My old tower PC appears to have bitten the dust, doing continuous loops of self repair attempts.
I personally prefer a tower PC and separate screen (old one's18"), but SWMBO would like a laptop and wireless printer (dunno why, as she rarely prints stuff). She's got a tablet and phone.
I'm completely out of touch with modern specs and only use it for browsing (definitely no gaming etc). Suspect I should go for something with Windows 11, old one was Windows 7 updated to 10 and couldn't update to 11.
All suggestions welcome please.
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What's the budget, screen size etc etc?
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>> What's the budget, screen size etc etc?
Budget no problem (lower the better). Existing screen's 18" as stated. No reason I shouldn't keep the current screen and keyboard.
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>>No reason I shouldn't
>> keep the current screen
Might be, depends on how old it is and what interface cable it uses.
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With the advent of low cost chip based high capacity data storage, and the decreasing need for external storage devices (CD's etc) the Tower system is dead in the water. They simply dont need to be that big
I would lash out 500 quid on an intel I5 based laptop, with 8gb memory, 512/1tb SSD, Win 11, 14 - 16 inch screen. If the screen is not big enough, you can pair it with a 20inch external screen for under £100 extra. Beware a new laptop probably wont have an interface for your old screen (unless it was a modern replacement). You can add a full size keyboard & mouse to the aptop for about 30 quid.
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>> A bit left field:
>>
>> www.johnlewis.com/2024-apple-mac-mini-desktop-computer-m4-processor-16gb-ram-256gb-silver/p112837956
>>
>> Just add mouse, monitor and keyboard...
I wouldn't touch JPL with a bargepole, having had an unfortunate experience with them, when they denied any responsibility for a dishwasher that they sold to me and had their name on the front!
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>> I wouldn't touch JPL with a bargepole, having had an unfortunate experience with them, when
>> they denied any responsibility for a dishwasher that they sold to me and had their
>> name on the front!
>>
Agree with you there! Posted because it was the cheapest price I had noticed.
We got a laptop from them a few years ago and the charger died within a couple of weeks. Dreadful service totally ignoring the law on consumer rights.
I have a gift voucher from them worth a few hundred pounds so will have to buy something from them!
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>> A bit left field:
>>
>> www.johnlewis.com/2024-apple-mac-mini-desktop-computer-m4-processor-16gb-ram-256gb-silver/p112837956
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>> Just add mouse, monitor and keyboard...
>>
I've had this for over a year now -
www.amazon.co.uk/Beelink-Lake-N100-Processor-Computer-MINI-S12/dp/B0BZGPTLPG/
Bang for buck it's the best PC I've had, W11 installed with no bloatware attached. Boots up in about ten seconds and has been faultless.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 10 Feb 25 at 10:46
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www.amazon.co.uk/Dell-OptiPlex-Desktop-Windows-Renewed/dp/B09JZK3M6C/
£160, 16GB/512GBSSD, Windows 11.
There are various renewed PCs to choose from. I and my daughter have had 2 renewed laptops and 1 desktop in a similar Dell case to this one. All have been OK. Only just retired my Thinkpad T430, herself is still using the desktop which we've had for 4/5 years (hers has an earlier generation CPU).
If you buy renewed, check it's at least 8th gen.
I'll defer to Z of course if he says it's carp.
Last edited by: Manatee on Sat 8 Feb 25 at 15:02
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Just looked this up, because although it's a laptop I thought it was good value. I bought one before Christmas for £360 from JLP and very pleased with it at that price.
Problem is it's now £600!
www.johnlewis.com/lenovo-ideapad-slim-3-laptop-intel-core-i5-processor-16gb-ram-512gb-ssd-15-6-inch-full-hd-arctic-grey/p112517199
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I share BT's preference for a tower. Still like to have a CD and there's a DIY upgrade/home repair option not there with a laptop.
I have though sufficient space for a dedicated study with an office sized desk so the tower's size doesn't matter, it's under the desk and out of the way.
That said my work laptop just sits at the back corner of the desk set to run with its lid down and connected via KVM switch to the same large screen and keyboard /mouse as my own PC.
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This has now gone down to £380, from £600, in the way that they do.
No wonder JLP is getting a poorer reputation.
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Thanks for that, Man. I've just ordered (the last one) for the ole woman, to replace her incredibly-slow 12 year old one.
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>There are various renewed PCs to choose from...
I bought a Grade 1 refurb T480S from an ebay outfit to replace a T430 as my lug-around/car-sw laptop. i7-8850, 16GB with 500GB SSD cost me about £180 a couple of years ago. It's been totally reliable despite plenty of abuse.
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>> >There are various renewed PCs to choose from...
>>
>> I bought a Grade 1 refurb T480S from an ebay outfit to replace a T430
>> as my lug-around/car-sw laptop. i7-8850, 16GB with 500GB SSD cost me about £180 a couple
>> of years ago. It's been totally reliable despite plenty of abuse.
Exactly. Probably 10 x the price new, and as indestructible as they ever get. I only retired the T430 because it got the lines down the screen. I'd already 'fixed' it once by reseating the ribbon cable but this time it still had a couple I couldn't get rid of. I might have tried a new display but the 1600 x 900 is expensive now. I've knocked it off desks, dropped it and sat on it and it never broke. It was £300 when I bought it but I got 5 years from it.
I only bought the new 'Ideapad' because it's about twice as fast as the older CPU's in the available renewed ones and I hope it will be up to a bit of video editing. It claims to be 'military' by which I think they mean it's passed a drop test, but I'm under no illusions that it will be as tough as the proper Thinkpads.
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Granddaughter is a student in her 2nd year. She had an Apple laptop in the house BUT she is a "bit careless/accident prone". Her dad bought a Asus 14" Celeron bought 18 months ago <£180 - low power but sufficient to do the job and less pinchable that the Apple.
Use -MS Office, notes, browsing. all data on cloud. Drops it, leaves in in stupid places etc etc - the only thing to go wrong was the power supply. Amazon replacement, less hassle that trying to get warranty to exchange which might take a week.
Previously I had researched offers at the time and there seemed to be well specified machines around the £350/£400 and was offering to go half. My son viewed the Asus as a reasonable buy and would do the job. Previous buying of Chromebooks for school work proved useless - bought at least 3 - even the more expensive units failed - all returned within 2 weeks - no hassle refunds each time.
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I got myself this package: www.argos.co.uk/product/7279920?clickSR=slp:term:pc%20towers:21:88:2
I'd worked out my old PC was twelve years old and already had the screen and mouse replaced. This would let me have the old screen, mouse and (maybe) keyboard as spares.
I've spent all day setting it up (it took ages to find the power button!), but I'm getting there.
No doubt the experts will be along to tell me what a cheap and useless set-up I've got.
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>> No doubt the experts will be along to tell me what a cheap and useless
>> set-up I've got.
If it does what you want and is still doing it in five or six years' time then all's good.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Fri 14 Feb 25 at 16:33
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Any suggestions as to what I should do with an old tower with no HDD, ASUS M5A78-M lx motherboard, PSU, 3GHz(x2)DDR3 RAM (+2GB extended), W10.
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>> Any suggestions as to what I should do with an old tower with no HDD,
>> ASUS M5A78-M lx motherboard, PSU, 3GHz(x2)DDR3 RAM (+2GB extended), W10.
Bin
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>> >> Any suggestions as to what I should do with an old tower with no
>> HDD,
>> >> ASUS M5A78-M lx motherboard, PSU, 3GHz(x2)DDR3 RAM (+2GB extended), W10.
>>
Put it on Freegle (previously Freecycle).
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>> No doubt the experts will be along to tell me what a cheap and useless
>> set-up I've got.
S'ok, it will make your old one look slow, disk is a bit small, good value. Acer is ok stuff.
>>
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£300 looks like you have made a good buy - adequate performance, branded Acer which has a good reputation in my eyes..
I have had Acers - 1 desktop and 2 laptops in the last 30 years and no real hassle. Just changed as I wanted a newer model (twice) - the screen ribbon cable packed in on the 2nd Acer after around 7 years.
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>> £300 looks like you have made a good buy
I was pleased I found it, the same tower without the screen was priced at £330. It was also advertised as having two years guarantee against the one year of the rest. I notice it's no longer offered.
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Looks good BTT. Hope it lasts you well. Don't forget to add virus checker etc. (sorry if it's teaching you to suck eggs).
Last edited by: zippy on Sun 16 Feb 25 at 19:34
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Looks fine to me BT. Herself wants/needs a second monitor and an upgrade to Win 11 sometime so I've ordered one at £299, still with 24m manufacturer guarantee. I'll probably up the memory. The same item is £380 on Amazon without the monitor.
The refurbed 8th gen core-i5 machines for £170-180 that I had been watching have sold out for now and this will be about as powerful.
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Picked one up this morning, it's working. There is no SD card reader on mine, only a blanking plug. Not a big problem.
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>> Picked one up this morning, it's working. There is no SD card reader on mine,
That got me thinking I hadn't noticed one on mine. There is a slot at the back marked DP. Is that it?
PS. How long did it take you to find the power button?
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Most likely the Display Port (monitor) connection.
If there isn't one (card reader slot, that is), USB card readers are peanuts on eBay.
Last edited by: tyrednemotional on Mon 17 Feb 25 at 20:50
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>>How long did it take you to find the power button?
Not as long as it did to identify the power button on the monitor.
Unsurprisingly there's no optical drive, but there is some mounting hardware. I'm wondering if I can fit the one in her old Dell. Otherwise I assume one can still buy USB ones if needed.
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Tried to email you Manatee, but it got bounced back "This mailbox is disabled (554.30)"
Argos sent me a £25 gift card.
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Thanks, I'll check out that email address!
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I have abled my email, thanks. I think they unable it if I don't use it.
If you still do car shows I intend to be at Chiltern Hills, 18th May, and this one-off recreation on 17th May:
astonhill100.com/
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New PC suggestions - Falkirk Bairn
