Trading laptop? Considering the HP Probook 450 G5.

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Howard, Oct 21, 2017.

  1. Going from 720p to 1080p small difference,but if you are going to upgrade get 1080p being most are 1080p anyway. 4K will cost way more. If you have the budget I highly suggest 4k,big difference from 1080p to 4K.

    I suggest 4k and good graphics card and save on ram and SSD ,you can always upgrade ram/ssd when budget permits. Just make sure whatever model you get will let you upgrade. Check youtube reviews and how easy to upgrade before buying anything. Some models are a pain to upgrade.

    I have touch screen on my model,not a gimmick but also not necessary .I just hate touch pads and never ever use use a touch pad. When not using touch screen I use this mouse and I don't need real estate to use it, because its a track ball.

    Get one,you'll love it. I've been using them for many years.I had the original model which was a little different and had a bigger ball ,died after 5-6 years and now on my 2nd one of these new ones. These last about 3 years for me. Use rechargeable batteries and always have an extra set of batteries ready. Charge last for months on end,at least 3-4 months easy peasy.



    See reviews,everyone loves it.
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    Last edited: Oct 23, 2017
    #41     Oct 23, 2017
    DallasCowboysFan likes this.
  2. I also own a favormates mini keyboard,mine is black with white keys,can't find my model.

    I use it when I connect laptop to TV. It also has backlit keys,I love it and using it to type right now :D

    If you decide to buy one,just make sure you get one with backlit keys,sometimes the models don't specify backlit so be aware. Also has touch pad .



    They really do work just as good as regular size keyboard.

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    Last edited: Oct 24, 2017
    #42     Oct 24, 2017
  3. Thanks, I check the 4K's but it is probably more than I need.

    The laptop I have now is low-end, a basic 15 inch HP with no outstanding qualities.

    It's only 10 months old and it is failing me already. It cuts off automatically 2,3 times every evening. I took it to Best Buy and they said it was a software problem and I was on my own.
    It's frustrating because I bought it at BB and this is the third time I have taken it to them for performance issues. Back in June they replaced the motherboard, wifi card and the screen. They (HP) damn near replaced the entire laptop but it only lasted 4 months before it has begun to fail me again.

    I may as well replace it now while I am still in control and can transfer files etc...

    I'll check out the 1080P's and see what I can find. Hopefully, it will last longer than the one I have now.
     
    #43     Oct 24, 2017

  4. I'll tell you exactly what's causing the problem, it's the Thermal compound 100% sure I am.

    I had same problem with my older laptop (one I'm on now) opened it up,clean it out and clear fan from dust. Nope,didn't solve the problem,would constantly shut down several times a day.

    Searched the web and was told to clean the old compound and apply fresh.When I opened it I was shocked how little was left and what was left was so dried up and hard.


    It was (CPU )overheating and shutting down automatically .


    I reapplied fresh compound on CPU about 3 months ago and never had another shutdown. While I had it open,I also applied fresh thermal compound on every chip/heatsinks.

    All you have to do is clean the CPU and remove the old caked up dried compound (whatever is left) and lay down some fresh thermal compound.

    These huge laptop companies are notorious for going cheap on the thermal compound and rarely ever placed correctly or too much or too little.So a new motherboard will only last a few months with the low end laptop,then the problem reappears .

    Sometimes they say they replaced MB when they didn't. What they do is turn it on and if it works they send it back because they couldn't replicate the problem. They aren't going to watch one laptop for hours to see if it fails. They'll run it for a few minutes or more and that's it.

    You should have demanded a BRAND NEW LAPTOP.

    There are videos on youtube to show you how to do it,its very easy.

    I guarantee you this is the problem. So many people junking their laptops for no reason,there are fixes out there. Most at BB don't have a clue and they don't change thermal compound.They either swap parts and if that doesn't work,they say its a software problem . They don't repair,just swap parts.

    If you want,give me your model and I go look for videos for your model and find manual how to open it and locate your cpu to apply fresh compound.

    This is the thermal compound I used,highly rated.

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    Last edited: Oct 24, 2017
    #44     Oct 24, 2017
  5. If you decide not to open laptop and apply fresh compound ,delete everything on laptop and send it to me. I'll fix it for you for free and send it back to you.

    This way you have a back up laptop.

    You just pay for shipping.

    I'm more than happy to help.
     
    #45     Oct 24, 2017
  6. Zodiac4u

    Zodiac4u

    When comparing laptops, place each laptops options side by side. Pay special attention to the details especially when comparing video cards and quad core technology. for example what stands out most when looking at the dell posted and the MSI, both have quad core but the MSI is a newer more powerful version, its an i7-7700 HQ, and the better video card, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics, 16GB system memory and its brand new.
    not saying mine is bigger or badder, since I'm still shopping for one, but when spending the bucks, I try to get the most for my money. Cheers:thumbsup:
     
    #46     Oct 24, 2017
  7. If you want, private message me with your email address. I can take a screenshot on my laptop of the entire screen. I'll send you the picture so when you try opening it, you'll see how much more I can fit on my screen (because you will have to scroll to see all corners of my screen).

    It's quite a big difference.

    I would highly advise you to avoid 4k though (2160p). Most applications do not scale correctly above 1080p or 1440p (widescreen). You can tinker a bit and get them to scale right but it's going to be a hassle for the majority of people.

    If you don't mind spending a little money on an external monitor, take a look at the Dell U3417w. It's a beautiful 34 inch computer monitor that is slightly curved. I can fit SO much on my screen, there's no need for an additional one unless your already a multi-monitor user. I went from 2 monitors to this. The screen resolution is 3440x1440p.

    Laptops - Minimum 1920x1080
    Desktop monitors - Minimum 1920x1080p; prefer higher resolutions though. Again, I would recommend shying away from 3840x2160p (4k) or higher.

    Also, if you just want to message me with an approx budget I can try giving suggestions based off your budget. I really enjoy looking at electronics so I don't mind at all :)
     
    #47     Oct 24, 2017
    DallasCowboysFan likes this.

  8. Hey sorry I didn't see there was another page to this thread before I sent the last response.

    What kind of outstanding qualities do you want? What trading platform are you using? Are you using it only for trading?

    If you're on your last nerve with the laptop then let's try installing linux on it before you buy a new one. That's usually a very quick way to find out if it's a software issue you're experiencing or hardware. Linux, for the most part, is flawless on HP laptops. Are you running Win10 or 7?

    If you're OK with the laptop performance (aside from the issues you're experiencing) then spend the money on an external monitor and add RAM. We can have a further conversation about this off the thread if you prefer.
     
    #48     Oct 24, 2017
  9. Touch screens are gimmicky. You'll rarely use it unless you purchase a Microsoft Surface Book pro because it turns to a tablet. I don't know anyone who uses a touch screen laptop, even if they have the feature, because your fingerprints get everywhere and it becomes impossible to see the screen.

    I also hate touchpads.
    [​IMG]


    Logitech MX Master

    Best freaking mouse in the world. You can reprogram almost every button on the mouse however you want with a very convenient Logitech App.

    The link above is for the 1st version of the mouse. The newest version came out but it's $30 more. If you buy the 1st version, get the extra warranty since people have complained about the mouse wheel having issues. I purchased it at Best Buy just for that reason. I didn't want to deal with Amazon on a warranty issue 6-12 months from now.

    OK - I am done blowing up this thread until someone else responds.
     
    #49     Oct 24, 2017
  10. BINGO!

    I stopped by BB during lunch and picked up some thermal paste like you recommended.
    I have heard of the paste, but I have never used it because it was never necessary.
    I removed the fan like I saw in a youtube video and applied the new paste. I had a lot leftover so I put it everywhere else I thought it might do some good. ... without damaging the PC.

    Then I huffed and puffed, blew the dust from the fan and replaced everything.

    It works like a charm now.
    The fan runs so quiet I can't hear it and the PC has not cut off on me yet.
    My connectivity has improved as well. It could be a coincidence, but the results are real. I have 4 bars instead of 2 or 3.

    I asked for a new computer because last week was the third time I had returned it in the 10 months I have owned it. BB checked the diagnostics, but they said it was not a hardware problem so they would not send it off to be repaired by HP. They said it was a software problem and I must have improperly updated something etc....

    I told him that I thought I deserved a new replacement or a dollar amount to be attributed to a new one from BB. But, they told me HP would not replace it and BB would not do it unless I had an extended warranty with BB. They said BB would replace it at their expense if I turned it in for repairs 3X.

    But I did not have the extended warranty because I have generally regarded them as wasteful.

    Anyhow, everything seems to be working now. Like a charm:)

    BTW, if anyone reading this has not had the pleasure of dealing with thermal paste, be careful. After I reassembled my laptop, I looked around and found paste everywhere on the top, sides and bottom of my PC. That stuff is sneaky, I did not even realize it was on my hands. It comes off easy enough with a wet washcloth, but it would have been easier to just be neater and pay attention to what I was doing......lol

    Many thanks for your help !
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2017
    #50     Oct 24, 2017