March 16, 20241 yr My old Dell laptop running Linux is about to take its last breath ( swollen battery ) so I’m looking for ideas to replace it . I don’t really want another laptop . So I’m wondering about a Mini PC or small tower PC sort of thing . It will only be used for web surfing / torrenting / photos / music . I’m planning to install Linux Mint on the new computer and connect it to an external monitor . Any ideas , suggestions or recommendations Please . Tom .
March 16, 20241 yr Author 4 minutes ago, gargamon said: You could just replace the battery. Easily done. Hi , I looked at the cost of a new battery and its around 2,000 Baht , and the Laptop is really old , so knowing my luck I would buy and install a new battery and the week after the mother board would pack up 😀 Tom .
March 16, 20241 yr Popular Post After buying many computers here in Thailand, both laptop and desktop - I have both, my only recommendation is buy a pre-assembled if you go for a desktop one. My current one was built to spec, quite expensive and has given me lots of trouble. It has never worked properly. Latest problem - it restarts itself. Even if I am in the middle of something. Windows 11 (I hate it) settings are set to never sleep and never restart but to no avail.
March 16, 20241 yr 5 minutes ago, gargamon said: You could just replace the battery. Easily done. Some Dell's seem to have a battery issue. I use XPS13's and after about 3 years (of heavy use), the internal battery will swell and push up the touchpad and/or keyboard. It is an easy fix and less than 4,000 Baht to replace with genuine battery (2,000 Baht with non-genuine battery). Plenty available on Lazada. Watch tutorial on YouTube if not sure how to do. Minimal tools needed (a full set cost me less than 200 Baht on Lazada). Job done for about 4,000 Baht and good for another 3 years at minimum. No need to buy a new device and all the hassle of setting up O/S and applications again.
March 16, 20241 yr 3 minutes ago, tomgreen said: Hi , I looked at the cost of a new battery and its around 2,000 Baht , and the Laptop is really old , so knowing my luck I would buy and install a new battery and the week after the mother board would pack up 😀 Tom. And the new battery may not be a genuine one. Thailand, hub of fakes.
March 16, 20241 yr 4 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said: My current one was built to spec, quite expensive So is mine, 150k, it's getting on a bit now but still works perfectly for everything I do. My computer doesn't have a memory problem though which is why it doesn't crash all the time.
March 16, 20241 yr 55 minutes ago, tomgreen said: My old Dell laptop running Linux is about to take its last breath ( swollen battery ) so I’m looking for ideas to replace it . I don’t really want another laptop . So I’m wondering about a Mini PC or small tower PC sort of thing . It will only be used for web surfing / torrenting / photos / music . I’m planning to install Linux Mint on the new computer and connect it to an external monitor . Any ideas , suggestions or recommendations Please . Tom . This 2nd hand dell on lazada would suffice with what you need to do. Works with linux distros and still receives bios updates from dell. Choice of 8 or 16gb ram 256 or 512 gb ssd Has gb lan and wifi dual band win 10/win 11 pro hdmi and display port connections Has onboard slot for m.2 ssd. https://www.lazada.co.th/products/dell-optiplex-3060-micro-i5-8500t-mini-pc-i5044081741-s21328600941.html? There is a sff version available of this as well if you want to install a low end graphic card such as gt710 to gt1030 Plenty of other new micro pc available on Lazada and shopee.
March 16, 20241 yr One of the better buys I have made for years. https://www.lazada.co.th/products/hp-prodesk-400-g3-mini-gen-6th-7th-intel-core-i7-i5-i3-i4759184815-s21409375803.html?
March 16, 20241 yr 1 hour ago, tomgreen said: My old Dell laptop running Linux is about to take its last breath ( swollen battery ) so I’m looking for ideas to replace it . I don’t really want another laptop . So I’m wondering about a Mini PC or small tower PC sort of thing . It will only be used for web surfing / torrenting / photos / music . I’m planning to install Linux Mint on the new computer and connect it to an external monitor . Any ideas , suggestions or recommendations Please . Tom . Intel NUC i5, 16 GB RAM, 500 SSD has served me admirally for 6 years, with no problems whatsoever, Windows 11 Pro. HDMI into my 55 inch Samsing telly. Perfect. Music production is the main use using Cakewalk.
March 16, 20241 yr 54 minutes ago, tomgreen said: Hi , I looked at the cost of a new battery and its around 2,000 Baht , and the Laptop is really old , so knowing my luck I would buy and install a new battery and the week after the mother board would pack up 😀 Tom . My Thai PC guy can get battery packs cheaper through Thai suppliers. Mine was 1200. Motherboard maybe 1800 baht. Worth a try??
March 16, 20241 yr Highly advise mini PC. I use BMax but that comes with Windows installed so perhaps you would be better with another (but get SSD). Many listed on Lazada. Better choice than all-in-one as if you have to travel easy to take and hook up to any TV with just HDMI cable.
March 16, 20241 yr 1 hour ago, KannikaP said: Intel NUC i5, 16 GB RAM, 500 SSD has served me admirally for 6 years, with no problems whatsoever, Windows 11 Pro. HDMI into my 55 inch Samsing telly. Perfect. Music production is the main use using Cakewalk. I ditto that ref: Mini PC's. I've had great luck with mine, which is a Voyo brand. In other words, an off brand. Bought it for my GF's father who was living in a retirement home with minimal space for a PC. He kept it in a drawer and plugged it into the HDMI of his big screen TV when he used it. It worked great for him for years, and for us since he passed about a year ago. But if money's tight, I'd look into a 2nd hand PC from one of the IT malls like Fortune Town, the old Pantip Plaza (is it still there?) and some in Chinatown. I'm sure every city in Thailand has one... For less than half the price of a new one, with specs that more than match today's entry level PC's. For example, an 8th generation I7 will match a 13th generation I3 for benchmark speed. Then you just need to make sure it'll take the desired OS. For example, my 8 year old Asus won't take Win11, but the more I read about Win11, the less sad that makes me. It's still plenty fast and very stable. Caveat: Don't go too old lest you end up with serial ports and old timey video instead of HDMI. Unless, like me, you have a real old printer or plotter that needs a serial or parallel port. In my case, a cutting plotter.
March 16, 20241 yr 2 minutes ago, impulse said: For example, my 8 year old Asus won't take Win11, but the more I read about Win11, the less sad that makes me Loads of ways to bypass the W11 requirements, some even given by Microsoft. https://technastic.com/install-windows-11-unsupported-hardware-cpu-tpm/#Regedit_to_Install_Windows_11_on_Unsupported_CPU
March 16, 20241 yr Popular Post If price is an issue buy a used computer which was used in a company. (normally better quality) Many companies replace their PCs every couple of years. I saw stacks of PCs like that in computer malls like Fortune and years ago in Pantip. I guess you can also buy them online.
March 16, 20241 yr Would you consider a tablet with keyboard. I was skeptical at first but my IPad with a keyboard has met most of my needs. I plan on buying a new IPad this year. Samsung makes soon good tablets with keyboards and the Chinese brands are even cheaper.
March 16, 20241 yr 1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said: I saw stacks of PCs like that in computer malls like Fortune and years ago in Pantip. I think that's the key to quality. Look for a stack of the same model, indicating they probably all came from the same company. Also, look for the asset sticker that many companies slap on their PC's.
March 16, 20241 yr 3 hours ago, tomgreen said: Hi , I looked at the cost of a new battery and its around 2,000 Baht , and the Laptop is really old , so knowing my luck I would buy and install a new battery and the week after the mother board would pack up 😀 Tom . Old laptops love Linux. If it was sufficient before the battery issues then just replace (or have replaced) the battery. If it was lacking then go for something new.
March 16, 20241 yr 41 minutes ago, gargamon said: Old laptops love Linux. But older Windows users don't.
March 17, 20241 yr 12 hours ago, KannikaP said: But older Windows users don't. The OP uses Linux Mint.
March 17, 20241 yr 17 hours ago, tomgreen said: suggestions Just buy it! Try making a decision on your own, it's rather rewarding!
March 17, 20241 yr 15 hours ago, impulse said: 16 hours ago, KannikaP said: Intel NUC i5, 16 GB RAM, 500 SSD has served me admirally for 6 years, with no problems whatsoever, Windows 11 Pro. HDMI into my 55 inch Samsing telly. Perfect. Music production is the main use using Cakewalk. I ditto that ref: Mini PC's. I've had great luck with mine, which is a Voyo brand. In other words, an off brand. Bought it for my GF's father who was living in a retirement home with minimal space for a PC. He kept it in a drawer and plugged it into the HDMI of his big screen TV when he used it. It worked great for him for years, and for us since he passed about a year ago. But if money's tight, I'd look into a 2nd hand PC from one of the IT malls like Fortune Town, the old Pantip Plaza (is it still there?) and some in Chinatown. I'm sure every city in Thailand has one... For less than half the price of a new one, with specs that more than match today's entry level PC's. For example, an 8th generation I7 will match a 13th generation I3 for benchmark speed. Then you just need to make sure it'll take the desired OS. For example, my 8 year old Asus won't take Win11, but the more I read about Win11, the less sad that makes me. It's still plenty fast and very stable. Caveat: Don't go too old lest you end up with serial ports and old timey video instead of HDMI. Unless, like me, you have a real old printer or plotter that needs a serial or parallel port. In my case, a cutting plotter. I'm also a fan of mini-pcs. I bought a low spec intel NUC (Celeron) and upgraded the Ram to 16GB the M2 SSD to 512GB from 256GB. It came with Win 11 Pro pre-installed, which I removed and put Ubuntu on instead. The reason being is that QBittorrent (the main application) runs much better under Ubuntu than Windows IMHO. It's plugged into my main TV. I use it to find & download & play media, as well as general web browsing and music. It works very well. If my main pc (self assembled) ever dies I will have no hesitation in buying another NUC with a higher spec than my existing NUC to replace it.
March 17, 20241 yr 2 minutes ago, Mutt Daeng said: I'm also a fan of mini-pcs. I bought a low spec intel NUC (Celeron) and upgraded the Ram to 16GB the M2 SSD to 512GB from 256GB. It came with Win 11 Pro pre-installed, which I removed and put Ubuntu on instead. The reason being is that QBittorrent (the main application) runs much better under Ubuntu than Windows IMHO. It's plugged into my main TV. I use it to find & download & play media, as well as general web browsing and music. It works very well. If my main pc (self assembled) ever dies I will have no hesitation in buying another NUC with a higher spec than my existing NUC to replace it. My NUC is so basic that it doesn't have an M2 slot, but I use it exactly as Mutt does, as an entertainment/media centre. However after getting a IPTV app from UK, and instalIed via Bluetooth, I don't even need to torrent anything as there are too many movies & series to last my lifetime out.
March 17, 20241 yr A contractor I have worked with over the past few years upgraded all their workstations to Lenovo ThinkCenter mini desktops. Some of the applications we run are very heavy of processor and graphics use, but we've never experienced any issues. When my (under the) desktop finally expires, I will be getting either Lenovo or ASUS. Here's a couple currently in my lazada wish list. This is the one the contractors started using a few years ago and already been replaced with the newer versions. https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i4824517797-s20066726356.html This is the higher spec ASUS. I have brand loyalty with their laptop products. https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i3479576503-s12907176349.html I have this one in my wish list for the pure novelty of it, but it seems to pack quite a punch for the sub-miniature size. https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i3774452239-s21127748311.html If you need a screen, look at the USB-C and/or mini-HDMI ones available. https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i5050921077-s21357235989.html For keyboard and mouse, I recommend Logitech MX Keyboard and Logitech Signature M650L Wireless Mouse connected via bluetooth. I use both of these with my laptop. https://www.lazada.co.th/products/logitech-mx-keys-s-advanced-illuminated-wireless-keyboard-for-window-1-i4663670608-s20733909198.html https://www.lazada.co.th/products/logitech-signature-m650l-wireless-mouse-bluetooth-and-usb-graphite-i5088701936.html
March 17, 20241 yr Me, I prefer custom-built, taking into account expert recommendations. Some of my computer parts have been through 4-5 builds. I enjoy working in my classic, indestructible C70 case. That said, Beelink minis get some good buzz. Seems supported: https://www.lazada.co.th/tag/beelink-mini-pc/ Mint, no problem. https://www.bee-link.com/cms/news/detail?id=159
March 17, 20241 yr Nothing wrong with acer. Over almost 20y I've had 4 acres, well ok, the one I've got now I had a 3tb hard drive installed no problem.
March 17, 20241 yr For your stated use, I recommend a Raspberry Pi 4 or now 5. The wife and I have been using these for years. Cheap, low power usage and simple to use. https://th.cytron.io/c-raspberry-pi-main-board/p-raspberry-pi-5
March 18, 20241 yr On 3/16/2024 at 2:21 PM, tomgreen said: My old Dell laptop running Linux is about to take its last breath ( swollen battery ) so I’m looking for ideas to replace it . I don’t really want another laptop . So I’m wondering about a Mini PC or small tower PC sort of thing . It will only be used for web surfing / torrenting / photos / music . I’m planning to install Linux Mint on the new computer and connect it to an external monitor . Any ideas , suggestions or recommendations Please . Tom . Firstly I would search for a replacement battery on Lazada. They have lots of batteries you wouldn't expect to be available. I also use Linux Mint and after lots of research it seems a general consensus that Lenovo hardware works best with Mint. I previously had a Lenovo Mixx Hybrid that was really crap and turned me off Lenovo so when I needed a new one I really wanted something else but I found most of the ones I was interested in had some known driver/compatibility issues with Linux Mint so I ended up getting Lenovo again (Yoga) and it is the best computer I have ever had. Mint runs fine. I got a 1TB HDD. I have a smaller Windows install which I only use when Windows is needed and mostly I use the Mint insallation. Linux filesystems are different to windows and you need to make choices during installation if setting up dual boot. I think it is Ext4 instead of FAT32 etc. The only driver issue I had was with wifi after install. The common fix for that is updating the kernel to the recent one: update manager > view > linux kernels but you may need to tether or use mobile data or something to download an update from memory. I used the Lenovo website to buy online. I think they get configured to your custom specs and shipped from China. Arrived quite fast with Flash Express. Well packed and had to sign for it.
March 18, 20241 yr On 3/16/2024 at 3:23 PM, Thailand said: One of the better buys I have made for years. https://www.lazada.co.th/products/hp-prodesk-400-g3-mini-gen-6th-7th-intel-core-i7-i5-i3-i4759184815-s21409375803.html? That looks great, would it be capable of running Skype and Ms office at same time. Appears to be genuine HP.
March 18, 20241 yr Those are ok . Some come with blutooth and wifi . Reliable and perfect for Linux .
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