Computer Changes?

[SalarMan 0]

I read a piece this morning saying that Microsoft will no longer be servicing Windows 10 in the not too distant future. The alternatives are updating your computer...if it is capable of running Windows 11...or buying a new one. My current laptop does not meet the minimum requirements to run Windows 11, so I may be looking for something new...and soon.

My question here is simple. Anyone have any thoughts or recommendations for a laptop? There is no rush on my part...just planning ahead. I will also point out I am no techie...not even close.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

George

[SilverCreek 0]

While I was an undergrad at Stanford in the early to mid 1960's, I had a summer job at Hughes Aircraft timeshare programming a GE Mainframe Computer in Fortran 4 and Basic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GE-600_series

And in the 1980's I bought my first PC from Leading Edge and programmed it using the Basic programming language to automate some functions like printing and saving files to specific locations. So I have some knowledge about computers.

I would go to Best Buy, Walmart, Sam's Club, etc and look at what they have in your price range.

Then I would go to Dell and see what I could buying directly from Dell.

https://www.bestproductsreviews.com/dell-laptop-computers?

https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/scc/sc/laptops?

If you can afford it, I recommend a SSD (Solid State Drive). There is no delay in reading files as there is from a hard drive and unlike a hard drive, an SSD does not have to be defragmented to maintain its performance over time.

With a regular hard drive, the data files get spilt up and stored all over the HD and so there is a delay in the response time as the drive heads have to move all over the HD to read the data. With a SSD, the all the data on the drive is immediately available all the time.

https://www.kingston.com/en/blog/pc-performance/benefits-of-ssd#

https://www.ibm.com/cloud/blog/hard-disk-drive-vs-solid-state-drive

Performance

The speed at which an SSD accesses data is much higher than an HDD speed. While an HDD can process 500 MB/s, most SSDs can process at 7000 MB/s. These faster speeds allow for instantaneous startup and less latency when logging in to a device or load times on apps. Additionally, file transferring and copying are significantly faster on an SSD. Because of their battery life, power consumption is around a fourth to a third less than an HDD.

[ScienceGuy141 0]

When I was last looking for a computer which was 4 years ago, some baseline hardware minimums I wanted to meet were: 

- SSD of 256gb or greater (I have 512gb, but you can use external hard drives if you run out of space)

-RAM of 8gb or greater 

- i5 processor or greater, but i5 will likely be sufficient 

 

A current computer salesperson would be a better one to ask on the minimum hardware requirements that would suit your needs. Id suggest asking about processor, RAM, and hard drive space when you go to look at them.

 

I'd suggest staying away from Chromebooks. 

[flytire 0]

How to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware - Pureinfotech

[SalarMan 0]

After contacting a computer/software engineer friend of mine it was easy to decide what to do. He made it simple. Just keep running Windows 10. It will be supported until 2025 and after that based on the age of our computers it would probably be time for something new anyway. Apparently by that time, there wmay be a way to upgrade/update older machines so they will be able to run the Window 11 operating system. Until then...it is what it is.

Thanks for your input guys.

[SalarMan 0]

1 hour ago, flytire said:

How to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware - Pureinfotech

I checked this site out Norm...and they are quite specific in saying you can install Windows 11 on unsupported software and an incompatible computer, but you do so at your own risk!!

[flytire 0]

sorry should have labeled it purely for informational purposes only

[chugbug27 0]

If you're getting a new computer anyway, I'd backup all data on a thumb drive and try the upgrade to windows 11 before shelling out for a new laptop...

👍

[SalarMan 0]

31 minutes ago, flytire said:

sorry should have labeled it purely for informational purposes only

No worries. It seemed interesting, but after my conversation with my old friend I'm not sweating the big change for a while...and I don't have to shell out the cash for a new computer!!

[SalarMan 0]

18 minutes ago, chugbug27 said:

If you're getting a new computer anyway, I'd backup all data on a thumb drive and try the upgrade to windows 11 before shelling out for a new laptop...

👍

I'm not getting a new computer anytime soon. Plus I have a WD backup system that keeps everything safe and secure.

[chugbug27 0]

4 hours ago, SalarMan said:

, so I may be looking for something new...and soon.

I thought you didn't want to keep going on the outdated, unsupported Windows 10? 

[SalarMan 0]

20 minutes ago, chugbug27 said:

I thought you didn't want to keep going on the outdated, unsupported Windows 10? 

It will be supported until 2025. I'll worry about it then...when I'm 77. Besides what I learned about Windows 11...I'm not interested.

[chugbug27 0]

👍👍👍

[Poopdeck 0]

I have zero use for a PC. The never ending battle against hackers and viruses and anti viruses and updates has placed the PC on the top of things I can and will live without. I use an iPad for web surfing and the such. No problems, no issues, no slow service, no constant virus protections, no hackers, no SSD hard drives or not, no fragmentation or defragmentation, nothing but carefree and trouble free web browsing. I will never ever own another PC, there simply is no good reason to have one yet there is every reason why I don’t want one. I can do everything I need to do and more on an iPad. I haven’t had an electronic problem with anything since making the switch and I’ve never paid less attention to it. I know some still need a PC so I’m glad I’m in the category of not needing one. 

[mikechell 0]

I've had a Lenovo for several years now.  No issues with it and I highly recommend them.  Office Depot has a great sale going on them right now.

https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/7316208/Lenovo-IdeaPad-3i-Laptop-156-Screen/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&mediacampaignid=71700000107550684_19775927934&gclid=CjwKCAjw3ueiBhBmEiwA4BhspHWOm9g1T6roSMv4fMq0ivfK9fdNXFltFoPQtfooGsoUJn0E71Lv3RoCV9QQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds