Kurt Barlow Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 My Sony Viao has just died after 3.5 years. I am a bit disappointed however I need to bear in mind it has been to Saudi Arabia and halfway around Australia and Europe. I managed to recover all the data but now it wont even start so time for a replacement I think. I have just got back from a gas plant near Darwin and I wonder whether the humidity was the final killer? I have an old netbook back in the UK that I may resurrect for shitty work placements - Im off to Timor in April.... I have decided against another Viao. My usage is mainly internet, Skype, youtube videos, research (uni website). I have currently borrowed my girlfriends Toshiba which seems reasonable. Criteria I don't want to spend more than about 1000 quid equivalent I like a large screen and spaced out keys as I'm a bit cack handed Not a great fan of touchscreen As I said I'm using a borrowed Toshiba which seems quite nice (views welcome) Suggestions greatly received Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compukit UK101 Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 My Sony Viao has just died after 3.5 years. I am a bit disappointed however I need to bear in mind it has been to Saudi Arabia and halfway around Australia and Europe. I managed to recover all the data but now it wont even start so time for a replacement I think. I have just got back from a gas plant near Darwin and I wonder whether the humidity was the final killer? I have an old netbook back in the UK that I may resurrect for shitty work placements - Im off to Timor in April.... I have decided against another Viao. My usage is mainly internet, Skype, youtube videos, research (uni website). I have currently borrowed my girlfriends Toshiba which seems reasonable. Criteria I don't want to spend more than about 1000 quid equivalent I like a large screen and spaced out keys as I'm a bit cack handed Not a great fan of touchscreen As I said I'm using a borrowed Toshiba which seems quite nice (views welcome) Suggestions greatly received I would get a reconditioned Macbook Air (guesstimate approx £900). It seems the ideal for travelling alot. solid state drive, light, would probably survive being dropped etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Barlow Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 I would get a reconditioned Macbook Air (guesstimate approx £900). It seems the ideal for travelling alot. solid state drive, light, would probably survive being dropped etc. I'll take a look at the Macs - Im doing a Masters at present so the cost will be tax deductible here in Oz Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnionTerror Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 My Sony Viao has just died after 3.5 years. I am a bit disappointed however I need to bear in mind it has been to Saudi Arabia and halfway around Australia and Europe. I managed to recover all the data but now it wont even start so time for a replacement I think. I have just got back from a gas plant near Darwin and I wonder whether the humidity was the final killer? I have an old netbook back in the UK that I may resurrect for shitty work placements - Im off to Timor in April.... I have decided against another Viao. My usage is mainly internet, Skype, youtube videos, research (uni website). I have currently borrowed my girlfriends Toshiba which seems reasonable. Criteria I don't want to spend more than about 1000 quid equivalent I like a large screen and spaced out keys as I'm a bit cack handed Not a great fan of touchscreen As I said I'm using a borrowed Toshiba which seems quite nice (views welcome) Suggestions greatly received Sony will no longer make Vaio's...they've just sold their computer arm off... Quite impressed with a few Asus's I've seen...and dare I saw it, the build quality of a few Acer's have dramatically improved. There seems to be a fiew good ultrabooks out there at the mo... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNACR Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Panasonic Toughbook semi or business ruggedized world be worth a look if you're going to cart it all over the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Barlow Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 Panasonic Toughbook semi or business ruggedized world be worth a look if you're going to cart it all over the place. God no - the keyboards on them are virtually unusable. I had one as when I worked for a govt agency here for about 14 months. Im currently looking at an Asus f550CC or a top end Toshiba Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Orange Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I heard that Toshiba laptops are better than the HP laptops, also I'm finding Windows 8.1 OK and getting to grips with it much better than the original awkward Windows 8 that was disastrous for Microsoft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Barlow Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 God no - the keyboards on them are virtually unusable. I had one as when I worked for a govt agency here for about 14 months. Im currently looking at an Asus f550CC or a top end Toshiba MacBook pro here is $1350 which basically means I can get one for 450 quid as the expenditure is tax deductible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonkers Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Snap, my VAIO died might have been helped by a glass of red wine spilt on it, but lasted almost exactly the same amount if time! Have found ASUS to be sturdy workhorses and fast to start. Budget is £600 here or should I push it and get mac? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 The age of the laptop is coming to an end! They are leaving "Middle Earth"! For many people now, a tablet pretty much does it all. I don't have one because I am a Luddite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I have had my one and only mobile phone longer than I have been a member on here.....had to replace a few batteries though...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porca misèria Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 If I was thinking about a touchscreen I'd get an MSI one. They seem to have pretty decent spec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corevalue Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I've decided that when I need to upgrade to a new laptop, it'll be running a custom puppy linux out of a USB3 stick. I find the most tedious part is not restoring my data after a machine fails, it's putting back the operating system and all the applications I use (lots), in exactly the right versions that work in harmony. The other plus is that it becomes much easier to keep ones data safe from prying eyes, or theft. Why puppy? Because it hasn't been loaded with spyware like the recent Ubuntu and it's derivatives / Windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executive Sadman Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 ive a toshiba and its an utter pile of crap. its the lowly satellite range though. did have a top end tosh before, was much better but it was stolen :angry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QP1 Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Currently in the process of rebuilding my Samsung laptop because the hard drive started to fail (using an SSD now which is a dramatic difference). Wouldn't recommend Samsung as I'm finding it a real pain to find the necessary drivers on their websites (there appear a billion permutations of products/areas and you seem to have to log onto the appropriate region web site for it to recognise the produce code and serve the files up). Wife had a Vaio which I thought was really good and decent support. She now has a gen 1 Surface Pro which is awesome if you want something very light/small/portable and also like pen input. Prices have dropped dramatically now the gen 2 is out. Battery life a bit limiting on gen 1 but I believe keyboards with extra batteries are soon to be released. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StainlessSteelCat Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 My Macbook Air is the only laptop that's survived the regular traveling I do. Nearly 3 years on, and only a screw is mysteriously missing. It's even had a couple of drops from waist height without problems. Do try it before you buy though. I'd convinced myself that a 13 inch Macbook would do the job (but the screens at the time were awful). Equally, the 11 inch Air's just felt a little too cramped. Acers I'd stay well clear off. I've had two - both barely made it past their 12 month warranties (battery charging failure for one, regularly corrupting bios for the other). Sony VAIOs - I reckon you've done well to get as long as you have out of it. Sony's support was utterly rubbish in my experience eg no new OS drivers on a computer less than 3 months old. ASUS/Dell - not too shabby for the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porca misèria Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 ASUS/Dell - not too shabby for the money. Dell laptop: nightmare, never again! Just goes to show, we have very different experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steppenpig Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Sony will no longer make Vaio's...they've just sold their computer arm off... Snap, my VAIO died might have been helped by a glass of red wine spilt on it, but lasted almost exactly the same amount if time! Ah, they've transmitted the global self destruct signal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StainlessSteelCat Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Dell laptop: nightmare, never again! Just goes to show, we have very different experiences. Well, the one I had certainly wasn't perfect. Wifi card died within 8 months and the customer support was so awful I had to email a link for the replacement part to the Dell rep because they could barely understand English, never mind actually work out how to fix the problem. The part did arrive in two days and I fitted it myself without too much trouble. It then survived a further five years without too much trouble before it was passed to the missus. Keyboard and screen smashed within a few months as she tends to take any frustration with the software out on the hardware. I think the rest of it still works though. But yes, not a brand to recommend to your Gran - unless she is a retired computer hardware engineer. I have to laugh at my workplace's supplying of Dells to everyone here. They are all expected to enter the brave new world of hot desking and video conferencing with them. The only trouble is that they don't quite have enough USB ports to plug a keyboard, mouse and video conferencing equipment in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Well, the one I had certainly wasn't perfect. Wifi card died within 8 months and the customer support was so awful I had to email a link for the replacement part to the Dell rep because they could barely understand English, never mind actually work out how to fix the problem. The part did arrive in two days and I fitted it myself without too much trouble. It then survived a further five years without too much trouble before it was passed to the missus. Keyboard and screen smashed within a few months as she tends to take any frustration with the software out on the hardware. I think the rest of it still works though. But yes, not a brand to recommend to your Gran - unless she is a retired computer hardware engineer. I have to laugh at my workplace's supplying of Dells to everyone here. They are all expected to enter the brave new world of hot desking and video conferencing with them. The only trouble is that they don't quite have enough USB ports to plug a keyboard, mouse and video conferencing equipment in. Don't you get the docking pod too? I just got a new Dell at work, and it has "all that". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StainlessSteelCat Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Don't you get the docking pod too? I just got a new Dell at work, and it has "all that". Ha ha - docking pods are extra so it comes down to a choice for department budget managers. If I give everyone a docking pod and/or a bag for their laptop, then poor ole Marge in the corner will be using a 70s calculator instead of a computer to code applications on. Similarly, none of the laptops are actually insured to go out of the building - and to start with beyond a couple of Windows RT tablets in the pool - there was nothing 30 staff were allowed to take out of the building for meetings with clients etc. Ended up ponying up for an actual insured laptop for the entire department out of my own team budget - because I was the only person who thought that might prove a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I don't know why I got a docking pod at work. I must be blessed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hovis Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Ha ha - docking pods are extra so it comes down to a choice for department budget managers. If I give everyone a docking pod and/or a bag for their laptop, then poor ole Marge in the corner will be using a 70s calculator instead of a computer to code applications on. Similarly, none of the laptops are actually insured to go out of the building - and to start with beyond a couple of Windows RT tablets in the pool - there was nothing 30 staff were allowed to take out of the building for meetings with clients etc. Ended up ponying up for an actual insured laptop for the entire department out of my own team budget - because I was the only person who thought that might prove a problem. I have a laptop at home but have always resisted it at work. Some managers have these iPad type thingies and they're forever muttering about their not working properly as they use them because they're not as controllable as a good old mouse and keyboard. I read on here someone saying that Dell were very good and then they switched manufacturing plants and the quality took a dive. My policy is always buy the cheapest one from Argos or Staples whatever the make, on the basis that technology moves on sufficiently that my £350 one is an £800 one from five years back. Not had a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I have a laptop at home but have always resisted it at work. Some managers have these iPad type thingies and they're forever muttering about their not working properly as they use them because they're not as controllable as a good old mouse and keyboard. I read on here someone saying that Dell were very good and then they switched manufacturing plants and the quality took a dive. My policy is always buy the cheapest one from Argos or Staples whatever the make, on the basis that technology moves on sufficiently that my £350 one is an £800 one from five years back. Not had a problem. Frank! You are an "economical gentleman" I just burst the disk in my 5 year old Acer, but it has been running as a video server for 5 years! Hardly ever switched off, so I can't complain! just put a new one in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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