Bog Basic Notebook Suggestions Please

[Stubby]

Hi Folks,

 

Last year I asked the forums advice about a new notebook computer. I got many suggestions and learned a few things along the way. I did find the recommendations a little overwhelming, though. Well, I'm still here tapping away on the same Acer notebook. It's almost eight years old, but I do think I'm gambling with time now. I'm here for advice again. This time I'll keep things more specific to narrow down choices.

 

WHAT I NEED/WANT

 

I don't play games or run programs that need heaps of memory or spectacular graphics. My computer demands are simple and light. That is Windows X, Microsoft Office Suite, and maybe Photoshop. If I had the same specs as this Acer notebook, that would do me. I guess  computer specs have changed anyway, but the ones below should give you an idea of my needs:

 

• Windows 7 Home Premium (or whatever today's version is)
• Intel® Pentium® CPU 987 @ 1.50 GHz)
• Installed memory (RAM): 6.00 GB (5.80 GB usable)
• System type: 64-bit Operating System

 

For the external parts, I would like:

 

• CD Rom drive (if they still exist)
• USB ports (at least three)
• HDMI port for my lovely big monitor
• Audio port for external speakers

 

I think that's it. I want to buy a new model, but I don't want to invest in bells and whistles that I'll never use. The notebook doesn't even have to be very big. I will connect it to a big monitor and external keyboard for most of the time. Apart from turning it on, I hardly ever see my Acer, which I hide under the table.

 

I hear Dell talked about a lot, but I'm open to suggestions. I not penny pinching, but I still only want a computer that's basic and reliable.

 

Than you in advance,

 

Stubby

Edited June 10, 2018 by Stubby

[ChouDoufu]

i've been doing some shopping for similar.......was in one of the local malls, the 5th floor "power mall"  has a selection of 13&14" notebooks (asus, acer, lenovo, hp) with windows 10 included.

 

price ranges 10-15K baht.  additional 500 baht gets an extra software package installed.  (powerpoint, word, excel, skype).

 

 

[Stubby]

4 hours ago, ChouDoufu said:

i've been doing some shopping for similar.......was in one of the local malls, the 5th floor "power mall"  has a selection of 13&14" notebooks (asus, acer, lenovo, hp) with windows 10 included.

 

price ranges 10-15K baht.  additional 500 baht gets an extra software package installed.  (powerpoint, word, excel, skype).

 

 

Thanks, ChouDoufu.

 

I suppose the easiest thing to do would be to print my little list of requirement off and just go shopping. This Acer of mine has been reliable so perhaps I should just stick with something similar. The reason I posted here is that a lot must have changed in the eight years I've owned this puppy. I hoped some of the tech heads might have jumped in and shared a common view on a short list of models. I guess these things can be subjective, though ?

 

Thanks once again for your reply.

 

Stubby

[KneeDeep]

From whence did you get the specs?

 

If they are the specs for your laptop, then just stick an SSD within and carry on. It's only six years old.

 

SSD perhaps 1350 baht and an ACER service centre should charge 428 baht to fit it for you.

[Stubby]

3 hours ago, KneeDeep said:

From whence did you get the specs?

 

If they are the specs for your laptop, then just stick an SSD within and carry on. It's only six years old.

 

SSD perhaps 1350 baht and an ACER service centre should charge 428 baht to fit it for you.

Thanks, KneeDeep. The old notebook's a bit tired and buggy now. It's been on all day most days for the past eight years too. The battery is pretty useless as well, and I just feel it's time for a change. It does function fine, but it's not much use unplugged from the wall socket. I don't go mobile with my computer very often, but there are a few occasions where I do. Anyway, I've decided on a no-thrills Dell i3, which has better specs than my old one. It's a bit big and heavy but it'll spend most of its time under the table out of sight.

 

Thanks anyway,

 

Stubby 

[KneeDeep]

3 hours ago, Stubby said:

Thanks, KneeDeep. The old notebook's a bit tired and buggy now. It's been on all day most days for the past eight years too. The battery is pretty useless as well, and I just feel it's time for a change. It does function fine, but it's not much use unplugged from the wall socket. I don't go mobile with my computer very often, but there are a few occasions where I do. Anyway, I've decided on a no-thrills Dell i3, which has better specs than my old one. It's a bit big and heavy but it'll spend most of its time under the table out of sight.

 

Thanks anyway,

 

Stubby 

 

Intel® Pentium® Processor 987 Launch Date Q3'12

 

That's not even six years old.

 

Batteries are relatively cheap and an SSD and clean install of the OS would have transformed the performance.

[thaibeachlovers]

Just get whatever has your requirements that costs the least. Nothing lasts nowadays ( I have a still working IBM laptop that was second hand about 18 years ago, but my 2 year old tablet stopped working already ).

[KneeDeep]

2 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Just get whatever has your requirements that costs the least. Nothing lasts nowadays ( I have a still working IBM laptop that was second hand about 18 years ago, but my 2 year old tablet stopped working already ).

 

Seems he has already bought something. I would have just refurbished the current machine.

[Stubby]

11 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Just get whatever has your requirements that costs the least. Nothing lasts nowadays ( I have a still working IBM laptop that was second hand about 18 years ago, but my 2 year old tablet stopped working already ).

Ain't that the truth. I'm surprised my notebook has lasted as long as it has. For some reason, the Thais - in particular - look down at Acers. Before the Acer, I had a Sony Vaio, which gets a big thumbs-up from Thais. It cost 60K at the time and proved to be the biggest piece of crap I ever owned. Go figure!

[Stubby]

11 hours ago, KneeDeep said:

 

Seems he has already bought something. I would have just refurbished the current machine.

Not yet, KneeDeep, but the plan is to pick the new one up at the weekend. I just feel that a notebook—and not a high-end model—can't go on for much longer. Especially as it's an ultra-thin model that's been on all day most days, for years. It's been a real workhorse, and I'll still keep it as a backup ? 

 

 

[KneeDeep]

23 hours ago, Stubby said:

Not yet, KneeDeep, but the plan is to pick the new one up at the weekend. I just feel that a notebook—and not a high-end model—can't go on for much longer. Especially as it's an ultra-thin model that's been on all day most days, for years. It's been a real workhorse, and I'll still keep it as a backup ? 

 

 

 

As I told you before, yours is only six years old. The SSD together with a service should keep it going for a few more years. For around 2000 baht. If getting hot, you can ask the service centre to clean up inside at the same time as fitting the SSD. 

You'll genuinely be surprised at the performance improvement.

I'm typing this with a ten year old ACER fitted with a solid state drive..

 

Spending money on a new laptop fitted with an old style HDD doesn't make much sense these days. But you pay a premium when buying one with SSD fitted. Cheaper to fit your own or get it fitted at an official service centre. 

I advise to get the refurb done and clean install the OS. 

 

[KneeDeep]

What is the actual model number of your ACER? You could have included that is your very first post. :)

[KneeDeep]

It looks like an Acer Aspire V5-431-987B6G50Mass if you claim it has 6 GB of RAM

Does it have 6GB of RAM installed or not?

On the other hand, the picture you posted is of the Acer Aspire V5-473...which wasn't released with Pentium 987 option.

 

 

The V5-431 laptop was released in the second half of 2012, so not yet six years old. It's a Windows 8 era laptop.

The Acer Aspire V5-473(as in your pic) was released in late 2013.

Your narrative is all over the place.

Especially your "eight years old" story.

 

Batteries are less than 500 baht in the UK; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laptop-Battery-for-ACER-Aspire-V5-V5-131-V5-431-V5-471-V5-531-V5-571-AL12A32-UK-/231722165665

Don't know how much they are in Thailand.

 

Edited June 13, 2018 by KneeDeep

[Stubby]

3 hours ago, KneeDeep said:

It looks like an Acer Aspire V5-431-987B6G50Mass if you claim it has 6 GB of RAM

Does it have 6GB of RAM installed or not?

On the other hand, the picture you posted is of the Acer Aspire V5-473...which wasn't released with Pentium 987 option.

 

 

The V5-431 laptop was released in the second half of 2012, so not yet six years old. It's a Windows 8 era laptop.

The Acer Aspire V5-473(as in your pic) was released in late 2013.

Your narrative is all over the place.

Especially your "eight years old" story.

 

Batteries are less than 500 baht in the UK; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laptop-Battery-for-ACER-Aspire-V5-V5-131-V5-431-V5-471-V5-531-V5-571-AL12A32-UK-/231722165665

Don't know how much they are in Thailand.

 

Hi KneeDeep. 
 

Yes, my model has 6GB of RAM. A new battery is around 2,000 Baht, and this is my second one (it's also buggered). And although the computer is working fine right now, it'd be dead in under 5 minutes if I unplugged it. 
 

The posted image was of a similar notebook for reference. I wasn't sure of the exact model, but it looks identical from the outside. This one is approaching its seventh year, not eight. It was a guestimate, but the point was it's an old model for a workhorse. And I did fit a new HD a couple of years back, which I assume is better than the original. It's called a SEAGATE  T500LT012-1DG142 ATA Device, whatever the heck that is. 
 

So to date, it's had two hard drives, two batteries (newest one dead already), and a CD Rom drive that doesn't work. Not that CDs are a primary concern anymore. The USB ports can be temperamental too. I sometimes have to unplug USD devices from the USB slots and put it back in to get it working again.
 

So yes, everything's working, and its fast enough, but I feel like the captain of a sinking ship. Y' know, plug one hole and up pops another leak. 
 

It's time for a change, I say ?
 

Stubby

Edited June 13, 2018 by Stubby

[KneeDeep]

1 hour ago, Stubby said:

Hi KneeDeep. 
 

Yes, my model has 6GB of RAM. A new battery is around 2,000 Baht, and this is my second one (it's also buggered). And although the computer is working fine right now, it'd be dead in under 5 minutes if I unplugged it. 
 

The posted image was of a similar notebook for reference. I wasn't sure of the exact model, but it looks identical from the outside. This one is approaching its seventh year, not eight. It was a guestimate, but the point was it's an old model for a workhorse. And I did fit a new HD a couple of years back, which I assume is better than the original. It's called a SEAGATE  T500LT012-1DG142 ATA Device, whatever the heck that is. 
 

So to date, it's had two hard drives, two batteries (newest one dead already), and a CD Rom drive that doesn't work. Not that CDs are a primary concern anymore. The USB ports can be temperamental too. I sometimes have to unplug USD devices from the USB slots and put it back in to get it working again.
 

So yes, everything's working, and its fast enough, but I feel like the captain of a sinking ship. Y' know, plug one hole and up pops another leak. 
 

It's time for a change, I say ?
 

Stubby

 

Another post and still no model number for your laptop.

 

Once again, your laptop can be no more than six years old. July 2012 at the earliest.

 

No, your new HDD was no better than the first. An SSD is in a completely different realm of performance. Your HDD is the thing that slows your laptop down the most. Any HDD.

 

SSD is the way forward.

 

Battery is 1100 baht or less; https://www.lazada.co.th/products/acer-aspire-v5-v5-431-v5-531-v5-471-v5-571-v5-471g-v5-571g-by-hi-power-i699676-s807026.html I didn't search for more than a minute.

 

What exactly is wrong with the DVD drive? Is it not recognised by the Operating System?

 

Either way, if you are going to buy something new without SSD, find out the added cost of fitting a solid state drive.

 

 

[Stubby]

45 minutes ago, KneeDeep said:

 

Another post and still no model number for your laptop.

 

Once again, your laptop can be no more than six years old. July 2012 at the earliest.

 

No, your new HDD was no better than the first. An SSD is in a completely different realm of performance. Your HDD is the thing that slows your laptop down the most. Any HDD.

 

SSD is the way forward.

 

Battery is 1100 baht or less; https://www.lazada.co.th/products/acer-aspire-v5-v5-431-v5-531-v5-471-v5-571-v5-471g-v5-571g-by-hi-power-i699676-s807026.html I didn't search for more than a minute.

 

What exactly is wrong with the DVD drive? Is it not recognised by the Operating System?

 

Either way, if you are going to buy something new without SSD, find out the added cost of fitting a solid state drive.

 

 

2

 

Hahah LOL ? You seem obsessed with the model number; not sure why as it doesn't relate to anything. The model number doesn't show up in the system specs anyway. The bottom line is that the notebook is old, it's tired, and it's time for a new one, hence the post. I don't have any speed issues so an SSD drive isn't going to enhance my experience beyond my current needs anyway.  More speed might benefit folks who play games of run resource heavy programs, but I'm never waiting for anything to open, function, save or close. I'm sure a new bog basic notebook is going to be as fast as what I'm used to. And if it also lasts for 6+ years then, well, it only works out at about 7Baht per day give or take ? 

[KneeDeep]

2 hours ago, Stubby said:

 

Hahah LOL ? You seem obsessed with the model number; not sure why as it doesn't relate to anything. The model number doesn't show up in the system specs anyway. The bottom line is that the notebook is old, it's tired, and it's time for a new one, hence the post. I don't have any speed issues so an SSD drive isn't going to enhance my experience beyond my current needs anyway.  More speed might benefit folks who play games of run resource heavy programs, but I'm never waiting for anything to open, function, save or close. I'm sure a new bog basic notebook is going to be as fast as what I'm used to. And if it also lasts for 6+ years then, well, it only works out at about 7Baht per day give or take ? 

 

Clearly you are too smart for anyone to help.

So smart that you don't bother to imagine that the model number relates to anything.

Whereas the dumb others understand that one then has reference to system diagrams etc and to cross reference if others have suffered issues with USB ports and the optical drive issues you mention and whether it is something that can be fixed easily and inexpensively.

 

It's not about the money, I can afford a new laptop, but the ones I have just keep going.

 

So I won't waste time with this any more. It's not like you listen to anyone anyway. You start a thread and then answer your own questions.  So I'll leave you to it. ?