# Laptop Question and Price Difference **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 4, 2021, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-question-and-price-difference/950077 "2021-09-04T01:42:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-question-and-price-difference/950077/41 "2021-09-08T04:39:19Z")
I’ll go with 16/528…stick with Intel? 20 years ago the thought was that AMD was shit. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-question-and-price-difference/950077/42 "2021-09-08T09:48:47Z")
No longer the case. The AMD Ryzen processors are at least as good as the comparable Intel CPU. > **[AMD vs Intel: Which CPUs Are Better in 2022?](https://www.tomshardware.com/features/amd-vs-intel-cpus)** > > We put AMD vs Intel in a battle of processor prowess. ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-question-and-price-difference/950077/43 "2021-09-08T16:36:25Z")
> [@Wolf333](#): > > However, you can switch out of S Mode for free. Note that AIUI this is a one-way thing. You can’t switch back. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-question-and-price-difference/950077/44 "2021-09-08T18:13:52Z")
> [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > OneDrive provides both version history and [Ransomware Protection](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/ransomware-detection-and-recovering-your-files-0d90ec50-6bfd-40f4-acc7-b8c12c73637f) > [@UltraVires](#): > > So should I have off site backup? Is @md-2000 right or does OneDrive do the job? Thanks. It looks like MS has adapted to the times. The important thing to remember is that if a device/location is writeable and connected, there’s a good chance the virus will scramble it. Microsoft appears to be keeping some historical copies of all your data and will preserve them if it detects a virus attack. The point with a laptop is that there is a need - sometimes - to work away from the network and central server, and sometimes offline, so a decent sized drive is desirable. But yes, 256GB is HUGE and unless you need VM’s, very large databases, reams of photos, etc. anything too big is overkill. It’s only been a few years that more than 256GB was normal for a regular HDD. For desktop workstations, yes, you don’t want or need large drives if there is a central server for data. Often, the workstations are not backed up, but the server is, so data kept local on the workstation is at risk of loss or (accidental) erasure. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-question-and-price-difference/950077/45 "2021-10-19T00:41:39Z")
Updating: So what do you all think of this one? Gimme the good, bad, and ugly: > **[Amazon.com: HP 15t-dw HD 11th Gen Home & Business IPS Laptop (Intel...](https://www.amazon.com/HP-Business-i7-1165G7-1366x768-Bluetooth/dp/B09KY2P5CG)** > > Amazon.com: HP 15t-dw HD 11th Gen Home & Business IPS Laptop (Intel i7-1165G7 4-Core, 16GB RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD, Intel Iris Xe, 15.6" Touch HD (1366x768), WiFi, Bluetooth, Webcam, Win 10 Pro) with Hub : Electronics ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-question-and-price-difference/950077/46 "2021-10-19T09:49:07Z")
So the specs look good, but it is a bit of a frankenlaptop as it’s been upgraded by the seller and may or may not have an HP warranty. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-question-and-price-difference/950077/47 "2021-10-19T13:46:02Z")
It says it has a 1 year HP warranty. Is that bad that they have popped it open to upgrade the RAM and HDD? ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-question-and-price-difference/950077/48 "2021-10-19T16:57:49Z")
My concern is that it is a grey market import and only covered by the seller’s warranty and not HP. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-question-and-price-difference/950077/49 "2021-10-19T18:54:38Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Updating: So what do you all think of this one? Gimme the good, bad, and ugly: > > [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094QS9T2F/?coliid=I1WJI2OWSP67JT&colid=1RRD2DR3V5KGH&ref\_=lv\_ov\_lig\_dp\_it&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094QS9T2F/?coliid=I1WJI2OWSP67JT&colid=1RRD2DR3V5KGH&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1) I kinda wonder what **“Seal is opened for Hardware/Software upgrade only to enhance performance.”** means (first item under “About this item”). It sounds fishy. Like: “Yeah, we opened it up even though we weren’t supposed to but we only did it for you! We promise we added some neat stuff while we voided your warranty!!” Yeah, I’d be concerned about the HP warranty even without that note. Disclosure: I know a bit about making my own computers do what I need them to do (graphics, Photoshop, video production) and ensuring they have proper, high-quality components. But I am probably not as knowledgeable as others here about business purchasing. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-question-and-price-difference/950077/50 "2021-10-19T20:36:20Z")
So, if I understand correctly, this company takes HP laptops and upgrades the components themselves. That may be perfectly legit, or it may be a con job where they are substituting knock off parts and taking the OEM HP stuff so I am really buying a pig in a poke? And it really voids a warranty to upgrade memory or a HDD? ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-question-and-price-difference/950077/51 "2021-10-20T01:52:45Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > And it really voids a warranty to upgrade memory or a HDD? In the US that won’t void the warranty, but it can make it a bigger pain to deal with. If you call HP because the SSD is defective they won’t help you, because it came from some other company. Similar for memory or any other parts that were replaced. HP, Dell and others tend to mark up memory and storage sometimes by 2-5 times over the retail price, so it may be a valid trade-off. If you need more storage than the default offering it’s a valid decision to replace it on your own (or pay somebody else to replace it). You’re still going to be ahead of what the OEM would charge for the extra storage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-question-and-price-difference/950077.md?page=2)