Help with buying a laptop

2

Comments

  • ClippTube
    ClippTube Posts: 5 Forumite
    What are you using the laptop for? Work? Gaming? Everyday use?
  • pineapple
    pineapple Posts: 6,931 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    edited 9 February 2018 at 7:21PM
    I am using a refurbished Dell laptop from Amazon. It has been perfect but I will be reluctantly replacing it this Spring as the operating system is XP.
    Looking at Windows 10. I only need it for email, surfing, picture storage and the occasional catch up TV and there is plenty under £150 that will do for me.
  • toshi
    toshi Posts: 308 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    lomax512 wrote: »
    And CPU and RAM, why do ppl think that putting an SSD in a PC is the fix for everything

    :rotfl:

    As ppl has been told about CPU and RAM only :cool:. I am not sure for everything, but SSD can fix the for most outstanding cases. (see the below)

    [FONT=&quot]The things we have been told about CPU and RAM were based upon a pre-Flash memory era environment. We really need to update our understanding fundamentally.

    Some related issues :) (Let me repeat again here)

    [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Last 6-7 years, CPU cost/performance is completely flat. (6-7 years old CPU would be quite capable of running the latest application in general, apart from netbook Atom processors. Then naturally an SSD is the first upgrade choice for existing computers.)

    Core_i7-4770_price.gif


    [/FONT][FONT=&quot]http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?p=72351323#post72351323

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]2GB RAM with an SSD is actually much faster than 8GB RAM with a Hard Disk.[/FONT][/FONT] (For older devices, the first thing you need to do is to replace a hard disk with an SSD, although I am not against to add memory AFTER an SSD upgrade)


    211kk4.jpg

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn6zxoh3oK4

    I don’t mind how much extra memory you install or how powerful processor you use as long as you have installed an SSD at 2018. That is the point, OP did not mention about an SSD.

    I have upgraded the most of my clients’ computers with SSDs. Then things I have found is that the typical problems such as Windows update errors, Exchange mail clients sync errors with a cloud server are completely gone! Nobody never ever told me that the SSD can fix these issues. Yes, actually the SSD would fix the most of the existing outstanding issues for general computing.

    If you haven’t use an SSD, seeing is believing. It is the time! Happy SSD computing :)
  • AndyPix
    AndyPix Posts: 4,847 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Photogenic
    I agree with Toshi
    Installing an SSD is the best thing the average user can do to get the biggest single immediate improvement in performance
  • debitcardmayhem
    debitcardmayhem Posts: 11,857 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper Photogenic
    AndyPix wrote: »
    I agree with Toshi
    Installing an SSD is the best thing the average user can do to get the biggest single immediate improvement in performance
    Even with a seven year old celery ? I don't buy into that at all , eventually the OP will put salt on the side of the plate and we all that is not good for you. Re-install first, then check out that the internet connection speed,which almost people suffer from (perception really), unless they multitask, which 7 year old celerons don't do well.
    Then hook up the laptop via ethernet see if it (appears to show) shows improvement. SSDs speed up start-up but can't help with bad on-line speed/multi-tasking speed. If you spend most of your time browsing/social media and the like, then it's normally down to poor 802.11 b/g on a 65Mbps fibre connection which your ISP sold you to speed things up. Just my take on it really
    🍺 😎 Still grumpy, and No, Cloudflare I am NOT a robot 🤖BUT my responses are now out of my control they are posted via ChatGPT or the latest AI
  • AndyPix
    AndyPix Posts: 4,847 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Photogenic
    edited 11 February 2018 at 2:13PM
    What single component would you replace that would give a bigger performance increases than an ssd ?
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    edited 11 February 2018 at 3:26PM
    AndyPix wrote: »
    OP , anyone can say "Microsoft Authorized Refurbished"
    No they can't.
    but there is no such thing .
    Yes there is such a thing.

    https://devicepartner.microsoft.com/en-GB/communications/comm-microsoft-registered-refurbisher-program

    My business was a Microsoft Registered Refurbisher for half a decade. You have to apply to have the status and they do some vetting of your company and periodically you do some online product training and take an online test. It gives you access to Refurbisher licenses of Windows 10 which are at some very preferential rates.

    Every machine you put a Refurbished license on in order to get a product key to activate the installation you have to log onto the Microsoft Registered Refurbisher portal, you enter the 14 number code above the barcode on the license sticker of the original OS, it then blacklists that product key so it can never be used again, generates a new product key for the Refurbished License sticker you've put on that individual machine and generates a PDF to print out with the key on and an explanation of the license for the new purchaser.
  • AndyPix
    AndyPix Posts: 4,847 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Photogenic
    edited 12 February 2018 at 1:34AM
    Of course they can , watch ..

    I am an authorised Microsoft refurbisher.
    Capture.png
    In case you hadnt guessed, Im actually not.
    If someone is going to create a scam website do you think they care what accolades they plaster over it?
    Real or not
  • lomax512
    lomax512 Posts: 29 Forumite
    Tarambor wrote: »
    No they can't.


    Yes there is such a thing.

    https://devicepartner.microsoft.com/en-GB/communications/comm-microsoft-registered-refurbisher-program

    My business was a Microsoft Registered Refurbisher for half a decade. You have to apply to have the status and they do some vetting of your company and periodically you do some online product training and take an online test. It gives you access to Refurbisher licenses of Windows 10 which are at some very preferential rates.

    Every machine you put a Refurbished license on in order to get a product key to activate the installation you have to log onto the Microsoft Registered Refurbisher portal, you enter the 14 number code above the barcode on the license sticker of the original OS, it then blacklists that product key so it can never be used again, generates a new product key for the Refurbished License sticker you've put on that individual machine and generates a PDF to print out with the key on and an explanation of the license for the new purchaser.

    Thank you for this information.
  • debitcardmayhem
    debitcardmayhem Posts: 11,857 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper Photogenic
    AndyPix wrote: »
    What single component would you replace that would give a bigger performance increases than an ssd ?
    Andy, you gave me an open goal, and I don't miss those, checked the linesman no flag so here we go

    Linux :p

    But before the OP spends money on h/w, spending time on discerning what makes him think it is in imminent danger of failing may be a zero cost option(other than his time)
    🍺 😎 Still grumpy, and No, Cloudflare I am NOT a robot 🤖BUT my responses are now out of my control they are posted via ChatGPT or the latest AI
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.1K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.6K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173K Life & Family
  • 247.8K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards