Member Avatar for swissknife007

I am planning to buy a new laptop within a budget of 700 $.
I am going to use it for mainly programming purposes so I don't really care for graphic card etc.
I am looking for the following features:-
i5 processor
200 GB + HD
4GB + RAM

I am not really concerned with the other features.
Also would these specifications suffice for programming purposes ?
Are these specifications too much for my purpose?
Would you advise purchasing a Toshiba /Dell/HP laptop?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by sheikhali449

Dani AI

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A concise buying note for that draws on the thread responses (especially , and ) and fills gaps most replies didn’t cover.

An i5 + 4GB + ~200GB HDD is a sensible baseline for general programming (compilers and IDEs). However, real-world responsiveness and future-proofing come less from raw CPU model and more from RAM and disk I/O. For practical use: 4GB is a minimum; 8GB is strongly recommended if using modern IDEs, multiple browser tabs, build tools or running virtual machines/containers. An SSD (even 128–256GB) gives far more perceived speed than upgrading the CPU — faster boots, faster builds, and snappier editor performance.

A short checklist when comparing models:

  • Confirm RAM upgradeability (number of slots and maximum supported). Two matched sticks (dual-channel) are preferable to a single stick.
  • Prefer a replaceable 2.5" or M.2 slot so an SSD can be added later.
  • Choose a comfortable keyboard and reliable trackpad — important for long coding sessions (this addresses ’s keyboard point).
  • Prioritize battery life and service/warranty if mobility matters.
  • For heavy multitasking or VM use, target 8–16GB RAM and a quad-core if budget permits.
  • If planning Linux, verify hardware compatibility and driver support beforehand (as suggested).

Brand advice in the thread is mixed. Rather than a single make, favor business-oriented lines (ThinkPad, Latitude, EliteBook) or recent-generation consumer models with user-upgradeable parts — they typically offer better keyboards and easier upgrades than cheap sealed notebooks. With a $700 budget, consider lightly used or refurbished business models to get better build quality and upgrade paths while staying within budget.

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Member Avatar for jingda

I am planning to buy a new laptop within a budget of 700 $.
I am going to use it for mainly programming purposes so I don't really care for graphic card etc.
I am looking for the following features:-
i5 processor
200 GB + HD
4GB + RAM

I am not really concerned with the other features.
Also would these specifications suffice for programming purposes ?
Are these specifications too much for my purpose?
Would you advise purchasing a Toshiba /Dell/HP laptop?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

I would choose Dell among the three brand you mentioned. The specs are a bit low looking at how technology is nowadays but it should suit your purpose well.

Member Avatar for rubberman

Do you plan on running Linux on this machine? If so, check out www.zareason.com. With 2.3GHz i5 processor, their Alto unit will set you back $798 USD. The Dell Inspirion 14r at $649 (currently) w/ 2.4GHz i5, 500GB disc, and 6GB of RAM is more for the $$. But then, ZaReason is a small company in the San Francisco / Berkeley California area, and don't have the volumes that Dell does, hence their costs are higher. However, their quality is great, their people give you personal attention, and I do like to support "the little guy" (or woman in this case - their owner/president is Cathy Malmrose). So, if you are going to run Windows on the system, go with Dell. If Linux, go with ZaReason - all their hardware comes pre-installed with Linux (a number of versions available, as well as BSD), and all hardware (audio, cameras, wifi, etc) are guaranteed to work out-of-the-box.

Edited by rubberman because: n/a
Member Avatar for nicolasmith501

dell is better for all purposes

Member Avatar for godflea

Well, I can say that Dell's keyboard quality is awful these days. Also they have made some changable panels, which are actually useless.

I won't recommend you a specific model, because there are a lot of promotions and deals on every local store, but I would like to recommend you taking a look at HP and Lenovo. With a tight budget, at the moment these are the best brands.

Also, currently I am using Sony Vaio and it is more than great, but it is more expensive.

Good luck!

Member Avatar for oliversmash

Last week i bought a notebook from penta... It was amazing. U can visit their site look for ur notebook..:icon_lol:

Member Avatar for sheikhali449

well go for a Compaq brand as it is not costly in the required specs

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