My laptop notebook is suffering from chronic constipation. I have had it some years. There is so much choice on the market - has anyone got an idea or recommendation of a good laptop. Realise it is luck of the draw.
changing my laptop - notebook - Lung Conditions C...
changing my laptop - notebook
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26 Replies
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That really depends on what you want to do with it, a good second hand running windows 7 can be got for under £150 but i don't recommend buying it of the internet, pc world often sell refurbs cheap and Argos do a good entry level notebook around £200. Hope this helps
Thanks, azzard for your info. Lots of thinking does into this - keeps me out of mischief!! Keep you posted.
I'm of the school of thought of repairing rather than replacing. I mostly use my laptop for emailing and surfing the net.
Once a month, I clear out my cookie cache, and if I ever thing my computer is running especially slow, I just do a nuke and pave. Basically, that's erase the hard drive and reinstall the operating system. You'd be surprised just how much junk we accumulate on our hard drives, and how that makes the start up take so long. But I always make a back up copies of all my data regularly.
I have a friend who saves nothing on the hard drive, but uses a cloud service to store all their photos, music and files.
ukdeadhead• in reply to
Yup - I use online storage too. There is so much 'free' storage out there you can double up just to play safe.
I use CCleaner on a regular basis to help keep on top of the junk.
A 'defrag' can help as well as can getting rid of 'temp' files.
Good reply nowheeze
• in reply to
nuke and pave? How? I have probably done whatever that is. And cloud service.
• in reply to
Nuke and pave is when you totally erase the hard drive, then re-install the operating system (windows xp, Vista, 7).
Cloud services are online backup services.
libby7827• in reply to
Hi, I'm no expert but the only trouble with this is that laptops etc come with everything ready installed, if you deleted everything you'd then have to go and buy, e.g. Windows 7, Word, etc. which are very costly when you compare the price of a new laptop these days. Libby
• in reply tolibby7827
True, if you hadn't made an iso of the software when you first got the laptop, you would indeed have problems. Microsoft are quite sneaky in that regard LOL.
It's one reason I've online storage, where I keep all my iso images. That way, when I need one, I just download it, burn it on a dvd, check it's okay, then I'm good to go, and carry on to erase the hard drive.
Having said that, it's been quite a while since I bought either a laptop or a desktop. I build my own now, buy the software, so I've always got the original. The reason I upload it to online storage is because discs can and do deteriorate over time, especially if exposed to sunlight.
Oh boy - what a question! Dare one answer a question with a question (or two)? I ask as I have made numerous recommendations in the past and even made purchases for others at their request and it has always been determined on the usage that people think / know they are going to make of the computer. So...
What is it that you do on your current machine? Surf the net and write / read a few emails? Play serious games? Write blogs / books / regularly update websites? Edit photographs / videos? Edit music?
If it is just surfing the net and a few emails then an all singing all dancing machine is unnecessary. If you play top-of-the-line pc games and or do video editing then a powerful machine would be the order of the day. If your use is in between then it makes sense that your machine should be better than 'just surfing' but less than 'all singing'.
Another thought is how good is your eyesight. We have a variety of computers and screens in the house. My eyesight is good (actually I'm blessed with better than average eyesight - one of the few bits of me not failing!) but my wife and youngest daughter have pretty poor eyes and so require larger screens. The quality of the screen can make a difference as well.
I have one 'all-singing' for our music studio and several 'good' machines. My laptop cost me £380 from Argos Bargains nearly 4 years ago - I'm typing this reply on it now - and must say I've had what I would consider a bargain. It's a Toshiba model with a 15.6" screen capable of playing 1080 HD film. It has a 500GB Hard Drive which I support with an external hard drive for music and pictures - I still have lots of spare space. I upped the RAM when bought to keep it running along smoothly; cost another £20. It runs Windows 7 Professional 64bit.
There were cheaper laptops available with similar spec but for me reliability is always an issue. Toshiba has a good reputation for business use so good enough for me.
Has this helped or have I just gone on too long and added to the confusion? If the latter then I apologise, if the former then good.
Best of luck what ever
• in reply toukdeadhead
Agree with what you're saying, especially about Toshiba and screens. Just now I'm on an old Dell operating xp, ideal for surfing the net LOL.
With regard to poor eyesight, I utilize the Zoom which is on my google browser. I've got mine set at 150%.
No, ukhead, you haven't gone too long. I have digested all that you have said. Basically, I dont use office stuff, photos or music, on this one.. I dont do games (certainly not on this one) I have Kindle fire for these.
What I do need it for is shopping, news, emails, iplayer etc., lovefilm, surfing, FB etc. Lighter stuff.
My name will tell you my age so not too sophisticated. Although I have to say i am interested in computers but not when they jam up. That is swear time. I have computer specs.
i have seen a laptop Toshiba from John Lewis. People mention second hand ones but I have decided to dip into my savings. The make is the big concern. I will then decide where to buy it. As you say, reliability is the big thing. Too many swear words have been used on the present one I have.
I found your message useful, ukhead, thanks a lot. Bye from Annie80x
I repair and service laptops. I doubt you would need a new one. I could give it a good scan for rubbish and put extra memory in it for you.
Thanks, Puff. Just spoke to husband who says it has been tried.
• in reply to
It can be really slow especially when I am writing on this site. I press REPLY and it can, if it wants, take forever.
• in reply to
That could be attributed to you internet speed, as opposed to a hardware/software problem
Puffthemagicdragon• in reply to
Ok Annie. 
annie its definately a mine field out there just trying to ascertain whats right for ur needs my mother wants a notebook laptop has been looking but she always gets confused about what she needs and at what price she needs to spend!she went to pc world last week and a young lad selling there advised her a 500 quid machine with an i5 processor all she wants to do is email and shop on it lol
• in reply toals1uk
With respect to the young lad, I wonder what sort of experience he has had. I am enjoying finding out and this question, I put has been helpful to get my thoughts together.
I will check that out, nowheeze. I see that Virgin iplayer has been off on the TV, and we have Virgin broadband. I am an erk with this sort of thing, but am not sure it is to do with the internet speed.
Annie. Is it a netbook or a laptop you are thinking of buying ?
I wouldn't mind something fairly small 12" - 15" that will fit on my table. I have seen touchscreen and a keyboard but the t.screen isn't essential. It is a minefield looking on the web. I just love my computer.
What ever you decide Annie don't let anyone talk you into getting anything with Windows Vista. Awful awful awful.
If I was choosing I'd get a 12'' Samsung.
My kids gave me a 7'' Nexus tablet so I use it although I'd prefer something slightly bigger. It does fit nicely in my handbag though and it is brilliant. P
• in reply topeege
I had a play with Vista and decidly not for me.
Annie,
If you dislike Vista (as I do), chances are you'll hate the latest Windows 8, which seems to me aimed at the younger market (all pull down menus) and not very intuitive for us silver surfers. I used to love XP but now rate Windows 7 very highly. Sounds like a bottom end machine would do all you need it to do. Personally I've had bad experiences with HP and Lenovo, but no such problems with Samsung or Dell. One piece of software which really affects my desktops' performance is AVG Anti-virus which is a free and effective tool but seems to take forever to complete its daily scan and slows my internet down to snails pace.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
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