Looking to buy new computer

pennypincher2013

I'm looking for new computer for the family to use. Desktop pc or a laptop. Will be used for internet mainly, but also writing, work, homework, downloading etc.
I've heard windows 8 is more for the app user. But is it still easy to use for writing in word and using paint?
But most importantly I'm looking for a reliable computer that's not going to freeze, be slow running certain programmes, have trouble playing videos, burning discs and downloading things (all things my laptop is doing), or shut down by itself and give me the blue screen of death (all things my current pc is doing).

closed

you could probably fix both your laptop and desktop in less than an hour, by backing up your data and factory restoring them or reinstalling windows

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2436849

bluesnake

XP is not dead yet. Does a similar thing to win 7, 8 and 8.1.

If you change the os, you may find that you may need a newer version of word which may cost. Possibly have to purchase other newer software too? Some of your old devices may not be supported on the new system - like scanners, scales, blood pressure monitor etc.

Any family PC used by everyone, due to loading many different versions of apps on will often end up slow, and then later often blue screening.

dont use MSpaint, but this instead http://www.getpaint.net/

How much money does a pennypincher wish to spend?

andydiysaver

one thing you have to bear in mind about windows 8 is how it wants to be a mobile phone - Microsoft always follow where they think the money is, not customer feedback, hence the rise and fall of the start button. With XP they got it too right and spent years in regret trying to sell us something worse, vista, which they eventually got to us through the back door in the shape of windows 7


for a general purpose desk top - XP may fall short, not because of its own fault but because they're ending updates, I can almost hear the champagne corks popping when they've finally jettisoned XP - so I'd go with 7. - win 8 is ok but it has all this screen interactivity suite to it which you'd need a touch screen for because Microsoft think money is in mobile phones, which it is, but I like to own a mobile and a personal computer, not a mobile and a big mobile,(and an in between mobile if you throw in a tablet!)


finally make sure office suite is pre loaded as part of the deal, isn't always. Later versions of office may confuse as the menus change, but there's more to relate 07 to 10, than 03 to 07 and 10

TheSaint_2

Sounds like any cheap laptop or desktop will do you fine. Hp. Asus, Compaq are all good brands.


Win XP is very old and will not give the best performance for your hardware. It is also very much more prone to viruses than a modern o.s. like windows 8. Win 8 will give you the best performance from your hardware so you should choose that.


From your use case any lowest price laptop will do you, unless you want to play games... if you do you will need a higher spec in order to handle the advanced graphics.

TheSaint_2

Just to point out Andy... win XP was also universally hated when it was released. Win 8 is the same as 7 if you just click the desktop tile. So for the performance and security improvements you should choose win 8.

andydiysaver

TheSaint wrote: »

Just to point out Andy... win XP was also universally hated when it was released. Win 8 is the same as 7 if you just click the desktop tile. So for the performance and security improvements you should choose win 8.

XP caught on fairly quickly actually - wasn't really hated. They then spent ages trying to get it ousted because it was too good and good isn't money. Microsoft's priority is quick turnover of product, to make more money, - they did not reckon on the success of XP and pound for pound in terms of resources, it is still the far more efficient system. Windows 8 only gets the performance it does because the hardware has also evolved. But what is the point in this touch screen rubbish if a) you don't use it, or b) you can only afford the operating system and not the smart screen. Money is the motivator.


The start button went and came back - they're fixing stuff that isn't broken to try and extract more cash. Another thing they did was grouping because they knew that the same apps needed more memory due to the inefficient build of the new systems. Best to buy what you need it for, not have Microsoft set the price with stuff you don't need. If I had a £1 for every system I've had to "down"grade to XP from 7 or more often to 7 from 8, because the shops won't do it, I'd be considerably richer than I am at present..

Hoseman

I don't remember Win XP being hated at all. Im sure it had some detractors but on the whole it was well received because it was decent. Vista on the other hand was rubbish and was rightly panned. I cant comment on later editions.

With regard to the OP, I think its worth doing what was advised by closed and doing a factory reset as that should clear a lot of the problems. I do this every year for my dad and it works a treat.

andydiysaver

hasten to add- for those with horrible windows 8 functionality- google classic shell, it'll bring back some of that XP nostalgia on a newer machine, perhaps the best of both worlds....

bluesnake

xp, the 32 bit version was liked. However the xp 64 was bad, was hated. This was due to most apps being 32, and windows x64 was often used to run the older 32 bit apps. It may have been eventually sorted out by a service pack, but by then was too late and had a reputation and no one wanted to use this hit and miss product.

I too would skip 7 and go to 8.1, or linux - if you are a real pennypincher

chunter

closed wrote: »

you could probably fix both your laptop and desktop in less than an hour, by backing up your data and factory restoring them or reinstalling windows

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2436849

... and hours of service packs and windows updates...
in less than an hour indeed. Don't be driving today. you're still over the limit..