I need a new computer
Mine is so outdated it’s ludicrous. How old is it? Well, let’s just say I’ve got Windows 7.
It’s not that I couldn’t have gone out and bought a new one years and years ago. After all, there’s a wide range of types and prices, and I mostly read and write on mine so I don’t need anything all that fancy. But what I hate, and what keeps me clinging – bitterly or otherwise – to the one I have is that I hate transitions to new devices and new systems.
And so I’ve been putting it off – for years. I nurse my old one along. It’s a Lenovo laptop, and people laugh when they see it, especially the keyboard. It has been worn down, like mountains that have been around for half a billion years. I’m going to post a photo, even though this is highly embarrassing:
And yes, I know I not only could get a new computer, but I could instead just get a new keyboard and attach it to the old laptop. But the keyboard is only a small part of the problem.
The seductive thing is – sometimes my computer works just fine. In fact, most of the time it works just fine. And so it lulls me into procrastinating on the task of replacing it – until I hit a day like today, when it’s been balky and strange and then suddenly, for no discernible reason at all, it’s fine again.
And, in the nature of computers, it’s not telling me: why today? Why now? Maybe it’s something else besides the ancient computer. Maybe it’s the wifi connection. Maybe it’s the weather. Maybe it’s – who knows?
And please please don’t tell me to get a Mac. Had one for many years and hated it. I never never never got used to it.
Use gemini to help explain new features will help make a decision based on you. Even where to buy it. Costco with a 90 day return and 2 years of help an other features seems good to me. I have decided on a Asus
I must have been one of the last people to use an IBM PC Jr. and I still miss it.
The problem with buying a new computer is you also get a new operating system.
Windows XP service pack 2 was, in my opinion, the pinnacle of Windows user friendliness and useful features.
Windows Vista was a train wreck and didn’t last long.
Windows 7 was a return to many WinXP standards and so wasn’t so bad.
Windows 8 and 8.1 – Train Wreck
Windows 10. Not a fan. Confusing menus, too many clicks to get to features etc. but at least usable.
Windows 11. Even worse. Hiding all the features I actually use every day another layer deep in the menus so extra clicks, plus everything microsoft is starting to go to a subscription model rather than buy it and own it. And Windows 11 is essentially a spybot on steroids.
I have a Windows desktop box that I run windows 10 on. I will not go to Windows 11 or anything subsequent unless they take out all the stuff I hate about Windows 11…which won’t happen.
My main computer…the one I’m typing this on…is a 2015 Macbook Air running Linux Mint. You should try it. The look and feel is a lot like older versions of Windows and it runs on older hardware with no problem. Takes a little bit of getting used to and you may not like it, but the best thing is you can install it on a USB drive, boot to that and try it out without having to wipe your current OS. If you hate it, no harm no foul.
I did that. Tried it for a few days and decided it was worth a closer look. Installed it on this computer to dual boot with the old MacOS installation. After a while I realized I wasn’t using the MacOS at all any more so I wiped the hard drive, installed Linux Mint clean and haven’t looked back.
Not saying it would be right for you, but worth taking a look I think.
@Sailorcurt:you can install it on a USB drive, boot to that and try it out without having to wipe your current OS
I do the same, but in my experience, for a longtime Windows user set in their ways, this set of steps is often more than they want to do.
Actually using Linux Mint is really easy if most of what you do is through the browser, but people get really used to the Windows ways of doing things: what menus you find things under, the apps that you usually use, the hotkeys, etc.
I’ve gotten a little more comfortable doing computer tasks on my smartphone, although I don’t do well with its keypad. At least compared my decent touch typing on a real keyboard.
So I use a laptop a great deal. The last two of them that I replaced both slowly developed the same problem which is that the electrical signals to the screen became intermittent or failed entirely depending on the position of the screen hinge. You would think that they could make these things reliable, but I guess not. Maybe it is the humidity or a trace of sea spray particles in the air where I live.
My current computer is only about 1.7 years old and it’s working well. Windows 11 is OK, and not terribly difficult to adapt to. Of course, there are small annoyances.
I tend to have nested file folders that run 4 to 6 levels deep. File explorer used to display these folder trees and you could jump around on that tree easily. Now the damn thing collapses the tree every time you switch folders. Why?
I will not try to convince you to buy a Mac — I used to avoid them like the plague since having a short contract at the local university where I had to use one and could never figure it out. Then a woman I worked with convinced me to go with all Apple and I now (8 years later) have an iPhone, a MacBook Pro (on which I’m now writing), and iPad and an Apple Watch. Everything talks to one another and I am happy with the change. On top of that I keep hearing people complain about Windows and I don’t think I could go back to that. Although I might have to for some programs that are not written to work on a Mac.
Just today I began getting an error message every time I tried to look at a YouTube video, but I restarted my computer and it’s working fine now.
Good luck with your search for a new one. Prices have dropped dramatically in the last few years.
Microsoft should have been broken up years ago. It is a single point of failure unlike nothing else in our world. A bad auto-update could bring civilization to a halt.
Competition in this area would be providing easy to use systems with just the features desired by the user. I spent my life in IT and hate to have to learn new stuff, and should not have to.
The ideal system would know what features were used and easily provide a new PC with those features installed and looking and working like the old one.
Enforced competition in the Windows world is long overdue.
The Lenovo Win11 laptops coupled with MS OneDrive + Office 365 are a pretty good choice that will protect your data. The older your outlook files are, the more difficult the migration, especially if you are bring contacts, mailists and your calendar.
For me, get another Lenovo laptop. Should run you $900 or so, assuming you plug in a keyboard and rodent (maus). Then get 2 of them after you complete your migration. Cheers –
I also have a Lenovo, one in a long line of Thinkpads. Why Lenovo? Years ago, when Thinkpad was still an IBM product, my spouse worked for IBM and got an employee discount. I got hooked on that little red “trackpoint” device, and have been using Thinkpads ever since, because I hate touchpads.
My brother, who knows a lot about Windows, told me that Windows 11 isn’t so bad. I upgraded reluctantly, but really, it’s okay.
@agimarc:MS OneDrive + Office 365
Subscription model software plus cloud. Pass.
@Richard Ilyes:Enforced competition in the Windows world is long overdue.
Lack of competition is not really the issue, and most of the alternatives to Windows are literally free. People choose to hand their wallets to Microsoft. Especially businesses, they want someone with deep pockets on the other end of the relationship, it’s just easier for them, they know what to expect.
What programs do you find enjoyable to use?
What programs do you need to use?
What would you wish for to make your everyday tasks easier?
Maybe you have what you need, just new.
I agree with SailorCurt. Windows XP/2 was the pinnacle. And Word 97 had everything I needed in a word processor. (Microsoft could have excluded “Clippy.”) I run Win11 on my Dell laptop, which is my work computer, and is connected to the internet. I do not use OneDrive at all. I have desktops running Win7 and Win10 which for safety’s sake are not connected to the internet, but whose hard drives are full of historical company and personal data. It’s easy to fire them up to access that data and use a USB drive to transfer that data to my laptop — plus I get to enjoy using Win 7 and 10.
I have a Mac. And it is old, and I can no longer update the operating system. And now I am getting an issue with browsers. And Adobe products. But the computer is working fine. I know that I will need to let it go soon. But I am not ready to….
Though Sailor Curt’s suggestion intrigues me…
It’s a tricky time for a Windows user to buy a new computer. Windows 10 was OK, but Microsoft no longer supports it.
Windows 11 is pushy with advertising, offers for Microsoft subscriptions and putting AI everywhere. The writing is on the wall is that Microsoft is moving to a subscription model, where a user becomes more a pawn in Microsoft’s game. Users will have to take it and like it.
Many people, including me, are rejecting Windows 11 for Linux Mint, which is the best Linux desktop I’ve tried so far. You truly own your computer and make the decisions about it.
However, I still have a hard time to recommending Linux to someone like neo. It’s doable if one can live mostly in the browser and is willing to work with an AI to solve Linux-y problems which are almost guaranteed to emerge.
neo — My current laptops are both Lenovo T480, one with Windows 11, the other Linux Mint. You can buy refurbs for $300-$400 on Amazon. You can, for the time being, downgrade Windows 11 to Windows 10, if desired.
The computer world is hitting another period of rapid change. My strategy is to go for inexpensive interim computers and see how things shake out.
It’s a tricky time for a Windows user to buy a new computer. Windows 10 was OK, but Microsoft no longer supports it.
Windows 11 is pushy with advertising, offers for Microsoft subscriptions and putting AI everywhere. The writing is on the wall is that Microsoft is moving to a subscription model, where a user becomes more a pawn in Microsoft’s game. Users will have to take it and like it.
Many people, including me, are rejecting Windows 11 for Linux Mint, which is the best Linux desktop I’ve tried so far. You truly own your computer and make the decisions about it.
However, I still have a hard time to recommending Linux to someone like neo. It’s doable if one can live mostly in the browser and is willing to work with an AI to solve Linux-y problems which are almost guaranteed to emerge.
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neo — My current laptops are both Lenovo T480, one with Windows 11, the other Linux Mint. You can buy refurbs for $300-$400 on Amazon. You can, for the time being, downgrade Windows 11 to Windows 10, if desired.
The computer world is hitting another period of rapid change. My strategy is to go for inexpensive interim computers and see how things shake out.
It’s like running down a trail you’ve run down for years, you could do it with eyes closed, if you got a new one no telling what you have to do!
huxley:
Yes, I’m thinking of doing something of the sort. And I do hear that Windows 10 is now unsupported. Then again, I can wait for Windows 12 and hope for the best.
How fast is neo’s old Lenovo laptop?
Super fast, its processor runs at ludicrous speed! (Spaceballs)
Microsoft sells security patch updates for Windows 10 BTW
Sennacherib:
Yes, I know all the well-worn paths my computer likes to follow. That’s why I hate transitions to new devices so much.
@Lee Also:Though Sailor Curt’s suggestion intrigues me…
I have done this on my 2014 Macbook and it works perfectly. You have to tell it to use proprietary software for the Wifi though. That is like a two-click exercise. But you won’t have Wifi until you have done that.
Three years ago I purchased a used Zotac mini PC that was running on Windows 11. However, it didn’t have the hardware that Windows 11 required. It ran OK for 2.5 years before it got the Black Screen of Death sickness. For 2-3 months I tried everything. Reinstalling and all that other stuff worked for a while, but eventually it did not.
It seemed that the mini PC was too old (2018) for LInux distros. Which told me that the issue with old computers is not that they don’t work, but that they are not compatible w current software.
Fortunately, most of my material had been saved on flash drives. Nothing of mine goes to the cloud, if I have any say in it.
I had a 13 year old Dell that ran on Windows 7. I tried to install Linux on it, but power failed–no green light at all. Several days ago I changed out its power supply with an unused power supply I had, and it worked again. And nearly all of my old docs survived the failed Linux install.
I bought a used Dell that had Windows 11 compatible hardware. It went bad—wouldn’t turn off—after I took out and reinstalled the memory. Worked a lot on it, and concluded that I must have bricked it by apparently not unplugging it when I was messing w the memory. Tried Dell Forum which in previous years had been helpful. Some help this time, but problem didn’t get solved.
Purchased Windows 11 Home PC from big box store. Good price, but Windows 11 Home was extremely annoying. Such as OneDrive VERY intrusive—putting stuff in OneDrive when I didn’t want it to. And more. Uninstalling OneDrive resulted in Documents @ far left screen disappearing from my screen. Also Windows 11 Home wouldn’t show Ethernet connections when it was being installed–only WiFi. I have only Ethernet, no WiFi, so that was a problem. I eventually found a workaround. Turned computer in for refund. Note that the store clerk didn’t act surprised when I stated the refund was because of Windows 11.
I bought a barebones Dell for $50, figuring that I could take the SSD and memory from my bricked Dell, and get a functioning computer. That didn’t work, but for the heck of it I decided to once again try my bricked Dell, which had been sitting for weeks. This time it worked. Why did it work this time? I have no idea.
From the dead Zotac mini PC, I have 32 GIG of memory, which would be nice to use considering what memory costs nowadays, but haven’t found a fit. BTW, Zotac has excellent customer service—which HP does not.
I have part of my SSD reserved for a Linux install.
I have been using LibreOffice. Documents aren’t that bad, but the spreadsheet is not up to MS standards.
I believe that HP ditched MS for its low-end laptops, which operate on Linux. Much cheaper for HP, and fewer customer complaints compared to Windows laptops.
FWIW, I have been buy off-lease/refurbished computers, usually Dell, with Win11 pro installed through Amazon and that has worked out fine. Prices are reasonable; around $300 on the low end and appearance wise, pretty clean. These will be a couple years old, but the performance difference vs new doesn’t impact my needs.
@Gringo:It seemed that the mini PC was too old (2018) for LInux distros.
Maybe something specific to the mini PC, but Linux runs fine on even much older hardware. I currently run it on two computers from 2014.
I have been using LibreOffice. Documents aren’t that bad, but the spreadsheet is not up to MS standards.
Some Excel functionality is only available for Excel on Windows, and I have never seen a spreadsheet app that has that exact functionality: not Libre Office, not Google Sheets, not Numbers, not Excel for Mac. Fortunately I only use Excel at work and my Windows 11 work computer is my employer’s problem.
Excel seems to take into account everything users do that they shouldn’t use Excel to do, and then make those abuses into features. It’s as if a manufacturer of wood chisels noticed that some people use them as screwdrivers and then made thicker, blunter ones to help them do that. Then they noticed that some people pound nails in with the butt end and they accommodate that too. After 40+ years you have something that doesn’t seem to do anything well but has crowded out good tools because everyone is used to it.
I still have a 1993 Dell laptop that runs 3.11. I don’t use it much but it does a fine job (still) running the programs I do use on it. Someplace around here I have an NT system and Win7. It’s been pretty much downhill since 7.
Funny thing: Word works as well on that machine as (or better than) the newer versions.
Day-to-day stuff – where “modern” features (communication protocols mostly) are needed – is based on Linux Mint. Aside from a fine operating system, the price is right (along with LibreOffice at the same ridiculous price).
I only have one program that “needs” windows and I have work-arounds for most of those features as well.
Went through the same computer frustration as others when my perfectly fine 10 yr old HP couldn’t upgrade to Win 11. Was ready to move to Linux when the battery wouldn’t hold a charge even when plugged in. Wasn’t looking for a 2-in-1 but all day battery life, 16 in touchscreen, bundled S-pen and weighing in at only 3 pounds was too much to pass up at 1/3 off. Turned off Copilot and all the built-in AI helpers I could to boost battery performance- the AI info search engines offer is all I’m interested in. FWIW, moving from Win 7 to 10 wasn’t hard and now from Win 10 to 11 wasn’t too difficult either. I spent a bit more than I planned but got a lot more than I expected.
I used to rebuild my computers every two years or so until 2013, when I decided to buy prebuilt, a Falcon North West Tiki. Lasted 12 years and still going strong, but nothing lasts for ever, so upgraded this spring, I can now use a bigger monitor (27″). I don’t do much with my computers: web browsing, writing and compiling code, occasional games. My main concern is compile speed and noise, and the most difficult hardware is keyboards and mice. I’m still searching for the perfect keyboard.
Been running/compiling Linux since 1999. I only use Windows for zoom calls. I don’t like Macs, but have one for travel.
I thought it was just me. 😉
I recently paid handsomely to have a computer rescuer rescue my ancient desktop. AND was forced into a new phone…no…no…no not an IPhone.
Neo, I feel your pain. I do the bulk of my work on my super duper efficient HP workhorse running Win 8.1, which I’ve customized to an extent that is no longer possible. It outlived two Windows 10 laptops, so I have none of those, but I do have Windows 7, 8.1, and now 11 laptops. (Don’t laugh. They each have their own duties, and I refuse to throw out good hardware while it still works.)
One thing you can try is downloading and running the CCleaner program. There will be a version that works on your Windows system. It will find plenty of junk on your system and delete it, and that will perk your laptop up. Just keep to its default settings and you don’t have to worry about deleting anything that could cause problems. I have no solution for the Jurassic keypad though.
I am in awe of that eroded keyboard. Reminds me of the hundred-year-old wooden stair treads in the house I grew up in.
Om: Microsoft sells security patch updates for Windows 10 BTW
Thank you very much!
You’ve saved me from upgrading my father’s computer.
Mildly interesting: in 1988, paid $400.00 for 40 megabyte auxilary hard drive for my mac.
Now, 2 terabyte ssd cost $80.00 on amazon. 50,000 times the memory.
Anyway, just bought a $500.00 Acer at Costco. Works great.
As usual takes a few annoying days to make the switch.
Gemini says $400.00 in 1988 = 1100 today. Amazon will provide 8 5 terabyte aux hard drives for that 1100.
Equal to 1,048,576 MB.
We used Laplink PC Mover to transfer from our old desktop to our new Laptop.
We found their Tech Support to be excellent. Almost everything works as before the move … which took about 2 hours. (I am a packrat and still have some PROGRAM files from a job I had many years ago.)
Of course Micro$oft Excel and Word do not run. They want us to buy some subscription.
Being retired we rarely use Excel. Word a bit more often. We’re thinking of trying out LibreOffice.
Good luck Neo!
I had a ThinkPad which I got enough years out of before the hard drive died, but I wouldn’t buy another, because Lenovo is a Chinese company. There was an issue years ago with another model which was spying on the users’ work.
When it died, I bought an Acer, which was OK until it lost its Internet unacceptably early. So I bought a Mac, which overall I like much better. Better security, no Microsoft-style BS, easier updates, nicer hardware. My main gripe is that with a lot of files open it hides the ones I want! I suppose I haven’t mastered that aspect, but may someday.
I’ve been through a number of Windows laptops, and back a ways, desktop, running different flavors. There were a couple that were real lemons with screens breaking, HDMI ports going bad, etc., but all were ok on the software end. I did have to reinstall Windows on my last laptop but the MS tech support was perfectly helpful.
I now have a 2021 Lenovo Yoga 7i that gave me no trouble until recently it’s been crashing with no error message, just a dark screen and a need to restart, but I’m wondering if my Firefox browser might be responsible. I’ve refused to upgrade to Win 11.
As you probably know, this type of question will bring out lots of partisan opinions. Those most motivated to write about their experiences will do so, leaving the majority sitting on the sidelines.
That’s a roundabout way of saying: Take the Windows 11 criticisms with a grain of salt. I run a small company with four office workers, and our ten computers (including desktops and laptops) are all running the latest version of Windows 11. My opinion is that it is the easiest and best version of Windows yet. Now, granted, we are a tech/software company, but we’ve used every version of Windows including Windows 3.1 / 95 / 98 / XP / Vista / 7 / 8 / 8.1 /10 through 11, and it’s no contest. Not even close.
I would caution against jumping into Linux or a Mac, unless you want to seriously interrupt your workflow and learned experience. And that’s speaking as a software developer. It’s not that they’re not capable systems, it’s that you’re jumping from one ecosystem to another. And unless you’re prepared to deal with significant workflow changes and growing pains, I don’t think it’s worth it. Others may disagree, but in general, if you just want to get things done, stay with Windows.
I don’t know your specific workflow, or if you have specific hardware you’re trying to support. I also don’t know if you are leaning more toward a lightweight laptop that excels for travel use, or a more traditional system with more hardware flexibility. Having said that, I’m a fan of Microsoft’s Surface Laptop line: We have two Surface Laptop 7s (ARM-based, which means low-power consumption = better battery life). These both run dual external displays and bluetooth keyboards/mice, so it gives us the best of both worlds: A capable, lightweight laptop that acts as a desktop when in the office. Having said that, there are great systems available from Dell, Lenovo, Asus and a host of others.
I would suggest the sweet spot would be main memory of 12-16 GB and hard drive capacity (actually, SSD) of 1 TB: Reasonably affordable, with room for expansion. Expect to spend around $1,000.
Here are some reviews of the current crop of systems, as of February, 2026:
https://mashable.com/roundup/best-windows-laptop-2026-tested
Best of luck on your search.
And, another thing, may want to make sure your new one is compatible with your existing printer.
Canon does not provide windows 11 drivers for my old, reliable Pixma mp495. Hate to retire it but
Amazon shows several popular printers under $100.00 with four star ratings.
One more non-Linux comment:
Several people have mentioned Thinkpads.
I actually still have an IBM thinkpad laptop from the mid ’90’s that works. it has a pentium processor and ~1Gb hard drive. I keep it more as a keepsake than as a working computer and the battery won’t hold a charge so it has to be plugged in to use, but it runs Windows XP like a champ.
They just don’t make them like they used to.
Microsoft bug on Artemis II computer:
https://www.tomshardware.com/software/microsoft-office/artemis-ii-astronaut-finds-two-outlook-instances-running-on-computers-call-on-houston-to-fix-microsoft-anomaly-puzzled-caller-describes-two-outlooks-and-neither-one-of-those-are-working
The intermittent almost failures that mysteriously appear and vanish somewhat resemble old unsupported operating system vulnerabilities that later versions eventually address. And if the old classics still work on the Johnny come latelies without much effort, one is bound to encounter one in your situation. Hackers never sleep, it would seem. Maybe it’s safe to presume that discontinuation of support is indeed solely a business decision, with the suspicion that prodding the cattle to move along with their progress schedule is well worth causing a number of individuals pain, since that can as well be rationalized as purely a business decision.
So, long story short, find a repair shop who will replace keyboard while you wait and avoid aggravation.
@John Bennett: I would honestly second this, and I say that as somebody who jumped ship to Mac 3 years ago. For simple, all-round use, Windows is just fine, and it will save you the headache of having to relearn every function. I’m about to turn 45 now, and I’ll be sticking with Mac for a while. This kind of change isn’t something you want to be doing every few years if you’re a heavy but typical user of these systems. If you’re in deep enough to be comfortable with both, it’s a different story perhaps.