Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Computers - can't live with em....can't live w....

Catastrophy last night. Total failure of processor with blue screen of death. So instead of a relaxing jaunt in the Morgan this morning I had to unravel my carefully laid plans to go down to see daughter and SIL. No hardship really except not enough notice to bake chocolate cake...........
SIL has various gizmo's, including one that looks like a mobile phone stand for hard drives, so was able to check that the hard drive is actually intact, so nothing lost.
As it is seven years old anyway, I was intending to get a laptop next month. Oh the irony, but now I'm curious to know why it failed without warning. So SIL will run a level 1 diagnostic when he gets time.
In the meantime I've borrowed MissW's laptop, so for the first time on TM I'm sitting on the setee, instead of a bean bag, while MrsW does some ironing.
Sil has suggested I go for either:
Samsung NP700-AO1. intel i5, 2.6GHz, 8GB RAM, 1TB+8GB SSD with 15.6" display.....
or
Sony Vaio VPC F23N1E/B intel i7, 2.2 GHz,4GB RAM, 640GB with 16.4 display
or
Sony Vaio E1711X1EB intel core i7, 2.1GHz, 8GB RAM, 760GB, Blu- ray, 17.3 display

I've been appraised that the i7 is the latest, and that ssd is a desirable option on the Samsung. Bearing in mind that I'm a luddite and have limited use of a computer, and knowing that on TM we have some serious computer experts, any comments?

Personally I wouldn't go for any of the above - now's your opportunity to get an Apple. I've never regretted making the change from PC to Mac (tho' I still have a Sony Vaio PC as my till won't speak to Macs. I've not had any problems with it).

As an IT engineer on serious kit, it's a question I get asked a lot... I always give the same answer - it's your money, your choice, just remeber that whatever you buy will be out-of-date next month . I sometimes add, if pressed, that I know of no IT professional who would spend their own money on a Dell. Personally, I only use HP Compaq kit...it's a bit like buying your MOG, if you like
Nearly forgot to add - just because your PC has died, doesn't mean the whole hard drive is gone, you may be able to retrieve your data from it onto your new machine, so go easy on the diagnostics...

any of the above you listed Dave, only thing i would say is when purchasing this new Laptop 2 months ago there was a big price difference between i5 and i7, i plumbed for the lesser costing i5 and i am more than happy with the performance.

Best
Dean

Definitely +1
I was an IT Project Manager for 20 years working on various iterations of PC's running under Windows and the last thing I was interested in was Apple products. Having r*****d three years ago last year I switched my home unit to a Mac and haven't regretted it. Startup times are noticeably quicker, which is worth the extra cost alone.

Go on - go for it. You know you're worth it!

I would also go with Apple. I have extensive experience of both, and Apple is just better.

Have just replaced an aged Dell laptop with a Lenovo Y580..£850 with 3 yrs warranty from John Lewis.
Wife has Apple laptop and iPod 3 ..so I guess we have most of the angles covered.

Sounds to me from your description of yourself that you dont use the computer for much high demand applications. Maybe you just use email and internet, no gaming, no video processing etc. In fact like most of us.

If my guess is right, then dont get all hung up on high spec kit at high cost. Go cheap. I've even gone so far as to buy second hand refurbed ex lease gear for the boat and its still doing what is necessary 5 years later. To put it in car terms, dont buy a Ferrari to commute in.

And personally I wouldnt buy a laptop unless you need the portability. I have both and never use the lappy at home because the keyboard isnt as good or replaceable as the desktop, neither is the screen, and indeed the basics are harder to repair / upgrade / get spares for. The desktop I am using at the mo has had a couple of new motherboards and processors, plus power supplies and hard disks - bit like the farmers old axe with both new shaft and new head. The second hand lappy hasnt needed spares tbh- if it did it would be binned first.

On the other hand you may be a power user in need of the latest spec - in which case ignore me.

P.S. I would add that I also have a Mac book in a cupboard. It's OK. It's even fashionable with some Apple fanatics. But as someone who is more interested in using the kit than being fashionable, I wouldnt recommend it. There is no advantage and it costs more.

P.P.S. Ignore what the IT types say to you. I used to employ them and always found that they were more interested in the latest techno9logy than in the most practical use. Thats why they went into IT in the first place . ;-)

I've worked for many years in IT using PCs from the very first IBM and went down the Mac route 6 years ago with a MacBook Pro to see what all the fuss was about. My PC sits in a corner of my study unused and unloved; I use an iMac and would not go back!

When my laptop died 18 months ago I went ipad (I stumped up the extra for a proper keyboard that docks in the multi pin slot ) It does all the computing that I need, I have done power point presentations typed reports etc. Anything it can't manage I don't worry about, I spend too much time on it anyway