Time for a new computer
 

I have a 6 year old desk top that has crashed and won't even reboot anymore.

I am using my 8 year old HP Pavilion laptop....works but is just slow.

I want to eliminate having the desk top and the laptop and go to a more powerful (?) laptop. Between the laptop and iPad I see no reason to have a third machine taking up space/time/$.

Are the laptops that come apart and double as a smart pad practical or just gimmicky?

We are not gamers and any streaming we do is through the television or the blu ray player. No big downloads. Mostly email, researching/cruising the internet, news, etc.

I am not opposed to spending a few dollars more if it gets the right machine.

Any comments/experiences appreciated.

Buy a Chromebook if you don't feel that an iPad will fill your needs.

If you want to replace a desktop with a laptop, I would get one with an Intel I7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, a 1 or 2 TB hard drive, a built-in disk drive, and an HDMI output. I would also get at least a 15 or 17 inch screen. Whether the screen detaches, folds back, or whatever really doesn't matter. Some of the top-of-the-line laptops now come with a solid state hard drive, but the capacity is usually far less than 1 TB, which would not be enough for me. The old type hard drives work just fine. A Chromebook may be good for surfing the Web, but it won't replace a desktop.

I also am getting a new computer. My last computer was an HP Envy. I believe I paid almost $1000 for it. It has a 17 inch screen which is the largest I have seen. The screen was just not large enough for me and I found myself squinting to see everything. It also seemed a little blury. I purchased a 22 inch monitor and hooked it up and was so pleased that was until the laptop began to fail. I have decided to get an All-in-one computer. I like the portability of it with just one cord. Of course you can't pack it up and take it with you on the road like a laptop but I have a smaller older laptop that I take on the road with me. I will not buy another HP Envy after this experience. My daughter-in-law is on her third one as well so they just don't last that long. One thing in my research I noted it that the higher the Gig the more expensive. I found that if the computer has 8 gig but is upgradeable to 16 then I can always do that later if needed.

If you want to travel with it you could opt for a smaller screen (makes it lighter and easier to carry) and plug it into a larger monitor when at home

One word of caution, please completely destroy the hard drives in your existing computers before recycling them. If there are files on these that you need, I may be able to help, I have hard disc to USB adapters that will allow you to transfer files (no programs) to your new PC. Send me a PM if interested.

Get a Macbook Air. it will last a very long time. You won't be disappointed. :thumbup:

Just don't get sucked into buying the Mac products.

Another vote for a Chromebook.
I wrote my first program in 1969 so I've been around the computer world, you can say. I've used more computers than anyone has ever heard of. I worked as a Best Buy computer salesperson a few years ago. While I was there the first Chromebook came out. Someone had bought it, returned it(because it wasn't a Windows laptop) and I bought it at the restock price.
That was the best thing I ever bought (in computer terms).

What it is:
Light weight, fast easy. I looks like a laptop and, for the most part, acts like a laptop. You can sign in and surf the web, go to your bank site and do your banking, sign into Facebook, Twitter and anything else you would normally sign into on line.
It never gets a virus because it is the chrome operating system (OS). Updates are automatic, you almost never even know you got an update.
It has limited storage, but you get 15 gig online with your gmail account. (100 gig is only $1.99/month)

What it is not:
It is not Windows or Apple or Linux. You can not download programs that only work on those OS. (Such as Photoshop, Quicken, etc).
It only works online connected by WiFi (but then, when you use Windows you are probably connected to WiFi anyway).

Do you use M/S Word?
Well, chrome has Google docs that can read and update files and let you save it in Docs (and send it back as a word doc if you need to)
Excel - Google sheets is like docs above.

I gave my first Chromebook to my daughter and got a little bit bigger unit (eye sight).
I use it 99.99% of the time (including now). The other .01%? , well I still have a laptop for Quicken, but after the next couple of years I won't need it.

I hope this helps.

Just keep in mind that it will be a very heavy laptop. And run very hot which, if you actually hold it on your lap, can be a problem. They are basically a desktop crammed into a laptop, which makes them good for memory and speed. I used HP 16 or 17" laptop to work from home and while away. It was very heavy. I think I went through two of them quite quickly. Back in 2000-2010, the mechanical functions of HPs did not last long.

PS: I loooooooooved both of mine. If only they didn't wear out physically so easily. Maybe it's different now. But I am afraid to buy HPs now.

A small laptop with a docking station allows portability along with a large screen, mouse and actual keyboard.

In my opinion, it really doesn't make sense to try to replace a desktop with a laptop. If you have space in your house for a desktop, you can buy a super duper desktop and huge monitor plus a cheap laptop (under $200) all for less money than one high end laptop. You will save money and have more computing power and flexibility than just having a laptop.

Forget anything with microsoft....wickedly prone to hacking. iMac desktop 17" or 21". Had mine since '09. Zero issues and all upgrades are free so far. No antivirus software ever used(probably jinxed myself). Much easier to use.

My 8yr old Toshiba Satellite 17" still works great. As with any computer, especially a laptop, you want to back up. I use an external hard drive for backups.

AMEN to the backup, I have lived through too many hard disc crashes.

This is terrible advice based on what the OP said he was going to use the system for; e-mail and web surfing. Your suggestion would have him wasting a lot of money on capabilities he will never use. Based on what the OP stated, a Chromebook would be an excellent choice.

This is more bad advice. The OP stated that his intended uses were e-mail and websurfing. There is no need for a "super duper desktop". He never indicated he wanted a "high end laptop". His computing power requirements are minimal.

Save your money. Download Linux Mint Mate ISO and burn to DVD. Run off bootable DVD to see if you like it. 100% FREE. Then install. Works great on older PC's. Running on 2006 Asus Netbook with 2gigs of ram and 16gig ssd. perfect for your uses. Linux = No viruses /malware and fast! Will install on your older desktop if the HD is ok, if not will run off DVD or thumb drive. PM me if you need additional info.

While I like the idea of a Linux OS, most people don't know what Linux is, why they should use it and how to maintain it.
They just want something that works for what they want.

That is why I refer back to a Chromebook. It looks and feels like a Windows laptop but without all the problems of a Windows PC.
It doesn't get a virus so you don't need antivirus software or anti-spyware software.

Yes, you need a Gmail Account (big deal, I have a Gmail account but use Yahoo as my start page).

Of course, on the down side (maybe), you can't run Windows programs, but what are you using that really requires Windows?

He/she is using the computer "mostly" for web surfing. My main point is that, generally, I think that trying to replace a desktop with a laptop is not a good idea. Desktops are more durable, economical, and easier to use than laptops. For occasional portability, you can supplement the desktop with a very inexpensive laptop or tablet. I bought a Lenova laptop for $175, but I use my desktop for more important things like doing taxes.

The OP mentioned a laptop so presumably portability is an issue for him. As already mentioned, a docking station, external monitor, and external mouse will turn a laptop into a "desktop" while preserving the portability. I have been doing this for 20 years with a laptop, including using a KVM switch when I had multiple systems. Be that as it may, based on the information provided, it seems to me that the OP has very modest compute requirements. A lower priced Intel processor with minimal memory will keep his costs down. I have an I7 based laptop with an SSD instead of a harddrive that was provided to me by my company. It would be serious overkill for a user with modest requirements. I believe many people get talked into buying way more equipment than they need. If you are a gamer or do serious image processing then better hardware would be called for. The OP should take a serious look at a Chromebook.

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I agree. I have an old laptop that I run Ubuntu Linux on because I needed a linux environment with a C and Fortran compiler on the cheap. I don't believe it is for the novice who just wants an "appliance". A Chromebook would be an excellent choice for the OP.

I guess no one here has tried a Linux distribution lately. Been in the PC repair / business since CP/M (pre DOS) times, and hate to see viable hardware discarded especially when there are minimal needs. Won't cost OP anything to try. Linux Mint Mate full current operating system. Updates easy as pie, maintenance nominal. Office alternatives. Most Windows programs run well in Wine emulator. Menu driven, just like Windows, OS 10.100% FREE. Thousands of top quality programs. Mac OS and Chromebook based on Linux anyway. Not a fan of the Chromebook interface, I put Linux Mint on it. Works out of the box.
2 Win 10 machines
2 Win 95
2 Win Xp
4 Linux Mint Netbooks
3 Linux Ubuntu Servers
2 Various Linux diagnostics desktops

My favorite computer that I've owned is the Dell XPS 18" Portable All-in-One that I bought three years ago. Apparently, it wasn't a good seller because Dell doesn't make it anymore. Not sure why, because it is so convenient and easy to unplug and relocate anywhere in the house that supports Wi-Fi. It's a giant tablet that sits on a power docking station and it came with a regular keyboard and mouse. I was looking at it at Best Buy when a man told me the Microsoft Store sold a more powerful version, i7 and 8 gb RAM for less money, so that's where I bought it. It has a touch screen but I rarely use that feature. Other than the normal frustrations of running Windows, it's been reliable so far. I hope praising it doesn't jinx my luck.

FORTRAN? I haven't used that since 1969!

The All-In-one (AIO) was a convenient device, but (and it's a big but), when one part broke, you had a big problem getting the part. With a desk top you can get a new monitor, hard drive, keyboard etc. With a laptop you can get more memory and a hard drive, but if the mother board died, well you might was well get a new PC.

Most of the heavy lifting in the scientific and engineering disciplines is done by Fortran.

I continue to get advertisements in my e-mail from DELL about great bargains.....Does anyone one else?