Is my laptop dying? **What shall I get to replace it**

[Cat]

Well for a while now (you may have noticed) my keys have been a bit sticky and temprimental. Like I have to press packspace to press 5. Icant put a space in after a capital letter, and Ihave to use the right shirft key for some letters to write capitals. I havent spilt a drink or anything on it so I dont know why its doing this. But needless to say when I restart my course later in the year Iwill not be able to type essays.

Also I have the laptop on most of the day, and it has a tendancy to get very hot and the fans go like mad, and everything runs slow and the internet normally crashes.

How long to laptops normally live for? Mine is a Dell Inspiron and is nearly 3 years old and gets used pretty much all day every day.

 

[Wobbles]

I have a DELL desktop but I was always told to stay clear of the lappys

 

[Cat]

I have a DELL desktop but I was always told to stay clear of the lappys

Lol I was told the oposite and told they were the best to get.

Bum

 

[Arcanegirl]

My laptop recently packed up at 5 years old, 3 years of minimal use and 2 of continuous use. For 3 your lappy is doing pretty well.

When you use it do you rest it on your lap? youre best to use it on a flat surface so that air can get into the fans and so that it doesnt over heat.

 

[Wobbles]

I guess it comes from personal experience Love my desktop & OH has a Sony Viao lappy which is good. I had a ACER lappy an I tok it back!

 

[Cat]

Oops no mine lives on my lap. I sit on the sofa with it for most of the day. Otherwise Icant type for long, DS wont let me sit at a table, he likes to be able to cuddle up to me and bring me toys and stuff.

 

[Cat]

And fancy calling them laptops if youe not ment to stick themon your lap lol!

 

[Arcanegirl]

Have you got a large book you can rest on your lap and put the laptop on?

 

[Cat]

good thinking batman. I have the complete works of William Shakespear!

 

[2nd.Time.Daddy]

Well for a while now (you may have noticed) my keys have been a bit sticky and temprimental. Like I have to press packspace to press 5. Icant put a space in after a capital letter, and Ihave to use the right shirft key for some letters to write capitals. I havent spilt a drink or anything on it so I dont know why its doing this. But needless to say when I restart my course later in the year Iwill not be able to type essays.

Also I have the laptop on most of the day, and it has a tendancy to get very hot and the fans go like mad, and everything runs slow and the internet normally crashes.

How long to laptops normally live for? Mine is a Dell Inspiron and is nearly 3 years old and gets used pretty much all day every day.

Most of what you have said are common faults with DELL laptops , the keyboards always go funny. As you use the laptop on your lap i expect the fan has got fluff in it. If the fan is not working properly it will cause the laptop to get red hot which in turn will affect other parts of the computer as when they get hot they cannot work properly. Most dell laptops these days that are used everyday only last just over 12 months until something goes wrong with them. I have had 2 dell inspirons and they both went funny at 13 months and 14 months old. The inspiron i have still got now , the battery wont charge , the dvdrw wont play some discs and the keyboard is a pain and all that happended after 13 months.

If you can do it , then just open up the laptop and clean the fan yourself or just take it to a shop and get it done , the longer you leave it , the more damage it will cause.

 

[2nd.Time.Daddy]

and you can usually pick up a new keyboard for it for around £10 on ebay

 

[Amanda]

I agree with Dad.of.1 Cat. I've got a Dell D600 and it's over 2 years old and on it's last legs.

If it wasn't for the fact that it's a work one, I would have had a new one ages ago!

 

[2nd.Time.Daddy]

There was a thing on tv recently , cant remember what it was

But on average a laptop will last just over a year and the majority of the time the warranty has run out. Laptops are alot more expensive to fix than desktops aswell.

they were implying that compaines that make the laptops do this purpously , for obvious reasons. Everyone says how good dell are , yeah they are good for business computers and support but when it comes to home users , they are appauling.

 

[Cat]

Bloody hell. Dadof1 what your saying is very familier, my battery packed up within 6 months of having it, and they are so expensive to replace I just keep my laptop pluged into the wall all the time.

So next question, what should I get to replace it. I need it to continue my course work, I dont need anything particularly powerfull, I dont download films and stuff, I just surf the net on wireless broadband and do typing. I want something pretty cheap but reliable. (if it looks nice this is an added bonus!) Am I better of with a notebook? whats the difference?

I want to buy new buy the way. I got this brand new ut on Ebay and Iwould rather have the security of being able to return it if anything does go wrong.

 

[2nd.Time.Daddy]

Depends what your budget is

£350-400 will get you a laptop that will do everything and nice looking with a decent spec. thats the most popolar price bracket

£300 you will get one but it will be lacking things like a dvd-rw , wireless and will probably only be a 14.1 inch screen.

any less than £300 , i wouldnt bother getting a new one as it wont be a very good spec at all and will probably be slow. Best getting a used one with warranty at this price bracket

 

[2nd.Time.Daddy]

is yours the dell inspiron 6000?

 

[Cat]

No its the Inspiron 1100, It has a DDwriter, but I have a seperate wireless card in it for my broadband.

What about getting a reconditioned one? do they tend to be of a good quality?

 

[Cat]

something like this https://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/s...1&tm=undefined&sku=088206&category_oid=-28487

 

[2nd.Time.Daddy]

reconditioned is fine


if your buying from ebay , just make sure they are a proper business

you will find that most businesses will try and sell reconditioned ones at teh same prices as brand new ones from the shop. maybe one form a private seller that still has warranty on it?

depends how badly you want it to have warranty really

how much you looking to spend?

 

[2nd.Time.Daddy]

something like this

yeah that ones fine , good laptop and a good price