Laptop replacement questions

[Marita40]

OP, my situation is very close to yours. MY HP laptop needs replacement, and my needs are very basic. I mainly search the web and do word processing: no gaming or anything complicated. I will do fine with 4 gb (still sold, according to Best Buy) and no touch screen. (I do own a Ipad mini, used mainly for reading Kindle books and web browsing, but am not an Apple convert). All my photos were transferred to Google Photos awhile back, so there's really not much stored on my current laptop.

I intend to buy a cheap HP again (I like them) and an updated version of Word (I'm very comfortable with it, and have been transferring the 2007 copy of it via disk over the years to every new laptop I've bought. Time to invest in the new version though!). I think a lot of new laptops no longer come with disc drives, right?

My plan is to wait until Black Friday sales and see if I can get these things cheaper. It is a good idea (I learned this the hard way) to get the new laptop before the old one completely dies, and take some time doing all the transferring yourself. I don't trust someone to do that for me. I get a new laptop about every 5-6 years. Hope this helps!

 

[target2019]

Most PCs that you see priced include a hard disk drive. At this time an SSD is part of a higher level package (more memory, better graphics).

Personally, I'd get a Chromebook, and I believe they all come with SSD only. The SSD seems small to me, but I do use google docs extensively, and wouldn't need to store much locally.

 

[Jerry1]

Probably true for most users these days. And they’re getting closer with tablets. But not yet for people who a) still rely on full on spreadsheets (iOS Numbers is nice, but nowhere near enough for many, and b) edit videos (iMovie is nice, but very basic), and c) need more than 500G HD space and don’t want to pay for a cloud subscription. I’m not a gamer, but an iPad won’t do for them either. And if you want to do some word processing, a full sized keyboard sure is nice.

I look forward to the day I don’t need a desktop/laptop. I use my iPad more than my desktop PC, but the iPad won’t track my expenses or portfolio among many other things, won’t allow me to edit a decent video and has very limited storage, even the iPad Pro or Microsoft Surface which can cost as much as a laptop...

It could be me, but I’ve also found the not all web sites work well on an iPad. For example, I can’t figure out how to trade options at Schwab on my iPad and on Fido, I can’t see the detail (maturity date) of my CD’s. Maybe I need to log in through the browser instead of using their app. Still a pain when things don’t work as expected/needed.

 

[Another Reader]

OP, my situation is very close to yours. MY HP laptop needs replacement, and my needs are very basic. I mainly search the web and do word processing: no gaming or anything complicated. I will do fine with 4 gb (still sold, according to Best Buy) and no touch screen. (I do own a Ipad mini, used mainly for reading Kindle books and web browsing, but am not an Apple convert). All my photos were transferred to Google Photos awhile back, so there's really not much stored on my current laptop.

I intend to buy a cheap HP again (I like them) and an updated version of Word (I'm very comfortable with it, and have been transferring the 2007 copy of it via disk over the years to every new laptop I've bought. Time to invest in the new version though!). I think a lot of new laptops no longer come with disc drives, right?

My plan is to wait until Black Friday sales and see if I can get these things cheaper. It is a good idea (I learned this the hard way) to get the new laptop before the old one completely dies, and take some time doing all the transferring yourself. I don't trust someone to do that for me. I get a new laptop about every 5-6 years. Hope this helps!

I think this is on the mark for the average user. I was going to suggest waiting until Black Friday. If you need a larger screen and a basic machine, this is an HP on sale through today at Staples. It's $400, but the Black Friday price for something similar should be lower.

http://weeklyad.staples.com/Staples...taplesheader#!/store/2316020/category/5227337

Item: 24327017
Model: 4AG14UA#ABA

For some reason Staples won't let me post the machine itself. I have started to look for a laptop. The last laptop here is around 7 years old. I prefer Windows 7, but the old laptop is very slow. I dislike the mass market Dell screens. They have poor contrast. Can't speak to other brands.

 

[target2019]

If I had to buy today, would be something like this:
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/del...-5000/spd/inspiron-15-5570-laptop/dncwlb3437s
core i5 situates one better for next 3-5 years.

 

[TwoByFour]

Hum, haven’t used a laptop in 5 years. I have 3 iPads and don’t see the need anymore.

iPad is fine for reading, browsing, and that sort of thing but I find them awful for writing anything very long. It drives me nuts that they don't have a Delete key, just a Backspace, and I find cutting/pasting to be really awkward on an iPad. I much prefer a mouse over a touch-screen. And it really annoys me that I have to pay Apple to back up my data. With a PC I just plug in a memory stick and copy the files I want to save. Try finding a file on an iPad! But they are great for traveling.

 

[Floridatennisplayer]

Probably true for most users these days. And they’re getting closer with tablets. But not yet for people who a) still rely on full on spreadsheets (iOS Numbers is nice, but nowhere near enough for many, and b) edit videos (iMovie is nice, but very basic), and c) need more than 500G HD space and don’t want to pay for a cloud subscription. I’m not a gamer, but an iPad won’t do for them either. And if you want to do some word processing, a full sized keyboard sure is nice.

I look forward to the day I don’t need a desktop/laptop. I use my iPad more than my desktop PC, but the iPad won’t track my expenses or portfolio among many other things, won’t allow me to edit a decent video and has very limited storage, even the iPad Pro or Microsoft Surface which can cost as much as a laptop...

I guess I’m lucky!
My needs are much simpler anymore.

I don’t do any gaming.
Spreadsheets? Oh, Hell no. I don’t ever want to see a spreadsheet again.
Word processing? Uh no..for what? Work?
Video editing? Nope

I use Google Drive and Dropbox to store pics, documents, videos.

The rest of my time on my iPad would really be just spent on various forums, mainly tennis and golf forums. Email, Fidelity, FB etc. Surfing the web, FaceTiming, Google Docs, Word, Numbers.

Never any viruses or normal laptop type issues.

I will consider myself lucky.

 

[kcowan]

If your primary use is web browsing, it might be worth considering a Chromebook.

One thing you might want to consider is to access the HP Web Interface. I think it is F5 during startup. You get browsing, email, Skype without Windoze overhead. If you happen to need Windows, there is an icon to start it up on the interface. It is a simple way to extend the life of an HP Laptop for simple tasks like browsing and email.

HP Web Interface

 

[imoldernu]

Never having paid full price, all my computers since time began, have been used corporate models or refurbished. The refurbs from Walmart or Amazon can be much lower in price.

I've never had a problem. Example:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=refurbished+laptops+windows+10&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Arefurbished+laptops+windows+10

 

[CardsFan]

OP here. Thanks for all the feedback.

I am considering an HP on sale at Sam's : HP 17.3" HD+ Notebook, Intel Core i5-8250U Processor, 24GB Memory: 16GB Intel Optane + 8GB RAM, 1TB Hard Drive, Optical Drive, HD Webcam, Backlit Keyboard, 2 Year Warranty Care Pack, Windows 10 Home, by HP | Item # 980113889 | Model # 17-by0062cl

$499 plus $6.49 shipping (Half the price of a new iPhoneX)

Anyone familiar with Intel's Optane memory?

 

[TwoByFour]

Spreadsheets? Oh, Hell no. I don’t ever want to see a spreadsheet again.

All of our investments, withdrawals, notes on which items I can tax-loss harvest, bond ladders, etc are in an Excel spread sheet. I cannot imagine doing it without that. I can use Excel tools to model different scenarios (withdrawals, taxes, etc.).

Word processing? Uh no..for what? Work?

I wrote our will and trust in Microsoft Word. I write letters from time to time related to business matters.

I use Google Drive and Dropbox to store pics, documents, videos.

I considered Google drive and Docs instead of Excel and Word but then I read their privacy statement - there is none. They explicitly tell you that you give them the right to read, and copy for their own use, anything you upload or create on Google. No thanks.

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

OP, the processor on your old laptop is pretty weak. The passmark benchmark rating on it is 1235. To put this in perspective, I have bought (and given away/sold) a number of Thinkpad T420's. circa 2012 which have a benchmark score of 3585.

Unlike desktop CPU's, the laptop speeds haven't increased at the same rate for most mid-tier systems because the emphasis has been on increasing battery life. For instance, the Dell mentioned by target2019's post has a benchmark value of 7665, which is about 2X the 2012 Thinkpad. [As an aside, that old Thinkpad's processor can be easily upgraded to an old i7 35 watt processor for about $80 which runs in the 7K benchmark area.]

Another data point, the processor for the model mentioned by Another Reader is 5069, much better than your old clunker but only so-so better than the business model T420 built in 2012.

It is well worth getting a system with a SSD, either as the internal drive or using the m.2 slot. To explain further, many/most solid state drives were first made to fit the existing 2.5" drive bay size. However, they don't need to be that big, so an alternative was done (called mSata). [For instance, the T420 I mentioned has a m.Sata slot]. The current version of that is called m.2 So, if the laptop you buy has an m.2 slot, it can be used to hold the SSD instead of or in addition to the internal 2.5" slot. To put this in perspective, my old T420 with a SSD boots from power one to windows logon prompt in 15 seconds. It isn't that important to have all of your data on the SSD, just the operating system and programs.

 

[Bestwifeever]

This is exactly what I do. However, in this case with a 9 year old computer, the hard drive may be so small, that a flash drive may be a good way to go. I’d be surprised if the OP has more than 128GB of data files, pictures, etc. You could get a flash drive and move files all at one time pretty easily without any disassembly. Either way, it’s not too difficult or expensive any more to move data. Especially if the data files are well organized.

That is a good idea. The first time I did this, the old computer’s power to the motherboard was kaput, so I was pretty proud of figuring out how to move the hard drive out and save the files. The OP here would be well served just moving the old files and saving any new ones to storage as it were on a flash drive or other media so they could be accessed whenever needed.

 

[38Chevy454]

I recently replace my laptop, the old one (HP) had the HD die. New one is a refurbished Dell, bought on Newegg. Has a SSD instead of HD. Works great so far and to me was nice it came loaded with Win 7 instead of Win 10.


I had old Microsoft Office on the old HP, so for new Dell I installed Open Office and it has been fine so far. real similar to MS Office, so learning curve is easy.


I have used an external USB HD to store pictures and important documents, which keeps the laptop running better. But I agree that getting more memory and speed on the processor is always good, just find that point where the extra performance vs price fits your need.

 

[target2019]

OP here. Thanks for all the feedback.

I am considering an HP on sale at Sam's : HP 17.3" HD+ Notebook, Intel Core i5-8250U Processor, 24GB Memory: 16GB Intel Optane + 8GB RAM, 1TB Hard Drive, Optical Drive, HD Webcam, Backlit Keyboard, 2 Year Warranty Care Pack, Windows 10 Home, by HP | Item # 980113889 | Model # 17-by0062cl

$499 plus $6.49 shipping (Half the price of a new iPhoneX)

Anyone familiar with Intel's Optane memory?

This article explains the potential boost you get (from Optane).
https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveal...s-hard-drives-perform-like-ssds/#3c6128156090

That Optane module is about $35.

Also search for Optane problems with this model, to be safe.

 

[Katsmeow]

I generally have much higher computer needs but can comment on a few things.

For getting access to help, I don't really see how buying Best Buy helps you. To just call in and get help you can call the computer manufacturer. I've had good experiences usually with Dell (I like buying in home service but for an inexpensive computer may not be worth it). If by help you mean repairs -- well you can go to Best Buy regardless of where you bought the computer.

I love SSD drives but I don't really recommend getting a tiny one. Some programs insist on being on the OS drive and can eat up space even if you would just as soon put the program on another drive. I currently have a 256 GB SSD drive on my desktop and will soon have to replace it as some programs insist on using that drive.

Personally I just copy over my data files when I get a new computer and reinstall from scratch all my programs. You should back up your data first obviously.

 

[pjm-7]

This is a timely topic for me since I am looking to replace my seven year old HP. The question I have is, how reliable are "refurbished" laptops? In doing some pricing a refurb model is about $100 cheaper than a new one of the same specifications. Is it worth it to save a few bucks, or should I go with a new one? My needs like the OP are limited to web browsing and the occasional spreadsheet and a word document.

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

This is a timely topic for me since I am looking to replace my seven year old HP. The question I have is, how reliable are "refurbished" laptops? In doing some pricing a refurb model is about $100 cheaper than a new one of the same specifications. Is it worth it to save a few bucks, or should I go with a new one? My needs like the OP are limited to web browsing and the occasional spreadsheet and a word document.

Personally, I wouldn't get a refurbished laptop unless:
1) It is manufacture refurbished, especially if it is by Apple (I've gotten refurbished iPads and they look absolutely brand new) - or -
2) It is higher end business style laptop (for example the Lenovo T420/T430/etc.) Why? Because these were well made, built to take a beating, business systems with TONS of parts available. For instance, I just bought a replacement T430 keyboard for $25.

 

[NH Hiker]

I also recommend an iPad. I use my windows laptop maybe once a month. U can get one from staples for $300 when they have a sale. The battery life, the portability, the ability to have it at the right distance so I don’t have to wear glasses are all reasons I prefer it over a laptop. It fits on my nightstand, etc. 95% of the time I am reading rather than writing.

 

[easysurfer]

This is a timely topic for me since I am looking to replace my seven year old HP. The question I have is, how reliable are "refurbished" laptops? In doing some pricing a refurb model is about $100 cheaper than a new one of the same specifications. Is it worth it to save a few bucks, or should I go with a new one? My needs like the OP are limited to web browsing and the occasional spreadsheet and a word document.

There could be a difference between manufacture refurbished vs seller refurbished. If you are good with fixing computers, then you can probably get by with either. But if you aren't used to that, then manufacture is probably a better bet knowing that things should work properly.

I've bought some refurbished laptop and desktops before from Tigerdirect. I think in each case they were off lease models. Both times I got laptops, they looked almost new. I've also got fixer uppers on ebay. But I didn't mind as I'm am comfortable fixing them them to my personal specs.

 

[Dawg52]

If your primary use is web browsing, it might be worth considering a Chromebook.

I'm glad I no longer need traditional computers. My CB is hassle free.

 

[Floridatennisplayer]

All of our investments, withdrawals, notes on which items I can tax-loss harvest, bond ladders, etc are in an Excel spread sheet. I cannot imagine doing it without that. I can use Excel tools to model different scenarios (withdrawals, taxes, etc.).



I wrote our will and trust in Microsoft Word. I write letters from time to time related to business matters.



I considered Google drive and Docs instead of Excel and Word but then I read their privacy statement - there is none. They explicitly tell you that you give them the right to read, and copy for their own use, anything you upload or create on Google. No thanks.

Ha!!! You sound paranoid!

 

[Jerry1]

OP here. Thanks for all the feedback.

I am considering an HP on sale at Sam's : HP 17.3" HD+ Notebook, Intel Core i5-8250U Processor, 24GB Memory: 16GB Intel Optane + 8GB RAM, 1TB Hard Drive, Optical Drive, HD Webcam, Backlit Keyboard, 2 Year Warranty Care Pack, Windows 10 Home, by HP | Item # 980113889 | Model # 17-by0062cl

$499 plus $6.49 shipping (Half the price of a new iPhoneX)

Anyone familiar with Intel's Optane memory?

For that amount of money, I’d get a SSD. Either way, that machine is going to be so much better than your old machine, you’re going to be happy. I like the 17.3” size if it’s your main surfing machine. Good on the eyes.

 

[W2R]

For that amount of money, I’d get a SSD. Either way, that machine is going to be so much better than your old machine, you’re going to be happy. I like the 17.3” size if it’s your main surfing machine. Good on the eyes.

+1

Sounds very nice and I am thinking that having a big screen size like that would be wonderful, especially if (like me) you do not carry your laptop around very much.

 

[retired1]

+1