'A Turtle in a shiny plastic shell': Bizarre $270 Amazon laptop pairs 16GB of RAM with a tech Stone Age CPU — so slow your smartphone's probably faster
Desperate times call for desperate measures, but buying an obsolete, unsupported laptop for the upcoming school year is a step too far
With back-to-school season approaching, parents may be hunting for budget-friendly laptop deals - but if you stumble across this Amazon listing from "Naiklulu," cross it off your list immediately.
While its $270 price tag (after a $50 coupon), 16GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD look like a steal, the device is the ultimate tech trap (or as Gemini described it, a "Turtle in a shiny plastic shell").
The Naiklulu laptop runs on an Intel Core M3-6Y30 CPU, a dual-core processor launched way back in 2015. In 2026, this chip is ancient - it will actively struggle with basic modern web browsing and multitasking.
The Ultimate Dealbreaker: This CPU does not officially support Windows 11. Because Microsoft officially ended Windows 10 support last year (2025), running this machine means you are entirely cut off from critical security updates right out of the box.
From there, it all goes downhill:
- Terrible Battery Life: It pairs a tiny 38.5WHr battery with a massive 15.6-inch display. Expect to live plugged into a wall.
- Outdated Architecture: The RAM is slow, power-hungry DDR3, and the storage is a sluggish SATA SSD.
- Zero Future-Proofing: No USB Type-C, no Wi-Fi 6, and absolutely zero gaming capability due to the prehistoric Intel HD 515 integrated graphics.
The $270 alternative you should buy instead
While it "only" has 8GB of RAM, that is its only compromise. HP’s standard MSRP is $949.99, but using the checkout code PCGLOWUP25 drops the price to just $269.99 — a staggering 72% savings.
Feature | Naiklulu | HP 17z-cp300 |
Price | $270.00 | $269.99 (with code) |
CPU | Intel Core M3-6Y30 (2015) | AMD Ryzen 5 7430U (~10x faster) |
OS Support | Unsupported (Security Risk) | Fully Windows 11 Compatible |
Storage | 256GB SATA SSD (Slow) | 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD (Fast) |
Screen Size | 15.6-inch | 17.3-inch (Massive canvas) |
The HP's Ryzen 5 processor is roughly eight times faster than the Core M3, and its Radeon graphics completely outclass the Naiklulu's ancient Intel HD 515. The screen resolution on the HP is a bit lower, but the massive 17-inch display, modern architecture, and guaranteed Windows 11 security updates make it an absolute no-brainer.
Add in a bigger battery, faster Wi-Fi and HP tried-and-tested support network and you have a much, much better alternative. Do yourself a favour and get the 17z-cp300 if you are looking for a cheap laptop.
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Désiré has been musing and writing about technology during a career spanning four decades. He dabbled in website builders and web hosting when DHTML and frames were in vogue and started narrating about the impact of technology on society just before the start of the Y2K hysteria at the turn of the last millennium.
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