Question on customizing a laptop

Warning: I'm really bad with technology and computers, so please bear with me.

I'm looking to order a laptop and typically the sites I'm looking to purchase through allow basic upgrades. The ones I'm curious about the most are:

-Processor (Intel i5 vs. Intel i7)
-Hard drive (500 GB HDD vs. 256 GB SSD vs. 500 GB HDD + 32 GB SSD cache)
-RAM (4 GB DDR3 vs. 8 GB DDR3)

The thing is, I am limited on money so I can't upgrade everything to the absolute max. I'm going to be a grad student, really only using this laptop for Microsoft Office documents, statistical software (like SPSS), iTunes, internet, and watching DVDs. Nothing too intense.

Processor upgrade from i5 to i7 = ~$150
Hard drive from 500 GB HDD to 256 GB SSD = ~$500, and from 500 GB HDD to 500 GB HDD + 32 GB SSD cache = ~$50
RAM upgrade from 4 GB to 8 GB = ~$200

Of these upgrades, how would you rank the order of importance given my uses? I feel like I can either upgrade to SSD, OR I can upgrade the processor, RAM, plus 500 GB HDD + 32 GB SSD cache.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

First, it would be a good idea to know which computer you are considering. 200$ for 4GB to 8GB RAM seems ridiculously expensive, i mean i can grab 8GB of RAM for ~50$ and upgrade most laptops myself unless it's an ultraportable and the RAM is soldered on the motherboard in which case it won't be user upgradeable.

Personally, i'd go for the SSD given what you're gonna do with the laptop.

 

Many thanks for the input. Quick explanation as to why you'd pass on the processor/RAM?

Is there a way to tell if it's able to be upgraded? That is, to tell whether it's an ultraportable/whether the RAM (and other parts) are soldered on? Does it depend on the size of the laptop?

I'm looking at 13"-14" screen sizes, if it helps.

 

Well, if you aren't looking at a particular model, you should ask in the what notebook should i buy section if you haven't done so already. As a rule, most laptops have user upgradeable RAM unless they are ultra thin models like the macbook air. The hard drive is usually also user upgradeable.

Ultraportable = super thin notebook, examples include the previously mentioned macbook air, asus zenbooks, Lenovo X220, there are others too.

I didn't suggest getting the i7 since for most people the i5 does everything they need, i mean aside from games and FEM, i can do all my other computing needs on a core 2 duo just fine. If your statistical software is known to be CPU intensive, then the i7 might be worth it, but i doubt it. Most people who need an i7 are gamers or people doing video encoding, finite element simulations, 3D rendering, intensive CAD, etc.

I was gonna suggest you ask in the WSNIB section, but it looks like you did already.

 

I suppose I can just email the companies and ask if the models of interest are user-upgradeable, just to be safe.

I asked them a while ago, maybe a couple months back. I won't be purchasing a laptop for another two months yet, but just kind of looking ahead. I'll probably revisit that section real soon, hah.

Asus, Lenovo, and Fujitsu were some recently suggested to me. Had never heard of Fujitsu before, but some people said they're great, just not as known in the US. They seem rather expensive, though.

 

Or you could ask here. You can also look at the physical size, anything as thin as a MBA or a zenbook is bound not to have user upgradeable RAM and likely the drive won't be user upgradeable either.

 

I guess I could just ask you smart peoples! The Zenbook is kind of on my list, but I wouldn't put it near the top of prospects. Maybe top five, though.

Asus U36SD
Lenovo IdeaPad U410 (released in 4 days)
Fujitsu Lifebook U772

Those are a few that others have suggested to me. As I stated in the OP, I'm just not very smart with this stuff, so I've described what I've wanted for some friends who are pretty decent with computers and they just gave me places to start my search.

 

Any input from someone on whether these can be upgraded by the user? For processor, RAM, and internal hard drive.

ASUS - Notebooks- ASUS U36SD
IdeaPad U410 Ultrabook - affordable laptop from Lenovo (US)
Fujitsu America - LIFEBOOK&reg U772 Ultrabook

 

Forget processor upgrades, they can be done, but you will void any warranty you have and on a 1 to 10 technical difficulty level, 10 being the most difficult, they rank somewhere between 7 and 10 for most notebooks.

U36SD uses SODIMM so it is upgradeable RAM wise, for the others i haven't checked yet.

 

Noted, thanks for pointing that out for me.

What about internal hard drives? Are those upgradeable or will they typically void warranties?

 

HDD and RAM are usually the only thing you can upgrade without voiding the warranty, but like i said there are exceptions where those aren't upgradeable. Some of us on NBR are crazy enough to do other types of upgrades, but those are the stay away kind for most people.

I don't have tech specs for the U410 on Lenovo's website, the link redirects to U300e specs, but if they are similar, it looks like the U410 will have one SODIMM socket so RAM will be somewhat upgradeable, but you won't be able to fit more than 8GB + whatever is soldered on the mobo already (4GB likely) and the HDD is also user replaceable (standard 2.5" 9.5mm thick drive). http://shop.lenovo.com/us/laptops/ideapad/u-series/u410

 

For what you need to run on your computer, you don't need upgrade anything. Unless you want speed (then i would suggest the i7 and maybe the HDD +cache). Instead I would use that money towards an HD display or a dedicated graphics card. If I knew ur price range I could make some suggestions.

 

If you indefinitely want speed, install an SSD aftermarket straight up.

 

Processor:
cost: cheaper to upgrade from the manufacturer, as you'd have to buy a whole new processor (expensive), install it (difficult/impossible, voids warranty).
efficacy: based on your tasks listed, you will probably not notice any difference between an intel i5 or i7. If you know the actual model numbers of the processors you are talking about (eg intel core i5 3320m) you can google them and figure out the exact differences between them.

Hard Drive:
cost: if you are going for an ultrathin/ultrabook type laptop, there is a chance the hard drive is difficult to upgrade. For the vast majority, however, you can replace it easily without voiding your warranty and cheaper than what the manufacturer would charge.
efficacy: upgrading from a standard hdd to a solid state drive is the most cost effective way to get a noticeable speed boost. Upgrading to a hybrid drive has limited benefits, and using a cache drive with a regular hard drive falls somewhere in between in terms of performance, but is a decent way to boost performance on a budget. The caveat with SSD's is that their cost/gigabyte is pretty high, so you probably end up with less capacity than with a standard platter drive.

RAM:
cost: again, with the exception of the emerging market of ultrathins, very easy and cheap to upgrade yourself. Some ultrathins also give you a limited amount of upgradeability.

efficacy: depending on your usage, there is a point of diminishing (or no) returns. 4gb is fine for the average user. 8gb if you tend to multitask a lot/use memory intensive programs. 16gb is probably overkill for the majority of users.


If I were to prioritize your money in an upgrade, it would be:

tight budget:
-ssd cache
-ram
-processor

flexible budget:
-higher capacity ssd drive
-ram
-processor

 

Gonna have to agree with this.

The only other approach i could see is get the CPU upgrade and upgrade the rest yourself for less, but you have to have both the money and be willing to do the upgrades yourself (the i got this because i can, not because i need it approach which i really do not recommend). You of course need a laptop that can be upgraded too. In the end what you will choose to upgrade will also depend on the laptop you will choose.

 

SSDs right now go for about 1 dollar per GB. So say if they offer you a 256GB SSD upgrade for $500, it's way better to just get the cheapest storage option and upgrade it yourself.

 

Indeed, drives like the Crucial M4 are even under the 1$/GB mark.

 

This is great input, guys. I truly appreciate it. Couldn't ask for better feedback.

So from the sounds of it, the best (and most affordable) way to do things in an optimal world would be: manufacturer upgrades the processor, and I upgrade the internal hard drive to SSD and upgrade the RAM myself, because it's typically significantly cheaper.

So here's my question now: seeing as to how I am a computer noob, do you guys think I could upgrade the RAM/SSD myself? That is, watching online tutorials or reading about the process of making these adjustments to the laptop? Because if I'm not paying someone else to do it, and I can buy these parts at a fraction of the price through a site like Newegg, I may be able to upgrade all of these things. Or should I just trust a shop to do it and stay clear of the hardware myself?

Thoughts?

 

Yes there are a lot of videos on youtube on how to do so. You'd want to check before you do your purchase whether your specific laptop has videos specifically .

Edit: HDDs and RAMs are generally the easiest to change in a laptop though, and even watching videos of other laptops would allow you to do so