New Computer

Clive · Nov 08, 2015, 17:08:53

I'm in the market for a new computer and wonder if we should abandon Windows and buy a Mac instead. We've had several Macs in the past and Mrs Clive really loves them. We would like a laptop with as large a screen as possible and a high spec including SSD. At present we have a very full Dell belonging to Mrs Clive and an Asus for myself. Both are 17.5". The Dell is a top quality machine but the Asus feels a bit flimsy. We envisage coming down to one shared computer. Any advice would be useful.

Simon · Nov 08, 2015, 17:12:11

At the risk of asking a stupid question, will all your existing Windows files open on a Mac?

Steve · Nov 08, 2015, 17:15:23

All I can suggest is pop to an Apple store or the like i.e. John Lewis spend some time and see how you get on. My MBP is 5 and half years old, it now hosts an SSD and is still a very capable machine. However you won't get larger than 15in.

Clive · Nov 08, 2015, 18:47:03

Quote from: Simon on Nov 08, 2015, 17:12:11
At the risk of asking a stupid question, will all your existing Windows files open on a Mac?

Half of then no longer open on Windows so I don't have much to lose.

Quote from: Steve on Nov 08, 2015, 17:15:23
All I can suggest is pop to an Apple store or the like i.e. John Lewis spend some time and see how you get on. My MBP is 5 and half years old, it now hosts an SSD and is still a very capable machine. However you won't get larger than 15in.

I guessed that might be the case but 17.5" Windows laptops are pretty hard to find anyway. For Mrs Clive the Mac will be a breeze because she used them for work for many years.

Lance · Nov 09, 2015, 13:09:11

You could always hook up the laptop to a larger external display for the times you do want a bigger display.

Bill · Nov 09, 2015, 16:28:44

Quote from: Clive on Nov 08, 2015, 17:08:53Any advice would be useful.

If you do go for any form of Mac, get it spec'ed the way you want it from the start- they're not easy to upgrade later.

And get it with AppleCare. That's not to say they're any less reliable than PC's, but if they do go wrong they can cost an arm and a leg to repair.

Clive · Nov 09, 2015, 20:19:23

Thanks for the tips. We've just completed a major downsize so storing large monitors is not something we really want to do. Good point about the cost of Mac repairs.

stevenrw · Nov 09, 2015, 22:32:20

Quote from: Clive on Nov 08, 2015, 18:47:03

I guessed that might be the case but 17.5" Windows laptops are pretty hard to find anyway. For Mrs Clive the Mac will be a breeze because she used them for work for many years.

Not quite true Clive, PC World has loads of 17.5" machines from realistic prices up to (and even more expensive) than MacBook Pro. (Varying quality however, it has to be said)
You can get a great Dell Inspiron 17.3 with the very latest Gen.6 Intel i7 processor for under £800, (the desktop version is called "Skylake" not sure if they use the same for Lappies) saving £200 over the entry level MBP.
http://www.dell.com/uk/p/laptops.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=mn#!facets=40189~0~196669,70205~0~2922199,41105~0~5225964,93410~0~1450395&p=1
You could always look to replace the drive with an SSD once the warranty has expired. The Samsung 850 Evo 1Tb is now available for less than £300 or the 500Gb for less than £150. That will give you a powerful W10 machine that should move along at a fair old clip.
You should think carefully if you really want to invest £1000+ and still have what is, by any measure, a small screen. (Great display though it may well be).
As Bill points out, you will easily pass the £1000 mark once you start looking at whats included in the "entry level" Apple machines compared with what you need. An i7 MBP with 500Gb storage will cost about £2000. Thats just madness for a 15" screen.

Clive · Nov 10, 2015, 17:13:47

Thanks for doing the research Steve. I'm quite happy to buy another Dell and the Inspiron 17 5000-Series costs £649.00 and has an i7 processor, Windows 10 Home, 8GB Memory and 1TB Solid State Drive. Which revolves at 5400 rpm. That ticks all the boxes unless anyone can see a flaw.

Bill · Nov 10, 2015, 17:19:46

Quote from: Clive on Nov 10, 2015, 17:13:47... unless anyone can see a flaw.

Windows 10 ?

Simon · Nov 10, 2015, 17:28:51

The price! Have you shopped around, Clive?

stevenrw · Nov 10, 2015, 17:37:24

Just to be clear Clive - there is a typo on the Dell description. I think it has a conventional HDD rotating at 5400 NOT a solid state drive.
I think the price is quite competitive given the spec and Dell quality. If you compare to a Lenovo machine at PS World http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/lenovo-z70-17-3-laptop-black-10134826-pdt.html - even if they had it in stock.
The i7 6th Gen Skylake processors are brand new to the market so they are still pricey.

J!ll · Nov 10, 2015, 17:46:37

I like Windows 10! installed on my new laptop from 8.1, no problems.

Clive · Nov 10, 2015, 19:49:53

Quote from: stevenrw on Nov 10, 2015, 17:37:24
Just to be clear Clive - there is a typo on the Dell description. I think it has a conventional HDD rotating at 5400 NOT a solid state drive.
I think the price is quite competitive given the spec and Dell quality. If you compare to a Lenovo machine at PS World http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/lenovo-z70-17-3-laptop-black-10134826-pdt.html - even if they had it in stock.
The i7 6th Gen Skylake processors are brand new to the market so they are still pricey.

That was the fatal flaw Steve!

I'll clarify it with them.

Lance · Nov 10, 2015, 22:11:56

It's in the name. SOLID state drives don't rotate!

I've got a SSD in my work dell laptop and it certainly seems to help things along.

Clive · Nov 10, 2015, 22:46:10

Quote from: Lance on Nov 10, 2015, 22:11:56
It's in the name. SOLID state drives don't rotate!

That's what I thought too. It's blatant misadvertising to be honest. There is no one available to ask until tomorrow.

Clive · Nov 11, 2015, 16:33:35

They've now changed it to SATA drive which doesn't really meet my requirements. I'd set my heart on an SDD.

Simon · Nov 11, 2015, 16:57:23

Snowing my ignorance on 'modern' specs, what's so good about SSDs? Are they more reliable because they're not relying on a mechanical spinning disk?

Glenn · Nov 11, 2015, 17:30:30

Correct, also the access time to read/write data is a lot faster.

Steve · Nov 11, 2015, 19:08:39

Must admit I've been astounded how quick SSDs are!

Clive · Nov 11, 2015, 19:17:54

My present Dell is a Studio 1745, Core Duo, T6600@2.20 GHz with 4 Gb RAM, Win 7, 64 bit OS with a 350 GB HDD.
Will the Inspiron 17 5000 series be much faster booting up and retrieving stuff from the HDD? It's so annoying I can't get what I want. I thought Dell is supposed to make computers to customers requirements.

Glenn · Nov 11, 2015, 19:27:56

I have a 4 year old i5 HP Probook laptop, it would take around 75 seconds to boot with a hard drive, cloning it to an SSD the boot times are around 10 seconds. Putting a fresh build on the SSD did not result in any fast boot times.

Simon · Nov 11, 2015, 19:40:14

Quote from: Clive on Nov 11, 2015, 19:17:54
My present Dell is a Studio 1745, Core Duo, T6600@2.20 GHz with 4 Gb RAM, Win 7, 64 bit OS with a 350 GB HDD.
Will the Inspiron 17 5000 series be much faster booting up and retrieving stuff from the HDD? It's so annoying I can't get what I want. I thought Dell is supposed to make computers to customers requirements.

Have you looked on the Dell website? I'm pretty sure you can customise a chosen model to your own specification. Alternatively, www.scan.co.uk will build one for you to whatever spec you want.

Steve · Nov 11, 2015, 20:45:04

Like most manufacturers mention SSD and the price rockets, in Dell's case high spec laptops in the Apple price range. Hybrid drives are slightly cheaper but 1TB seems a bit extreme for a laptop.

Clive · Nov 11, 2015, 21:33:07

Thanks Simon but I would prefer to stick with a well known brand and Dell still seems to cut the mustard even just reading the posts on this very helpful thread. I guess the Dell with the SATA drive is still a good machine that will be fairly future proof. I think I might go for it.