K then


Well yeah but most of them are likely not applicable(dunno the right word to use so ill go with that).....if it's due to waiting times: Patience is virtue, right?.....and if it's due to worries about site security or dependability: Newegg and other sites have been used by me and are very reliable from what i've seen of them.

(Also if it's fees, usually a good price at one store can offset most of the extra cost)

I used to worry about international buying before but then I "bit the bullet" and started buying from any country with the best prices/most reliable sellers....and so far it's worked pretty good.

I also prefer to buy local, so totally understand you.
I dont have experience on Unity, other than play a few games but keep in mind the lower-end Ryzen stuff is very underpowered Graphics wise. Probably way worse than Intel.
Whenever I want to check laptop graphics go to notebookcheck and see a couple of scores. Firestrike graphics is the one I care the most, since I use it for a few years now, I get a sense of the power. Just check more than a few scores because sometimes they test laptops running on powersaving etc, like chips with non user configurable TDP, or a GPU coupled with a weak CPU.

Have you checked Dell and Toshiba stuff?

https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/inspiron-15-5000-laptop/spd/inspiron-15-5585-laptop/nnbuc5am103s


Take a look at this website, might confuse you even more :D

https://www.amd.com/en/shop/us/Laptops

Mainly because I've got used to the old times without internet. I like to "touch" and "inspect" things before my final payment in cash (not CC), and there are some regulations in Polish law I can use to enforce that. But not only because this - as I said, there are various reasons. And no, patience is not one of them, I am a very patient, old man. ;)

mayby he is into probook , but you weren't fair for them ... consumer models aren't equal to buisness one 's .
At the same price "pavilon" will be much better pure spec's than "probook" . Totaly different markets ... and different target clients.
For me to be fair we can yell as much as we want on EXACT model , not whole brand .

Well, as I've heard and read, in case of Lenovo it's not just about quality of build of their products but it's also about quality of service, and that's why I'm so afraid of the whole this one brand. :)

And that's why I wanted to know the source of his experiences with HP.

What do you mean by that?
Intel CPU needs external GPU (like MX from Nvidia) to be better than Ryzen in that. Internal Intel GPU is a weak one.

It's not confusing at all and it only confirms my earlier findings.

When I set:
- 14inch
- AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
- 256GB
- Windows 10 Pro

...then I'm presented with a list of 7 laptops:
- HP ProBook 445R G6
- HP EliteBook 745 G6 (x2)
- Lenovo ThinkPad E495
- Lenovo ThinkPad T495
- Lenovo ThinkPad T495s (x2)

...and from that list only two laptops are in range of my budget:
- HP ProBook 445R G6
- Lenovo ThinkPad E495

If that is the case(inspecting) why not inspect a model in a local shop then buy online? That could satisfy most of your requirements.

Also again, I am not trying to rag on you with these replies....I just don't see why one should possibly get ripped off due to one's usual way of buying things when we have a whole world of possibilities in front of us nowadays. :)



BTW what IS your budget again? Because newegg has the model you listed for around 525 US dollars here:

Those Vega 3 iGPU are really not better than the Intel counterparts. Newer 10 generation Intel stuff will lever the iGPU, I cannot recall the source but it should be rougly on par with Vega 8.
A good exemple on the desktop world, wich I'm more familiar with, the Vega 3 is way underpowered than comparable Intel iGPU, despite you see dozens of reviews (writen and video) praising the Vega 3 for the low price.

I'm not an Intel fan but since Ivy Bridge they are not very far behind in graphics compared to AMD (on the lower-end/mid-range of course), maybe a year or two behind but not far behind in raw performance (including hardware decoders etc).

Edit:You mention the Ryzen5 3500u wich have the Vega8. Will leave the post as is in case anyone wonder about Vega3.

I won't buy Vega 3.

"should be" is the key here. I would prefer to buy a laptop this year.

Before or after you pay? I ask as you said before you like to test before paying. Do they allow you to order, then test before paying?

I get that...I was just trying to be helpful to a fellow gogger, but I hope you find a good deal no matter which route you take. :)

Have you ever tried out any online shops for cheaper items, btw? Just curious.

Well yes, you'd pay in your own currency....I was just showing what the price is for the same laptop on one site to show a price comparison.

BTW do you have to pay such fees even on online/international shops? And if so what is the rate currently?

I can open ordered package and do my "touches" before paying and then I have two weeks for my final decision (because of the Polish law).

Of course, but not international because of fees and supplementary payments.

Yes, I do not know all details but I would need to pay at least 23% extra of original price (that's just one of the fees).

Nice.

K then...btw does that include the EU or can you also buy from other EU countries without such fees?

So they rip you off, basically? That sucks.