IF you were going to buy a new laptop

[Big Cliff]

Just thinking here that with this laptop being as old as it is it might be time to start looking for a new one.

 

Things I do know (or think I know) I do not want a tablet, several of my programs like Microsoft Office are on DVDs and I would want to install them on the new computer so I would need a DVD player.

 

I use this laptop with an external monitor and keyboard except when traveling, I would want to be able to continue doing that.

 

Any DO NOT BUY!!!!!! makes or modles

 

What are some of the key features that I should be looking for (or stay away from)

 

Should I be dealing with one of the big box stores (and if so who is a good choice) or would I be smarter to deal with a "computer" store.

 

I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go!

[Old Ironmaker]

I had one heck of a time a few years back dealing with Hewlett Packard. After spending a few hrs on the phone one day I started logging my phone time, mostly holding, 38 hours. It was returned to HP no less than 3 times before they said go out and pick out a new one. That's all I asked for. 6 months no laptop off and on and never worked right.

[2 tone z71]

If I were getting a laptop ,it would be a MAC

[Sandbag]

Just switched to iMAC from PC finally. The difference has been quite noticable for ease of transition and ease of use. No more worry about viruses etc. They are more expensive, but i believe they are worth it.

 

Your old dvd with your programs ie Microsoft Office etc will not be compatible with the iMac platform and operating system.

 

PC laptops seem to be very reasonably priced right now

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[ketchenany]

Cliff I've never had a PC. Always MAC, they can run Microsoft office I have the latest version on my iMAC.

I have two iPads one original and one Air (last year) the latter has Microsoft Word and PowerPoint apps .

I can do anything a PC can do and more and no virus that I know of.

Have a look at them at a MAC store/computer shop and take one for a drive.

CD drives seem ro be going out the window by he looks of it, all I see now are the memory sticks, I carry one on my keychain, way more memory than a CD or DVD.

[wallyboss]

Lenovo is a good company for laptops.

[smitty55]

If you want an optical drive in your notebook you may have a harder time finding one these days. While Macs may be less prone to virus they are certainly not immune anymore. The best way to protect yourself from malware is to be logged on as a standard user, not an admin. That way you have no rights to install anything so malware can't either. If you do need permissions the UAC will pop up asking for an admin password which you can provide when required. That and keeping antivirus programs up to date will prevent most attacks.

I picked up a nice ASUS notebook for my wife 4 years ago and it's still going strong. It came with a full 2 year warranty as well. I bought it from a local computer shop, which I would highly recommend over a big box store. As far as an OS goes, I can't stand Windows 8 with no start menu and Windows 10 has many privacy issues so I would suggest to stay with Win 7.

 

Cheers

[Old Ironmaker]

We just got ourselves a Dell with Windows 10 and loaded with programs at a very reasonable price. Today almost all the big box stores sell these things and none come with any programs today unlike when you bought Vista back when me you and Moses were in the same class.

 

My brothers lady owns a small IT company and deals in these things every week. Drop me a PM if you are interested in picking her brain. She is in St.Catherines but they have these companies now that bring your stuff right to your door no matter where in the world you may be.

 

edit: The Asus tablet I bought a week after Windows 8 came out was my favorite and even after the screen was smashed (long story) it still worked with the docking station. I want another one someday. I loved that thing, ASUS is a strong company and good customer service.

Edited January 16, 2016 by Old Ironmaker

[i2cool2fool]

Lenovo is a good company for laptops.

Agreed. I picked up a Lenovo G50 laptop before Christmas for $500. I am quite happy with the purchase.

[ccmtcanada]

Most important question to ask first is what is your budget?

 

Macs are amazing products, but they are quite expensive. Lots of great options if you're budget is healthy

Edited January 16, 2016 by ccmt

[Fisherman]

I would avoid the big box stores, if something goes wrong, jeez knows where they ship them to and for how long to get fixed. I've heard multiple horror stories. I found our local wizard in Barrie (Dr Computer Logic) and have been with him since about '95. He has a good bunch of tekkies that fix stuff right and don't screw ya around. They also sell commercial refurbs, completely rebuilt and reinstalled operating systems. My last one cost me $250 with complete file transfers out the door. They even gave me back my old one for networking if I wanted. Look around in town or maybe Peterborough if they have any reputable dealers.

[Terry]

you do not need a mac, based on what i think I know about your computer use

you dont need a high end PC

if there is a computer store near you that also services what they sell, that would be a good starting point

a 1000 bucks is more computer then you need, ask if it is compatible with the programs you have already or if you will need to buy newe programs.......

[dave524]

I always had confidence buying electronics at Costco. They extend the manufacturers warranty to 2 years, 90 day return and the couple of times I've used their 1-800 Geek service I got a knowledgeable guy, living in Ontario and English was his first language. One time it was a defective unit another was operator error .

 

 

http://www.costco.ca/concierge.html

[John Bacon]

If your new laptop does not have a DVD drive then you should be able to pick up an external one that connects to a USB port at a reasonable cost.

[Fisherpete]

If your new laptop does not have a DVD drive then you should be able to pick up an external one that connects to a USB port at a reasonable cost.

Yes - I saw good brand name external DVD drives for only $30-40 at Canada Computers the other day - pretty good deal

[BillM]

One feature that you'll appreciate would be a backlit keyboard. Personally I run the Dell XPS line for my personal stuff, hasn't let me down yet and the customer support has been pretty good when needed.

[GBW]

Well I have worked for Dell, HP (when it was Compaq), Samsung and smaller IT companies as well; my pick's for quality, price and support is as follows:

1, Dell

2, HP

3, Lenovo (new name when IBM sold them overseas)

All others are a tier 2 or 3 (or worse!) MFG in the PC world.

Cliff, KLBE doesn't sell PC's (locally dealer when I looked last time) but I know a company whom I worked for called CDI (computer dealers inc) who take off lease from 'big business' after a year or so (max 3 years old hardware) and they do a 100% rebuild and sell it to small (and large) resellers of IT hardware for very low prices and with a good warranty too. Feel free to MSG me if needed.

Edited January 16, 2016 by GBW

[fishdawg]

I've had good experiences with buying refurbs, probably a standard feature on most now but make sure ithas an HDMI hookup

[SirCranksalot]

My wife bought a Lenovo Thinkpad with Win 7 installed about 6 mo ago for about $300. She's not a heavy duty user and is quite satisfied with it.

 

We bought it from the little shop down the road. The woman there says she can price match the bi box stores any day of the week.

Edited January 16, 2016 by SirCranksaLot

[FloatnFly]

For me, it would be MSi, ASUS then Lenovo. check Canada Computers, they have some pretty good prices on laptops. Something like http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=710_577_369&item_id=088311i think would be perfect for your needs

[adempsey]

I wouldn't hesitate to purchase an ASUS, HP or Lenovo (used to be IBM I believe) laptop. Dell has been hit and miss for me. I haven't dealt with Dell in a long time, but they did have great service. You might have to pay extra for it though, not sure. The HP and ASUS laptops I purchased are still going strong after many years. Batteries had issues, but that's a guarantee no matter what you get.

 

My go to store is Canada Computers. I bought an HP from a big box store though. Costco is always a great choice because of the warranty.

 

Also, what OS are you using now? Windows 8 and 10 are so different from previous versions. Personally, I don't like them at all. So, that might be a consideration. I'd recommend testing it out first.

 

Macs are nice, but still over priced. You should still try one and see if it's your thing or not.

 

Personally, I'd go with a desktop unless you're on the road a lot. I really dislike laptops. A desktop I can fix myself if something goes wrong (by fixing, it's really replace the part that broke), but a laptop is a whole other problem.

Edited January 17, 2016 by adempsey

[Consigliere]

This is crazy. If you need office and surf the Internet get a chrome book for 150. Use google docs. By far the cheapest option for the most functionality. There is no comparison for the money. I have had Mac, good windows etc. Will buy chrome every time from now on.

[Beans]

Cliff:...I checked with our family resident PC expert Mike and even though he doesn't have one he sez his fellow employees at Microsoft are high on Dell laptops...

 

I use a Dell dude...

[GBW]

come pick me up and let's go shop today...

[Big Cliff]

Thanks for the offer Geoff but I am only THINKING about buying a new one right now. Got to put a few more pennies in the bank account before I make the decision.