Coach me on which laptop to buy..... My new HP is garbage

[JAG1]

A year ago I bought a new HP Envy laptop. On sale for 800 bucks. What a Piece of ****.The hinge is bound up and popping out the screen when opening. It creeks and cracks in sound like ready to break something. Went on the net and found this a common problem and HP is a turd about customer service.... an absolute human waist of a time to get them to do right by you.

 

You guys, can you help me choose something cheap like a chrome book or something? I just use it for forums and searches nothing heavy. I'm pissed cause Best Buy sales knew about this  common problem yet let me be convinced I'm buying the best. It was a lie. I'm not spending much  as I have been experiencing a lot of garbage with 2 brand new appliances, new installed furnace and other things delivered on a new home I'm finishing up.

 

My opinion is things aren't built any longer..... so better to hang onto old stuff  fix it if you have to make your own parts and keep your money in your bank as I've seen a lot of fake shiney covered up junk lately. Sorry about the rant its just the last few days really have got to me.

 

Thank you much for listening.....

Edited December 7, 2019 by JAG1

[Alexio Auditore]

So I bought a 1200 dollar asus gaming laptop, nice specs at the time, really havent used it for very much, only go onto trusted websites, and only played 2 games with it. Nothing crazy. But after a year, it slowed down a lot, and was just getting weird everytime I used it, eventually I wasn't able to get onto internet explorer, the icons wouldn't respond, that and things were disappearing from my home screen. Just bizarre. 

    No viruses, malwarbytes didnt find anything, I recently did a factory reset, and it is running much better. From what I understand, your lucky to get a couple years out of a laptop. If I could do it all over again, I would buy a desktop computer. Laptops are great for mobility and convenience, but unless my job was dependent on it, I use my tablet and phone for everything pretty much, and the laptop for some games and Microsoft word. 

   If you use it for forums and what not, I would just get a nicer tablet. I have a samsung tab s4, and it works great and runs smooth.(plus the s-pen is nice) you can even get a keyboard case and all that jazz for it, and it wont cost 800 bucks.

   That's just my 2 cents, I'm no expert for laptops or computers by any means, in the end they're just expensive money pits.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Load it up with Ubuntu Linux and problem solved. 

 

My current Asus Laptop never got the chance to even load up the Windows 10. It was fired up on Ubuntu Linux and never looked back. No virus issues. Very secure operating platform.

 

Windows software including the browser is known to be very weak towards being hijacked on the internet.

 

Advanced User: When you get virus infected email it fun to open them up in Linux. Since Linux will not load any file that is not marked for "Executable" then the file is only opened to read in to leafpad or similar text editor. This allows you to look at the payload that normally windows would normally open and install the virus. Linux will not do this being you would have to mark the file as executable then log in as ROOT and then execute the payload to install the virus.  Like the other cool thing you can separate your Linux OS from the home folder. Meaning Linux can be on one drive and the home folder on a second drive. This secures even deeper being that the OS in on a different drive.

 

This machine has been running for 8d 21h. No anti-virus software to bog it down. I've got 22 GB of RAM only using barely 3G of RAM. This machine is about 5 years old and still going strong. Better yet no drivers for devices.

 

Stats... Yup I've got A-pillar gauges on my Ubuntu Linux. Gotta keep an eye on the machine as you work it hard.

Edited December 7, 2019 by Mopar1973Man

[IBMobile]

@JAG1, Sorry to here about your troubles with the HP laptop and @Alexio Auditore's problem with a slow operating system.  I'm working off an HP Pavilion for the last 2.5 years,  I know HP = POS but a customer gave it to me new in the box as a tip.  I think it is a Costco special for around $500.  JAG1, you mite have seen it on the table in my 5er when were camping .  

I use it for internet research for both my business and trip planning, streaming video to my flat screen, and has my repair manuals with wire diagrams;  zero problems. 

Edited December 7, 2019 by IBMobile

[JAG1]

Okay, sounds good..... What is a 'Chromebook' it's a smaller laptop looking thing for only around 250 bucks. Is that a laptop computer or is it something else? It has a keyboard.

[hdpwipmonkey]

6 hours ago, JAG1 said:

Okay, sounds good..... What is a 'Chromebook' it's a smaller laptop looking thing for only around 250 bucks. Is that a laptop computer or is it something else? It has a keyboard.

I use an Asus Chromebook  2 in 1 for most of my surfing and email stuff.  I have a custom built desktop that I use for all my heavy lifting (gaming, video editing, ect).  A Chromebook is a laptop that runs off of the Chrome OS.  If you've used Android tablets or phones then you can use a Chromebook.  So far I really like it.  Super fast and no bloatware to bog it down.  I think its the C302 if I remember correctly.  It was a little expensive for a Chromebook but I wanted one with a better processor and not a Celeron.

[Mopar1973Man]

17 hours ago, hdpwipmonkey said:

I use an Asus Chromebook  2 in 1 for most of my surfing and email stuff.  I have a custom built desktop that I use for all my heavy lifting (gaming, video editing, ect).  A Chromebook is a laptop that runs off of the Chrome OS.  If you've used Android tablets or phones then you can use a Chromebook.  So far I really like it.  Super fast and no bloatware to bog it down.  I think its the C302 if I remember correctly.  It was a little expensive for a Chromebook but I wanted one with a better processor and not a Celeron.

 

Just another one of the Linux family. 

 

I'm just like you I'm running Asus laptop but instead of the Chrome OS just switched to Ubuntu Linux. The other favorite is the Linux Mint which appears to be a noobie favorite being it looks nearly the same as Windows.

 

https://ubuntu.com/

 

https://linuxmint.com/

 

https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os

Edited December 8, 2019 by Mopar1973Man

[JAG1]

10 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Just another one of the Linux family. 

 

I'm just like you I'm running Asus laptop but instead of the Chrome OS just switched to Ubuntu Linux. The other favorite is the Linux Mint which appears to be a noobie favorite being it looks nearly the same as Windows.

 

https://ubuntu.com/

 

https://linuxmint.com/

 

https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os

Okay then which brand do you recommend? I don't want expensive with my limited use just simple for an old Donkey Oatie like me.  IBMobile has a picture I believe

Edited December 8, 2019 by JAG1

[Mopar1973Man]

I've been on Ubuntu Linux since 2006 or so. Linux Mint is a sub family of Ubuntu Linux. Ubuntu is the main root of the Debian family and then Linux Mint is a offshoot of the Ubuntu (lime green line at the bottom).

 

 

 

Edited December 8, 2019 by Mopar1973Man

[IBMobile]

2 hours ago, JAG1 said:

                                                just simple Donkey Oatie like me. 

                                

[dripley]

Those graphs did the same thing to chicken eyes.

[Me78569]

I am starting to come to terms with the usablity of an android tablet for most that use web functions only.  

 

They are cheap and the quality is generally better than the PC's in the price range.   add to it some sort of case with intergrated keyboard and you are good to go.  Android is widely accepted and can run nearly anything most need to do with it.

 

similar idea to a chromebook.

 

 

I am a die hard Thinkpad fan, but the $$ of them is 2x the cost of the similar hp...for good reason.  

[JAG1]

Okay, I got the thing from MoparMan to boot a new computer with Linux. Just plug that in and it will do that when it's new? Thanks all.

[Mopar1973Man]

19 hours ago, dripley said:

Those graphs did the same thing to chicken eyes.

 

There is only one Windows, there is only one Mac... Linux there is thousands of flavors. Android, Chromebook, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, etc. All the same Linux family.