SmartShift is part of AMD's long-term plan. Azor repeatedly emphasized to me that performance would be AMD's primary focus in the years ahead and that SmartShift would be a big part of that. "We haven't announced any of the other products yet. And you're not going to see very many of them in 2020," Azor said. "A lot of them will come next year. But you can expect all shapes, all sizes, all colors, all flavors, all performance level, all price points." The challenge will be getting more companies than Dell and Sony (and presumably Microsoft in its Xbox One Series X) to adopt SmartShift. But if AMD and Azor's boasts hold true, it could be a pretty big no-brainer for laptop makers.As always, if you know more about AMD's SmartShift plans or how they'll be implemented in future products, including the PS5 and Xbox One Series X, you can hit me up at alex.cranz@gizmodo.com, alex.cranz@protonmail.com, or reach out for my Signal number.
Introducing the Best Gaming Laptop in its Class: The Dell G5 15 SE
A spokesperson for the Imperial College Covid-19 Response Team said: "The UK Government has never relied on a single disease model to inform decision-making. As has been repeatedly stated, decision-making around lockdown was based on a consensus view of the scientific evidence, including several modelling studies by different academic groups."
"We are working with a number of legitimate academic groups and technology companies to develop, test and further document the simulation code referred to. However, we reject the partisan reviews of a few clearly ideologically motivated commentators."
On a separate issue, campaigners have raised concerns about both state sponsored tracing apps and a mooted rival jointly being researched by big tech firms Apple and Google. But Dame Wendy said the two did not compare and that, at least in the UK, she found it "really amazing that people will trust the tech firms more than they will their own government."
"It doesn't make sense to me," she said. "We'll have much more chance of scrutinising NHSx code than we will of scrutinising the code in the Apple Operating System. We should hold the government to account on this, but some people seem perfectly happy to trust Google and Apple – and they know more about us than any government ever.
"They know everything about us. They will be able to put our contact tracing data together with everything else [they know about us]. I think that's much more worrying to be honest."
Kennesaw, GA - Computers R Us, a top-rated computer repair service provider in Kennesaw, GA has announced the re-opening of its business. The re-opening comes after their business was closed temporarily in line with the government's directive as part of the measures put in place to limit the spread of the global pandemic caused by the coronavirus.
Announcing the re-opening of their business to meet the needs of members of the Kennesaw, GA community, the computer repair service providers noted that their shop will be open as of Wednesday, April 22, 2020. Added to their re-opening, their computer repair team will be putting in place measures to ensure the safety of members of the community, as well as their company's staff.
In line with their aim to keep both its employees and clients safe and free from the novel coronavirus, Computers R Us has noted that their company will be open, but with reduced hours of operation. Clients who are interested in getting their devices repaired are also encouraged to contact them before visiting.
The Kennesaw Computer, Laptop and Phone Repair store will also be following All CDC Guidelines in line with its number one priority, which is to keep clients and employees safe and healthy at all times. Their store will be sanitized often and employees, as well as clients, will be encouraged to practice social distancing, as their team is excited to see and attend to their customer's needs.
The Top Rated Mobile Device and Computer Repair Service in Kennesaw, GA will be offering its usual repair services to the members of the Kennesaw, GA and surrounding areas. Clients can come in for all of their computer and phone repair services including repairs and replacements of built-in cameras, button repairs and replacements, repairs and replacements of charging ports, virus removal, software and OS installs, upgrades and downgrades, headphone jack repairs, cracked screen repairs and replacements, speaker repairs, battery replacements and more.
Small businesses that are in need of IT support services can also reach out to the team at Computers R Us to get their needs met. Their team will be ready to come to businesses who are in need of on-site services for computer tune-ups, repairs, laptop repairs, virus removal services, and more.
Computers R Us is located at 3600 Cherokee Street Northwest Suite #104, Kennesaw, GA 30144. To book an appointment, contact their team via phone at 678-851-9926 or via email at computersRusatl@gmail.com. For additional information regarding their services, visit their company's website: https://www.computersrusatlanta.com/.
Media ContactCompany Name: Computers R UsContact Person: Damien DaigleEmail: Send EmailPhone: (678) 851-9926Address:3600 Cherokee Street Northwest Suite #104 City: KennesawState: GACountry: United StatesWebsite: https://www.computersrusatlanta.com/
Chromebook Restoration and Exploration - Krazy Ken's Tech Misadventures
A non-profit organisation in Dubai has taken on the task of helping children from lower income backgrounds by giving them free laptops.
The aim of the initiative is to help pupils be a part of online education in place due to school closures amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The Pakistan Association Dubai launched the 'Tech Drive' campaign on May 9 after 100 needy families requested for electronic devices as their children were cut off from schools.
The campaign has helped 75 families in the emirate by donating free laptops to help pupils stay connected with their teachers and peers as they continue with the online programme.
Laptops or iPads have become essential education tools since remote learning was introduced nationwide in March.
Many families in the country did not have access to computers, which is crucial to facilitating online education.
The Rehman family in Dubai, for example, shared one laptop among three children as they struggled to attend all of their virtual classes.
"All of my three daughters were really behind their studies because they were using this very old laptop that we have and my mobile phone to check their emails and talk to their teachers. We had to choose who would get to attend their online class," said Kiran Rehman, who is a Pakistani homemaker.
Her husband earns Dh7,000 as an accountant in a construction firm. She said they were already struggling with house rent and other payments and could not afford to spend more.
Her daughters, aged eight to 14, attend the Pakistan Education Academy and had to skip several online lessons.
"We have received two laptops and that has really helped us," Ms Rehman told The National.
"My daughters have their own devices now and they can attend all of their online classes. It's a huge relief."
The Sarmad family in Dubai is another beneficiary of the campaign and have received laptops for her two children.
Salaar bin Sarmad, 13 and Saif bin Sarmad, 11, had to use their mother's mobile phone to communicate with their teachers.
"We didn't have a laptop, desktop or an iPad," said Arshia Sarmad, the Pakistani mother of the two boys.
"It was almost like their education had completely stopped because they didn't really have proper online access to their teachers or studies."
Ms Sarmad's husband earns Dh5,000 monthly as an instructor at a driving school but is on unpaid leave now.
Buying a new electronic device was "impossible" for them as they struggled with outstanding payments on house rent for their one-bedroom apartment in International City and school fees.
"We are grateful for receiving these laptops," said Ms Sarmad.
Education authorities, banks and other non-profit groups have also run similar campaigns in the past months to ensure pupils from low-income families have access to online learning tools.
With its limited stock of devices, Dar Al Ber Society, a charitable organisation, has assisted families in need.
The charity encourages residents to donate their electronic devices to help learners who may not have the money to buy gadgets.
Sandooq Al Watan, a national initiative, announced on May 5 will distribute 10,000 laptops to school and university students.
First Abu Dhabi Bank partnered with the UAE Ministry of Education and will provide laptops worth Dh5 million to pupils nationwide.
Emirates NBD and Emirates Islamic also pledged Dh4 million to support the ministry's distance learning programme.
Updated: May 18, 2020 03:14 PM
DUBAI के पास इतना पैसा कहाँ से आया | महा मोटिवेशन | Case Study | Dr Vivek Bindra
Laptops have all but overtaken desktops as part of our daily life and work routine. While it's true that most things can be done on your phone, the rest of it can probably be done on your computer. Whether you're watching movies, working, or learning, a laptop is essential for success.
When choosing a laptop, there is a lot that can influence your decision. Some of the main challenges often revolve around pricing. Trying to get a reasonable number of features for a good price is often the top consideration for any purchase, but this is especially true for students.
The good news is that while not all inexpensive laptops are adequate, there are many promising options that may suit your needs.
Whether you desperately need to replace a laptop or are simply shopping around just in case, check out our selections for the best laptops under $500.
The HP 14 is one of the new laptops of 2020 and is among the best in our best laptop under $500 list. The laptop comes equipped with the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U 2.6 GHz, which features great performance for everything you do.
The laptop features a 14-inch screen with diagonal HD SVA Brightview micro-edge with a WLED backlit display. This reduces the strain on your eyes. The 12 GB solid-state drive gives you a good amount of memory to handle most typical data storage. Meanwhile, the 4GB of DDR4 RAM features multitasking that offers plenty of storage space without slowing you down.
The laptop offers long battery life and is designed for portability. The laptop is lightweight with a micro-edge display and ultra-narrow bezel so that you can take your laptop no matter where you go.
As a brand-new laptop, the HP 14 comes equipped with Windows 10 in S mode, which allows you to boot up faster and increases responsiveness, optimized speed. And added protection against malicious software. The computer also offers the latest in AMD graphics for wonderful imagery regardless of whether you are studying or enjoying a movie.
Regardless of whether you need a laptop for work, school, or occasional watching fun, the HP 14 is a great call.
Read More Key Features
12.76 x 8.89 x 0.78"
Silver
1 multi-format SD media card reader
Specifications
Screen Size: 14.0-inch
Memory: 4GB DDR4 RAM
Battery Life: 3-cell. 41 Wh Li-ion
Operating System: Windows 10 Home in S mode
Brand: HP
Pros
Lightweight
Great performance
Large-letter keyboard comfortable to use
Cons
Keyboard sometimes doesn't work properly
The new Dell Inspiron i3583 offers a 15.6 HD touch screen a Dual Core, four-way processor, and an 8 GB DDR4 system memory, making it a great contender for the best laptop under $500.
The screen is equipped with LED backlight and provides 1366 x 768 HD resolution to provide amazing and entertaining images with an Intel UHD Graphics 620. If great visual quality is important, this laptop is definitely worth your consideration.
The Dell Inspiron i3583 weighs about 4.41 lbs, and measures in at 0.8 inches, making it portable and sleek. Traveling with this laptop for work or school is easy. However, you can also enjoy the laptop from your own abode for work-from-home and homeschooling.
This laptop also features an HDMI output for larger presentations and supports SD memory card formats for classwork. You'll also find a wireless-AC as well as a built-in HD webcam that is perfect for remote work and learning.
The Dell Inspiron i3583 comes with Windows in S mode and a 30-day Microsoft Office trial. The Windows S is an updated version and, while some people like it, others prefer older Windows versions for their simplicity and ability to download various apps. Fortunately, most Windows S-equipped laptops can be converted into later versions, so you do have options.
Read More Key Features
Intel i3-8145U, Dual Core processor
30-days trial of Microsoft Office
HDMI Output
Specifications
Screen Size: 15.6"
Memory: 8 GB
Battery Life: 5-7 hours
Operating System: Windows 10
Brand: Dell
Pros
Touch screen
Works fast
Light and easy to carry
Cons
Have to take out of S mode and download Microsoft Powerpoitn and Word if you need them for school
Difficult to master for older generations
If you are a student, you are definitely looking for the best value for a reasonable price. After all, modern student budgets are nowhere near extravagant. Fortunately, there are still great options for laptops that offer you plenty of features to accomplish your school-based needs.
The Lenovo 100E Chromebook is a second-generation laptop that offers 4GB LPDDR3 RAM and 16GB eMMC TLC SSD, which are enough to meet the needs of most school-based programs.
Unless you are in a particular program that requires specific software installation, in which case your teachers and classmates can give you a guide on minimal memory size required for your needs, the Lenovo 100E is great for fulfilling school needs.
The Lenovo 100E Chromebook is light, weighing only 2.7 lbs., and portable. You can get up to ten hours of battery life, though this varies depending on how much you are running, as it does with most laptops.
This contender for best laptop under $500 also features a 720 HD camera and an 11.6-inch screen with a decent display. This also comes with the ability to integrate with your Google ID, so you don't miss a beat as you switch over from your old laptop.
Read More Key Features
MediaTek MT8173C Processor
Powervr GX6250
81QB000AUS
Specifications
Screen Size: 11.6 in
Memory: 16 GB
Battery Life: 10 hrs
Operating System: Chrome OS
Brand: Lenovo
Pros
Durable yet portable
Student friendly design
HD screen with antiglare technology
Cons
Not great for gaming
Speakers aren't the best
If you're looking for a great, reliable laptop, why not check out 2019 models? After all, a model that's just slightly older has been long enough to garner reviews but is still "fresh" enough to keep up with most of the latest trends in software and applications.
The HP 2019 14-inch Laptop offers an Intel Core i3 processor and 8 GB of memory. The display is set to maintain the image quality of your favorite videos and images with a 1366x768 resolution and a WLED backlight that helps further improve image quality.
The HP 2019 features great processing performance for great computing capability. This means that you'll be able to run most regular programs and sites including your favorite Microsoft software.
While the 8 GB of RAM isn't all that much, it does give you enough space for plenty of apps and the 12 GB SSD offers less shortage of space than a hard drive. While the storage isn't as vast as on a more expensive laptop, it still gives you plenty of space general needs.
With its light-weight structure and great capabilities, the HP 2019 is a great, inexpensive, laptop for casual use, school, and work. Unless you have a specific minimum memory or processing requirement, this is a great laptop to consider.
Read More Key Features
7th Gen Intel Core i3-7100U mobile Processor
128GB Solid State Drive
Wled backlight
Specifications
Screen Size: 14 in
Memory: 8 GB
Battery Life: 5-6 hours
Operating System: Windows 10
Brand: HP
Pros
Don't have to deal with Windows S
Supports graphics
Light and portable
Cons
Battery life is variable
No optical drive
With working and learning from home becoming increasingly common, having a reliable laptop at home only makes sense. However, you also want a laptop that can give you plenty of flexibility no matter what the future will bring. The best laptop under $500 will be able to handle your existing workload while also allowing you to take your work on-the-go as needed.
Depending on what exactly you'll want to do with your laptop, the Lenovo Ideapad S145 can be a great choice. With a 15.5-inch screen that features an HD display and Intel UHD Graphics, this laptop is going to give you great graphics for most jobs and for most school programs.
The Lenovo Ideapad S145 also comes with a 1.8 GHz Processor and 4GB of storage. While the storage isn't a whole lot, it's enough to run basic apps and you can also rely on online storage to supplement.
The laptop also features 802.11 AC WiFi, Bluetooth, and HDMI capabilities, to help you connect at work, school and home. Don't want to stay constantly plugged in? No problem! The Lenovo Ideapad S145 also features 6 hours of battery life, so you can take your laptop wherever you like.
Read More Key Features
Intel UHD graphics
Dolby audio
128GB solid state drive
Specifications
Screen Size: 15.6-inch
Memory: 4 GB
Battery Life: Up to 6 Hours
Operating System: Windows 10 Home
Brand: Lenovo
Pros
Easy to carry
Works for most basic school and work needs
No need to deal with Windows S
Cons
Requires Microsoft purchses
Battery life variable
When it comes to choosing an inexpensive laptop, most users are suspicious of refurbished models. However, finding a good refurbished or renewed model that is also backed by the promise of a reliable seller is worth consideration. The Acer Swift 1, renewed, offers you the benefits of a brand-new 2020 Acer version at a lowered price.
Amazon-renewed laptops are guaranteed to have been inspected by Amazon-qualified suppliers and promise a product that has minimal scratches and, or, dents, and a battery life of at least 80% capacity. This laptop is also promised to be fully functional carries an Amazon-backed warranty; the eligible for a replacement or refund for within 90 days of when you receive the product.
The Acer Swift 1 offers a 14-inch laptop screen with a diagonal FHD SVA BrightView Micro-Edge that is backlit with LED to give you a 1920x1080 resolution display. With a high-quality display and the Intel UHD Graphics 605 card, you are sure to get good image quality.
This renewed version of Acer Swift 1 also offers an Intel Pentium N5000 and a battery life of up to 15 hours, which is better than even some of the brand new laptop models.
This laptop is also upgraded with a 64 GB eMMC, which provides a massive amount of storage space for the price and allows you to store important digital data and large files.
Read More Key Features
Intel Pentium N5000
64GB eMMC
NexiGo 32GB MicroSD Card
Specifications
Screen Size: 14 in
Memory: 4GB
Battery Life: 15 hours battery life
Operating System: Windows 10 S
Brand: Acer
Pros
90-day guarantee
Ok for basic gaming
Great for students
Cons
Product is not actually new
Not many reviews available
If you need a laptop for school or work, your best laptop under $500 is going to have to be portable, right? After all, you don't want to be losing space to a bulky device or lugging too much weight in your bag. If you want a laptop that supports most basic features while also offering portability, consider the Asus 14 inch Premium Laptop computer.
The Asus Premium Laptop offers a 14-inch HD Widespread screen with LED display and 1366x768 resolution offers great imagery for your viewing pleasure and an AMD Dual Core A6-9225 Processor for good run speed and function.
The laptop comes equipped with ports for a USB 3.1 Type-C, a USB 3.0, a USB 3.1, HDMI, and VGA connection capabilities to help accommodate most compatibility needs.
The Asus Premium Laptop comes highly recommended as the best laptop under $500 for daily use from reviewers as well. The laptop supports office software, runs smoothly, and is responsive. The 14-inch screen size seems small but actually large enough for most users. After all, many of us have been forced to adapt to the tiny screens of our phones.
Whether you're planning on using this laptop at home, or for basic work and school needs, the Asus Premium Laptop is definitely worth your consideration.
Read More Key Features
240GB Solid State Drive
Bluetooth
USB 3.1 Type-C and HDMI ports
Specifications
Screen Size: 14 in
Memory: 4 GB
Battery Life: 10-12 hours
Operating System: Windows 10
Brand: Asus
Pros
Great for work and regular use
Awesome customer service
Light and portable
Cons
A little noisy
Can run a little slow for school work
If you are planning to take a computer to work or school, you know it has to be compact. However, what you may miss in your initial search is a laptop that is durable. After all, no one is immune to accidents, so having a laptop that is both light-weight and able to take a few bumps is definitely ideal for the best laptop under $500. Fortunately, the HP ProBook x360 offers both durability and ease of portability.
The HP ProBook x360 is equipped with 4 GB DRR SDRAM and a 128 GB solid state drive, which gives you enough to run the programs you need without suffering speed loss. While the memory isn't particularly impressive, it definitely gives you enough for the basics.
The HP ProBook x360 also offers 11 hours of battery life, which is plenty if you decide to take your laptop on the road or for a study session.
The 11.6-inch screen HD touchscreen offers a 1366x768 resolution display with a 2-in1 design that allows you to use the HP ProBook x360 as either a laptop or a tablet. You also have a great camera at your disposal for online meetings for conference calls with friends. The HP ProBook x360 also includes two USB ports, a USB Type-C port, a headphones/microphone port, and an HDMI port.
Read More Key Features
128GB SSD
Bluetooth and HDMI port
Touchscreen display
Specifications
Screen Size: 11.6-inch
Memory: 4 GB
Battery Life: 11 hours
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
Brand: HP
Pros
Water resistant keyboard
Dual speakers
Fast and compact
Cons
Limited storage
Screen may be small for some activities
If your ideal environment is far from the office, or if being able to work and study from anywhere is your main priority, having an ultra-portable laptop is ideal. The ASYS VivoBook L203MA laptop is ultra-thin, as it weighs only 2.2 lbs and is equipped with 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM and 64 GB em Flash storage.
This small but mighty laptop runs on an Intel Celeron N4000 Processor, which features a 4M Cache and can handle up to 2.6 GHz. This allows the ASYS VivoBook L203MA to perform most of your favorite laptop functions quickly and efficiently without weighing you down.
As a bonus, the ASYS VivoBook L203MA comes with one year of Microsoft Office 365, which means that you don't have to pay for Word, PowerPoint, and other favorite apps.
The ASYS VivoBook L203MA does come equipped with Windows S, which can be changed to Windows 10 at no cost. The downside of Windows S is that you're limited to the apps you can buy in-store versus being free to download. While some do like Windows S, changing to Windows 10 is easy and you can definitely install your favorite not-in-store-apps once you make the switch.
Read More Key Features
64GB eMMC
Microsoft Office 365
64GB em flash storage
Specifications
Screen Size: 11.6 inches
Memory: 4 GB
Battery Life: 1 day
Operating System: Windows 10 S
Brand: Asus
Pros
Great laptop for casual use
Supports most basic software
Thin and portable
Cons
Not great for gamers
Not good for complex software
When, and if, you start thinking about brands for the best laptop under $500, you are probably thinking of HP or Dell. While these brands are great, there are also newer brands that are vying for customers and some have managed to produce high-quality laptops that consumers love.
The Jumper EZbook X3 is a Windows 10-based Laptop that offers a 13.3-inch HD IPS screen with 1920x1080 resolution for great image quality while you are browsing the web or enjoying your favorite video games. A camera is included for video capability, or for capturing quality images.
This laptop is very thin and perfect for daily work for busy students, stay-at-home employees, and commuters alike. While the Jumper EZbook X3 is very portable, it also offers the same reliability as heavier models with an N3350 Dual Core processor for smooth operation and multitasking capabilities as well as 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of ROM with an added 6GB of DDR for editing photos and videos.
Jumper also offers a 12-month warranty on their laptops for up to one year after purchase. Between a great price and solid features, this laptop can function as either a primary or a portable backup.
Read More Key Features
Intel N3350
Supports up to 128GB TF card expansion
1920x1080 resolution
Specifications
Screen Size: 13.3 in
Memory: 64 GB; 6 GB RAM
Battery Life: 6 hrs
Operating System: Windows 10
Brand: Jumper
Pros
Sleek and stylish
12-month warranty
Good performance
Cons
Can be slow
Screen has some issues
When looking for the best laptop under $500, there is definitely a lot to consider. Here are just a few things to consider and keep in mind when searching.
A Laptop's Purpose
Is this a laptop you'll be using for entertainment and occasional emails, or is this something you'll need for school? Depending on your answer, you may have different minimum requirements for your laptop.
Memory
When you look at different laptop prices, the differences often lie in computer memory capabilities. While most basic laptops give you 2-6 GB of RAM, others will give you as much as 24 GB of RAM. The RAM varies by brand and, of course, with pricing.
If you're not familiar with the concept of computer memory capacity, you may think that more is better. However, this is not always true, as many less expensive laptops and tablets run well on about 6-8 GB of memory. Opting for high RAM is a bit of overkill unless you know that you'll be running a high-requirements program. For instance, if you're looking to build a laptop that can run complex gaming software, higher RAM is recommended.
Image Quality
While most modern laptops are going to give you great image quality, some are definitely better than others. Your image quality will depend on your needs. For instance, if you are simply looking at notes or checking work emails, image quality may not be of great significance. However, if you plan on editing photos or designing images on your laptop, image quality is something to check.
If in doubt, you'll want to look at resolution and display capabilities for images. Further, you can always attempt to find an image with a similar setting and check to see whether you notice a difference in the image quality.
Portability
A laptop is meant to be portable. However, some laptop models are definitely more portable than others. If traveling with your laptop is a priority, look at weight and dimensions to gauge how easy, or difficult, it will be to bring your laptop along.
Eyestrain Protection
Some of the newest laptops offer protection from eyestrain in the form of blue light blockers and other defenses. If you're spending a lot of time on the computer, eyestrain protection is definitely something to consider. Another option is to talk to your optometrists about lenses for your glasses that block blue light from your computer.
Warranties
Many good laptops come with warranties. A warranty offered by the manufacturing company can put your mind at ease and help ensure that you have back up in case of trouble with your computer.
Durability
This is especially a consideration for travelers and students; after all, if you will be carrying your laptop, you want it to be able to withstand a few bumps.
These are just a few factors to consider when determining which laptop is best for you, albeit within your budget.
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Dell introduced two new laptops this week that come in packaging made from sustainably-sourced materials. The electronics company says the entire box for its XPS laptops can go into a residential recycling bin.
The redesigned XPS 15, new XPS 17, XPS 13, and XPS 13 2-in-1 laptops are packaged in a molded tray made from 25% recycled ocean-bound plastics and locally recycled plastic, according to Dell. In addition, the company eliminated foam and single-use plastic bags — drop-in-the-box accessories come unwrapped.
An outer shipping box for the laptop line is made from 100% recyclable cardboard corrugate, Dell said. "You can toss the entire XPS box in the recycling bin without thinking twice since it contains recycled ocean-bound plastics, locally recycled plastic, sustainable materials, and recycled corrugate," the company told consumers.
This effort supports Dell's "moonshot" goal of using 100% sustainable packaging by 2030, meaning packaging made from recycled or renewable materials. The company reports that, since 2012, it has used more than 100 million pounds of sustainable materials in Dell products.
Currently an estimated 85% of packaging material is made from recycled or renewable content, Dell said. The company says that it expects this estimate to be refined over time because part of their pursuit of a circular economy involves creating better data tools across the value chain that capture lifecycle data. That data should help drive more informed decisions.
"With our many global recycling services and our use of recycled-content plastics, we are on the proper path and we will continue to expand these initiatives," the computer technology company said. "Ultimate success will require ingenuity, further research and development, and continued strong partnerships with our suppliers, academia, and the nonprofit community."
