KADE

Is your Dell a post 2016 model and running Windows 11

(asking for a friend)

Wish I had thought about contacting HP direct with the problems wife had with Laptop bought from PC world.
Kept trying to update without success, under guarantee so returned to store three times for their 'experts' to repair.
War of attrition and unfortunately I gave up.  :ranting
Any particular site for those refurbs ?

Generally the known makes are OK (Dell HP etc) issues are frequently software not hardware, I use Dell for work as the support is good - still getting updates (Dell not windows) for 5 year old machines.
Try https://www.dellrefurbished.co.uk/laptops
As a general note, machines in supermarkets etc are glued together and not serviceable - we had to destroy one to get a hard drive out of a failed machine for data recovery, business machines such as Dell latitude range are still screwed together.

I have a Microsoft Surface Pro-4 and really did like it but now the screen is having issues in that it starts flickering when it gets warmed up. It is a well known issue and not a lot can be done about it.

At work we have a company (university) deal with Dell so they are all Dell machines. My work laptop is a Dell Latitude 5490 which seems to do the job pretty well. It did have Dells version of Windows on it which came with a number of "extra" programs but you can safely uninstall them all or do what I did, and perform a fresh install of the same version of Windows from the Microsoft site. You only then get Windows, nothing extra from Dell.
It now runs Windows 11 and is quite happy on that.

Been a few years now since I played building my own PC's but I used to use Scan Computers or Mesh Computers online stores.

Craig.

Snap! My Surface Pro 4 is doing the same. A bit like an overheating LR, I just use it for as long as I need then switch it off. When the screen really flickers, like it has done on the odd S2C Board Zoom call, I go really crosseyed and have to give up!

I was able to specify on eBay, a Dell machine, Windows 11, 16GB memory and a core i7 processor. Just over two years old (still under Dell warranty) at the time, for about a quarter of its new price.

Thanks for the top tip about getting Windows 11 not 10. I've just ordered a refurb HP tower off an ebay seller in Scotland to replace my Windows 7 dinosaur. Now looking forward to no weekly breakdowns.

As  asked a bit more detail on my old lap top. It's a Toshiba, running windows 7 (wouldn't take an upgrade) now dropped into safe mode. It was used for Land rover stuff, forums, parts etc, Social media, Tax returns and other general stuff. Hope this helps. I'd like to replace it with another Lap top if possible.
Thanks for the replies it's been interesting if some what complicated reading, as my consultant said to me when he saw my mobile phone "Your a bit of a Neanderthal when it come to tech"
 

We used to use Dell at work but we also built our own with components from Scan - we were able to go and buy direct from them, quite useful because they often had over the counter offers.

I am going to have to replace our Acer laptop in the next few weeks and I am thinking about a Dell

Peter

Y

Quote from: Smokey 11a on Feb 14, 2024, 01:33 PMAs  asked a bit more detail on my old lap top. It's a Toshiba, running windows 7 (wouldn't take an upgrade) now dropped into safe mode. It was used for Land rover stuff, forums, parts etc, Social media, Tax returns and other general stuff. Hope this helps. I'd like to replace it with another Lap top if possible.
Thanks for the replies it's been interesting if some what complicated reading, as my consultant said to me when he saw my mobile phone "Your a bit of a Neanderthal when it come to tech"
 

I'd pick a price you're happy with and then get anything new from a mainstream brand. Microsoft, HP, Asus, Sony etc. you can't go too wrong.

You could do a lot worse than go to John Lewis and look round their computer section, where a nerdy salesperson will show you round the various options.

They carry all the popular brands. They come with a free 2 yr guarantee (3 yr in some cases).
... and they are competitively priced.


   

Basically, it's all down to your budget. If you've deep pockets and want security of a long guarantee, then check out John Lewis as Alan suggests . If money is tight then you probably won't go wrong with something like this from EBay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256281641997?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=oacjtZsdQAm&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Obviously many others on EBay, I just searched for an I7 Dell and looked for a seller with a good reputation.

Looks OK, just check it comes with a charger.

Agreed ...

That's a decent spec. It will do all you need at a decent turn of speed. Should give you a few years of good service 

Note: If you want to play DVDs you'll need a remote player that you plug in via a USB port. A stand alone DVD will cost you about £20 off eBay.