Is the ASUS X550LC-XX233D worth it's price?

Hi, I was looking to buy this laptop: ASUS X550LC-XX233D in korea for 750$. This is my first laptop which I am buying so I do not know if the specs of the computer is good or not. I am mostly looking to use it for school work, video streaming (youtube) and games such as gta 4. This pc consists of:

Intel Core i7-4500U Processor
Mobile Intel HM70 Express Chipsets
DDR3 1600MHz PC3 12800 4GB
39.62cm LED TFT LCD Dispaly 1366x768 16:9 180nit 16ms
nVIDIA GeForce GT720m 2GB DDR3
SATA 750GB 5400rpm
SonicMaster Audio
HD Web Camera

Is this a good buy? Are there any better Asus laptops at the near price? Thanks

 

I would say no. Are there common online stores in Korea that you could use to compare models, reviews and prices. Usually places which sell computer parts and desktop systems will have a large selection of high performance and gaming computers from manufacturers like Asus.

At this point, I think you should shop around a bit more before you commit to that one. Let me try to break down each spec.

Intel i7 4200u is a low power dual core CPU. It is usually found in ultrabook form factors may not be suitable for what you want to do if you play any games. Those ulv dual core chips cost the same as full power quad core ones so price shouldn't be a problem.

RAM at 4gb will probably be enough to start, but I would plan to be upgrading down the road.

Display. This is the one thing that would be terrible for most people as they look at the display all day. First, it is a 720p screen which is low resolution for 15 inches. Secondly, it is using TFT technology which while being OK means you sacrifice viewing angles and quality.

The graphics card is last generation. This is not a problem. However, it is a very low performing GPU. I would look for any nvidia GPU which has the letters GTX in front of it. Even though you are in Korea, I guarantee there are other better models our there that may be discounted for being a year old.

 

I am a fan of the cpu, but you really need a good gpu to compensate the lackluster igpu. Unfortunately the 720m is bottom line entry level graphics that are only slightly better then the ones offered by your CPU. I think if you want to do any kind of gaming, look for a 640/740m or better.

 

If you don't really game, then this is a nice notebook that can perform most of stuff with ease, including HD videos, and minor gaming.
I would change out the HDD to SSD though.

 

It has a slow hard drive and a weak GPU, but the system as a whole is fair. Asus typically puts together good laptops.

Seconding Kevin's recommendation, upgrade the hard drive to a SSD if your budget allows it. If not, try to at least shoot for a 1 TB 7200 RPM drive.