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  • toddnjoyce

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    We’re mostly a phone/tablet household except for one Toshiba laptop from 2008 that’s running Win10.

    That laptop gets used for pretty much one thing, which is for my wife to check work email using a smart card, which requires either a compliant card reader built in, or a USB reader.

    It is...obsolete (not a problem) and dying (a problem).

    What do I need to take into consideration to replace this machine.

    Here’s the non-negotiables:

    * Not learning a new OS
    * Must be dockable
    * Must be able to access a symbology NAS device

    Needs to be somewhat future proof in that I don’t want to replace this in two years.

    Bonus points awarded for being lightweight, having Bluetooth, and not taking too much of a bite out of the gun budget.
    Gun Zone Deals
     

    Dad_Roman

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    I prefer HP due to them being one of the only ones with a backlit keyboard because I like to surf/work in the dark. Little pricey because they try to maintain relevance. Mine was in the 700 range with no disc drive. Very thin and quite lightweight. I5 Gen7

    Chase just got an Alien. The MAX of everything available of course. They are around 4000 I believe and he got a Vet deal. I think it ended up around 2000 or so. (double checked these #'s with him when he walked through)

    Wife just got herself a Lenovo. Its quick, new, super thin and ultra lightweight. I3 Gen 8. Not a ton of memory cause she doesnt need it. HDMI slot, Mini plug, card slot, USB ports. 300 bucks at Walmart.
     

    DyeF9

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    I can't support Lenovo because of questionable QC and poor CS, but HP laptops are reasonably decent. They also have docks and are able to be used much like a desktop in such cases. Based on your requirements, there's no reason to purchase a high end alien gaming PC. Also there's more reputable brands than Dell's Alien PC's if that is the way you want to go. So +1 HP from me.
     

    Dad_Roman

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    I would go with 16 GB of RAM for a good recommended minimum. You could get by with less but it would be unpleasant. Windows and Google chrome are fairly resource intensive when it comes to RAM
    ....and that^^^

    I got a Dell at work a couple years ago. Didnt get a whole lot of say in it. It came with a HDD old mechanical hard drive. MAKE SURE NOT TO GET HDD.

    My IT guy finally (after much weeping and nashing of teeth) swapped mine out for a SSD (solid state drive IE:CHIPS <not mechanical>) and its just fine now.

    Watch out for that.

    Determine what you want to do, memory you need, and go shoppin!
     

    Dad_Roman

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    BTW....I know nothing about computers, just have a lot of em around :green:

    They all come with Blutooth/wi-fi capabilities now. Disc's are a thing of the past.

    For the most part I do not surf on my phone, much prefer a laptop so I carry mine everywhere.

    Also forgot to say that mine is foldable in half to make a pad out of it and is a touchscreen. Wifey's is not obviously.
     

    toddnjoyce

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    I'm currently busy with a bunch of errands, but later this evening I will post some suggested models and associated docking equipment for you if you'd like.

    That would be great; my work laptop is a Dell Latitude 7480, i5-7300 @ 2.6G w/ 8GB Ram, running Win10 64 bit.

    Currently it substitutes for the Toshiba at home because we're configured as virtual machines. Over the next three weeks, we're going to fully-loaded laptops so no more personal use will be allowed, which is part of what's driving this decision

    We've looked/played with a Surface Pro 7, which seems ideal except the battery isn't replaceable and that's a lot of high society to be disposable. I like the concept of a 2-in-1 if the battery can be replaced.
     

    DyeF9

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    That would be great; my work laptop is a Dell Latitude 7480, i5-7300 @ 2.6G w/ 8GB Ram, running Win10 64 bit.

    Currently it substitutes for the Toshiba at home because we're configured as virtual machines. Over the next three weeks, we're going to fully-loaded laptops so no more personal use will be allowed, which is part of what's driving this decision

    We've looked/played with a Surface Pro 7, which seems ideal except the battery isn't replaceable and that's a lot of high society to be disposable. I like the concept of a 2-in-1 if the battery can be replaced.
    The surface pro or surface book laptops are great. Super nice build quality and aesthetically pleasing. They're also incredibly expensive and basically do not have replaceable parts, though for me that's not going to end my interest. The cost more or less is what made me lose interest.
     

    DyeF9

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    ....and that^^^

    I got a Dell at work a couple years ago. Didnt get a whole lot of say in it. It came with a HDD old mechanical hard drive. MAKE SURE NOT TO GET HDD.

    My IT guy finally (after much weeping and nashing of teeth) swapped mine out for a SSD (solid state drive IE:CHIPS <not mechanical>) and its just fine now.

    Watch out for that.

    Determine what you want to do, memory you need, and go shoppin!
    Most laptops use ssd, m.2 or nvme drives. HDD is good for a secondary for general storage, but not ideal for a boot drive.
     
    Last edited:

    Fishkiller

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    Not a nerd, just a user. When I finally decided to stop getting a paycheck I looked into computers. I got a Dell and Costco had the best deal. it fit my needs to surfing the net and stuff like that. Since I no longer work the docking was not an issue. The surface pro has limited HDMI ports etc. if I recall correctly. If you gots an IT guy at you place of employment that have been a great resource fro me in the past.
     

    Kar98

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    Most laptops use sad, m.2 or nvme drives. HDD is good for a secondary for general storage, but not ideal for a boot drive.

    Wrong.

    Misread you. You're correct.

    Don't worry about buying a computer with a spinny hard drive though. Replacing it with a SSD is super simple.
     

    DyeF9

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    I've been happy with my Lenovo but was happy with my previous HP too.

    I don't know shit about computers so take it for what it is.
    Their laptops may actually be alright. I've had poor experiences with their other products and their CS is definitely lacking
     

    IXLR8

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    Do not buy an HP. Dismal support.
    Dell is OK.
    Asus is ok.

    Personally I prefer Dell. I have 3 laptops that I use everyday. I have a USB dock on all 3. The dock supports USB, 3 monitors, Ethernet port.
    Dell beats every other manufacturer with the online ability to verify through a simple 6 digit number on the computer, every driver and update it will need and make it available. My 2005 computers can still download the latest drivers on file.
    The HP computers are a nightmare for support or drivers.
    While under warranty Dell repair and troubleshooting is top notch.
    YMMV
     
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