Where can I buy a sensible laptop?!

[ollie989898]

+1 for chromebook .bomb proof , start quick but be aware they operate slightly differently from a windoze device. Files are held in the cloud but that's not a problem.
Windoze so slow to boot, constant updates and virus treats, blank screens, error messages -no thanks.
Chromebooks will run word and excell and love or hate them are very reliablw...... imho

Chromebooks are good for many users but won't let you run software designed for Windows unfortunately. For email, browsing the web etc they are perfect. They are also good for children because they are more fudge-up resistant.

That being said, a modern Windows install is no bother really if you keep it up to date.

 

[Bury the Trash]

bought the mrs a chromebook but its a different thing to a normal windows laptop, not what i would want for runnig offline software business use , or anything off line perhaps, and it takes more getting used to . the lower cost does make up for that imo.
Argos is who we use for them , fair choice of a good range of prices and as competitive as anywhere .

 

[GrainBrain]

Bought one of the new M1's in 2020, and won't have another.

Screen started flashing lines at me last year, eventually went blank, as ever with Apple turns out it's a "common fault".

Six hundred and some odd quid for apple to repair it, local computer guy done it for £375 with a year's warranty. That's the price of a decent s/h laptop ffs!

It's got no abuse, never been dropped, never been outside, it leads a particularly pampered life actually so who knows when or if it'll go again.

That's me done with Apple!

Heya,

I've used Apple Macs for over a decade, as has my father and we've never had problems and I've had a crash maybe once.

He's used them for 20+ years and when I told him about Windows blue screen of death he was confused, he's never had that even on the old G4 and G5 PowerMacs of the 2000s!

They are far more stable than Windows computers, and they use less energy as well. The batteries are much better and last longer. They are more secure and less prone to viruses and hacks (but not immune)

Sure MacOS takes some getting used too, but an issue like that is almost certainly a one-off, or it may have been an issue already if you bought it secondhand or from a non-Apple computer store. If new, it should have been in warranty.

I actually had one of those machines (MacBook Air), a friend bought it off me and has never had problems, and I have one of the MacBook Pro versions from the same year, and have never had problems. Never slow, never crashed. Then again I work in I.T. - but I do push it quite hard, I've used it for video editing and AI stuff which is taxing.

My brother-in-law has the newer one from 2022 and has also never had problems.

I'm not saying it's your fault, but unfortunately it does sound like an rare issue, albeit one that is also a very bad one.

I've worked in I.T. for many years and have seen many many problems with Windows computers and laptops.

In comparison, I've almost never seen problems with Apple's iMac or MacBook computers.

All that to say, I still use an Android phone and a Windows computer, as well as my MacBook.

Overall if anyone is looking for a lightweight inexpensive laptop that is secure and easy to use I would suggest a Chromebook.

I have an Acer Spin 713, it is quite powerful and has a touch screen that also folds all the way round. It's a little out of date now, but would be fine for office work.

What's good about a Chromebook is it runs Android apps amd connects to your phone if you have an Android, that way you can get your text messages and things on your laptop as well!

 

[GrainBrain]

Chromebooks are good for many users but won't let you run software designed for Windows unfortunately. For email, browsing the web etc they are perfect. They are also good for children because they are more fudge-up resistant.

That being said, a modern Windows install is no bother really if you keep it up to date.

Yes, Chromebooks use ChromeOS, made by Google, just like Android.

You can install Android apps on Chromebooks such as Microsoft Word and Excel, and also of course, Google Docs and Sheets.

If you use Office365, you can sign in and get all your files in OneDrive and edit them.
Essentially you get Word or Excel as an 'App', instead of 'software' you install, but technically they are the same thing when you use them.

Moving to Google Docs and Google Sheets - which are very very similar to Word/ Excel - would only take a short amount of time to get used to if you want to try.

Google Docs etc. is also free and you don't need a monthly licence like you do for Microsoft Windows or Microsoft Office.

I recommend Chromebooks for everyone who needs a cost effective, secure, and easy to use machine.

But especially if they already have an Android phone, as they can use their Google account (Chromebooks use a system similar to Android which are both made by Google) so you can have everything in both places, and use Docs and Sheets for free!

 

[PI Stsker]

Yes, Chromebooks use ChromeOS, made by Google, just like Android.

You can install Android apps on Chromebooks such as Microsoft Word and Excel, and also of course, Google Docs and Sheets.

If you use Office365, you can sign in and get all your files in OneDrive and edit them.
Essentially you get Word or Excel as an 'App', instead of 'software' you install, but technically they are the same thing when you use them.

Moving to Google Docs and Google Sheets - which are very very similar to Word/ Excel - would only take a short amount of time to get used to if you want to try.

Google Docs etc. is also free and you don't need a monthly licence like you do for Microsoft Windows or Microsoft Office.

I recommend Chromebooks for everyone who needs a cost effective, secure, and easy to use machine.

But especially if they already have an Android phone, as they can use their Google account (Chromebooks use a system similar to Android which are both made by Google) so you can have everything in both places, and use Docs and Sheets for free!

The same could be said for iOS too. I use apples version of excel and word and get on marvellous . Granted I pay 99p a month for a bigger cloud storage but I can start a spreadsheet at my desk on the iMac, walk back over to home play about with it on my MacBook then if I wanted to play about with it some more on my iPad/iphone while out and about. I like the fact it’s all in one place no worrying about saving it in the right place it just works, and when I’m not the best at technology it works better.

 

[ollie989898]

The same could be said for iOS too. I use apples version of excel and word and get on marvellous . Granted I pay 99p a month for a bigger cloud storage but I can start a spreadsheet at my desk on the iMac, walk back over to home play about with it on my MacBook then if I wanted to play about with it some more on my iPad/iphone while out and about. I like the fact it’s all in one place no worrying about saving it in the right place it just works, and when I’m not the best at technology it works better.

This is what I do with all Windows hardware.

The Microsoft office apps designed to run on Apple hardware is very very slick from what I have seen but I just don't 'get' Apple products unfortunately.

As you say, having it all saved in one location (I use OneDrive as it is free with Office 365) makes it a no brainer.

 

[GrainBrain]

The same could be said for iOS too. I use apples version of excel and word and get on marvellous . Granted I pay 99p a month for a bigger cloud storage but I can start a spreadsheet at my desk on the iMac, walk back over to home play about with it on my MacBook then if I wanted to play about with it some more on my iPad/iphone while out and about. I like the fact it’s all in one place no worrying about saving it in the right place it just works, and when I’m not the best at technology it works better.

Agreed!

I mentioned in another response on this thread that I use MacOS daily and have been using Apple products for over a decade, I use Windows (and Linux!) but Apple desktops and laptops are just so much more stable and easy to use from my perspective

Chromebooks are great but if someone needs a more all round laptop for business, especially one don't allows you to install actual desktop apps, getting a 1 or 2 year-old MacBook pro is definitely worth it!

 

[PI Stsker]

This is what I do with all Windows hardware.

The Microsoft office apps designed to run on Apple hardware is very very slick from what I have seen but I just don't 'get' Apple products unfortunately.

As you say, having it all saved in one location (I use OneDrive as it is free with Office 365) makes it a no brainer.

Agreed!

I mentioned in another response on this thread that I use MacOS daily and have been using Apple products for over a decade, I use Windows (and Linux!) but Apple desktops and laptops are just so much more stable and easy to use from my perspective

Chromebooks are great but if someone needs a more all round laptop for business, especially one don't allows you to install actual desktop apps, getting a 1 or 2 year-old MacBook pro is definitely worth it!

The Microsoft add on to the iOS was the biggest waste of money I did, it just didn’t integrate, went ‘back’ to using the cough free cough version that Apple give you anyway and it just works and is the same. Now I’ve got all my documents, photos etc all in one place I’d find it hard to change back to a Microsoft based system.

im an Apple phone person, have been since the first one, when ever I try using my wife’s Samsung I just can’t get it as I’m so used to iOS, maybe why I’ve turnt in to a die hard fan only using Apple products but it works for me and they have great residual value, I swapped old MacBook in for a new one few weeks ago because I fancied a slightly bigger one and still got a good wedge of cash for the old one when I sold it, seccond hand ‘normal’ laptops tend to be worth net zero by the time you want / need a change.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Look closely at 'Mac Mini'.
You'll be hooked if you have any leanings towards apple systems.
You don't need apple add-ons, you can add a keyboard and screen of your choice.
SS

 

[PI Stsker]

Look closely at 'Mac Mini'.
You'll be hooked if you have any leanings towards apple systems.
You don't need apple add-ons, you can add a keyboard and screen of your choice.
SS

In fairness I couldn’t get on with the Apple mouse! It was far too small for my hands and the lack of a centre scroller to scroll down and split the left from right click I was all over the place. Amazon’s cheapest wireless mouse transformed the job.
I also upgraded the standard little keyboard for a the big keyboard with the number pad on the right rather than having to snipe off numbers from along the top.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

In fairness I couldn’t get on with the Apple mouse! It was far too small for my hands and the lack of a centre scroller to scroll down and split the left from right click I was all over the place. Amazon’s cheapest wireless mouse transformed the job.
I also upgraded the standard little keyboard for a the big keyboard with the number pad on the right rather than having to snipe off numbers from along the top.

I have adapted my system to suit my needs over the years but at its heart is the mac mini. Fab!
SS

 

[Forkdriver]

I couldn't get on with laptops even though I had them for work. I like a bigger screen and now I function quite happily with a desk top and a tablet to go out and about.