Laptop help - student/parent with a crazy house

TheKDs

Hi. I am a PhD student and writing up. My kids have managed to damage my laptop and, apart from rehauling the house and giving myself a sacrosanct workspace, I also need to find a new laptop. This one was a Mac lent to me and I need to replace the thing so it is going to be expensive. And then I need to buy myself one. What is the best laptop to get that will last a while? I teach online (Teams and Zoom), download a bunch of files, have data on videos, use transcription and coding software (nVivo) and library referencing and storing software. I don't think I do a whole lot more on my laptop but I tend to have a lot of tabs open as it is how I work with the analysis. Looking for recommendations. My budget is low but I do want it to last a few years so I'm just interested in scoping out all the options. Thanks. 

oldernonethewiser

Did you like using the MAC and would you prefer it over a Windows/Linux machine?

MACs last a long time (unless damaged).  I certainly got my money's worth out of my old Macbook Air which lasted 9 years with only a battery change, which I did myself. 

SiliconChip

If you're teaching then your university should be providing you with the equipment necessary to do it, which would include a laptop. Have you asked them to buy you one? You probably won't get a lot of choice in what's offered but it should do the job for now.

prowla

Presumably your uni has discount pricing for purchasing IT kit.

zagubov

I think we need more detail: How badly damaged is your mac? Have you backups of your software & files that you can restore. What OS were you using and how much would it cost to buy versions for other OSs like Windows?

It may be your best action is to take it to a repair shop, and ask what your options are. I’m certainly not recommending you get a new mac but your options may include 

- finding out it’s fixable and maybe paying for new parts

- getting a secondhand old mac and moving the old hard drive so you keep all your software.

Maybe get the shop to transfer your date onto a faster SDD.

Old macs can keep going forever (I’m tying this on an 11-year old model).

I keep backing up Time Machine copies as I’m using it.

Very resistant to upgrading as long as it does everything  I need.

Bonhomie

Without a budget, this thread is going nowhere...

TheKDs

@Bonhomie
@zagubov
@prowla
@SiliconChip
@oldernonethewiser


Thank you and sorry. Really sorry. Bleeeeehhh! Without the laptop, I think I got a bit lost for a while. A looooong while. We've been away.

Work has indeed given me a laptop. Got a new job and also a new laptop which I can work on as well as study on. Think I ideally need my own to store my files and back up like you do, @zagubov. I did back up but I am nervous that I did not back up the last. Anyway, husband is on it.