Laptop for Grandad .. again!

J_B

Just been to see F-i-L and he's fed up with his 10 (?) year old laptop, then we remembered that we 'upgraded' in in 2014!! :eek:
as discussed here
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5106626&page=2


From CCleaner, it tells me thus:-
Fujitsu Siemens Esprimo mobile V5515

Intel CPU@1.86 GHz
2 GB RAM
SIS Graphics
W7 Home Premium 32 bit


M-i-L has an iPad


He has no real thoughts on what to do, but needs something faster.


Where to go now, in an economical way??

Neil_Jones

Prop the door open with it realistically as if that's its original spec it was a bit crap when you bought it in all honesty.

Here's a nice one, £340 at the time of posting:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenovo-IdeaPad-310-15-6-Inch-Laptop/dp/B076DFMKB2

DCFC79

What does he do on a laptop ?
Would a tablet be more suitable ?

J_B

DCFC79 wrote: »

What does he do on a laptop ?

Emails
Web browsing
Very occasional word processing

DCFC79 wrote: »

Would a tablet be more suitable ?

Not sure really. M-i-L has an iPad.
He's had a Windows PC for nearly 20 years now so is comfortable with that. *Maybe* he likes the idea of his own machine in his own space (the back bedroom), his sort of 'men's shed', even if he has a shed as well! :rotfl:

neilmcl

J_B wrote: »

He has no real thoughts on what to do, but needs something faster

Faster in what way?

One of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to boost boot-up times and generally speed up a PC is to install a SSD. You can get a 250Gb Crucial MX500 or Samsung 860 Evo for around £60 from Amazon, simply clone the old HDD and away you go.

grumpycrab

J_B wrote: »

Fujitsu Siemens Esprimo mobile V5515

SATA 1 (1.5Gb/s); could take an SSD I guess!?; 120GB should be enough (check existing used space first!) £30 @Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076XWDN6V

EveryWhere

Even though an SSD will help; https://www.mymemory.co.uk/integral-120gb-p-series-5-sata-iii-2-5-ssd-drive-560mb-s.html. Unless the budget is really tight, I would think about getting a better machine. This is why; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVxF9ugyr_4

J_B

EveryWhere wrote: »

Unless the budget is really tight, I would think about getting a better machine.

Don't usually agree with you but this time, I think you are right!


What's the best 'budget' option?

debitcardmayhem

J_B wrote: »

Emails
Web browsing
Very occasional word processing

Not sure really. M-i-L has an iPad.
He's had a Windows PC for nearly 20 years now so is comfortable with that. *Maybe* he likes the idea of his own machine in his own space (the back bedroom), his sort of 'men's shed', even if he has a shed as well! :rotfl:

Can someone explain to JB(and me) how a SSD will make these uses faster, once the PC is booted up? If the PC has enough RAM and their broadband is fast enough ....

grumpycrab

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

Can someone explain to JB(and me) how a SSD will make these uses faster, once the PC is booted up? If the PC has enough RAM and their broadband is fast enough ....

Program [Email, browser, Word] startup will be quicker but, once running, no difference. So...if you autostart these with Windows and make a cup of tea while the PC starts up - you'll be fine.

debitcardmayhem

grumpycrab wrote: »

Program [Email, browser, Word] startup will be quicker but, once running, no difference. So...if you autostart these with Windows and make a cup of tea while the PC starts up - you'll be fine.

Without Ssd my desktop starts in 72secs, with Ssd 35 secs just about enough time to open the fridge and realise you have no milk, difference in time for loading browser maybe 20ms but can’t measure it. Bob’s your uncle it’s all relative for browsing/email it comes down to broadband/modem:eek: speed. In this case grandad could me my age and thinks as I do faster means I can do more with my one finger typing:rotfl: