• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EST 13:06
CET 19:06
KST 03:06
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
RSL Revival - 2025 Season Finals Preview8RSL Season 3 - Playoffs Preview0RSL Season 3 - RO16 Groups C & D Preview0RSL Season 3 - RO16 Groups A & B Preview2TL.net Map Contest #21: Winners12
Community News
Weekly Cups (Dec 15-21): Classic wins big, MaxPax & Clem take weeklies3ComeBackTV's documentary on Byun's Career !10Weekly Cups (Dec 8-14): MaxPax, Clem, Cure win4Weekly Cups (Dec 1-7): Clem doubles, Solar gets over the hump1Weekly Cups (Nov 24-30): MaxPax, Clem, herO win2
StarCraft 2
General
The Grack before Christmas Weekly Cups (Dec 15-21): Classic wins big, MaxPax & Clem take weeklies ComeBackTV's documentary on Byun's Career ! Micro Lags When Playing SC2? When will we find out if there are more tournament
Tourneys
$100 Prize Pool - Winter Warp Gate Masters Showdow $5,000+ WardiTV 2025 Championship Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament Winter Warp Gate Amateur Showdown #1 RSL Offline Finals Info - Dec 13 and 14!
Strategy
Custom Maps
Map Editor closed ?
External Content
Mutation # 505 Rise From Ashes Mutation # 504 Retribution Mutation # 503 Fowl Play Mutation # 502 Negative Reinforcement
Brood War
General
BW General Discussion FlaSh on: Biggest Problem With SnOw's Playstyle soO on: FanTaSy's Potential Return to StarCraft BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ Anyone remember me from 2000s Bnet EAST server?
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues [BSL21] LB QuarterFinals - Sunday 21:00 CET Small VOD Thread 2.0 [BSL21] WB SEMIFINALS - Saturday 21:00 CET
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Game Theory for Starcraft Current Meta Fighting Spirit mining rates
Other Games
General Games
Nintendo Switch Thread Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Beyond All Reason Path of Exile General RTS Discussion Thread
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas Survivor II: The Amazon Sengoku Mafia TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread The Games Industry And ATVI Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine YouTube Thread
Fan Clubs
White-Ra Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread [Manga] One Piece Movie Discussion!
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List TL+ Announced Where to ask questions and add stream?
Blogs
The (Hidden) Drug Problem in…
TrAiDoS
I decided to write a webnov…
DjKniteX
James Bond movies ranking - pa…
Topin
Thanks for the RSL
Hildegard
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 979 users

Which laptop to keep, which laptop to sell?

Blogs > QuickStriker
Post a Reply
QuickStriker
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
United States3694 Posts
Last Edited: 2015-02-27 22:01:44
February 27 2015 21:45 GMT
#1
Hi everyone. This may be the worst place possibly to ask for advice but nobody in my circle is a budget bargain hunter like I am who wants to always look for best deals. And I often have this impulse buy trait where after the purchase is done, I tell myself, "hey wait a minute, do I even need this at all?"

So without further ado, I'll breakdown my situation:

Back in June 2012, I bought this low budget gaming Acer laptop for $400.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?sdtid=4781348&EdpNo=2008029&sku=A180-156130

CPU: AMD A6-3420M (first generation APU series), QUAD-CORE 1.5 GHz
GPU: Dedicated AMD Radeon HD 7670M + Integrated Radeon HD 6520G (if setting up dual graphics mode)
Resolution: 1366 x 768
RAM: 4GB (2 x 2GB)
HDD: 320 GB
Touchscreen: No
Bluetooth: No
Windows 7

vs.

Today, on February 27, 2015, I bought a new low budget Dell laptop for $217.74 @ Staples.

http://www.dell.com/us/eep/p/inspiron-15-3543-laptop/pd?oc=fncwg2316s&model_id=inspiron-15-3543-laptop

CPU: Intel i3-5005U (5th Generation i-series), DUAL-CORE 2.0 GHz
GPU: Integrated Intel HD Graphics 5500
Resolution: 1366 x 768
RAM: 4GB (1 x 4GB)
HDD: 500 GB
Touchscreen: Yes
Bluetooth: Yes
Windows 8.1




So my old laptop been with me for a good near 3 years usage without any problems and suddenly I felt like buying a new laptop due to my impulse buying trait.

Except now, I'm not sure which to keep and which to sell. When comparing the two and doing pros/cons, the newer laptop is better than the old laptop in all ways except:

1. dual-core vs quad-core
2. Integrated GPU vs Dedicated GPU
3. Windows 8.1 vs Windows 7



I have a Samsung 830 128 GB SSD and 8 GB Corsair Vengeance RAM installed on my old laptop which I can easily move over to my new laptop if I choose to keep that one.

But more importantly, if I do choose to sell my old laptop, does it have any resell value at all? Is my old laptop is technically worth "more" than my new laptop?

Which laptop is better for some on-the-go travel gaming?

Finally, I won't keep both because I only want 1 laptop for me no matter what (I already have a desktop, tablet, smartphone, etc).

Possible thoughts, feedback, advice, tips would all be appreciated. Thank you.

www.twitch.tv/KoreanUsher
rafaliusz
Profile Joined December 2009
Poland482 Posts
February 27 2015 23:13 GMT
#2
Well, I don't know man.
Karis Vas Ryaar
Profile Blog Joined July 2011
United States4396 Posts
February 27 2015 23:43 GMT
#3
I'd ask here http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/tech-support/474165-help-on-laptops-for-gaming as the tech experts on Tl might not see this here.
"I'm not agreeing with a lot of Virus's decisions but they are working" Tasteless. Ipl4 Losers Bracket Virus 2-1 Maru
Tephus
Profile Joined May 2011
Cascadia1753 Posts
February 28 2015 00:04 GMT
#4
The 7670 benchmarks about 50% higher than the 5500 (neither is very good), and the i3 benchmarks are about 50% higher than the AMD A6. The memory on the new one is also about 50% faster.

Honestly, both will probably resale for quite little, like <100$, used laptops aren't in very high demand when, as you saw, you can buy a new one for 200$.

It will eventually just come down to how you will be using the laptop though. If you really need the better gpu for something, then the first, otherwise I'd go with the second one.
AdministratorDirector of Esports
QuickStriker
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
United States3694 Posts
Last Edited: 2015-02-28 00:33:33
February 28 2015 00:31 GMT
#5
On February 28 2015 09:04 Tephus wrote:
The 7670 benchmarks about 50% higher than the 5500 (neither is very good), and the i3 benchmarks are about 50% higher than the AMD A6. The memory on the new one is also about 50% faster.

Honestly, both will probably resale for quite little, like <100$, used laptops aren't in very high demand when, as you saw, you can buy a new one for 200$.

It will eventually just come down to how you will be using the laptop though. If you really need the better gpu for something, then the first, otherwise I'd go with the second one.

True, neither were very good but during in 2012, 7670 benchmark were considered "mid-class" gaming.

Resale value may vary actually since the laptop I bought today is originally $450-500 at Staples and Dell website. It was only thanks to corporate mistake and double dipping between sale discounts + coupon discounts when normally it lies in a very fine gray area for both of them to work together. Such examples were seen this past month when Staples made several mistakes on their system and had to pull off their coupon out of existence a day after it was introduced when it's meant to last a week or so.

So I know very well I can sell my new laptop at a good price seeing how I picked up the last one in the entire local area (everywhere sold out), the laptop sale was originally for 4th Gen i3 model, not 5th Gen i3 except system went thru for 5th Gen i3 plus the coupons, not to mention this new model was released last month. Also sold out online. Current ebay/craigslist listings in the entire US are showing at least $400 new in box. I still haven't opened my new laptop either.

That being said, I have no clue what my old laptop resale value would be. Is it really below $100? Because I highly doubt this but then I'm also doubting myself regarding my doubt on your claim.

This is assuming I decide to sell either one in March.
www.twitch.tv/KoreanUsher
Tephus
Profile Joined May 2011
Cascadia1753 Posts
February 28 2015 00:54 GMT
#6
Its not just a 7670, its a 7670M, which is a decent 20-30% worse.

Remember too that 3 years is getting to the point where your battery is going to start to deteriorate.
AdministratorDirector of Esports
QuickStriker
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
United States3694 Posts
February 28 2015 02:05 GMT
#7
On February 28 2015 09:54 Tephus wrote:
Its not just a 7670, its a 7670M, which is a decent 20-30% worse.

Remember too that 3 years is getting to the point where your battery is going to start to deteriorate.

True...

http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-HD-7670M.69483.0.html

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-HD-Graphics-5500.125586.0.html

According to notebookcheck site, they're both within class 3 range and they're fairly close. 7670M used to be in class 2 range back in 2012 but I guess as technology evolves...

As for battery, that's debatable. My very first laptop I ever got back in 2005 lasted me for a good 6-7 years before I had to put it to sleep for good. But it didn't have battery problems until after 6 years.

It's completely worthless now as it has inferior specs to either of my laptops I got and kept in closet because I can't find a good way to effectively recycle it, but that laptop was +$1200 when I first got it.
www.twitch.tv/KoreanUsher
teamamerica
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
United States958 Posts
February 28 2015 07:28 GMT
#8
On February 28 2015 09:31 QuickStriker wrote:
Show nested quote +
On February 28 2015 09:04 Tephus wrote:
The 7670 benchmarks about 50% higher than the 5500 (neither is very good), and the i3 benchmarks are about 50% higher than the AMD A6. The memory on the new one is also about 50% faster.

Honestly, both will probably resale for quite little, like <100$, used laptops aren't in very high demand when, as you saw, you can buy a new one for 200$.

It will eventually just come down to how you will be using the laptop though. If you really need the better gpu for something, then the first, otherwise I'd go with the second one.

True, neither were very good but during in 2012, 7670 benchmark were considered "mid-class" gaming.

Resale value may vary actually since the laptop I bought today is originally $450-500 at Staples and Dell website. It was only thanks to corporate mistake and double dipping between sale discounts + coupon discounts when normally it lies in a very fine gray area for both of them to work together. Such examples were seen this past month when Staples made several mistakes on their system and had to pull off their coupon out of existence a day after it was introduced when it's meant to last a week or so.

So I know very well I can sell my new laptop at a good price seeing how I picked up the last one in the entire local area (everywhere sold out), the laptop sale was originally for 4th Gen i3 model, not 5th Gen i3 except system went thru for 5th Gen i3 plus the coupons, not to mention this new model was released last month. Also sold out online. Current ebay/craigslist listings in the entire US are showing at least $400 new in box. I still haven't opened my new laptop either.

That being said, I have no clue what my old laptop resale value would be. Is it really below $100? Because I highly doubt this but then I'm also doubting myself regarding my doubt on your claim.

This is assuming I decide to sell either one in March.


The honest truth of it is I'd advise you to return your new laptop today if you have the chance. I doubt you would get more then 220 dollars for either of your laptops, and if you're happy either your old laptop, why debate this? New latop might be a good price but if you don't need it, doesn't make it a good deal.

I don't see people buying many used laptops that aren't macbooks - as others have mentioned, new laptops aren't that expensive. My personal exp is that I tried to sell 2010(2011?) dell inspiron 15r se 7520 on CL for 400, no dice. That laptop is 3rd gen i7, fhd screen, 7750m graphics, 8gb ram, hdd/ssd combo.

It's just windows laptops -- there are too many of them to know whats good, there are too many scammers, used laptop battery life is always a questionable. Why go through that debate for buying a used laptop when you can just buy a new once for roughly the same price and get a return policy.

So ya - my advise is return your new one, keep the old one. Sorry.
RIP GOMTV. RIP PROLEAGUE.
Advantageous
Profile Blog Joined May 2012
China1350 Posts
February 28 2015 10:47 GMT
#9
Sell the intel i-3 imo... i never really liked intel laptops because they usually overprice it because of the, supposedly "better", core feature. The integrated graphics card is also a negative in by my standards, but only because i like a laptop that have the option of gaming with it and an integrated graphics card isn't that great, especially since it's an i-3. However, AMD isn't absolutely the best either, its lifespan is going to depend on how well you take care of it. I still suggest keeping the AMD and selling the i-3. Since it is an i-3, it has a higher resale value, so it would better to sell it since most people go by the norm and the "standardized" ideals of "intel is better than amd".
"Because I am BossToss" -MC ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ノ raise your dongers ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ノ I'm sure that all of my fellow class mates viewed me as the Adonis of the Class of 2015 already. -Xenocider, EG, ieF 2013 Champion.
QuickStriker
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
United States3694 Posts
February 28 2015 11:14 GMT
#10
Seems like the vote goes toward selling the new laptop and make quick $100-200 on the pocket with the new laptop still sealed in box. Why return it when I can sell it for more than I paid for?

I haven't make the final decision yet, planning to wait a week until there is absolutely no sale of any good budget laptop deals around big stores like Staples so that people actually look at CL or ebay or somewhere.

The new laptop is very tempting though but like I mentioned on other thread, this is my real opinion:

I consider either of these laptops as my "placeholder" laptop. I know what low level budget laptop are capable of and have limits of.

The real laptop I want to invest happens in 2016 when Intel rolls out 6th Generation Core series which I'm fully expected to put down a lot of money for it. So yes, I'll probably have either laptop for a full year at least or 2 years at best.

Question is, what's the sweet spot is between having the best resell value and best placeholder laptop among these two. I'm starting to hear that both are leaning toward the newer laptop but that's not possible....
www.twitch.tv/KoreanUsher
Cyro
Profile Blog Joined June 2011
United Kingdom20322 Posts
Last Edited: 2015-02-28 11:27:02
February 28 2015 11:24 GMT
#11
so it would better to sell it since most people go by the norm and the "standardized" ideals of "intel is better than amd".


It's not standardized ideals. An i3 is substantially better than a 4-threaded AMD CPU in a desktop, but leagues ahead for Laptop because of power efficiency advantages and huge reductions in idle power. You're comparing a 2015 CPU on cutting edge manufacturing process when Intel has the techology advantage to an APU that was kinda bad and relegated to low end only when it launched 3-4 years back.

Also broadwell integrated graphics is very good compared to other integrated graphics, you can't compare it to sandy bridge or even ivy bridge igpu (any anything before that, forget about it) it's just useless here because OP has chosen an sku that has a 15w combined power limit for CPU and GPU. The CPU wouldn't use turbo at all and the iGPU would throttle like crazy if s/he tried to play a game on it.
"oh my god my overclock... I got a single WHEA error on the 23rd hour, 9 minutes" -Belial88
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 14h 54m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Lowko709
BRAT_OK 129
UpATreeSC 121
ROOTCatZ 56
MindelVK 34
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 23252
Horang2 1005
Bisu 999
Larva 518
Shuttle 379
Hyun 169
firebathero 161
Mini 159
actioN 120
ggaemo 28
[ Show more ]
HiyA 17
Movie 12
soO 11
JulyZerg 7
SilentControl 7
Dota 2
420jenkins832
Counter-Strike
adren_tv162
Super Smash Bros
Mew2King144
Other Games
singsing2083
FrodaN1424
ceh9377
Beastyqt247
C9.Mang0157
XaKoH 107
Chillindude30
Organizations
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 17 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• HappyZerGling 95
• LUISG 29
• Kozan
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• sooper7s
• intothetv
• Migwel
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
StarCraft: Brood War
• XenOsky 1
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
Dota 2
• WagamamaTV1536
• lizZardDota267
League of Legends
• Nemesis4797
Other Games
• Shiphtur268
Upcoming Events
Replay Cast
14h 54m
WardiTV Invitational
17h 54m
ByuN vs Solar
Clem vs Classic
Cure vs herO
Reynor vs MaxPax
Big Brain Bouts
1d 22h
Elazer vs Nicoract
Reynor vs Scarlett
Replay Cast
2 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
3 days
Krystianer vs TBD
TriGGeR vs SKillous
Percival vs TBD
ByuN vs Nicoract
Replay Cast
4 days
Wardi Open
4 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2025-12-22
WardiTV 2025
META Madness #9

Ongoing

C-Race Season 1
IPSL Winter 2025-26
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 4
BSL Season 21
Slon Tour Season 2
CSL Season 19: Qualifier 2
eXTREMESLAND 2025
SL Budapest Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 8
BLAST Rivals Fall 2025
IEM Chengdu 2025
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
Thunderpick World Champ.
CS Asia Championships 2025
ESL Pro League S22

Upcoming

CSL 2025 WINTER (S19)
BSL 21 Non-Korean Championship
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
Bellum Gens Elite Stara Zagora 2026
HSC XXVIII
Big Gabe Cup #3
OSC Championship Season 13
Nations Cup 2026
ESL Pro League Season 23
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
IEM Kraków 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter Qual
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.