Ordered a New Laptop

[GEOINTAnalyst]

Well most laptops and most all electronics are made in China these days - except for Dell and HP and Apple laptops they are still made in USA - Sony Vaio is made in Japan everything else China - laptops by design are meant to last about 5 years, you can get more depending on how they are treated and the ability to upgrade them, but eventually the tech becomes outdated and will need to be upgraded.

 

[Armor of Light]

My Toshiba laptop is a 2013, the cooling fan was replaced once and also the hard drive. It still works but is developing an issue if the screen/top wiggles while typing the screen goes all crazy with colors and lines, must be a loose wire or something. It's the longest running computer I have ever had, I had Compaq's that died in 2 years or less and HP that lasted 3 years.

You're both welcome to come by on or about 24 March and help with the burn in.

Hmmm, never had so many visitors before...must be my warm and welcoming personality that has so many folks dropping by...

True warm and welcoming personality for sure, and possibly a first hand experience of one of your double cheese burgers with bacon on sour dough

 

[Tall Timbers]

My Toshiba laptop is a 2013, the cooling fan was replaced once and also the hard drive. It still works but is developing an issue if the screen/top wiggles while typing the screen goes all crazy with colors and lines, must be a loose wire or something. It's the longest running computer I have ever had, I had Compaq's that died in 2 years or less and HP that lasted 3 years.

I was favoring Toshiba laptops back before they quit making them. They were providing the best bang for the buck. Then I switched to Lenovo for the bang for the buck factor. With the Lenovos, a few of them have had issues with the display after a couple of years (similar to what you're describing)... We're guessing the cabling or connnectors around the hinge are getting damaged. Also, those were laptops that belonged to students and were handled less than ideally (stuffed into already overcrowded backpacks, for example). For length of life, we've had several HPs that have endured and endured and eventually become super-obsolete. My sister just got an HP on my recommendation. They seem a little sturdier than the Lenovos I've been buying in recent years. I think the Thinkpad that I'm getting is built tough and that's probably part of the reason why it was so pricey.

Until the current 4 year old Lenovo that I'm typing on now, I've replaced my laptops before they've displayed any problems. This one has traveled a lot and I don't think they do too well in the overhead compartment on airplanes when those overhead compartments are nearly empty. On ascent and descent I can hear the stuff sliding around... Other than the traveling situations, I treat my laptops pretty well.

 

[Tall Timbers]

A couple of weeks ago I setup a new Lenovo Flex 5 for my wife. Microsoft made it difficult to establish an old fashioned no strings attached user account on the computer... it wanted a Microsoft Live account credential. I managed to work around that without any problem.

With my sister's HP that I've just completed setting up (for the 2nd time), it wouldn't let me find a way to get around establishing the user via a Microsoft Live credential. My sister couldn't remember her password so I set it up with my account thinking I'd change it later. Big mistake. By the time I tried to get rid of me and make it all her I'd spent hours in the registry editor and still wasn't successful. So, I started over . Thankfully it is done. I used to enjoy doing that kind of stuff. Now I just do it because it needs to get done.

 

[JSTyler]

A couple of weeks ago I setup a new Lenovo Flex 5 for my wife. Microsoft made it difficult to establish an old fashioned no strings attached user account on the computer... it wanted a Microsoft Live account credential. I managed to work around that without any problem.

With my sister's HP that I've just completed setting up (for the 2nd time), it wouldn't let me find a way to get around establishing the user via a Microsoft Live credential. My sister couldn't remember her password so I set it up with my account thinking I'd change it later. Big mistake. By the time I tried to get rid of me and make it all her I'd spent hours in the registry editor and still wasn't successful. So, I started over . Thankfully it is done. I used to enjoy doing that kind of stuff. Now I just do it because it needs to get done.

Always set up the win10 offline. They typically "allow" the "grace" to proceed without am M$ live account and then don't seem to nag you about it. If you allow it to go online at any time in the process, they get an attitude. I have messed with certain units that have a mind of their own, it seems, no matter what I've done with them.

My 2008, 1st g3n i7 HP laptop is still running like a champ. I'm running a linux distro on it which more or less doubled its processing power...that's how horribly inefficient win7 was/is.

 

[sawas]

FWIW, long-time Windows guy and here's another vote for Dell these days. I've had really good results going after used "refurbished" machines on eBay....last three or four purchases. The latest was a 1-1/2 year old Latitude 7390 2-in-1 with an 8th gen i7....battery needed to be replaced (natch) and I'll probably upsize the SSD at some point, but I think I paid something less than 1/3 of it's (original) retail price and less than 25% of new retail with an i9. I thank all my friends who are early adopters of technology, cars, etc. I really don't mind sweeping the crumbs up behind them.

 

[Tall Timbers]

Always set up the win10 offline. They typically "allow" the "grace" to proceed without am M$ live account and then don't seem to nag you about it. If you allow it to go online at any time in the process, they get an attitude. I have messed with certain units that have a mind of their own, it seems, no matter what I've done with them.

I just concluded some research on that. In the latest Windows 10 install, there is no option to create your ID with anything other than a Microsoft Live account. However, there is one way still to get around it, for now... disconnect from the internet during that part of the process and an error message will say something went wrong and will allow you to skip forward where you can then create a more anonymous account. I researched it because I don't want to set up my new laptop with a Microsoft Live account... not ever. There may come a day, however, that when you disconnect from the internet, they might not let you proceed... My wife's that I did very recently didn't have the very latest install like this one did, so I was able to decline logging in with a Microsoft Live credential.

 

[Tall Timbers]

My 2008, 1st g3n i7 HP laptop is still running like a champ. I'm running a linux distro on it which more or less doubled its processing power...that's how horribly inefficient win7 was/is.

Get a new laptop with an 11th gen i7 CPU and it just won't matter what you install on it...

 

[Tall Timbers]

Well most laptops and most all electronics are made in China these days

Thinkpads are assembled in Whitsett, NC from parts collected globally. I looked this up because I thought that Lenovo kept some of their stuff in the USA after they made the purchase from IBM.

 

[JSTyler]

Get a new laptop with an 11th gen i7 CPU and it just won't matter what you install on it...

When your generous donation check written out to the, "Give the JST bum a beasty-brute lappy" fund arrives, I'll place an order.

Otherwise, I'll remain satisfied with new desktop I recently got. It's 12th gen i5, 6-core 2.8-4.3 with the same vid card you have, only 4 gig and yours is likely 6 gig. I had to cut overhead and a few corners to even get this one affordable and I'm very content. I was just doing some major DAW work and video compiling (high-res) at the same time and it didn't so much as hiccup.

 

[sawas]

Always set up the win10 offline. They typically "allow" the "grace" to proceed without am M$ live account and then don't seem to nag you about it. If you allow it to go online at any time in the process, they get an attitude. I have messed with certain units that have a mind of their own, it seems, no matter what I've done with them.

My 2008, 1st g3n i7 HP laptop is still running like a champ. I'm running a linux distro on it which more or less doubled its processing power...that's how horribly inefficient win7 was/is.

Yup, passed along my 3rd Gen i7 Dell Latitude to my wife and I'm thinking of putting Linux on it for her. I think for many users that would be a great way to keep those older machines running well. My neighbor (who's taken several of my castoffs) does it as a matter of course. Too much hassle for the software I need to run for work and music production, but the day is coming for me too, I think.

 

[sawas]

When your generous donation check written out to the, "Give the JST bum a beasty-brute lappy" fund arrives, I'll place an order.

Otherwise, I'll remain satisfied with new desktop I recently got. It's 12th gen i5, 6-core 2.8-4.3 with the same vid card you have, only 4 gig and yours is likely 6 gig. I had to cut overhead and a few corners to even get this one affordable and I'm very content. I was just doing some major DAW work and video compiling (high-res) at the same time and it didn't so much as hiccup.

Which DAW are you running on Linux?

 

[JSTyler]

Yup, passed along my 3rd Gen i7 Dell Latitude to my wife and I'm thinking of putting Linux on it for her. I think for many users that would be a great way to keep those older machines running well. My neighbor (who's taken several of my castoffs) does it as a matter of course. Too much hassle for the software I need to run for work and music production, but the day is coming for me too, I think.

What do you run for music production? I can't really play the keys anymore due to horrible arthritis, so I started with LMMS and that led to Reaper and a couple others but I'm currently fixated on Music Maker. Throw on the right compressor, and enough effects on several tracks and it can make the processors weep. There's an older 32bit vst called FXHALL by WOK, I think, that punishes cpu cycles. It has the sweetest shoegaze/dreampop effect which outshines anything newer that I've come across.

 

[JSTyler]

Which DAW are you running on Linux?

LMMS on Linux. I got a new machine recently with win10 but it runs every DAW out there like a champ. I know that FL is probably the best but I hate its interface.

 

[Tall Timbers]

It's 12th gen i5

Did you have connections for a pre-release 12 gen? They say it'll support DDR5 memory.

 

[sawas]

What do you run for music production? I can't really play the keys anymore due to horrible arthritis, so I started with LMMS and that led to Reaper and a couple others but I'm currently fixated on Music Maker. Throw on the right compressor, and enough effects on several tracks and it can make the processors weep. There's an older 32bit vst called FXHALL by WOK, I think that punishes cpu cycles. It has the sweetest shoegaze/dreampop effect which outshines anything newer that I've come across.

Longish-time Presonus Studio One Pro user....I tagged along with an ex-Nashville studio guy who was transitioning from Pro Tools and been well satisfied. Haven't taken the latest upgrade yet, but thinking about it. Tried Reaper and researched LMMS when last looking at Linux option. Not sure that WINE would work for S1 and, at this point I'm in it deep enough to stay. I've only been tempted away from S1 by Ableton Live (for performance related use), but have been able to use the free Lite version some via the Pipeline function into S1.

Most S1 users praise it's workflow, but - for me - the quality of their built-in instruments and FX are well worth the money all by themselves. I've added some 3rd party VSTs, (Soundtoys, Eventide, PSP, Izotope, FXpansion, Scuffham Amps, etc.) but their stock stuff really is top notch. I've tried to beat them (on the cheap) and usually can't get close without spending big $$. On my current machine some stuff - like S1's own convolution Reverb effect, for instance - will stress resources. That platform (an older Dell Optiplex SFF with a 3rd Gen i7) is next up on the upgrade list, unless we cut the cord and I start needing a HTPC.

 

[JSTyler]

Did you have connections for a pre-release 12 gen? They say it'll support DDR5 memory.

Nope I don't and I just re-looked at my specs and it's 12-THREAD and I read that as 12 gen. DOH ...feeling old, need better readers (or probably and honestly, I need to pay better attention).

 

[sawas]

What do you run for music production? I can't really play the keys anymore due to horrible arthritis, so I started with LMMS and that led to Reaper and a couple others but I'm currently fixated on Music Maker. Throw on the right compressor, and enough effects on several tracks and it can make the processors weep. There's an older 32bit vst called FXHALL by WOK, I think, that punishes cpu cycles. It has the sweetest shoegaze/dreampop effect which outshines anything newer that I've come across.

Oh, yeah, really good reverb definitely eats resources. For guitar tracking I still run most things outboard mostly for zero-latency monitoring and reverb (without latency). I'm anxiously awaiting the right (non-Mac) latency solution so I can go 100% "in the box". Scuffham Amps are really good. Replacing my Lexicon PCM80 might be tricky (on the cheap), but they're getting good $$ on the resale market right now, so I'm tempted. All time-based FX, like delay, I already run in the DAW. Looping is still an issue...had gotten to like Mobius, freeware only available as a 32-bit VST that doesn't work easily in my DAW and I haven't yet seen anything that has that functionality.

 

[Tall Timbers]

Nope I don't and I just re-looked at my specs and it's 12-THREAD and I read that as 12 gen. DOH ...feeling old, need better readers (or probably and honestly, I need to pay better attention).

6 cores and 12 threads in an i5 is awesome. The laptop we got my wife very recently has an i5 11 gen. It's the first i5 I've gotten and frankly can't tell any difference between that CPU and the i7 11 gen in my sister's new laptop. Both of those CPUs are 4 core 8 thread.

 

[JSTyler]

Longish-time Presonus Studio One Pro user....I tagged along with an ex-Nashville studio guy who was transitioning from Pro Tools and been well satisfied. Haven't taken the latest upgrade yet, but thinking about it. Tried Reaper and researched LMMS when last looking at Linux option. Not sure that WINE would work for S1 and, at this point I'm in it deep enough to stay. I've only been tempted away from S1 by Ableton Live (for performance related use), but have been able to use the free Lite version some via the Pipeline function into S1.

Most S1 users praise it's workflow, but - for me - the quality of their built-in instruments and FX are well worth the money all by themselves. I've added some 3rd party VSTs, (Soundtoys, Eventide, PSP, Izotope, FXpansion, Scuffham Amps, etc.) but their stock stuff really is top notch. I've tried to beat them (on the cheap) and usually can't get close without spending big $$. On my current machine some stuff - like S1's own convolution Reverb effect, for instance - will stress resources. That platform (an older Dell Optiplex SFF with a 3rd Gen i7) is next up on the upgrade list, unless we cut the cord and I start needing a HTPC.

Wow! That's way out of my depth. I'd never heard of it before now. It looks amazing...makes my head hurt.

I was always a Korg junkie; M1, Triton, Oasys (only borrowed those two) and then the tragic M3 with a radias expansion. I still wish I had the M1, it was a workhorse with those lovely 80's patches, very limited oscillators and very accessible but it died from use with no options to find parts after 18 years. With each iteration, korg made the interface of their workstations more and more complex until they were nearly unusable. I grew to hate the M3 and then about 6 years ago my fingers couldn't handle simple chord progressions anymore, forget complex or fast. I sold the M3 and went a couple years music-less. It felt like I'd lost a limb. Then I discovered the world of DAWs and WOOT! Back in the music world.

I'm a loop-monkey now (blush, it's not as noble as pure playing, but I can't play anyhow and loop-slinging is soooooo much fun). I have a yoooooge library of loops and love trying to make my own in midi.

I haven't devolved to ripping and or sampling yet, but there's still time

Sorry about the detour @Tall Timbers but you buy a deathstar pc, you gotta expect surprises