New Laptop Computer Recommendations (Full Version)

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spence -> New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/6/2014 10:08:19 PM)

My computer has just died. It was doing just fine earlier today but now the repair program says I have a bad hard disk. I presume that is likely to be fatal.

I am not a knowledgeable person when it comes to computers. Most of what I read about fixing things is, to me, gibberish. I had a computer with Windows 8 but traded it to my wife for a Windows 7 machine since Windows 8 produced a "retarded mouse" such that completing a turn would have taken 4-5 hours (estimate). I am not keen on a new computer with Windows 8 unless there is an easy fix to the retarded mouse problem but I am worried about Windows 7 Support expiring.

I don't do all that much with my computer: Nr 1 is play AE, but I play some music and store some pictures and occasionally write a letter. So I don't suppose I need a top of the line machine.

In any case, I'd appreciate any commentary you folks might have on:
1) a decent but not expensive machine.
2) the best operating system for the future (and how near the end of that future might be).

Thanks in advance for your learned commentary.



rustysi -> RE: New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/6/2014 11:50:02 PM)

Spence, I don't know how long MS will support Win 7 , but keep in mind that they just stopped support for XP recently. I don't try to keep up with the industry so much any more (used to build my own machines). Mostly use lap tops now and I don't try to build those. All that said though I'll give you my philosophy on computers. Software is always pushing the hardware and vice versa so when I by laptops now I generally go one step below the top of the line. The reason I do that is because you pay a premium for the latest and greatest. Its still a bit expensive but I think you'll generally get more years out of your machine (barring some catastrophic failure). For me I got 8 years out of my first laptop. I did keep it a litte too long and I delayed the purchase of AE for a bit because of that (I knew it wouldn't handle the software). I've got my new one three years noew and its still running strong, but its a heavy hitter (and was quite expensive for most). It pays to be an empty nester. So, what I'm saying (in a rather wordy way) is that I feel its a trade off between budget and longevity of use. One area I think you might save on is the graphics card as most wargames (I'm not talking Call of Duty) that we seem to play don't use heavy graphics. You may not need a huge HD either, though I don't think you save a bunch there because they're pretty cheap. I prefer a lot of system memory, mine has 8GB (I think), which was the most I could get back when I bought it. I'd also suggust you just go online and look at all the major laptop builders and see what they offer. Then come back here and say, 'Hey watta you think'. I'm sure you'll get a bunch of responses.



Feltan -> RE: New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/7/2014 2:00:44 AM)

spence,

If you would like another approach ... go to Wal-Mart and buy a mid-level laptop, preferably on sale.

Computers are becoming commodities for most of us. You can spend a ton for a specialty rig, but you can overspend easily. My computer use is not that different than yours for home use, and I look for sales. Win8 is a disaster for PCs. I have install disks for Win7, and would replace the OS as my first task. Although, I am told you can configure Win8 to look and act like Win7 rather easily.

Regards,
Feltan



Numdydar -> RE: New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/7/2014 3:11:46 AM)

Yes you can. I just got 8.1 for my wife's PC and it is a vast improvement over 8.0 imho. I always use my wife as my beta tester for new OSs lol. So far both us have been really pleased with the new version.



fcharton -> RE: New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/7/2014 7:04:34 AM)

Hi Spence,

If you were happy with your previous laptop, the cheapest solution is to just change the hard disk (a disk seller will do this for you, but you probably need your original Windows licence). You can then reinvest part of the money you saved in a more reliable disk. SSD tend to be more robust, they are susceptible to power outage, but your laptop has a battery. They cost more than regular hard disks, but if you don't need huge amount of space, a smaller one and an external disk for saves is a good trade off.

Francois




Yaab -> RE: New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/7/2014 10:00:46 AM)

I am running WITP:AE on a Lenovo laptop, bought in early 2010. Haven't had a single issue with the hardware so far.



Miller -> RE: New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/7/2014 10:29:20 AM)

I have an eight year old laptop as a back up for my main system that can still run AE as long as the combat animations are switched off, so you don't need to spend much at all really.



Dili -> RE: New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/7/2014 4:19:30 PM)

If the laptop is okay except the disk just replace the disk. If you are comfortable with W7 it has still have years of life just use the W7 that you have. You only need to buy the disk.

if your computer is recent not older then 2009 or such you get an SSD and it will seem that you have a new computer.



margeorg -> RE: New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/8/2014 8:59:24 AM)

As others said, first check if itīs just the harddisk. In this case a replacement disk may be all you need. And if the machine runs Win7 fine, you will have fun with it at least until 2020, when Microsoft will end support for Win7.

In case the damage is more severe I would suggest looking not for a new one, but a refurbished business laptop instead. In particular, I would recommend the Lenovo T-Series of business laptops. These are used in large quantities in big companies, and will ususally enter the second-hand market after 3 years of use. With a little bit of luck you will get a machine that hasnīt been used much at all. A refurbisher will usually clean the machine, replace worn-out parts such as key caps, and guarantee a minimum running time for the battery.

In particular, I would recommend the T-Series for the following reasons:

* excellent overall quality. The materials do have a really "valuable" touch and feel
* Great keyboards, very good for typing. Not to be compared to cheap rubber-plastic keyboards
* very sturdy chassis, shock-proof with magnesium frame, great mechanical quality
* Non-glaring high-resolution displays available, excellent visibility even under a light source
* Broad range of accessories available, third-party ones at a very cheap price
* Full technical and user documentation available on the web, including service manuals
* Very nice technical features in selected variants, including fingerprint reader, 2nd HDD frame, mobile communications slot and antenna etc. etc.

As I said, stick with the T-Series, these are the top-notch variants. You should have a wide selection available at any time.

PS: I replaced my laptop HDD a few weeks ago with a so-called "hybrid drive / SSHD" from Seagate. This is a 500G classic harddisk combined with a 8G NAND SSD acting as an intelligent buffer. The drives are called "Seagate Momentus XT". They are cheap, and using the drive brought a significant improvement in HDD performance.



Prydwen -> RE: New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/8/2014 1:08:17 PM)

Hi,

One of the reasons I chose my current laptop was the screen size. It has a 17.3 inch screen instead of the standard 15ish. The extra couple inches of screen size may not sound like much and it makes it bulkier/heavier but it may make it a bit easier for you to see and read the in game text. I'll just put it this way, I like mine.

I'll echo everyone else and agree that a new hard drive will be far cheaper (assuming that is the for sure fix) and surely there is someone in your town who can repair it for you if you don't have the expertise to do it yourself.

Joe



geofflambert -> RE: New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/9/2014 3:56:50 PM)

If you have a MicroCenter or similar vendor where you are, let them attempt to recover the data on your bad disk and transfer it to your new computer.



spence -> RE: New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/9/2014 10:40:26 PM)

Thanks everyone for your help and recommendations. I've gotten a new one now and can now get back to my PBEM.



Dili -> RE: New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/10/2014 6:21:54 PM)

quote:

One of the reasons I chose my current laptop was the screen size. It has a 17.3 inch screen instead of the standard 15ish. The extra couple inches of screen size may not sound like much and it makes it bulkier/heavier but it may make it a bit easier for you to see and read the in game text. I'll just put it this way, I like mine.


Yeah the real estate of 17.3" make it much comfortable than 15". I can ge myself in a semi rest position in office chair and work okay with it.



kgp -> RE: New Laptop Computer Recommendations (1/12/2014 3:26:29 AM)

If you buy a newer laptop with Intel Wireless Display (WiDi) and a Netgear Push2TV (about $60), your laptop screen can be displayed on any large LCD TV with a HDMI input. Works well with a remote keyboard and a La-Z-Boy with a beverage holder.

ken



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