Electronics

[glb613]

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@Laura14 wrote:

My Acer laptop is so old it needs to be replaced.  Not much wrong with it except it takes about 2 minutes for it to boot up and you have to keep it plugged in for the battery.  It's kind of served it's time and it's too big to lug around but I have zero complaints.  It's been phenomenal.

Now, I primarily use an Acer Chromebook which is smaller (11.6") that I love but it doesn't handle Windows and of course storage is non existent on the machine itself.

I was looking for a smaller windows laptop with machine storage since I love to write and want to start getting serious about it without putting it up in the cloud.  Came across the Dell Inspiron 11 3168 2 in 1 that I could grab for about $300 at Walmart that has decent reviews and a good processor (pentium quad core) plus 500GB of storage.

I think I know the answer since I would guess just about any laptop would work fine for word processing these days but would this Dell serve my purposes here and then some?  I know HP has the Streams out but they also have minimal storage so I'm kind of going old fashion and the Dell seems to have higher end features at a really good price.    

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There is only one good way to compare models when buying a new computer.  You need to compare the hardware installed and the price.  Warranties and return policies are also important consideration.  You have to compare apples to apples when trying to decide what is the best deal.  

When shopping for a computer, look at the specs.  Most people can use a basic computer or budget computer and it is more than enough.  My big requirement when buying a notebook computer is the venting.  If it's on the bottom, I won't buy it.  Heat build up is one of the major reasons for notebook computers to fail. 

I rarely listen to people recommendations unless they use a computer like I do.  Having helped a lot of people over the years, I know they often blame the computer or computer company for problems they created.  Computers with no maintenance, no security, infections and poor ventilation will cause the computer to perform poorly.  Good luck.

[Laura14]

Thank you@glb613! I'll check the vent. It's a great deal based on exactly what you said in terms of hardware comparison so I'm glad I was on the right thinking track.

[gardenman]

The big key with a laptop is the feel of the keyboard and trackpad and the quality of the display. On a desktop you can mix and match components to get exactly what you want. With a laptop what you get is what you've got. If the keyboard/trackpad doesn't feel right, you won't like the computer.

[Highlands72]

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@gardenman wrote:

The big key with a laptop is the feel of the keyboard and trackpad and the quality of the display. On a desktop you can mix and match components to get exactly what you want. With a laptop what you get is what you've got. If the keyboard/trackpad doesn't feel right, you won't like the computer.

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I agree with this. If you are buying a cheap (inexpensive) laptop, as long as it has the specs you need and is comfortable for you to operate, you will be fine with an inexpensive Dell from Walmart.

Not long ago,  I needed another laptop ASAP-- that day. I ran over and bought a cheap one at the nearest Walmart. I like it fine for the price and I don't worry as much about it being stolen, since I don't have much invested in it (just under $300).

Now if I wasn't carrying it around with me and I wanted something that I thought I would have for a long time of heavy use, I would have researched more and bought something more substantial, but I already have a better one at home.

Still, it is always best to back up anything you care about to a portable drive.

[stevieb]

It goes without saying you'll only get what you want and need, (based on how you use a machine, how often you use it, and how you maintain it), by comparing and contrasting specs and, as already stated, to some extent reliability is the luck of the draw. That said, some brands clearly offer better track records than others for quality components, reliability and longevity.