New puter

Okay

The Lisal computer is beginning to get a bit knackered - rather like it's owner

I've just spent quite a bit of time in PC World with a (very nice) youth going through my options. I'd be grateful for any thoughts/views/advice from the more tecchy folks here

First up PC or laptop? I like the mobility of the laptop (my computer station is upstairs) but nice young man told me that PCs last longer and are less likely to be technically overtaken. He seemed to feel that a laptop had a two year(ish) life

What do I use it for? Surfing/ a bit of Youtube/OWK films/basic games like Hearts/a little bit of wordprocessing/emails. I'm not a big gamer and am looking to get an XBox Connect for that side of things anyway

Budget - with a printer which I really need and possibly adding Word etc (young man says you can get that for £50 if you buy a PC) somewhere in the region of £5-600

So any advice/thoughts would be gratefully received

Laptops are limited to expansion, I would not say there is a 2 year life that only applies if you want to keep upgrading devices like HDD video cards etc.

A limitation to a laptop is working with a Small screen and keyboard a way around this is to get an external screen and keyboard so if you want to some serious work you can sit comfortably also it allows you to work with dual screens.

Desktops do tend to have better performance but do take up space

I don't have a problem at all with my lap top, it does everything I need. I've had it for about three years now.

[numquata]

I’m glad you enjoyed your conversation with the nice young man – I guess most people look young to you nowadays.

I’m a fan of laptops and you don’t need to spend more than £300 - £400 to get one that will meet your requirements. My cable connection comes in upstairs so I can plug in the ethenet connection if I need to hard wire and I have a monitor and keyboard there which I use when I need a bigger screen. Otherwise I use wi-fi from the comfort of the living room. Depending on your ISP, they might throw in a router as part of the package. I’d say take it if they do – the advantage is that if you need tech support they can’t argue that it’s your router configuration that’s at fault, which is always their first excuse when things go wrong, and you can also give them remote access. Otherwise you can get a router for £30 - £40.

Word costs the same whether you install it on a laptop or a PC but if you want to save a few quid then Open Office is free and I understand it has all the functionality of Microsoft Office for the average user.

[ex nihilo]

I think given the sheer amount of time people spend on their computers it is best to buy one you like and are very comfortable with. I would say the cheaper ones last around 2 years which is down to build quality. However, you should get at least 5 years life out of higher end models.

So here are a few things that matter to me:

Robust build quality
Battery life
Screen that it is pleasing to view under different lighting
Processor speed
RAM

It’s always better to buy something with more resource than you think you need since continuous improvements to web search (instant on) and online internet security (pulse updates) require more resource. Before broadband we were happy to wait ages for sites to load now we expect this to happen at an instant.

Battery life is really important if you move around and can range from a couple of hours up to 10 hours (MacBook and Lenovo).

So cost of ownership depends on reliable performance over desired expected life.

You could also think of switching to a MacBook. Initial outlay is higher but you will not have to bother with annual internet security subscriptions (Mac is safe from threats) unless you use Boot Camp to partition part of it for Windows (kind of defeats the object though) and you won’t have to replace the battery after 18 months which is expensive. It also looks very groovy.

[electrocbtslave]

Buy the heaviest one you can afford (anything under 3 cwt is a mistake)

Make sure that all the fittings are solid brass and that it comes with a lockable box (Teak is the best) and a 5 lever lock

If the tested SWP is less than 300 pounds per square inch it will be very slow

Good makes are BBC,Amstrad and Sinclair

Originally Posted by numquata

I guess most people look young to you nowadays.

At least you don't

If you decide on the make model etc of the PC or laptop then do a tinternet search, you may find it cheaper to buy on-line than at PCWorld (aka Currys) even they sometime offer things cheaper to buy on-line an pick up at store Amazon, Dabs etc may be worth looking at

[electrocbtslave]

Originally Posted by Lisal

At least you don't

Rapier wit


Well.......... bit of wood with a nail in

[folly]

It depends what you want to do with it. For home use I'd go for a laptop - and anyone who says they have a two-year(ish) life is either dealing with a sub-standard product, using it for purposes it isn't set up for, or has the luxury of replacing it every two years... which most of us don't.

Mine's coming up to two years old. It's over-specced for what I use it for at the moment, but that was a deliberate decision on my part. It's a Dell, and I got to customise it online. I haven't had a single problem (touch wood).

It doesn't take long to get used to a laptop keyboard if you're used to a full keyboard. Just a bit like getting used to an unfamiliar phone. Your typing muscles soon adapt.

I have 4 TV channels at home currently, plus Freeview whenever I can be bothered to set it up, so the laptop doubles for iPlayer, 4oD etc., and since I'm resolutely a one TV person, the laptop enables me to watch stuff anywhere in the house or garden. Works for me!