Question Any better options for my money?

[instawookie]

Shopping for my wife for a business laptop, primarily operating excel/power bi and similar software related items. Curious if I can find more for my money, and maybe something other than a 13700k that's list from Bestbuy. Would love to stay around the 16gb of memory or more area if that is an option. I'm kind of in the grey for what Ryzen chips compare to the Bestbuy link. Currently got 3 in similar price points, but open to other better alternatives. Trying to take advantage of memorial days sales too.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-15-...gb-ssd-natural-silver/6612253.p?skuId=6612253

https://www.amazon.com/HP-Display-GeForce-Backlit-Keyboard/dp/B0CFSBT85B?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/HP-Display-Graphics-Windows-17-cp2199nr/dp/B0DWPQDLM5/ref=ast_sto_dp_puis

Thanks in advance.

 

[Eximo]

I recently picked up an 8845HS based laptop. That is essentially one generation behind the current AMD Ryzen AI etc.

RDNA 3 12 CU GPU at 30W total with the CPU, essentially the same as the Steamdeck. Full 8 core Ryzen CPU, and a little NPU, so you can technically enable the Microsoft Co-Pilot stuff if you wanted to.

Newegg has this 14" refurb on sale.

https://www.newegg.com/p/1TS-000E-1BAC5

Similar 16" laptop

https://www.newegg.com/p/1TS-000E-1CF24?Item=9SIAHRCKF91401

 

[instawookie]

I recently picked up an 8845HS based laptop. That is essentially one generation behind the current AMD Ryzen AI etc.

RDNA 3 12 CU GPU at 30W total with the CPU, essentially the same as the Steamdeck. Full 8 core Ryzen CPU, and a little NPU, so you can technically enable the Microsoft Co-Pilot stuff if you wanted to.

Newegg has this 14" refurb on sale.

https://www.newegg.com/p/1TS-000E-1BAC5

Similar 16" laptop

https://www.newegg.com/p/1TS-000E-1CF24?Item=9SIAHRCKF91401

Can't say I've dabbled with refurbished items, typically prefer new but seems like you get a tonnnn for the money if it works out.

 

[Eximo]

I did buy new, picked one up at Microcenter. It is basically the blue version of that 16". They make it look very blue in the pictures but it is a quite dark metallic blue in person. All metal though, which is quite a premium feeling laptop.

https://psref.lenovo.com/Product/IdeaPad/IdeaPad_Slim_5_16AHP9

I have seen these at other places, but usually closer to $700.

Memory is not upgradeable, and it only has the one drive slot. Normally, I would not get something like that, but the only thing I ever did to my last laptop was replace the harddrive it came with to an SSD.

 

[Eximo]

Decent gaming laptop for $650

Hah, just popped up in Tom's Memorial Day sales right after I posted it.

MSI Thin 15.6 inch FHD 144Hz Gaming Laptop Intel Core i5-13420H NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 - 16GB DDR4 512GB SSD Gray (2025) - Walmart.com

Buy MSI Thin 15.6 inch FHD 144Hz Gaming Laptop Intel Core i5-13420H NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 - 16GB DDR4 512GB SSD Gray (2025) at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

Not much else jumping out. I really hate searching on Amazon though, but if you identify a CPU you like, you can usually track down a system from there. Though you have to sift through about 2/3 of the results being completely different hardware.

 

[instawookie]

Found one I ended up liking, opted for this guy. Was a toss up between HP and Lenovo. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D4RH881B?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1