Need computer buying guidance again

[Ginevra]

This board provided such top-notch help for me last fall when I was looking to buy a gaming laptop for ds. (I bought one linked by @Mergath, which has been terrific for ds.) But here’s a concise summary of what just happened yesterday with my desktop that I use for dh’s business (as well as other uses): 

Yesterday, it abruptly would not receive any wireless signal. When I tried looking for any available networks, it behaved as if it has never been anything but a wired computer. So - and I don’t really know what I’m talking about, but I think this is a thing - I concluded that the network card is fried/crashed. I temporarily mitigated the problem by buying a USB Network adapter. This solved my immediate problem and I can again email, web browse, print and scan just as before. 

I have wanted for a while, though, to get a laptop or netbook that will run Microsoft programs and will run my Quickbooks Pro for dh’s businesses. It’s somewhat of an obstacle to only be able to do QBs work on the singular desktop. With my plans to become employed outside the home, a laptop for this purpose would be only that much more useful, since I could bring my work for dh along to my outside employment and theoretically work on his stuff during lunch or whatever. 

I’m extremely ignorant about what I want and what specs I need, so I would seriously appreciate it if one of the more savvy members here can just tell me what I should buy. It needs to run Microsoft Office programs and Quickbooks Pro. It needs to be fairly compact so it isn’t difficult to take somewhere. I’m hoping for something that won’t be much more than $1,000. It needs to have USB ports; I know some computers are phasing them out, but I still need those. 

Thanks so much for any help. 

[Lanny]

First, it may be the WiFi card in your Desktop died. Or, it could also be that the Drivers got corrupted. Or, it could be loose in the slot. I suggest that you buy another WiFi card and see if you can restore that capability. You can have that Desktop as a Backup machine.

Now, with regard to the Laptop you would like to purchase: The first thing I suggest is that you eliminate "Consumer grade" machines from consideration. Those are the machines you see on-sale if you walk into a Best Buy or Wal Mart or other Brick and Mortar store. Instead, I suggest that you buy a low-end "Enterprise grade" machine. Those are usually sold or leased to businesses (corporations) or governments. They are probably easier to service. They cost a little more, but IMO it is money well spent. They are produced in huge quantities, so if a few years down the road you need a replacement component, you can probably buy it on eBay.  Some of the components may be of higher quality.  The machine I am using to write this (a Dell Latitude E6410) was manufactured 9 years ago. I won it in an eBay auction, as an "Incomplete" laptop. Probably it didn't have a hard disk drive or AC Adapter when I received it. We have other similar Dell Laptops in the house (5 of them).

I don't know anything about current Dell models, but my DD will be getting a Lenovo ThinkPad when she begins at UNC next month. You could do a lot worse...   Obviously, I haven't seen that machine, but from looking at the Specs, it is pretty nice for a low-end Enterprise grade Laptop. Hers will have as I recall, a 13.3 inch display, 8 GB of RAM, a 256 GB SSD, 4 USB ports and some other interesting things I can't remember, because she ordered that several months ago.  When I Googled that model, the RAM could be expanded up to 32 GB, which is probably much more RAM than you will be needing. Her's will come with Windows 10 and the Microsoft Office Suite. 

My belief is that 8GB is the minimum any PC should have now, because the OS (Operating System) and the Applications like a lot of RAM.  8 GB should be fine. If you need more RAM, buy it from a reputable eBay Seller. I've purchased RAM from an eBay  Seller in the L.A. area several times, for different machines in our house, with no problems.

This is the general link for the Laptops in the UNC program. 

https://cci.unc.edu/new-students/laptops/

This is the link for the Lenovo ThinkPad L390 my DD will be getting:

https://cci.unc.edu/product/lenovo-thinkpad-l390-ns/

NOTE: Their prices include 4 years of on-site service and 4 years of International warranty and 4 years of insurance. I suspect you can buy the same type of configuration for less money, because you will probably not be getting 4 years of warranty, etc.

NOTE #2: As I told my DD, when I see the estimated battery life of a laptop or cell phone, I assume that is probably 2X to 4X what the actual time is before the battery goes dead. It will depend on your battery and your usage, how long it can be running on  the battery.

NOTE #3: If you can get one with a 14" display, that will be a little easier on your eyes, but a little more weight if you carry it around.  5 of our Laptops have 14" displays and I think one has a 15" display. That's a "Mobile Workstation" and it would be heavier if one had to lug it around in a Backpack all day...    14" is probably a good compromise. The schools seem to go with 13.3" displays.  A little less money and a little less weight to carry around in the Backpack.

[almondbutterandjelly]

My techy brother recommended that my college-bound dd get a Dell XPS 13.  So she did.  Don't know if that helps you, but I am sure it could run Office and I would imagine Quickbooks.  It's very lightweight.

[TCB]

My dd got an Asus laptop for college last year with a SSD and a hard drive and she has been very happy with it. The guy at the college tech center who helped set it up said it was the fastest laptop he'd seen. It cost just over $800. Since then my other dd and my dh have bought Asus laptops  too - each with SSD and have been very happy with them.

[Kassia]

6 minutes ago, TCB said:

My dd got an Asus laptop for college last year with a SSD and a hard drive and she has been very happy with it. The guy at the college tech center who helped set it up said it was the fastest laptop he'd seen. It cost just over $800. Since then my other dd and my dh have bought Asus laptops  too - each with SSD and have been very happy with them.

 

My dd and one of my sons both had Asus laptops and they were terrible.  They had so many issues starting right away and Asus customer service was terrible.  We ended up replacing dd's laptop pretty quickly.  My son kept his for longer but had constant problems.  We bought dd a Lenovo and have been very happy with it but it's still pretty new.  

[Liz CA]

Well, I cannot only speak to Lenovo - and I'd get one again. We looked at the Lenovo outlet for refurbished ones but you may want to check out everything available.

Lasted a long time - still works.  I would check what the latest model is. Chances are you will have it for a (relatively) long time.

[TCB]

4 hours ago, Kassia said:

 

My dd and one of my sons both had Asus laptops and they were terrible.  They had so many issues starting right away and Asus customer service was terrible.  We ended up replacing dd's laptop pretty quickly.  My son kept his for longer but had constant problems.  We bought dd a Lenovo and have been very happy with it but it's still pretty new.  

It's so strange with these things and how different they are for different people . We've been so pleased with ours and we got the first one because my nephew had done a lot of research and got one himself and really liked it.

[kiwik]

I have an ex lease dell latitude and it is really a nice machine to use.  It does have a short battery life but that can be fixed.

[Lanny]

5 hours ago, kiwik said:

I have an ex lease dell latitude and it is really a nice machine to use.  It does have a short battery life but that can be fixed.

 

The 5 Dell Latitude Laptops and the Dell Mobile Workstation (Precision is the model?) we have in the house were all Sold or Leased to Corporate or Government customers. I assume they had them for 48 months.

Short battery life? Yes, that is true, but we are using batteries that I bought from an eBay Seller in New York, years ago, for approximately $13 each.

The OEM batteries from Dell at that time would have cost approximately $130 to $150 each.  I have no way of knowing how much longer one of these laptops might continue working on a Dell OEM battery, without buying an OEM battery, and never considered doing that so I could make that comparison test.  One can buy a lot of batteries for $13 each...

The one issue we have had in these Dell laptops is bad Keyboards. The one I am using was assembled on 01 July 2010. We have others made in 2008-2010.  We have replaced keyboards in approximately 3 of the laptops and have issues in 1 or 2 keyboards now (one or two dead keys) but we are in the house most of the time and have external USB keyboards hooked up to them.

What issue(s) any particular model   might have would depend upon the Quality Control the supplier had in place when the components were made and one wouldn't know, probably for several years, if there were any issues.

If there is one model with a longer warranty from the manufacturer, that would be a big plus.

[Kassia]

10 hours ago, TCB said:

It's so strange with these things and how different they are for different people . We've been so pleased with ours and we got the first one because my nephew had done a lot of research and got one himself and really liked it.

 

I am glad they are working for your family!  🙂