Need new "budget" laptop; does Windows 8 really suck?

Win 8/.1, or, why I bought a chromebook.

Printer and iTunes are the only uses I have for my win 7 laptop any more.

Also, it's not "every one complains about the new OS". It's MS makes a pile of E36 M3 every other time. 9 should be fantastic.

In reply to FSP_ZX2:

I'd seriously suggest you find a quad-core machine. I've found dual-cores are very slow with Win8/8.1. I also consider 4GB to be a bare minimum for Win8/8.1 and would say 6GB is really where you need to be.

Keep in mind that if you have the patience to wait on your PC to catch up, a dual-core/4GB(or less machine) would be functional - but for how long? Microsoft is the master of OS-bloat, how long before the low-end hardware is too obsolete for the ever-growing OS(and updates)?

Lastly, every low-end laptop I work on seems to fail within the first 3-years, or less. Usually the motherboard goes out, and you're looking at $150 to fix a $300pc(and usually whatever failure mode occurs ends up being something typical for that model, so you can plan on it failing again in the future) that may already be slowing from the previously mentioned OS bloat.

You can find AMD quad-core laptops for $400 or less. I get emails from Toshiba with their daily sales, and about every week or so they'll have one in the $375-$425 range. I've seen other brands in store for around that price too. In the $400 price range you can get a much better performing PC, and one typically built with better hardware.

I would hesitate about an AMD laptop because of the heat. In my experience they run hot, very hot.

I have two 8.1 machines, both Asus. I would hesitate to recommend Asus to others, but they are OK. Windows seems good, but occasionally stumbles when restarting or something like that. Functionally it works great. I have no issues switching, and the touchscreen makes it indeed easier to use than 7 was.

I recently bought a $249 ASUS 8.1 machine @ BestBuy. It's the "standard build" at that price point. 4GB RAM/500GB HD. Totally servicable though it really annoyed me that I had to have (maybe I didn't search long enough) a Microsoft account to set it up. I already had one but still...

It's really just a browser provider in the kitchen so a Chromebook would probably suffice but I just like having a "real" PC and it was cheaper than whatever Chromebook they had at BestBuy that day..

It took a few days to notice that you can't remove the battery.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: I've lived with Windows at work since 3.something and whenever I get a new computer or upgrade at work I notice the difference between the new and the old for about 30 mins then never ever think about it again.

Same here. I started with 3.1 then moved on up to 95,98,XP and now 8.1. I was working as a programmer when I got into 3.1 and wrote some programs for the company I was working for. I have never had much problems with the upgrades, might take a few days to figure all the new things.

My 8.1 desktop looks and works just like the desktop on my old XP machine. I do like the touchscrren aspect of 8.1 since my new computer has a 27" touch screen.

FYI/FWIW I just got my daily Toshiba sale email & today's deal is a quad-core/8GB/1TB laptop for $399. I won't spam the board with a link, but I can PM/post it if anyone wants it.

Here's the basic specs:

Windows 8.1 AMD A4-6210 Processor 8GB DDR3 1600MHz memory 1TB(5400rpm)hard drive AMD Radeon™ R3 Graphics DVD SuperMulti Drive 15" HD TruBrite display (1366x768)

petegossett wrote: FYI/FWIW I just got my daily Toshiba sale email & today's deal is a quad-core/8GB/1TB laptop for $399. I won't spam the board with a link, but I can PM/post it if anyone wants it. Here's the basic specs: Windows 8.1 AMD A4-6210 Processor 8GB DDR3 1600MHz memory 1TB(5400rpm)hard drive AMD Radeon™ R3 Graphics DVD SuperMulti Drive 15" HD TruBrite display (1366x768)

Here's a request for the link. Wouldn't mind regular info on Toshiba sales. Sorta looking for a replacement laptop myself.

In reply to foxtrapper:

Here's the link to that particular model: http://m.toshibadirect.com/product/detail/computers/laptops/satellite/L50/L50D-BST2NX1?src=ECEB&cm_mmc=Email--broadcast--ecbscsp072614-_-ECE&RMID=RSYS_073114_Today_L50DSA4_8GB1TB_399&RRID=307641935

The email has a discount code for $50 off the price listed online: DDL50DS731

If you PM me I can forward the email back to you.

Just got a new Inspiron 15 for my aunt, ~$500 budget laptop, 6 Gb Ram, 4th Gen i5 (Intel HD graphics), 750 Gb HD, non-touch screen, blah, blah, blah. Aunt is coming from Vista to 8.1, I'm her IT support, she is NOT tech/computer savvy.

After about 2 hours fiddling with 8.1, I downloaded and installed Classic Shell, it now looks like Win 7, i.e. more Vista-ish with a start menu. I could just imagine all the phone calls, and her complaining that I would endure from her just based on my own learning curve getting to know it.

Win 7 is still an option on a lot of the business laptops, and a few of the home laptops too. Touch screen was an extra $100, not worth it when that money can be better spent elsewhere, especially in my aunt's case.

I totally get the 8/8.1 interface/GUI for a tablet, it is NOT the answer for a mouse/keyboard interface though.

• Lee

I needed a newer notebook PC to use w/ the programmable ECU on the race car as well as dumping SD cards of video and looking at run data. I ended up w/ a nice-ish refurb Lenovo ThinkPad U530 - they had one mislabeled in the specs as not supporting WiFi capability so for some reason it hadn't sold. I got it for around $525.

I updated 8.0 to 8.1 as soon as it showed up in the "store" - it's odd having your PC emulate your phone, but whatever.

As long as I treat it like my Android phone it's relatively intuitive, and unlike my desktop workstation at home, dealing with storing, accessing, editing and uploading video is effortless. The AIM analysis data works perfectly, and the Bazzaz ECU programming is too easy.

I was wary of having navigation difficulties under pressure at the track, but so far it's been easier to live with than I expected. And for utility web stuff at home it's great - the touch screen, once I remember it's there is intuitive and fast. Go forth w/o fear.

I have an Asus laptop. It was one of the first duel core I7 ones and it has been rock solid for the last 3 or so years I have had it. I use it for work so it sees 8-12 hours of run time every day 7 days a week. Never had any issues.

I have used both Win 7 and 8 and don't really have a preference. I can get the job done with either.

Ended up with a 8.1 machine, a HP 15.6" with Pentium N3520 Processor, 4GB/500GB...for $299 new at Wally World. Slowly getting it set up--uploaded Classic Shell, and iTunes. Trying to find a free email client that I like to replace Outlook...not real thrilled with the Windows stuff that was loaded in the machine. Then it's a matter of transferring pics and docs that I need to keep...

in the past I used thunderbird for email without issues

as for laptops... about 1 1/2 years ago I picked up a core i5 with a 24gb ssd/750gb hdd 8gb ram lenovo u410 14" ultrabook with hybrid graphics (intel hd4000/nvidea gt610) for about $450 from the b stock outlet... its still a pretty kick ass machine... here soon I'll be changing the msata SSD drive out to something larger so I can install the full OS and programs on it instead of using it as a hybrid/cache drive and still have that nice 750gb hdd for other stuff