I am looking to buy a reasonably priced Windows 7 15" laptop for my parents. Any recommendations?
July 29, 2010 10:00 AM Subscribe
I am looking to buy a reasonably priced Windows 7 15" laptop for my parents. Any recommendations?
My parents' decade old XP desktop is on its last legs. I am looking to replace it for them with a new Win7 15" laptop.
All my dad uses a computer for is email, Internet, YouTube, and organizing pictures. Every now and again he'll play with editing one but he doesn't even use Photoshop or Gimp for that. What I'm trying to say is that this laptop can be nothing special and still do its job well given he's used to a 10-year old Dell XP desktop.
This laptop doesn't need a SSD and doesn't need a Blu-Ray player. I'd probably also steer him away from a laptop with a number pad on the keyboard because those seem unnecessary on mobile machines.
Anyone have any recommendations for a laptop of this variety? It's going to have to last him for years and it will probably sit on his desk 90% of the time.
Thanks, guys!
My parents' decade old XP desktop is on its last legs. I am looking to replace it for them with a new Win7 15" laptop.
All my dad uses a computer for is email, Internet, YouTube, and organizing pictures. Every now and again he'll play with editing one but he doesn't even use Photoshop or Gimp for that. What I'm trying to say is that this laptop can be nothing special and still do its job well given he's used to a 10-year old Dell XP desktop.
This laptop doesn't need a SSD and doesn't need a Blu-Ray player. I'd probably also steer him away from a laptop with a number pad on the keyboard because those seem unnecessary on mobile machines.
Anyone have any recommendations for a laptop of this variety? It's going to have to last him for years and it will probably sit on his desk 90% of the time.
Thanks, guys!
Response by poster: First question: what's your budget?
I'd say under $800. There seem to be a lot under that ceiling and I'm sure there are some good ones.
posted by decrescendo at 10:19 AM on July 29, 2010
I'd say under $800. There seem to be a lot under that ceiling and I'm sure there are some good ones.
posted by decrescendo at 10:19 AM on July 29, 2010
I would recommend against getting the 64 bit version of Windows 7. The support just isn't there yet, and this is not a bleeding edge deal. They are looking for something to do the basics. A few years from now is a few years from now.
The build quality on Asus notebooks in my experience has been pretty great. I would recommend looking in that direction. With a laptop, it's not just all about the specs.
posted by lakerk at 10:21 AM on July 29, 2010
The build quality on Asus notebooks in my experience has been pretty great. I would recommend looking in that direction. With a laptop, it's not just all about the specs.
posted by lakerk at 10:21 AM on July 29, 2010
I would go with a Lenovo or a Dell with a long accidental damage warranty and call it a day. If you want it to be useful for a long period, get as fast and capable a processor as you can in it. Don't worry too much about how much ram or drive space it comes with, those are (reasonably) easy upgrades later.
It's worth mentioning that although particular brands are better than others (Lenovo being better than Dell IMO), you're particular experience with a particular machine will be unique. My Mother in law has my wife's 7year old Emachines laptop which still runs perfectly, my 11 month old Macbook has had two hardrives and a processor fan replaced already.
When it comes to laptops, assume it's going to break and prepare for that. Get a good, long, warranty and don't sweat it.
Also, you're going to get lots of Mac users telling you to switch. Running Windows on a mac is only barely supported by Apple and unless your dad wants to learn a whole new way to do everything and limit his software and hardware choices, it's not the best of ideas. Also, there is no accidental damage warranty for mac laptops, unless you go with a third party plan.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 10:26 AM on July 29, 2010
It's worth mentioning that although particular brands are better than others (Lenovo being better than Dell IMO), you're particular experience with a particular machine will be unique. My Mother in law has my wife's 7year old Emachines laptop which still runs perfectly, my 11 month old Macbook has had two hardrives and a processor fan replaced already.
When it comes to laptops, assume it's going to break and prepare for that. Get a good, long, warranty and don't sweat it.
Also, you're going to get lots of Mac users telling you to switch. Running Windows on a mac is only barely supported by Apple and unless your dad wants to learn a whole new way to do everything and limit his software and hardware choices, it's not the best of ideas. Also, there is no accidental damage warranty for mac laptops, unless you go with a third party plan.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 10:26 AM on July 29, 2010
I would recommend against getting the 64 bit version of Windows 7.
Why do you say that? The OP indicates that her father had his previous computer for 10 years; 10 years from now, no program will be written for 32 bit OSes.
The only reason that I can see why you wouldn't want to buy the 64-bit version is because of the extra price, but at the budget the OP gives, that doesn't seem to be a concern.
posted by dfriedman at 10:29 AM on July 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
Why do you say that? The OP indicates that her father had his previous computer for 10 years; 10 years from now, no program will be written for 32 bit OSes.
The only reason that I can see why you wouldn't want to buy the 64-bit version is because of the extra price, but at the budget the OP gives, that doesn't seem to be a concern.
posted by dfriedman at 10:29 AM on July 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
Just going to CostCo and picking out one from whatever they have can give surprisingly good results, but it tends to be pretty random. As ever having a good idea of your requirements (and what brands you favour and which you want to avoid) will help here.
posted by Artw at 10:31 AM on July 29, 2010
posted by Artw at 10:31 AM on July 29, 2010
Response by poster: I really haven't had much experience with laptops. I had a Gateway through college and went through some issues with it but it still came out running.
I know many people who have had fan problems with their HPs so I'm a little wary of that brand.
Other than that, I have no idea...
posted by decrescendo at 10:33 AM on July 29, 2010
I know many people who have had fan problems with their HPs so I'm a little wary of that brand.
Other than that, I have no idea...
posted by decrescendo at 10:33 AM on July 29, 2010
Do they have an old printer, scanner, or camera? Google it with Windows 7 64 bit and make sure that it'll work alright.
Watch dealnews for deals. I'd advise against Dell and actually recommend HP.
posted by k8t at 10:35 AM on July 29, 2010
Watch dealnews for deals. I'd advise against Dell and actually recommend HP.
posted by k8t at 10:35 AM on July 29, 2010
Where it's at right now in laptop land is Asus , Toshiba, and Acer, seriously they're standing out right now in terms of price and quality. Acer has some real garbage low end machines (celerons, and whatnot), but anything above that $600 mark will, for the most part, be a good deal.
And forget going 32, imho. I've got 5 pc's running 64 bit 7, tons of legacy hardware and peripherals, and no problems. If you want this pc to last a long time, you're going to want more than 4Gb of ram, and w/o 64 bit you're sunk. 64 bit plays just fine w/ 32 bit.
I really actually recommend Sam's Club to a lot of people, if there's one in your neck of the hood. 90 day total return policy is sweet----any reason at all, even if they just decide they don't like the clack of the buttons. Prices are decent too, although the selection changes greatly from day to day.
I'd recommend you go wxga glossy screen, 4Gb + of ram, any HDD over 250Gb. I'm a big fan of hardware wifi switches, but that's just me. Dual core is probably fine right now, AMD versus intel is fine. If they ever unplug the thing, look for a 6 cell or larger battery. Many new laptops have the ability to charge over usb while the system is powered off but plugged in---that's a sweet feature if they have any usb-chargeable devices.
Dell's a good deal if you're going to order online, but it's sooooooooooooooo easy to check the wrong box and really gimp your system---as they're not inclined to auto-check the free upgrades.
posted by TomMelee at 11:01 AM on July 29, 2010
And forget going 32, imho. I've got 5 pc's running 64 bit 7, tons of legacy hardware and peripherals, and no problems. If you want this pc to last a long time, you're going to want more than 4Gb of ram, and w/o 64 bit you're sunk. 64 bit plays just fine w/ 32 bit.
I really actually recommend Sam's Club to a lot of people, if there's one in your neck of the hood. 90 day total return policy is sweet----any reason at all, even if they just decide they don't like the clack of the buttons. Prices are decent too, although the selection changes greatly from day to day.
I'd recommend you go wxga glossy screen, 4Gb + of ram, any HDD over 250Gb. I'm a big fan of hardware wifi switches, but that's just me. Dual core is probably fine right now, AMD versus intel is fine. If they ever unplug the thing, look for a 6 cell or larger battery. Many new laptops have the ability to charge over usb while the system is powered off but plugged in---that's a sweet feature if they have any usb-chargeable devices.
Dell's a good deal if you're going to order online, but it's sooooooooooooooo easy to check the wrong box and really gimp your system---as they're not inclined to auto-check the free upgrades.
posted by TomMelee at 11:01 AM on July 29, 2010
I've been buying Lenovo Thinkpad x100e's. I think they're a good deal. Good build quality, light enough to carry but with a solid keyboard and good looking screen; and the price is right, you can get a case and an extra 2g of RAM for around $600 total.
posted by Erroneous at 11:59 AM on July 29, 2010
posted by Erroneous at 11:59 AM on July 29, 2010
Nearly all of the laptops in your budget will come with Windows 7 Home, which does not run XP applications. As I discovered to my great cost and surprise, if your parents need to run any XP applications, you'll need to add another $200 for a license of Windows 7 Professional in order to run XP apps.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:06 PM on July 29, 2010
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:06 PM on July 29, 2010
Eh? XP Mode is basically a virtual machine for running really old XP stuff. Most applications should not require XP Mode, unless you really want to run IE6 or some antiquated hardware drivers.
posted by Artw at 12:25 PM on July 29, 2010
posted by Artw at 12:25 PM on July 29, 2010
I would recommend against getting the 64 bit version of Windows 7.The support just isn't there yet...
There is absolutely no reason to avoid 64-bit - it's not a new technology, and yes, the support is "there" (whatever that means). At this point, 64-bit is so commonplace, you're not even paying extra for it. On top of that, if you plan on having this computer for 5+ years, you may very well want to take advantage of the extras that 64-bit allows.
As far as brands, I often recommend Acers, but really whatever you get a good deal on is fine -- I've seen HPs and Dells very cheaply recently. Like desktops, there is not a huge difference between hardware from any of the vendors.
$800 will get you MUCH more than you need (I'm a computer guy and amateur photographer who just spent $600 on a great Acer that is more powerful than I'm likely to need in the next 10 years (unless I suddenly feel the need to carry Photoshop around with me)).
In addition to Newegg, check out http://www.dealstop.com/ and http://www.techdeals.net/ . Both have laptops fairly frequently. Also http://www.tigerdirect.com/, which is similar to Newegg.
posted by coolguymichael at 12:26 PM on July 29, 2010
There is absolutely no reason to avoid 64-bit - it's not a new technology, and yes, the support is "there" (whatever that means). At this point, 64-bit is so commonplace, you're not even paying extra for it. On top of that, if you plan on having this computer for 5+ years, you may very well want to take advantage of the extras that 64-bit allows.
As far as brands, I often recommend Acers, but really whatever you get a good deal on is fine -- I've seen HPs and Dells very cheaply recently. Like desktops, there is not a huge difference between hardware from any of the vendors.
$800 will get you MUCH more than you need (I'm a computer guy and amateur photographer who just spent $600 on a great Acer that is more powerful than I'm likely to need in the next 10 years (unless I suddenly feel the need to carry Photoshop around with me)).
In addition to Newegg, check out http://www.dealstop.com/ and http://www.techdeals.net/ . Both have laptops fairly frequently. Also http://www.tigerdirect.com/, which is similar to Newegg.
posted by coolguymichael at 12:26 PM on July 29, 2010
Nearly all of the laptops in your budget will come with Windows 7 Home, which does not run XP applications.
False. I have Windows 7 (64-bit!) on my desktop at home, and have never had a problem running any XP software, from shitty freeware I've used for years, to older games (like F.E.A.R,), to Photoshop. Never even had to switch to XP mode.
posted by coolguymichael at 12:31 PM on July 29, 2010
False. I have Windows 7 (64-bit!) on my desktop at home, and have never had a problem running any XP software, from shitty freeware I've used for years, to older games (like F.E.A.R,), to Photoshop. Never even had to switch to XP mode.
posted by coolguymichael at 12:31 PM on July 29, 2010
It appears to be a remerence to XP Mode. Here's some more on that:
Windows 7's XP Mode: what it is, how it works, who it's for
Basic answer to the last one: Not you
posted by Artw at 12:38 PM on July 29, 2010
Windows 7's XP Mode: what it is, how it works, who it's for
Basic answer to the last one: Not you
posted by Artw at 12:38 PM on July 29, 2010
Blazecock Pileon: "Nearly all of the laptops in your budget will come with Windows 7 Home, which does not run XP applications. As I discovered to my great cost and surprise, if your parents need to run any XP applications, you'll need to add another $200 for a license of Windows 7 Professional in order to run XP apps."
I was about to write WTF? because my weird collection of Win32 apps seems to run fine on a Win64 machine I have, in real physical one and virtualised form. Then I checked preview and found out that others mentioned you were possibly referring to the Windows 7 XP Mode, a virtualised XP machine for which MS wants to charge a premium.
Not to worry - as long as you have a CPU and BIOS for which hardware virtualisation is not borked (ie, quite rare these days) there are so many ways to run VMs for free:
Create Your Own XP Mode for Any Version of Windows
and my personal favourite:
How to Run Mac OS X in VirtualBox on Windows
posted by meehawl at 1:50 PM on July 29, 2010
I was about to write WTF? because my weird collection of Win32 apps seems to run fine on a Win64 machine I have, in real physical one and virtualised form. Then I checked preview and found out that others mentioned you were possibly referring to the Windows 7 XP Mode, a virtualised XP machine for which MS wants to charge a premium.
Not to worry - as long as you have a CPU and BIOS for which hardware virtualisation is not borked (ie, quite rare these days) there are so many ways to run VMs for free:
Create Your Own XP Mode for Any Version of Windows
and my personal favourite:
How to Run Mac OS X in VirtualBox on Windows
posted by meehawl at 1:50 PM on July 29, 2010
The discussion is getting way too sidetracked, here.
Do you have any unique devices you want to work on the new computer? If so, take k8t's advice and check for compatibility with x64.
Then, go get whatever laptop has the features you care about and the brand you trust with Win7 Home Premium x64 installed. It doesn't cost more than 32bit, it runs all of the same programs (including any "XP" application), and it is more secure and allows you to upgrade to more memory than the 32bit version. Your parents won't need to run a VM for anything.
The conversation should be around who makes the best 15" laptop. My personal opinion is anything Lenovo.
Carry on!
posted by Diddly at 3:00 PM on July 29, 2010
Do you have any unique devices you want to work on the new computer? If so, take k8t's advice and check for compatibility with x64.
Then, go get whatever laptop has the features you care about and the brand you trust with Win7 Home Premium x64 installed. It doesn't cost more than 32bit, it runs all of the same programs (including any "XP" application), and it is more secure and allows you to upgrade to more memory than the 32bit version. Your parents won't need to run a VM for anything.
The conversation should be around who makes the best 15" laptop. My personal opinion is anything Lenovo.
Carry on!
posted by Diddly at 3:00 PM on July 29, 2010
Yes, I want to chime in that the VMWare Player (which is free), will absolutely load the XP Mode image file intended for 7 Premium, it will actually so better than XP Mode will---because it will sync w/ the filesystem and allow file transfers between the two OS's concurrently.
posted by TomMelee at 3:53 PM on July 29, 2010
posted by TomMelee at 3:53 PM on July 29, 2010
TomMelee: "Yes, I want to chime in that the VMWare Player (which is free), will absolutely load the XP Mode image file intended for 7 Premium"
And I want to chime in, again, that the VMWare Converter (also free), can image an existing installation of XP and that image can be transferred to a new machine running Windows 7. The Grandparents could then "run" their older machine anytime they like with a single click. It's a good comfort blanket when someone is getting used to a new machine, and can be a good solution to manage orphaned hardware on the off-chance that no suitable drivers exist for older printers, etc in WIndows 7). Also, given the improvements in CPU, disk speeds, and more available RAM, the imaged, virtual XP will possibly run faster and more smoothly then the older physical XP.
Convert Physical Windows Systems Into Virtual Machines To Be Run On A Linux Desktop
(Although this says "Linux Desktop", this image will run on any machine that can run VMWare, including Windows. VirtualBox will also happily convert and open a VMWare image).
posted by meehawl at 9:44 AM on July 30, 2010
And I want to chime in, again, that the VMWare Converter (also free), can image an existing installation of XP and that image can be transferred to a new machine running Windows 7. The Grandparents could then "run" their older machine anytime they like with a single click. It's a good comfort blanket when someone is getting used to a new machine, and can be a good solution to manage orphaned hardware on the off-chance that no suitable drivers exist for older printers, etc in WIndows 7). Also, given the improvements in CPU, disk speeds, and more available RAM, the imaged, virtual XP will possibly run faster and more smoothly then the older physical XP.
Convert Physical Windows Systems Into Virtual Machines To Be Run On A Linux Desktop
(Although this says "Linux Desktop", this image will run on any machine that can run VMWare, including Windows. VirtualBox will also happily convert and open a VMWare image).
posted by meehawl at 9:44 AM on July 30, 2010
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And a comment about number keypads: they are useful if you ever have to do data entry. It doesn't sound like your father would ever do that, though.
Here's a list of 15" Windows laptops from Newegg.com. There is a wide range of prices, depending upon features.
One thing I would definitely get is the 64 bit version of Windows 7, because in a couple of years' time, most programs will be written for 64 bit OSes.
posted by dfriedman at 10:11 AM on July 29, 2010