How to find a tablet that lasts more than 3 years!

Ibrahim5

I recommend Apple products. They are my largest shareholding. Have returned over 500% in the last 5 years.

Sandtree

GDB2222 said:

Sandtree said:

GDB2222 said:

@Sandtree "Never had an Apple computer that didnt last at least 8 years and was running well until the day it died (3 years is my record for a PC, maybe get another year or two out of it by switching to Linux)."

I was using my windows PC, bought in 2008, as my main machine until a couple of years ago. It was nothing special - cost £250 - and I added some RAM and a SSD. It still runs Windows 10, but rather slowly. Clearly, YMMV. 

I was running my iMac bought in 2008 until last year and it ran fast for anything other than video editing... my only complaint of it on a speed front (given I almost never edit video) was the fact the fastest external connection was Firewire 800 which is clearly slow compared to USBC or Thunderbolt. Obviously its a Mac so almost nothing was upgradable. 

Doing Photoshop editing of a file thats a few hundred meg it was easily as fast as my 2019 Windows laptop (after transferring the file to the SSD in both machines) at the time and I'd argue faster in the highly complex filters being applied across large numbers of layers etc. 

Clearly different folks have different experiences but all my Windows machines over the years have slowed and frequently failed long before any of my Apple devices. If you look at my client, they replace all Windows laptops every 2 years whereas Apple are on a 5 year cycle - unfortunately those that can have Apple machines are limited. The cost charged to the business is not vastly different for the different machines especially if you have the power user windows machine. 

I'm just therefore confused as what the alleged planed obsolesce is in Apple products?

I am delighted that an iMac that cost roughly 10 times the cost of my low end PC can still be used today. However, comparing high cost hardware with low cost hardware seems rather pointless, don't you think?   My 2008 PC, together with the one I replaced it with recently, together with the next one I buy, and probably the next after that as well, will all together probably cost less than your 2008 iMac. On the other hand, your iMac may have been much more fun to use. I certainly hope so, given the price differential!

However, I was just querying your claim that 3 years is your record longevity for PCs, as most people's last far longer. Whatever do you do to yours to wear them out so fast? 

"If you look at my client, they replace all Windows laptops every 2 years whereas Apple are on a 5 year cycle"

I suspect that a reinstall of windows would be just as effective as replacement. However, when comparing against Apple laptops, are you comparing similar price hardware? That makes a lot of difference, even in a corporate environment. 

It was good to use and sold for more than the new price of your 2008 computer after it died (I'd been wishing it to die for a while as the external drive speed was a PITA but couldnt justify replacing it when all other aspects of the workflow was more than quick enough).

I did also compare it to a 2019 device which cost serval times what your machine did and whilst still cheaper it also in theory had 11 years worth of advances in technology and for my needs (mainly graphic design) it couldnt keep up. 

I am comparing broadly similar priced hardware when it comes to what IT charges the business for the provision of a new device. It may be that IT are charging more setup on a Windows machine but I suspect in reality its just the wholesale price being paid. The Windows machines being provided are also very thin, metal case, ultraportable etc machines so their RRPs are not significantly lower than the Macs. The new M1 Macs arent available but suspect once they are they could be lower priced than the windows machine given their RRP is lower but obviously it also depends on what volume discounting is available.

Had many work machines "rebuilt", so new image installed and equivalent to a fresh install and its been 50/50 if its actually fixed the issue or if they go on and replace instead. 

The worst device was a Windows Surface Pro, they were slow to start with and only got worse as time went on.

debitcardmayhem

Ibrahim5 said:

I recommend Apple products. They are my largest shareholding. Have returned over 500% in the last 5 years.

And that helps the OP how? I have shares in other companies that in the last 5 years have returned much more than 500% but they don't make tablets or phones or anything electrical , you seem to be showing your love  for apple. !!!!!! this about the OP's question not your share picking prowess(oh how are you doing on bitcoin?), nor about the OP's desire not to spend too much not make more money for you and apple ... get a life, stick to the question.  or even iGnore my rant iDont gIve a sh_It but for our house we have apple ipads and android and Intel running Windows and Linux oh and for @Sandtree we have a 10+yr old G630 running a NAS which makes his 3+ a bit more if switched to Linux , shame on the fellow  when I take it down it will run W10 fine.

APOLOGIES to @BIH it's your thread sorry.

unforeseen

Had many work machines "rebuilt", so new image installed and equivalent to a fresh install and its been 50/50 if its actually fixed the issue or if they go on and replace instead. 

There are other reasons for rebuilds, most notably on change of user, especially now with GDPR. 

Do Apple have such thing as a Enterprise licencing system and allow for customised images to be created by IT  departments so that all machines have the same base set up? 

LV_426

Ibrahim5 said:

I recommend Apple products. They are my largest shareholding. Have returned over 500% in the last 5 years.

I'm very grateful to all the sheep forking out big money for Apple kit. Please continue. I'm pretty sure some of my tracker funds are invested in them    

BIH

Well, its interesting at least!

Funny how such a simple question brings out the red horns and three pronged tail in some folks. Go to the USA and ask a farmer which is his favourite tractor. As they say over there - they either wear red underpants (Case IH) or green'uns (John Deere). And similar victriolic conversations - like some of the contributors above - then ensue!

So back to the subject. If Chromebook is now capable of reading android apps, (not sure about adapting to MSWord docs though) . Would that be a good compromise for this cash strapped pensioner?

getmore4less

Jenni_D said:

A 320GB (or 500GB) SSD and another 4GB of RAM (with a fresh install of Windows) would breathe new life into that machine, but the Intel Core i5-520M is an old CPU so perhaps it'd still be "putting lipstick on a pig"  

A good clear out of the HDD should keep a smaller SSD option viable.

Going to need to do that anyway if dropping laptop from use.

SSD  would be reusable in future change so not totally sunk cost

DDR3 is  cheap I would look at CEX and eBay.
(Might get lucky at a local CEX, did my for laptop resurect  £6 + new SSD)

Depending what's in a single 4GB might be enough to get to 6 or 8.

Probably under £10 for memory.

Having said that I hardly use the laptop I resurrected as I manage with a phone most of the time, and my even older desktop for big screen space(dual) work.

LV_426

BIH said:

Well, its interesting at least!

Funny how such a simple question brings out the red horns and three pronged tail in some folks. Go to the USA and ask a farmer which is his favourite tractor. As they say over there - they either wear red underpants (Case IH) or green'uns (John Deere). And similar victriolic conversations - like some of the contributors above - then ensue!

So back to the subject. If Chromebook is now capable of reading android apps, (not sure about adapting to MSWord docs though) . Would that be a good compromise for this cash strapped pensioner?

Certainly worth a serious consideration. The support life of Chromebooks on first glance appears to be longer, so you've got potentially more longevity than a tablet. And there's a fair amount of choice too when it comes to machines.
The added advantage of being able to run Android apps is a bonus. Not sure why it took Google so long to make that work, but it's definitely a plus.

Sandtree

unforeseen said:

Had many work machines "rebuilt", so new image installed and equivalent to a fresh install and its been 50/50 if its actually fixed the issue or if they go on and replace instead. 

There are other reasons for rebuilds, most notably on change of user, especially now with GDPR. 

Do Apple have such thing as a Enterprise licencing system and allow for customised images to be created by IT  departments so that all machines have the same base set up? 

Little beyond my technical knowledge but I believe so and a quick google gives various instructions on how to do so, even Microsoft SCCM supports MacOS these days and the likes of Parallels have created plugins for it to further enhance the MacOS support

debitcardmayhem said:
for @Sandtree we have a 10+yr old G630 running a NAS which makes his 3+ a bit more if switched to Linux , shame on the fellow  when I take it down it will run W10 fine.

Given the previous criticism of not comparing apples and apples (pun not really intended)... do you think the load of running a NAS is equivalent to a computer being used as a main day to day computer for graphical design or rendering video etc?

coffeehound

Sandtree said:

Given the previous criticism of not comparing apples and apples (pun not really intended)... 

A more appropriate metaphor might be comparing Apples with lemons.

I'll get my coat.