New Laptop Query.

[wm460]

A question for the computer wiz's.

My laptop is on the way out, 1/2 the letters and numbers dont work any more, etc, etc, I have to do a lot of cutting and pasting to write anything, over the years it getting slower and slower.

My question is what sort to buy, what to look for?
When I look at the internet the specs totally confuse me.
All i use the computer for is emails, photos google, forums, I don't play games.

 

[alpha1]

I don,t like lap tops at all I prefer a desk top computer. Every computer I have owned except for the original one I bought I have built my self.
Sorry I realize that does not help you at all.

 

[Curly]

We are an Apple household. A couple iPhones, an old iPad, MacBook and iMac desktop. Obviuosly we're not going back to any Windows machines. There are only a few models of their laptops, mostly to do with screen, hard drive and memory sizes. Once you have it it works and keeps working. Upgrades don't cause problems and are free including new operating systems. Once you get over the cost you'll be happy you have it and it will last. Marla's laptop is 11 years old.

Pete

 

[Penpal]

Horses for courses Mark surely the computer advice in or from your isolation some beaut advice would come from Computer forums wish yo well mate.

 

[Lons]

Hi Mark

We're locked in to Apple technology for everything technical except laptops which I prefer to be Windows based, the fact that an equivalent Apple Mac costs at least twice as much is also an important factor to me but only you can decide.
I prefer a largish screen so always buy 17" and my latest bought earlier this year is a Dell Inspiron with 10th generation i7 processor and is very fast, not one of the fastest gaming machines but like you that doesn't interest me.

If going for a PC rather than a Mac look for an i5, i7 or better and the latest generation you can find, must have a fast SSD hard drive to run the system and if possible an additional drive to store your data and that doesn't need to be SSD (mine has 125gb SSD plus a 1tb data drive), at least 8gb of RAM but 16gb would be even better.
Most of the other components will be similar across the range, look at how many USB ports and will they cope with what you use currently, does it have a DVD drive, many don't now and it that's important then you might need to buy an external drive if not built in. I bought mine on line from John Lewis because of heavy discount and an extra year warranty but that won't help you in Ozzieland
Macs are subject to similar components and follow the same rules but only you can decide which way to go and my advice would be set your maximum budget first and look for the best spec you can find within that price, not the best time to buy at the minute unfortunately due to the shortage of chips and lockdown high demand but still deals to be had. You'll find that there are distinct supporters on both sides of the fence and arguments aren't always rational from either.

All that said, if your current machine is old then anything you buy now will seem lightning fast by comparison.

Bob

 

[pittswood]

Plus, the fact that the new windows 11, does not suit all newer PCs. It needs to have a TPM chip in the processor.
Kelvin

 

[Bill Mooney]

I’m an Apple man with iMac & iPad. The iPad or Samsung galaxy is more than adequate for your needs. I started with dos 6, went through windows, built my own machines & I wouldn’t go back to a windows pc. Hi

 

[AllenN]

I use Apple too. For what you want to do an iPad might be ideal. You can always use a keyboard with it ( Logitech do them if you don’t want an Apple keyboard)

 

[Chriscb]

We too are an Apple house - everything other than an Android phone that's up for replacement in a few months. Several considerations to think on - what software do you use now, and will it upload to a new windows machine or an Apple? How much data do you have to transfer? No doubt you can think of more.

Then consider the benefits of Apple v Windows - Lons puts to very well so I won't repeat it here. Suffice it to say that my wife was looking for a new laptop and was not interested in an Apple - until she borrowed my Macbook and found how easy it was to use - and fast - and no constant up dates - and no ......... She now runs a 16" MacBook and is very happy.

An iPad could indeed be ideal - 11" screen with 256Gb storage will set you back the best part of £900, but you get solid hardware with good standard software - email, browser et al and access to 50Gb (or more for more £'s) via iCloud or a big external hard drive running of the iPad. Keyboard would be an add-on - about £25 for an Arteck. Oh, and the battery life is astonishing.

Regards,
Chriscb

 

[21William]

We’re all Apple as well. I have used but never liked laptops. These days I do most stuff on an iPad, I’m on my third one at the moment. As far as price goes if you buy a similar specification PC laptop to an Apple one with the same build quality the price is not that different. It’s just that PC makers sell cheap stuff down to a price. Apple have just released a new iPad and it starts at just £319 which I believe is cheaper than some similar android tablets.
I used both Macs and PC’s at my last job but over 90% of my work was done on the Mac as I preferred using it.

Just one guys point of view.

 

[yorkshireman]

Hello Mark mate. Have a look at an IPad they are so intuitive to use that after a short time with one you won’t go back to a windows. My son has a phd and uses a windows machine as it’s supplied by his company but away from work he much prefers Apple.

 

[Padster]

I'm another apple fanboy - I have to use Windows for work (incidentally in the IT industry and for a major corporate vendor), but for everything else I use apple (phones, iPad, iMac, Apple Watch - the whole eco system).

To me as others have said it sounds like an iPad would do the job perfectly... downside whilst intuitive it may take a little time to get used to, and cost. On the plus side apple kit can last a very longtime my Mac book pro has only just been replaced after 11+ years, if you have any other Apple items the interaction now is getting seamless and very very good.

Now the opposing view - if you wish to stay with windows for what you are doing a very basic entry level laptop, or even a Chromebook would probably suffice and be more cost effective initially but will get outdated quicker and more like need greater management and interaction from yourself.

HTH - there is a lot more that could be discussed but trying to keep options down for you.

Regards

Padster

 

[21William]

Several manufacturers are now calling their tablets “laptop replacements”. It’s not hard to see why given how powerful for example Apples M1 iPad Pro is. Battery life on them is also far better than the average laptop.

Since the introduction of the M1 chip some windows users have been dipping their toes into the Apple ecosystem by purchasing a Mac Mini, used with their existing monitor and keyboard etc.

Mac mini - Apple (UK)

 

[Curly]

Hmmm. Here I thought I would be in the minority sitting in the orchard.

Pete

 

[wm460]

I guess I am halfway in the orchard, I have an iPhone.[emoji108]
I did not realise so many people had Apple.

I have thought about an Apple lappie but was put off by the price.
The reason I want a laptop is when I go away I can watch DVDs in bed when everyone else is asleep, it is too clod for me down south at night even in summer.
I will look at the iPads etc .

Another operating system I have heard a little about is Linux, any pros and cons about this?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lons]

You really need to get an ipad into your hands to see if it suits your needs Mark and where you live I assume there might not be a shop within easy reach? You certainly as far as I'm aware can't attach an external DVD player to an ipad though I'm sure there will be a hook up contraption around somewhere.

Just to clarify my situation, I have an iphone 12 mini and an ipad but I really don't like the latter and will only use it when I absolutely have to, my recent laptop cost less than the ipad, has 2 hard drives, 4 usb inc C type< SD card reader so I can save and read to external Hard drives, flash drives, DVD and whatever else I want, you can't do that with a normal ipad without jumping through hoops or using wifi / bluetooth so unless comunicating with other Apple products it's a pita as far as I'm concerned. The screen size, even the pro is smaller than I want and I prefer a keyboard and mouse. You don't have to run Windows on a PC and there are several simpler options including Linux which work very well.

I'd stress that I'm not arguing with anyone, the above is my personal preference only and the reason when we go away I always carry my laptop in preference to my ipad. The closest Mac I could get compared to my PC in March btw was more than twice the price and I looked very carefully at all options, if I wanted to spend that much more I'd rather have spent the extra on tools.

 

[wm460]

Just another thought, Couple of years ago I had to spend 3 weeks in Darwin after a doc dug a hole in my head, I spent most of the time stuck in a motel room watching DVDs, I know in the future I will have to go through the same thing again.
I find Darwin a boring place, some people love it not me.
I suffered severe shed withdrawal symptoms while I was up there.

 

[21William]

I watch films and other programmes on my iPad Pro 10.5” quite a bit, normally through a streaming service. Actually, if I’m using my iPad Mini watching stuff its nearly equivalent to our 50” TV at the distance I sit to it comparative to how close I hold the iPad.

I can’t imagine taking DVD’s around with me, do people really do that?! You do need an adapter to connect hard drives and other USB devices to an iPad but it’s only a cable with a socket on it so not much different to plugging in a cable to a laptop. Seriously though, so much stuff is WiFi and Bluetooth enabled there’s not so much need for cabled stuff anymore.

Tablets of all different types have really eaten into laptop sales, there’s a reason for that. This is an old article but you get the idea.

Apple says the iPad is outselling every laptop on the market

 

[Skil Phil]

Another operating system I have heard a little about is Linux, any pros and cons about this?

I have been windows free for a good 15 years.
Changed to Linux. First was Ubuntu and now on Linux Mint.
Very happy. Can do everything I need to do and it just keeps on working.
Regular updates that do not break the system.
Cut a trial CD from a downloaded ISO and try it out for free.
BTW all software is free.

Phil

 

[Phil Dart]

Good lord. All these apples. I'm a windows kind of guy Mark, and my requirements are similar to yours, although obviously my PCs they get used for business. The market is driven by gaming, which you and I don't care about, so do your google searching for business computers and/or office computers, which will eliminate all the stuff you don't need for gaming. I can't help you specifically for laptops though, since I hate them with a vengeance. All I can tell you there is that last time I had to buy one, which was about 6 months ago (my wife uses a laptop), I had to pay way more for it that I would have done for a desktop, because the specs for lower priced business laptops are basic to say the least, and the build quality of the lower priced ones is crap.