Buying a PC for my studies
I’m looking for a new laptop for my studies and future work in an engineering office. Main use: SolidWorks + AutoCAD + Microsoft Office. Maximum budget: €1,200. My criteria:
• RTX 4060 8 GB minimum
• Intel i5/i7 H or HX, or Ryzen 5/7 HS
• 16 GB RAM minimum, ideally 1×16 GB with a free second slot to upgrade to 32 GB
• 512 GB NVMe SSD minimum, ideally 1 TB
• battery 60 Wh minimum
• very good cooling, ideally dual fans
• 15–16 inch screen
• French AZERTY keyboard
• brand new PC
• I need to carry it regularly
I’m in the Bayonne area, but I can travel to Bordeaux, Pau, Dax or Tarbes.
Which model do you currently recommend for this budget? And above all, which configuration allows 1×16 GB + a free RAM slot?
Thank you,
AD
2 answers
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Hello,
Are you looking for a PC that meets all your stated criteria?
I live near Pau, but do you want us to assist you in searching for your PC because you’re afraid of being scammed?
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Hello,
This is a budget that is tight for the specifications announced with the recent component price increases.
They may also be a bit more expensive in a specialty store than online, and where the description is more than succinct, only stating the total RAM unless the seller knows more.
This also does not necessarily say whether models with two RAM slots have the slot occupied soldered or not, which can be a drawback for pairing a second stick in the future, nor what the maximum total RAM is allowed.
A healthy solution might be a mixed approach: identify in-store or online models that meet the known specifications, then verify additional specifications online, for example. I have no stock.PPuis enter the model name found in a search like "test model name" to verify missing points.
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Hello,
"which configuration allows 1×16 Go + one RAM slot free?"
You will hardly find any PC configured like this. Indeed, manufacturers prefer 2 sticks of 8 GB instead of one 16 GB stick for RAM performance reasons. It is much faster in dual channel than in single channel.
This RAM configuration can exist on some ultrabooks with 16 GB soldered to the motherboard and one free slot, but they are very rare.
The simplest option if you want to add RAM later, for example to upgrade to 2×16 GB, is to buy new sticks and resale the old ones on a second-hand site.
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Hello,
This is the case here on at least one of the links among those I cited, a bit more expensive than the budget (as I mentioned) and where it’s explicitly specified, but as I suggested, otherwise be cautious and check on a test site.
https://www.cdiscount.com/informatique/ordinateurs-pc-portables/pc-portable-gamer-hp-omen-16-am0092nf-sans-windo/f-10709-hp16am0092nf.html#mpos=6%7Ccd
In broader terms, if 3D projects are going to be numerous, for which 16 GB can be limiting and depending on what else you’re doing, 512 GB can also be limiting, but at that point we’ll blow the budget.
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