Looking to buy a new Laptop

[Lulav]

And would love some advice.

I have a pretty old HP which is making a funny noise so I'm afraid it's on it's last legs.

It has windows 7 on it and I'm afraid to get a new one with the 10 but I guess I'll have to.

I don't want a Chromebook, I'd rather store my info myself.

I don't do gaming so have no need for a lt that is mainly for that. Right now I have a 15" monitor on mine and don't want anything smaller. I wouldn't mind going 15-17 as long as the weight isn't high.

I do a lot of writing so fully functioning word is a must and storage for it. I have a lot of pictures too so would need space for that.

I like to multi task so like to be able to run various programs at the same time. I use a wireless mouse and that won't be changing I don't like any touch pad. Oh and I don't want a touch screen either, from all I've read they are problematic.

Other than that I'm flexible I think.

Here's a couple I've been looking at

2018 Lenovo ideapad 320 15.6" Laptop, Windows 10, Intel Celeron N3350 Dual-Core Processor up to 2.4GHz, 4GB RAM, 1TB Hard Drive, DVD-RW, WIFI, Bluetooth, Webcam

It's gotten mixed reviews on there so not sure.

Then there's this one, I had a Dell long ago but it was a desktop.

Dell i5767-5889GRY Inspiron Pro, 17.3" HD+ Laptop (Core i5-7200U, 8GB DDR4, 1TB Hard Drive, Windows 10 Pro), Gray

I''m basically very confused and don't want a lemon.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[RaymondG]

I like the lenovo Flex5 it is a 15" tablet/laptop. I've owned many laptops, and this is the best I've had so far. I would get at min a 4-core processor with 16GB ram and 1TB harddrive . If you can....get the top of the line so that it will last 5+ years.... this is actually cheaper than buying low models that get too slow after 3years and need replacing.

 

[Rion]

A) Do not buy a used laptop.
B) I'd avoid a Dell, they have a tendency to have poor battery lifespans.
C) Here's the one I just bought yesterday: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Acer-Asp...0U-8GB-DDR4-1TB-HDD-Windows-10-Home/568834734

 

[chevyontheriver]

And would love some advice.

I have a pretty old HP which is making a funny noise so I'm afraid it's on it's last legs.

It has windows 7 on it and I'm afraid to get a new one with the 10 but I guess I'll have to.

That sound might be the fan on it's last legs. OR it might be the hard disk on it's last legs. Most likely one of those two things. Replacing a fan might be crazy hard, if a replacement fan is even available. Replacing a hard disk is easy but it costs some bucks.

You might be able to fix up the old laptop. If you are willing to try, the first step would be to blast out any dust you can from the vents near the fan. Canned air might be best for this, or any source of compressed air to push out the dust. Caution though that you probably want to do this outside as there might be a lot of dust. Might get rid of the noise simply by doing that. And it's a very cheap fix if it works. And you get a cooler laptop. Theory would be that dust forces the fan to work too hard and thus wine. Dust gone would then decrease the effort the fan needs to cool the laptop.

But if that doesn't fix it, either the fan is just worn out or it's the hard disk beginning to fail. If you can determine exactly where the noise is coming from, and it is from the area of the hard disk, then a replacement SSD (solid state drive) is both the solution AND a nice upgrade. They are very fast, totally quiet, very reliable, use very little power, and you can get a nice one for well under $100. You could soup up the RAM in the laptop at the same time, getting it up to it's maximum.

But that would blow away your Windows 7. The easiest thing to do then is install either Ubuntu Linux or Fedora Linux. Both can be installed from a USB stick. Both are free. Both provide good security and ease of use. Long gone are the days when you had to be an ubergeek to run Linux. Normal people can do it. Better than Windows 10 is my opinion. You could probably install Windows 10, but that might cost you.

You mentioned writing as one of the things you use the laptop for. LibreOffice is an exceptional, and free, office suite. It is available for Linux and Windows. Works great. And did I say 'free'? Check it out no matter what you end up doing about the laptop.

A new SSD, maxed out RAM, and a lean OS could make your old laptop seem like a whole new critter. I get it that you might just want a new Windows 10 computer though. Nobody ever gets fired for going with Microsoft.

 

[paul1149]

I agree with @chevyontheriver . The main detriment to the old HPs is weight, if you do portability. But the other side of that is the quality of build. Also, the older machine won't have USB 3, which matters if you do a lot of USB file transfers.

Fan replacement on HPs usually involve a complete takedown. You can get fans on ebay cheap. At the same time the thermal CPU paste should be redone.

After that do a factory reset of Win7, then clone the drive to a new SSD. Max out the RAM. You will not believe it is the same unit. Get an external drive, or use a network drive, to keep copies of your data.

Do you actually need MS Word? Because for most people LibreOffice is a perfectly fine replacement (I prefer it), and is free. That in turn frees you to switch the OS to Linux. I've been there for three years now, and it is excellent. No more MS intrusiveness, which is bad and getting worse. Linux is built by people who value privacy as much as you do. Most people also have no need for background anti-virus on Linux, which acts as a stiff tax on performance in Windows, so expect a performance boost there too. I am on MX17 Linux, and it is both awesome and easy for a beginner to adapt to.

 

[RaymondG]

You guys are assuming everyone is tech savvy....and most arent. In my experience, it is cheaper to buy a new laptop than to fix an old one well enough to compete with even the current cheap models. Standards are changing, RAm is getting faster and cheaper......new RAM is cheaper than the old ones.... Sometimes you just have to be out with the old and get the new....

 

[ananda]

And would love some advice.

I have a pretty old HP which is making a funny noise so I'm afraid it's on it's last legs.

It has windows 7 on it and I'm afraid to get a new one with the 10 but I guess I'll have to.

I don't want a Chromebook, I'd rather store my info myself.

I don't do gaming so have no need for a lt that is mainly for that. Right now I have a 15" monitor on mine and don't want anything smaller. I wouldn't mind going 15-17 as long as the weight isn't high.

I do a lot of writing so fully functioning word is a must and storage for it. I have a lot of pictures too so would need space for that.

I like to multi task so like to be able to run various programs at the same time. I use a wireless mouse and that won't be changing I don't like any touch pad. Oh and I don't want a touch screen either, from all I've read they are problematic.

Other than that I'm flexible I think.

Here's a couple I've been looking at

2018 Lenovo ideapad 320 15.6" Laptop, Windows 10, Intel Celeron N3350 Dual-Core Processor up to 2.4GHz, 4GB RAM, 1TB Hard Drive, DVD-RW, WIFI, Bluetooth, Webcam

It's gotten mixed reviews on there so not sure.

Then there's this one, I had a Dell long ago but it was a desktop.

Dell i5767-5889GRY Inspiron Pro, 17.3" HD+ Laptop (Core i5-7200U, 8GB DDR4, 1TB Hard Drive, Windows 10 Pro), Gray

I''m basically very confused and don't want a lemon.

Any help would be appreciated.

I'd consider this one, comes with Win 8 instead of Win 10, 15.6" screen, 8GB of memory, 1 terabyte of drive storage space, and an AMD processor.

I wouldn't consider getting anything less than 8GB of memory if I was a heavy multitasker, nor would I personally buy a computer with an Intel processor at this time.

 

[chevyontheriver]

You guys are assuming everyone is tech savvy....and most arent. In my experience, it is cheaper to buy a new laptop than to fix an old one well enough to compete with even the current cheap models. Standards are changing, RAm is getting faster and cheaper......new RAM is cheaper than the old ones.... Sometimes you just have to be out with the old and get the new....

I was NOT assuming everyone is tech savvy. Changing a hard disk for a new SSD is easy, requiring a screwdriver to open up a compartment on the back, where the old hard disk slides right out and the new one goes right in. One or two screws. Easy. A company Data Memory Systems has all that would be needed. DataMemorySystems.com - Computer Memory Upgrades, PC Memory, Apple Memory, Server Memory, Flash Memory, Hard Drives and More

Installing Linux is now easy too. They make it exceptionally easy to load an image to a USB disk. Then insert the USB disk into the PC and it will boot from that. Look at Linux, play with it, see if it's what you want, and then click the 'install to my PC' button. Enter the time zone information, the preferred language you speak, a password you can remember, and the defaults for everything else. After about 15 minutes it's done. Using Linux is now easy too. Highly intuitive. No geeky genes required any more.

Depending on how old, a HP is a sturdy quality laptop that can have a lot of life left. The principal question is really how much RAM is installed and how much RAM can be installed. Linux can run beautifully on 4 GB of RAM. It can run OK on 2 GB of RAM for most things. If you can soup up the RAM to at least 4 GB, and put in a new SSD, it really will seem like a new computer.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I'd consider this one, comes with Win 8 instead of Win 10, 15.6" screen, 8GB of memory, 1 terabyte of drive storage space, and an AMD processor.

I wouldn't consider getting anything less than 8GB of memory if I was a heavy multitasker, nor would I personally buy a computer with an Intel processor at this time.

The bug with Intel processors is crazy bad. The fix in Windows slows them down quite a bit. It's about a 30% hit in processor speed. The fix in Linux is similar. Hopefully the fixes can be improved. For now, something running an AMD processor instead of an Intel processor looks much more appealing.

 

[RaymondG]

I was NOT assuming everyone is tech savvy. Changing a hard disk for a new SSD is easy, requiring a screwdriver to open up a compartment on the back, where the old hard disk slides right out and the new one goes right in. One or two screws. Easy. A company Data Memory Systems has all that would be needed. DataMemorySystems.com - Computer Memory Upgrades, PC Memory, Apple Memory, Server Memory, Flash Memory, Hard Drives and More

Installing Linux is now easy too. They make it exceptionally easy to load an image to a USB disk. Then insert the USB disk into the PC and it will boot from that. Look at Linux, play with it, see if it's what you want, and then click the 'install to my PC' button. Enter the time zone information, the preferred language you speak, a password you can remember, and the defaults for everything else. After about 15 minutes it's done. Using Linux is now easy too. Highly intuitive. No geeky genes required any more.

Depending on how old, a HP is a sturdy quality laptop that can have a lot of life left. The principal question is really how much RAM is installed and how much RAM can be installed. Linux can run beautifully on 4 GB of RAM. It can run OK on 2 GB of RAM for most things. If you can soup up the RAM to at least 4 GB, and put in a new SSD, it really will seem like a new computer.

I guess you havent run into a laptop that has the HD soldered to the motherboard then, have you? Not that easy to replace. I've upgraded the ram on many older laptops to their max capacity (make sure you instruct the op on how to find her max and correct mem type and sizes to buy.....as she may need to get rid of her current ram and put two new chips in.... e.g. if she currently has 2GB and her max is 8gb with two slots...) and the performance change was not noticeable. So we spent higher prices for old, hard to find ram and would come to the conclusion that a new Laptop was needed anyway.

yes, everything is easy to one whose job it is to do this, but for the average person....not so much. I would not recommend linux for the main PC for one who needs to get things going right away.....because of the learning curve and change of proprietary software needed.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I guess you havent run into a laptop that has the HD soldered to the motherboard then, have you? Not that easy to replace. I've upgraded the ram on many older laptops to their max capacity (make sure you instruct the op on how to find her max and correct mem type and sizes to buy.....as she may need to get rid of her current ram and put two new chips in.... e.g. if she currently has 2GB and her max is 8gb with two slots...) and the performance change was not noticeable. So we spent higher prices for old, hard to find ram and would come to the conclusion that a new Laptop was needed anyway.

yes, everything is easy to one whose job it is to do this, but for the average person....not so much. I would not recommend linux for the main PC for one who needs to get things going right away.....because of the learning curve and change of proprietary software needed.

Just presenting options. If you don't like the options you don't have to follow them.

 

[paul1149]

You guys are assuming everyone is tech savvy..

I'm also assuming nothing. It is about increasing options. For those who can't do the work themselves, there's a good chance the old machine could be repaired for $100 plus postage if you send it out to someone like me. The SSD is an upgrade, which even the new models being considered don't have.

During my brief tenure heading the computer repair section of a major office supply store, the laptops being thrown away made me sick. It would have been so easy to refit them for years of further use. But that's not how the system was set up. It was all about selling new units. Which is why I didn't stay.

The new units are so laden down with bloatware that they do not perform as well as their fancy hardware would suggest. And Windows is so high-strung that performance is guaranteed to degrade from there. Linux is not what it used to be. It is a complete desktop experience that is easy to install and learn and maintain, as long as you get a distro oriented toward newbies, of which there are many. I have put it on several machines, and it has been flawless. Some people wouldn't even know they were on Linux had I not told them.

 

[chevyontheriver]

During my brief tenure heading the computer repair section of a major office supply store, the laptops being thrown away made me sick. It would have been so easy to refit them for years of further use. But that's not how the system was set up. It was all about selling new units. Which is why I didn't stay.

I too am saddened by how much we throw away. How we have to have new this and new that, and the trash heap grows.

 

[RaymondG]

Where I'm from, computers can't be thrown away...they must be recycled and are then reused by non profits and those who can't afford the new. So for some, if you can afford the new, it is a good service to the poor to donate as opposed to holding it until it is useful to no one.

For businesses, inventory depreciates and much be written off after a certain number of years... Beside, no successful business, would keep outdated inventory and expect to compete with stores that sell cheaper up to date inventory. And again, they are not allowed to toss in the trash....


I guess it all depends on how you look at things. I try to see light even in the midst of darkest

 

[paul1149]

We supposedly recycled as well, but by the way the units were thrown and then heaped-on in the bins, very few would be reusable, and very few screens, one of the most valuable parts, would survive. They would only be stripped for what parts still worked. While that's ok, the amount of waste was terrible.

 

[RaymondG]

We supposedly recycled as well, but by the way the units were thrown and then heaped-on in the bins, very few would be reusable, and very few screens, one of the most valuable parts, would survive. They would only be stripped for what parts still worked. While that's ok, the amount of waste was terrible.

What I never liked, but understood, was that employees cant take items they found useful.....even from the trash pile......all must be disposed. But I find hope in my confidence that they will end up in a place where someone will find and make use of the useful.

 

[Tom 1]

And would love some advice.

I have a pretty old HP which is making a funny noise so I'm afraid it's on it's last legs.

It has windows 7 on it and I'm afraid to get a new one with the 10 but I guess I'll have to.

I don't want a Chromebook, I'd rather store my info myself.

I don't do gaming so have no need for a lt that is mainly for that. Right now I have a 15" monitor on mine and don't want anything smaller. I wouldn't mind going 15-17 as long as the weight isn't high.

I do a lot of writing so fully functioning word is a must and storage for it. I have a lot of pictures too so would need space for that.

I like to multi task so like to be able to run various programs at the same time. I use a wireless mouse and that won't be changing I don't like any touch pad. Oh and I don't want a touch screen either, from all I've read they are problematic.

Other than that I'm flexible I think.

Here's a couple I've been looking at

2018 Lenovo ideapad 320 15.6" Laptop, Windows 10, Intel Celeron N3350 Dual-Core Processor up to 2.4GHz, 4GB RAM, 1TB Hard Drive, DVD-RW, WIFI, Bluetooth, Webcam

It's gotten mixed reviews on there so not sure.

Then there's this one, I had a Dell long ago but it was a desktop.

Dell i5767-5889GRY Inspiron Pro, 17.3" HD+ Laptop (Core i5-7200U, 8GB DDR4, 1TB Hard Drive, Windows 10 Pro), Gray

I''m basically very confused and don't want a lemon.

Any help would be appreciated.

I’d go for at least 8GB ram with a Windows 10 pc, so I’d say no. 2. Windows 10 uses a fair bit of ram. Ram is important for multitasking - I’m assuming these both have 64bit architecture so theoretically you can install as much ram as you like. Put 16gb in and you’ll notice a difference in switching tasks. It’s not difficult to upgrade the ram in a PC though so if you don’t mind doing that it wouldn’t matter. The 2nd one is better specced all round though, the celeron processor in first one is much weaker than the i5. Have you looked at MacBooks? Good option for a writer I think. If you run a lot of programs simultaneously it’s worth checking if the graphics card and outputs support multiple screens, e.g you could extend the desktop to run one program in a window on a monitor or HDTV and another on the laptop screen.

 

[RaymondG]

MacBooks are cool....startup time is about a sec....and I heard it is very good with photos and music production. I have a really nice one......That being said.....since I got the flex 5/Win10.....I havent used the Mac..... I've found the win machine to be surprisingly comparable and it was less than half the price.

I would also recommend getting a maxed out laptop as well, so that there is no talk in the future of upgrades.....you will know that when it gets unusable...if that ever happens....your only option is to buy new.... I've been doing this all my life and my laptops usually are good for 8 years.....and I would suspect that the fully loaded flex may even push that..

 

[chevyontheriver]

What I never liked, but understood, was that employees cant take items they found useful.....even from the trash pile......all must be disposed. But I find hope in my confidence that they will end up in a place where someone will find and make use of the useful.

Lots of them are shipped to Africa, working or nonworking, where they are a tiny benefit but a huge liability as most of it ends up piled in dumps of toxic waste. The Movie 'Sahara' was a bit of hyperbole, but it did capture something true about how and where we dump our e-waste.

 

[morse86]

Get a Lenovo Thinkpad, probably the X or T series. Make sure it has the trackpoint (as you said you like to write). Some of the older Thinkpads (built like tanks) are going for $100 on ebay.

Might as well scrap Windows and install Linux.