You know me: I’m all about budget laptops. Give me a Chromebook, give me a tablet with a keyboard, give me a $200 HP Stream. Of course, systems like those lack the horsepower for anything beyond basic computing. If you want to edit video or play games, you need something with muscle.
Like this: for a limited time, and while supplies last, DealFisher (via Amazon) has the Lenovo Y50 4K Touch 15.6-inch laptop for $999.99 shipped. Regular price: $1,500.
Granted, that’s still steep for a laptop, but this thing is seriously loaded. Check it out: Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM (!), a 256GB solid-state drive, dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and even an integrated JBL sound system with subwoofer!
Oh, and the screen — this baby’s all about the screen. It’s a 15.6-inch anti-glare touch panel with a native resolution of 3,840×2,160, otherwise known as 4K. Overkill on a laptop? Maybe, but it’s overkill of the best kind.
An Nvidia GeForce GTX 860M graphics card powers that display, giving you ample horsepower for games, video and the like — though as CNET’s review points out, it can’t quite give you the full 4K gaming experience. (Even so, the system earned a total score of 8.5 out of 10 and a rating of “excellent.”)
Obviously not everyone needs such a powerhouse portable, but if you’re a gamer who doesn’t relish the idea of dropping $1,500 on a new system, this is a seriously good deal.
Bonus deal: While we’re on the subject of games, fans of “South Park” cannot and should not pass this up: Best Buy has South Park: The Stick of Truth for $19.99 (plus tax, but no shipping charge if you opt for in-store pickup). Price elsewhere: $39.99. This seriously hilarious game was one of the highlights of 2014. Ironically, though, it comes on DVD, and the Lenovo Y50 lacks a DVD drive. (If you’re a heavy gamer, you were probably planning to add one anyway, in which case here’s one for just $14.99.)
Bonus deal No. 2: Most of the bargain-basement monitors I share are on the low end of the feature spectrum: no speakers, no HDMI and so on. But today, ta-daaa: Newegg has the Sceptre E248W-1920 24-inch LCD monitor for $119.99 shipped (with free “Super Eggsaver” shipping). Specs include — can you guess? — an HDMI input, along with DVI and VGA, and built-in speakers. The warranty is a bit short at one year, but this is still an amazing price on a big monitor.
Bonus deal No. 3: Nepotism alert! No, I’m not going to plug my book again (that would be shameless!). Instead I’m giving my fellow Michiganders — and nearby Ohioans! — the chance to be Trapped in a Room with a Zombie at a discount. Just enter coupon code cheeps at checkout to save $7 on each $28 ticket. Quick history: I first saw the show in Chicago and loved it so much I had to bring it to Detroit. So, yeah, I’m in the theater biz now! And with good reason: this show is just incredible. You will not be disappointed.