Want a new laptop but do I want Windows 8?

[aczlan]

For me, laptops have little use anymore. Even though I have two, a Sony Vaio and Dell along with an ASUS netbook, their usefulness has diminished. For Internet browsing, my iPad and KindleFire's are handier except when I want to do research using screen captures and such. For productivity, I don't like looking at programs through a straw either, which is what laptops are like when compared to our desktop systems. We both do websites, I do CAD, graphic art and videos. She handles all the business on her computer, using Microsoft Office. The tablets are good for mild surfing and checking emails, but not writing them and have no place in our office, neither do the laptops.

That trackball looks just like the one on my desk at home (and the one on my desk at work)...

Aaron Z

 

[madmax12]

That's the one:thumbdown: Thousands of dv series through a string of numbers with "Black Screen of Death"
First the WIFI went which I didn't care as I had it wired. Then I started reading about the heat problems and called them while it was working an in warranty. Answer was, not broke, we don't fix in anticipation. So soon after the warranty it went black. Then they wanted over $300 to look at it and maybe more to fix it if things were bad in addition to the poorly soldered MB. There was even
a class action law suit later about the problem, which I didn't mess with. I fixed it once running hair dryer heat on the CPU but it didn't last long.
Meanwhile I got a new laptop from Dell. I had started with Dells back when W-98 came out. Modified it adding drives, etc. and systems up to and including XP which still works. Dell Lap has W-7, newer desktop has W-7, and wife's new Dell desktop has 8.1.
So I have 4 operational Dells out of 4 and 0 operational HPs out of 1. Do the math, which would you prefer

So, my HP touchscreen all in one goes black, often. Reboot fixes it. Been like that for a long time. Is there a list somewhere to find out if my puter has the black screen of death motherboard?

 

[troutsqueezer]

That trackball looks just like the one on my desk at home (and the one on my desk at work)...

Aaron Z

Once you get used to one, you never go back. Been using one since early 90's.

 

[Larro Darro]

My HP Pavilian {9000 series} PC died a few weeks ago. I held out, hoping it would come back from the dead like it did once before. But I bought a refurbished 8000 series from New Egg this week for $189. It comes loaded with Windows 7 Pro. If it lasts two or three years, it will be worth the money. By then Windows 8 will have the kinks worked out, or there will be another OS.

The old Toshiba laptop I have here at work is showing it's age as well. My wife has said for me to go ahead and buy another Asus, and she will take the Toshiba to her work. There are three people in her office, and at lunch they have to share one laptop. They can't use the networked office computers for private use, and they are all addicted to Candy Craze, or some such game.

Larro

 

[aczlan]

Once you get used to one, you never go back. Been using one since early 90's.

Yep. Mom got one in the late 90s and I got hooked. I got my first one in ~2001.

Aaron Z

 

[pacerron]

So, my HP touchscreen all in one goes black, often. Reboot fixes it. Been like that for a long time. Is there a list somewhere to find out if my puter has the black screen of death motherboard?

You could probably find a list on the net.
Mine was, around 2005-2007, before touch screens were popular, if they are.
You might have a bad wire connection but doubtful if restart fixes it, unless you close and open the lid some in the process.

Have you ever changed your power saving settings?
Try setting the monitor and the hard drive to never turn off in the power settings and run it a while to see what happens.

 

[Xfaxman]

I didn't say I'd never have a Dell; only that it's highly unlikely. I probably bought the worst lemon new sedan Ford ever made in 1966 and for 25 years you couldn't have given me a Ford, but things do change, so for the last 21 years I've been driving Fords.:laughing: Who knows, it's always possible that I'd buy another Dell, but not likely.:laughing: And it's not cutting off your nose to spite your face to not buy inferior products and or those with no manufacturer support or warranty. With the Ford, I only got a bad car, but with Dell I not only got a bad product, but I found no support at all for their products back then until they realized it was going to cost them money. That may have changed, but I see no reason to chance it.

I'm going to apologize for my comments about Dell. Brand bashing is prohibited on TBN, so if any of the moderators would like to remove my first post on the topic and the others, I hope they'll feel free to do so.

Incidentally, I'm currently using an HP desktop that's five and half years old, running Window 7 Home Premium. The power pack has been replaced, but otherwise it's been pretty good. And I have a new HP laptop that's supposed to be delivered tomorrow by FedEx with Windows 8. They said I'll have 21 days to decide whether to keep it or return it. So we'll see what happens.

I understand your feelings, and I don't think telling your experience is brand bashing. My first car was a 1929 Ford Model A Coupe, never had another Ford! :laughing:

Good luck with the HP and let us know how you like it. :thumbsup:

 

[woodlandfarms]

Might I suggest a different way to look at what you are going to buy.

First, I am a mac guy. Born and bred. In my business, it is predominately mac based, although there is a strong PC presence in the graphics and server world. But come out on a movie set, and outside of automation systems (like for cranes and camera controls) you will find only macs.

I do feel Windows 8 is a potentially good platform, it just needs the right computer to make it sing. But in the end, for people who are not computer savvy, I always suggest a mac. This is just MY opinion, don't need anyones comments.

But, and this is what I was getting at. I think you should find out what your friends and family are using. I am not sure how old you are, or how computer savvy. My dad would have stayed in the windows environment if it hadn't been for the simple fact that none of his children used one or knew how to. You will find that if you are an island in a sea of something else you are going to have a rough time of it. If everyone you know is PC, get a PC. If everyone is a mac, get a mac. Community guidance and repair will always be quicker than a call to tech support for any of the companies (although I will say mac and the mac store if you have one are pretty unbeatable right now).

Anyway... My 2C

 

[CurlyDave]

Tech Support is an interesting issue.

I used to live in the SF Bay area and there were many Apple stores I could take my computer, phone or tablet into and get excellent support from live technicians.

When I moved to rural Oregon, this was no longer a possibility, since the only stores are in the Portland area. But, every time I call on the phone, there is a person who lives in either the USA or Canada, and speaks excellent English that I can understand with no problem. If I call about any other computer, I reach someone in India, who speaks a totally different kind of English than I and who I can never understand. It seems that all the can do is read a script, if X is not working, do Y. If I do Y and that doesn't fix the problem, they are unable to go any further.

I will gladly pay the price of Apple gear because I don't need support very often and when I do it is my native language.

I remember the IBM scandal about 10 years ago where if a corporation bought computers, they had a number for support where someone in the US answered and helped. If you or I bought it as an individual the only support was in India.

 

[dragoneggs]

Impossible to hack? OSX has been routinely and regularly hacked in the competitions at Defcon. In some cases hours before systems running Windows and Linux were hacked. You clearly don't actually follow computers. There is plenty of malware out there targeted at Macs.

I've worked in IT support back when Apple actually had some presence in the business space and supporting Mac users was always the biggest pain in the *****. This was when PCs used Windows for Work Groups and getting peripherals hooked up was always a juggling act of addresses and IRQ jumpers.

I haven't had to wipe a hard drive on a PC since Windows 98 and then it was because the OEM installed drivers were crap. A clean install of 98 and that PC worked for several years without issue. Anyone that has to routinely re-install Windows to keep it running is their own worst enemy. Even with Vista I've never had to re-install and that was definitely one of the worst releases ever from MS.

I've never had a virus infect one of my Windows PCs though I see a few get caught now and again attached to emails to my dump account. Of course I don't click on random links in emails from people I don't know or get copies of software from the "guy at work" who knows how to get free software. That may have something to do with it.

We have multiple Windows PCs (7, I think) in the house running everything from XP to 8 and two are dual boot with Linux. We also have an iMac cuz we are technology geeks. Don't love it. Don't hate it. Just don't care for it.

Phil... competitions, really that sounds like reality? And you have never had to re-install? Lucky man. Been a windows user/abuser since the beginning. I constantly battled issues with windows OS upgrades and software for years. I think, like the few converted mac users here... all we are saying is our headaches are pretty much gone.

Funny, my IT folks don't have a problem with me and my Macbook. They spend all of their time with the rest of my company road warrior gang with their windows laptops. I bought my apple with own funds because I was tired of sending my PC in overnight delivery for a 'glitch' fix (and I am not incompetent when it comes to PCs). My windows laptop (as is my previous one) is now my back up boat anchor.

Yes, you do pay more for a comparable Mac but I think you get pretty much what you pay for as a rule. And yes I think Mac's are a bit overpriced but when someone else comes to the table with a comparable package then the price will adjust.