Which laptop?

[Gemini]

My dear old laptop has been limping on for some time. You can tell how old it is as my screensaver is my granddaughter aged 8 months (she was 7 last October!)
I want to replace if before it finally gives up the ghost.
I just wondered, those of you who have laptops, what do you have and do you recommend it? Thanks!

[ZIZI]

I have a Hewlett Packard purple laptop. It is one that you can use as a laptop or a tablet just by turning it over. It is good and the screen is really clear which helps if you have poor eye Sight. I must admit that when I bought it a year ago I was completely out of love with my iPad but I don't actually use it very much these days. Unfortunate as it cost almost £700 with all the programmes etc. I do use it quite a bit for work and get myself all confused because it is a touch screen and when I am using it for work that is fine but then I go back to my steam driven work laptop and try to touch the screen but it doesn't work! You would the the purple casing would give it away wouldn't you?

Ben has the same computer and he loves it but the he is only ten.....

[Nanto2girls]

We have a Toshibe laptop. i think it's about 4/5 years old. It's OK, but i prefer to use the PC.

[Oma]

My laptop is a HP too in Purple but i cant recommend it. as you know its less than a year old and already had new Fan and Drivers and mother board

[Gemini]

Oma, I think you should have been offered a replacement as it is so new and has had so many things wrong with it!!

[Daisy]

Gem, I have no idea about specific brands, but it's important for it to have good-brand 'innards', and also that the keyboard feels 'right' for you. I don't get on well with laptops, although I love my iPad, and unless you want to switch to a Mac, I can't offer any suggestions!

Check also what software is included. My OH upgraded to Windows 10 and only has Works for Windows, not the proper Office software. It's ok but he often has problems reading incoming documents and particularly spreadsheets which have been created on Office. So it depends on what you're using it for really.

I'd do some Googling first - there are lots of forums with very knowledgeable members who would give you unbiased advice, plus any expert advice available in the family.

[ZIZI]

I think most brands these days are using office 365 which can be annoying if you are only used to the old office programmes but once you get used to the 365 stuff, they are OK. My biggest bugbear with 365 compared to old Windows is that it does not allow you to easily put sounds and movements into PowerPoint which I use quite a lot for primary school presentations. I am sure there is an easy way but I haven't yet found it. Very annoying. I am currently using both old and new iPad as Grans would not load on new one. Also the games did not update themselves when I transferred them over. Not a big problem as I only muck around a bit with them and never play when I am out and about or travelling, kind of a distraction for me when I am feeling bored more than anything else.

[Plantaholic]

Mine is a basic, not expensive Dell and I have Windows 7. Good enough for what I need to do. I love my Apple IPad which is comparable with my I phone.

[Mimi]

I don't have a laptop, my desktop is HP and it's been chugging along for 8 years now, it has been fantastic, it is just suffering from old age now. When I do eventually have to replace it I would definitely consider a HP laptop. OH has a Dell laptop and he has had that for about 7 years but he doesn't use it for "grownup things" just downloading songs and storing pictures. He doesn't have Microsoft office on it and he hasn't got the printer connected to it so I don't really know how efficient it is.

[Gemini]

Thanks everyone. Our computer guy told us what to look for in terms of specifications for our needs, which is useful.
They come with Windows 10, which I never installed on the current one, so that will take some getting used to!

[Daisy]

Gem - I think you will find Windows 10 more straightforward than 7 or 8! At least my OH has. I expected a barrage of 'how do I do .....' when he switched, but he seems to have managed very well. The only problems he's has have been with Works (which came with 10) not being fully compatible with Office. But this has mainly been with spreadsheets.

Good hunting.

[Clover]

All this technical talk is making my head spin I wish I was more tech savvy but I rub along with what I do know

[Glammanana]

I'm with you Clover as long as it goes on and does the job I'm fine

[Avo]

I don't use my laptop much now , prefer the iPad.

[Gemini]

I am a laptop girl, so it's important to me!

I bought an HP in the end, from John Lewis, which I collected yesterday.
I am setting it up now, it is doing all its update etc. Our computer man is coming at 3 to transfer things over from the old ailing laptop.