Laptop? Computer? What?

[Winchester]

I'm asking for your opinions, reviews, etc.

Rick told me he'd get me a laptop for Christmas. I'm thinking about it, but I'm not sure I want one. We have the Dell desktops back here in the computer room. Rick is using Vista and I'm using Windows 8.1. 

I think it would be nice to be able to use the laptop in the living room or at the kitchen table sometimes. I like the idea of using it while lounging in bed at night. I like the idea of taking it on vacation (and so does Dear Richard and he goes away a lot more than I do). 

I like Dell and we've never really had a lot of trouble with our Dell computers. I did have that hard drive failure with the Vista, but it was easily repaired (still under warranty) and life went on. Had to replace the fan in my old XP computer, but I don't really consider that an issue as it was easily repaired.

Rick's union is using a 15-inch Toshiba Satellite. One of my GFs is using a 15-inch Toshiba Satellite. I think they're the same model of laptop as I've used them both. I do the maintenance on the union's laptop and write stuff for Rick on that. I help my GF out when she has issues with her laptop. So I've gotten familiar with the setup on the Toshiba, too. 

I don't want anything smaller than a 17-inch laptop. My desktop has a 24-inch monitor; Rick's computer has an 18-inch monitor. And at work, I'm using an 18-inch monitor. When I work on the union's laptop, I always feel like I have to squint to see anything, even though I've increased font sizes and such. I don't think I'd like a 15-inch laptop.

The Toshiba I'm looking at has 6 GB memory and a 750 GB hard drive. AMD Quad-Core A8-6410 Accelerated Processor with AMD Radeon R5 graphics (I know, it's not Intel; I've never had anything but Intel)

We have a wireless router, so internet setup is easy for me to do. When I use the union's computer, I have to go in and set it up on my router to access the internet. Then after I've done the maintenance and the tasks that Rick needs done, I simply go back in and delete the access. Our phones are in the router as are both computers and our son's phone, so that when he comes to visit, he doesn't have to deal with data stuff. And what I can't do, my BIL (the techie in the family) can do it for me.

I've read a ton of reviews. Some people love their Toshibas. Some people hate them. I expected that. I love Dell, but I know people who hate them with a passion. I haven't really made any decision on anything yet. Came "this close" to getting one last night, but then I backed down. 

So I'm asking if you have a desktop or a laptop. What do you like about your computer? What do you dislike? What do you think about your laptop? 

 

[jcat]

When our last desktop bit the dust we replaced it with two laptops for home use and have never regretted it. You can use a laptop anywhere in the house and don't have the jumble of cables you do with a desktop. Mine is fairly old - a 15.6" Acer Aspire with Windows Vista; DH has a 17" Aspire with Windows 7. We're about the same ages as you and Rick and find the screens more than adequate for reading, watching videos, etc.. I got mine through work and had a choice between an Acer and a Toshiba. Two other teachers chose Toshiba and have meanwhile had to replace theirs.

 

[sivyaleah]

I love my laptop - which is dying sadly.  It's an Asus, about 6 years old or so, paid a lot for it and got more than it's life out of it.  I'm sure it would have lasted even longer if I didn't use it for gaming.  The graphics can be hard on the cards over time.  I have a PC in our home office but, I usually used the lappie. I can stay connected downstairs in front of the TV, bring it into the kitchen to follow recipes, and take it onto the porch and backyard.  It's wireless, and the signal strength is pretty good close to the house. It was great to have for all the times I was incapacitated when walking upstairs or even sitting at the desk was too painful.  

I'm bummed about it dying and not sure what to do about it.  I clearly need a new one but with a brand new PC upstairs, not about to jump into it unless I find an amazing deal.  

I think you'll find it's quite useful but also, not a necessity.  It depends on how you utilize your online time.

 

[caltritwiamb4]

Love my 13" Mac Book Pro w/ retina display. Pricey but I bought it refurbished online at the Apple store.

 

[AbbysMom]

I have a desktop and an Ipad. Aaron has a laptop. I prefer a desktop for editing photos and doing things like that.

 

[catsallaround]

I loved my first Dell laptop so much when it was time to buy one again I told husband any by Dell is fine.  We ended up with a lemon.  Out of the box it was acting nuts so called to figure out how to return it and customer service was very nice but required to ask about if they gave us cash if we would keep it.  It was kinda funny as this laptop was just nuts and I was like no if you payed me I would not keep it as it is useless.  I ended up with a toshiba that I love.  When we tested computers I noticed I hated Lenovas keyboard-felt off to me.  

I mainly use it for forums and shopping.  Few years old and doing great minus a screw that will not stay in and makes the screen a bit wobbly.  

 

[rubysmama]

I've always had desktop computers at home. My 1st was a Dell.  2nd a HP.  Current an Acer.  I liked both the Dell & HP and both were still working when I replaced them for newer ones. The Acer is only a year old, but is fine so far.  I use it for internet surfing, online forums, some Microsoft office programs, storing pictures, but no games.  I think the thing that sold me on the Acer was it had a tiny hard drive, not a big clunky one, plus it was on sale!

I thought about getting a laptop when I bought the Acer last year, but decided against it as I already had good flatscreen monitor.   Also, I find typing on laptop keyboards feels weird and I hate the laptop mouse.  Therefore if I ever got a laptop, I would have to get both a mouse and keyboard for it, which would take away the convenience of using it anywhere!    Some laptop keyboards do not have the number keypad, so watch for that if it is something that would concern you.

 

[swampwitch]

Count me in too, I love laptops! I love that you can take them anywhere, and they take up no space at all in the house.

I have a MacBook Air for personal use, and a MacBook Pro for work. When I have to travel, the MacBook Air is SO light it's not a burden at all to carry around all day. My bag gets really heavy after lugging it all around for 12 hours, and even 2-3 extra pounds makes a lot of difference. And since travel is mostly waiting, I can email, surf, or watch DVDs to my heart's content which really helps the time fly by.

When I have to take the car in for service (or whatever), I take the MacBook Pro along, with a thermos of coffee, and sit in the lobby and get quite a bit of work done. Or if there's a lot of noise at the house, say, jackhammering the road or getting a new roof, I can grab the laptop and go work at the neighborhood coffee shop.

I could never go back to console computers, stuck in a corner somewhere… We don't have room anyway, we are in a tiny house so we all have laptops.

p.s. With a MacBook, you can instantly zoom in and out on anything on the screen, using the touch pad. Maybe you can do that with other laptops, too, I don't know. I like big screens also, but mainly because for work I usually need to see several applications open at the same time.

 

[denice]

I have a Toshiba laptop and love it.  I have had it for 4 years and it got me through writing papers and putting together powerpoint presentations for a 9 month long billing and coding course.  I haven't had any issues with it yet.  I know 5 or 6 years is the average for trouble free use but so far no issues at all.

 

[Freedom]

I have alway had HP (well Compaq back before HP bought them out). And always AMD processors as they are just as good as Intel - often 1 development behind as they tend to copy I tel - and you aren' t paying for the name. I keep a desktop in the home office, that is hard wird, and a laptop for everyday and traveling. Some things only get done on the tower, like checking bank balances. Don't want those passwords on my laptop.

Three weeks back my laptop died. The motherboard was shot. Bought a Toshiba laptop with an AMD processor and with Windows 8.1. That was the start of 10 days of major frustration! First i never realized each company has their own keyboard! Oh the qwerty section is standard but the home, delete, insert, page up etc. are all in different places. The cursor would either freeze or disappear completely. I use yahoo for email, and while I could open a massage that was no scroll bar to move down and read whatever was off screen. The charms and date / time kept showing up even when I clicked to deactivate them. I spent well over 45 hours on support sites for both Microsoft and Mozilla Firefox. Finally decided this was not for me and returned it.

Online research showed that businesses were fuming with all the bus in Windows 8 and 8.1. In response to this outcry, HP now offers not a tower and a laptop with WIndows 7. Both use Intel processors and both come with Windows 7 PRO ( not the Home edition) and they already have Office installed. I have ordered the laptop, it arrives next week.

Couldn't be with no mobile connection so I picked up an RCA 8 Apollo tablet at the Black Friday sale at Target. It is Android based and I love it!

 

[pinkdagger]

It really depends what you're doing with a computer. I think desktops are more cost-efficient, especially for their power, and they allow for more customization and a stable working environment, but my computer uses are for more technically demanding tasks (3D sculpting and rendering, digital painting, video editing) that are next to impossible or would require days to do with even a high end gaming laptop. I like being able to choose my parts and to swap them in and out as one goes out of date or stops working, and I really, really like having multiple monitors at the size they are (21" and 24", which aren't even that big for desktop monitors now).

If you do a lot of text-based stuff, web browsing, or even simple image editing, a laptop would serve you fine if you care for it well. I've used a cheap Asus (my boyfriend's, which he only used to take to his old workplace's office for programming) and a good Toshiba, which we got for my parents for watching videos, Skyping, and browsing the web, but I've also set up short and simple renders on it in the past.

I'm not an Apple fan and will never be willing to pay for any of their products beyond my aging iPod Touch 4th gen (which I got with a discount). They're too expensive, too proprietary (for my needs), and too quickly replaced with a new and not-really-innovative successor. When I've worked with them, they've been slow, unreliable, and had crashing issues and heating issues.

I would only get a laptop if it was mandated of me. Otherwise, I'm totally happy with my desktop setup. If I need to take work to display, I'll take it on a cheap little tablet. Working on a laptop is almost impossible for me - very uncomfortable and confined.

 

[Winchester]

I thank you for all your responses. Because I'm more familiar with Toshiba, that's what I bought. It was on sale for a great price, plus if the price goes any lower between now and Christmas, all I need do is take my receipt back and they'll refund any difference. It has nothing on it, other than Win 8 Professional and that's fine as I don't like a lot of stuff on my computers anyway. I'll add programs as I want. 

Did so much research today that I'll be seeing laptops in my sleep tonight. Brought it home, gave it to Rick, and he put it away. He was a little surprised that I didn't even want to look at it, but I really don't want to get it out and play with it until Christmas.

I talked to my BIL for about two hours this afternoon, about different things. He'll be there to help me, if I need it.

Freedom, I know what you mean about the buttons! When I was getting used to Rick's union's Toshiba, I was doing a lot of muttering and cussing. And when I'd try to help my GF with hers, I would say, "Where the **** is the delete button?" or "How the heck do I right-click?" Stuff like that. I did a lot of 

 until I got used to the differences between Dell and Toshiba, not to mention running around with my finger on the touchpad. In fact,  I bought a mouse, too, while I was at it as moving around that little touchpad makes me spastic sometimes. 

I won't go with Apple either. Or Sony. They are too proprietary for me, plus they're just too expensive. I have an iPod, but that's it.

I didn't think I'd ever want a laptop, but now I think I'll enjoy it.

 

[dejolane]

The first laptop I got from my grandson won't turn on. I got a new cord and that didn't work. The next one I got from him needs a cord too. I one I'm using now is a friends who hasn't asked for  it back yet so I'm hanging on to this one and playing my Facebook games. I have told her I was having computer withdraw and she let me use hers. Bless Juanita. She is a sweet friend.  One of these days I am going to have to rent one from Rent a Center.

 

[sneakymom]

Glad you found something you liked.  

We've had desktops forever.  When the one that was over 10 years old started running real slow, we bought a 15 inch HP.  I HATE Windows 8, but that's what this computer came with.  Other than the annoyance with the operating system, I like it.  We got Quicken for it, and let me tell you, it is so much easier keeping track of finances now  I use it to browse and write email.  

Oldest has an Asus 12 inch (or is it 11) that she got for graduation 2.5 years ago.  It's served her well.  Though she says she's getting a Mac when she graduates- she says that since she's going to teach music Apple has the best software for it.  Whatever, she'll hopefully have a job by then 

The youngest just got a 12 inch HP yesterday.  The laptop she'd been using was 7 years old, and the operating system was Windows XP.  Which is not longer supported.  She's a senior and is in the process of applying to schools.  It's a good thing we had the new laptop, she got the first round of applications done on ours.  Her AP Gov class has notes online, so she'd been using our computer for that work too.  I kind of wanted to wait until graduation to give her one, but dh found a deal yesterday.  It's cute, small and hopefully will get her through 4 years of college .

Cheryl