I need to buy a new laptop and the more I look for one the more my head spins. I'm pretty good at using a computer but not that savvy about hardware or software with all the the factors involved. Recently I made a really bad decision when I bought a cheap All-In-One from Dell. It turned out that the processor is not powerful enough to do much other than basic emails, etc. I enjoy making small videos and using Photoshop for my own projects and I'm very disappointed that I can't do that with my new desktop.

Now, my laptop is on it's last legs and I want to make sure I don't make any huge mistakes again. I'd like to stick with Dell since my old Dell laptop was quite good while it lasted. I'd like to get the best deal I can for roughly $500-$700. I don't want touch screen. I'd like a screen that is about 17".

I've looked at the Dell site, Walmart, Costco and Amazon and I just get so confused with all the options. I'm especially concerned about the processor.

Any recommendations, advice, comments, pointing to other threads or other help would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I live in Hawaii so most companies won't ship here for free. That limits my choices.

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Bu to answer your request.
This is just an opinion.
I think you should buy a good Dell Desktop and add to it a good Graphics card. You do not need a super CPU, but you do need a good Graphics card.
Having said that, avoid the low end CPUs. Don't let people talk you into getting a cheep AMD thong. Get one of the recent Intel processors. Typically a socket 1150 or better. And stay away from the all in one. Too hard to expand or repair.
Example:
Dell Optiplex 9010 Core i5 3.4GHz
This is in the mid price range for just the desktop with no monitor.
Or even the Dell Optiplex 7010 Intel Core i5 3.20GHz is a good value.
Do not bu the small SIZE units. Too hard to expand.
Just my thoughts. Sorry to be in the wrong section. I thought recommendations sounded like the right place. I see now that when it SAYS, "Do not post questions here" it meant in the thread. I thought it meant in that post. I'm a little nervous posting on this site at all because I know so little about computers compared to most of the people who post here.

Thanks for your reply but I'm stuck with the All-In-One for now.

What I'm shopping for now is a good laptop. I need to be able to move it from place to place. I'll keep the points you made in mind, though.When buying a laptop you must choose from these five:

A. Long battery life.
B. Lightweight, small size.
C. Touchscreen and keyboard
D. High performance.

You can get 3 or 4 out of five. But not all five. IMO.

Forgot to mention price.

Dell Inspiron 15 5000 touchscreen laptop for $330
Quote

On the inside, this MODEL sports a fourth generation dual-core 1.9GHz Intel Core i3-4030U processor, integrated Intel HD Graphics 4400, 6GB of DDR3L RAM (1600MHz), a 500GB 5400RPM hard drive, Bluetooth 4.0, and 802.11b/g/n/ac WiFi support. As for the 15.6-inch screen, it features LED backlighting, touch sensitivity, and a resolution of 1366×768. It also comes with a built-in 720p webcam, dual microphones, and a pre-installed version of Skype, so chatting with your friends couldn’t be easier.

... The offer you listed is no longer available but I was able to use the details to help me choose a Dell 5000 series 17.3" laptop from Amazon that looks pretty good for $405.58. ...

Thanks so much for your advice. I think I have enough info now to make a decision.

The offer you listed is no longer available but I was able to use the details to help me choose a Dell 5000 series 17.3" laptop from Amazon that looks pretty good for $405.58.

The reviews are good and, although the processor is only "middle of the road," the price is right. The only other complaint is that it's heavy which isn't a real problem for me since I will only use it at home.

Thanks again. Wish me luck!