Which laptop offers the best performance for under 800 dollars?

Question

Ugh I am literally so confused trying to figure this out. I have exactly $800 saved from my job and I need a laptop that actually runs fast for my editing projects but every time I look at specs I just get a headache. My logic was that a higher price means it is better but then I see some $700 ones that people say are faster than the $900 ones? I saw something about i5 vs i7 and then someone mentioned ram and I just dont get what I should be looking at. Is there a specific one that is the fastest for that price? I need to buy it by Friday before my classes start and I really dont want to waste my money on a slow brick...

SableSugar · Accepted Answer

I've tested dozens of systems over the years. Specs are definitely a maze. To give the best advice, what specific editing software are you using? It changes the hardware requirements significantly. In my experience, these provide the best performance for your budget:

Acer Swift Go 14 OLED Intel Core i7-13700H 16GB RAM

<a href=" https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ASUS+ Vivobook+16+M1605+AMD+Ryzen+7+7730U+16GB+RAM&linkCode=osi&------123456890?7649-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 AMD Ryzen 7 7730U 16GB RAM RAM is key. Focus on 16GB over a faster processor.

CometCrescendo · Answer

saw your post earlier and wanted to chime in before you pull the trigger. honestly, after cycling through a bunch of machines over the years, ive learned that raw specs dont mean much if the laptop starts thermal throttling or falling apart after three months. you want something thats actually gonna last through your degree and not just burn out. ive been really happy with the Lenovo Slim 7 14 inch AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS 16GB RAM 512GB SSD lately. its usually sitting right around $750 and the build quality is honestly impressive for the price. it doesnt feel like a cheap plastic toy. for editing, that ryzen 7 chip is super efficient and wont scream like a jet engine the second you open your timeline. another one i recommend is the HP Pavilion Plus 14 inch OLED Intel Core i5-13500H 16GB RAM. the oled screen is a game changer for seeing your edits clearly, and it handles heavy loads without breaking a sweat. just make sure you get 16GB of ram. doing editing with 8GB is just asking for a headache, no matter how fast the processor is. dont get hung up on the i5 vs i7 labels because a newer gen i5 is often way better than a dusty old i7. TL;DR: grab the Lenovo Slim 7 14 inch AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS 16GB RAM 512GB SSD for the best mix of speed and reliability under $800. it wont let you down.

LagSpikesOnly · Answer

Look, Ive been through dozens of laptops over the years, and the biggest mistake people make is thinking that a higher number always means better performance. It is a total trap. Marketing makes it seem like i7 is the gold standard, but a newer i5 will often crush an older i7 while staying way cooler and battery life is usually better too. If you are doing editing, here is what you need to dodge:

Never settle for 8GB of RAM. Seriously, dont do it. For editing, that will be your biggest bottleneck and it will make your life miserable. Aim for 16GB minimum or you will be lagging constantly.

Watch out for the screen quality. You can have the fastest processor in the world, but if the screen has terrible color accuracy, your projects will look totally different on every other device. Look for at least 100% sRGB if you can find it.

Avoid laptops without a dedicated GPU if you are doing heavy video work. Integrated graphics are getting better, but they still struggle with 4K or lots of layers. Stick to those rules and you wont end up with a brick. Honestly, that 800 dollar range is the sweet spot if you know what to skip... just dont get blinded by the i7 sticker.