What PC laptop type thingy?

Has it come to this? A PC? I ask you?

As a confirmed Mac Snob of some years standing (even when they were rubbish!) I view the prospect of buying a PC with the same enthusiasm as the idea of going to Comet to buy a fridge, or a washing machine. In that they’re all effectively the same, and perform in a basic, functional way.

However…. needs must. Mrs Binners needs a new one, as the other one is a few years old and dog slow (to be honest, I just presumed they were all like this). So I need a PC laptop. There. I’ve said it.

So feel free to launch into me for my snobbery, tell me I’m a fool, and just plain wrong! But in the process, could you recommend a suitable machine/piece of agricultural equipment?

It just needs to run the usual hideous, and simplistic Fisher Price Microsoft gubbins. What would you recommend oh techy STW types?

GO!

Forgive the suggestion, but has she thought about a chromebook thing? I realise their greatest proponents here are a quite nerdy lot who struggle socially, and spent quite a bit of their formative years in dark bedrooms, but could she use google docs on the move for word-processing, spreadsheets etc?

Give her your old MacBook and you go out and but a brand new one.

Nothing by Lenovo

ill second a chromebook unless you need specific software.

Drac! Stop putting thoughts like that in my head! 😉

I’ll check out the chrome books. Thanks all!

You know it’s the right decision.

http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/laptops/

We use these at work and have had no issues, usually the 14″ Ultra note and tweak the spec a little – you get zero bloatware or preinstalled guff, the build quality is good and I quite like the plain unbranded look 🙂

We use these at work and have had no issues

What happens when you need support / drivers for them?

How much do you want to spend?

The Flying Ox – Member
Nothing by Lenovo

FWIW I’m typing this on a Lenovo, I bought it just after Xmas but it didn’t come with their spyware installed – and I’m pretty sure the current models won’t come with it either after all the trouble it got them into… It was cheap with a great spec for the price.

I’m pretty sure the current models won’t come with it either

They are using version 2, which you can’t detect. 😈

What happens when you need support / drivers for them?

I don’t know to be honest, our IT dept do all the clever stuff – I wouldn’t even know why/when I’d need drivers 😳

They are using version 2, which you can’t detect.

lol quite possibly. Another company with all my personal details, it can join Facebook, Google, STW – the giants 🙂

Google Docs and sheets seem pretty good on Chromebook. No real headaches, they seem intuitive.

Lenovo is a good choice – they have been burned by the shitware scandal and their machines should be as clean or cleaner than the competition.

I use PC specialist for my work PC but I wouldn’t recommend them to ordinary users. I have had to patch mine with bios files from elsewhere to fix known issues (PCS couldn’t supply it) and obtaining drivers can be a pain if you want to change OS.

I use a chromebook for general mail/browsing and can’t recommend them enough. Really long battery life, cheap, no hassle.

Our Lenovo was ace for two years.
Then the motherboard went bang (literally) and that was that.
😕

Whatever you do, don’t get one that has touch screen as well as a keyboard, this one I’m on now is an absolute f***ing nightmare that does bizzare things at totally random moments and instead of being called ASUS, should be ASSWIPE. Here endeth the rant.

What happens when you need support / drivers for them?

Drivers?!?

What century is this where one has to manually install drivers?

Sheesh, apart from when I changed video cards, I don’t think I’ve manually installed a driver since 2009.

In an entirely unrelated mater, does anyone know why my wireless printer doesn’t work? 😉

Do you change video cards a lot in a laptop?

No, though it can be done.

In not sure what you’re getting at here, I thought you were saying it was a worry getting drivers for PC Specialist laptops, and I was saying most drivers are auto detected now.

Anyways, no worries 🙂

binners if you want a hassle-free laptop then check if a Chromebook will do what you want.

Look for reviews on Toms Hardware, The Register, Anandtech and Ars Technica.

Happy hunting!

struggle socially, and spent quite a bit of their formative years in dark bedrooms

#nevergiveup

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/04/surface-3-review-smaller-slower-cheaper-better/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/04/06/review_hp_stream_x360_convertible_laptop/?page=1

Don’t all rush to thanks me 😉