OK want to get myself a new laptop that has a bigger HD and more memory than I have at present.
One that is made for 10, this Asus I have came with 8 and only has a 320GB HD and came with 4GB RAM, I put an extra 4GB stick in when I got it but would prefer to have one with more to start with, the more the better.

When I first got this one after a couple of months the HD died but the support from Asus was brilliant and in one week it had been picked up by courier had the HD replaced and returned by the same courier as good as new.

Been looking at Asus again but not sure and so far the ones I've seen don't have a DVD drive and I have quite a few things stored on them, especially photos so would really need one.

I know you'll all have your own favourites but I'd be very grateful to hear for opinions regarding reliability and customer service with other makes.
Thank you Joan xx

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

I can't argue with Asus. Asus is what mine is and I've been happy for going on 6 years now. New it was about $1000.00 but I got it reconditioned for $479.00.

As to having a DVD drive or not look at the overall value as you can always add and external USB DVD drive. That said Asus and others still offer many systems with a DVD drive.

Is the memory and hard drive sizes the only reason you want new or ore there other issues? What size display do you want?

Can you show newegg.com and/or tigerdirect.com on your side of the pond?

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No real issues as such Jay, but this one is 15.6" size, I'd like similar or bigger. I'd like one that I'd be able to write on the screen as well, I was looking at the Asus site to see what they had, which is when I noticed no DVD drives. Thought I'd see what they do then look around to find the best price. Don't know what make I'd need if I have to get a separate drive and of course I'd probably have to buy the software to be able to read and write DVDs.

It's not as if it has to move around as it lives on a movable trolley which I can tilt. It's an over bed or chair one and one side stays level and my mouse lives on that and the tilting side is big enough to easily accommodate the Asus.

I've just had a refund for PPI so want to treat myself to one that is made for 10 with plenty of speed and space to expand so it will last a good few years. Hubby will have this one hopefully it should last him to be going on with.

I've never tried to see if I can get those stores over here, if they did deliver to this side the pond I don't expect it would be cheap, I'll have a look later and see if I can get them.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

Haven't checked Tiger Direct but Newegg does ship to the UK.

Here is just one Asus system that is at a decent price. There is no DVD drive but adding an external is pretty cheap. It does have a 17.3 inch display, a 1 TB drive and 12 GB of memory. Not much listed as to real specs so I assume it is a new model. I don't know the CPU. It is $573.00 USD.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product. ... 04N6#close

I don't know how they are these days but I used to also recommend Toshiba Satellites. How much are you looking to spend if that is not too personal?

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Off topic>
PPI is like a piggybank you never knew you had, add the back dated interest the FCA says you're entitled to and its' almost mind-blowing how much you get back from the banks!
We had a loan years ago that insisted we had PPI as a condition of acceptance... i thought it only lasted a couple of months before transferring it to a new lender so i put off claiming thinking it wasn't worth the hassle... when my wife dug out the old paperwork to show me we'd had it for over a year i put in a claim... with backdated interest we got nearly £2,500

On topic>
Likely a very daft question but do you mean Touchscreen?

As an aside and i almost can't believe I'm saying this being an advocate of PC's and Laptops over mobile devices... but i doubt i'll ever buy another laptop... pc's, large phones, large tablets, yes more than likely... but a laptop, probably not.

Notebooks/netbooks... aka mini laptops, or over-priced tablets, most definitely never!

I can easily see your point as to laptops Doddie but just would not work for me. Hmmm, mayhaps it actually would. I was thinking that if I took my laptop to a coffee shop to sip while working on a web page it would work fine. If I took my 10 inch tablet to do the same I'd end up throwing it through a window; just to small for me to be able to do detailed work. But then it has been well over two years since my laptop has left my apartment so you have a good point.

Don't get me wrong as I'd take my laptop over my two tablets but I can see the validity in that the smaller mobile devices are taking over.

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I was gobsmacked how well we got on with an old Asus Nexus 7 and our mobile phones in Canada earlier this year, the only reason we didn't take the laptop was fear of customs stopping us and demanding we turn the thing on every 5 minutes! LOL

That we didn't need anything larger was a real eye-opener for both of us... it was another real eye-opener how little we needed WIFI, yes the apartment and plenty of other public spaces had WIFI so we could keep in contact with those we'd promised via our phones so that helped, but other than that I'm so glad we didn't lug the laptop half way round the world!

I doubt after that experience I'll ever use the laptop again for anything other than as a backup device for troubleshooting one of our PC's... again, i can't believe I'm saying this... with a large screen phone i didn't miss any of the larger mobile devices... that said, it was good to get home and log into my PC, you know, a REAL device... but for temporary mobile devices it's phone and a tablet from now on.

FYI, in Canada i had a Galaxy Note 4, since upgraded to a Galaxy S8+.
Similar screen size but the latest available UK Note 4 Android version was starting to show its age.

From what I understand Toshiba only makes business laptops now

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To all current duty personnel and veterans
of the American armed forces.
Thank You

The link you sent had specs I was looking at on the Asus site but they were over a £1000 for those models. Makes me wonder just what the one in the link is like to be able to offer it at that price, trouble is they don't give enough details about it to know.

The laptop hubby has, well it was bought for him by the owners of the business he does the accounts for and only has their work on it. That's a Toshiba Satellite and he's had it a good few years but of course it doesn't get a lot of hard use.

I was thinking around £500 here or there, didn't really have a particular price in mind thought it would depend of just what I found.

Not sure which one it was now but when I clicked on one of the site links you gave me it took me to Compare UK.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

I got a laptop so I could be back in with people. I have a desktop but that's at the other end of the bungalow in a bedroom that I call my office. I'd be doing everything on that so shut off from the rest of the house. At least now I can sit in the living room watch TV if I want and be in touch with hubby, I just use the desktop for all the financial things plus a few others and the laptop for all my email and forums etc.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

HP ENVY x360 15-bq001na 15.6" 2-in-1 Laptop Includes Stylus - Silver
£749

Any thoughts on this, saw it at ao.com don't know if you can get this site over your way Jay.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

I just did a search on the model for specs. Either prices are REALLY high on your side or the system is a rip. At $1000.85 USD it isn't even a quad-core. The DDR4 Memory is current but all 8 GB are on one stick so the system cannot run the memory in dual channel which wiill make it slower. At 1 TB, 7200 RPM, the drive is fine.

Since the system is running DDR4 memory the CPU may not be as atiquated as I think by its being a dual core.

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The one from ao.com costs £749 and has a A9 AMD processor but if you look for that model on HPs site they can't find it and the nearest with similar specs uses Intel and it costs £999.

Did you notice it also has a 128 SSD drive as well as the 1TB HDD

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

Nope, I didn't notice the SSD. Depending on how much you install the 128 GB could get a bit crowded but, even if it does, you can always install some stuff on the 1 TB drive. Right now my system drive is 242 GB used space but I have several very large games installed. I looked the model up on the HP site and did not see an SSD listed.
https://support.hp.com/gb-en/document/c05548408

Don't take my view on the system as Gospel. It has been a long time since I've kept close tabs on hardware. The CPU may be fine and I could just be stuck on the fact that it is not, at least, a quad-core. It may be fine as more searches show it to probably not be as old as I thought; close to 2 years ago.

I'm still not happy with just one memory stick though for 2 reasons.

1) While 8 GB is probably pleanty you said in your initial post you would prefer to have more.

2) It is just one memory stick. Say that the memory is rated at 3000 MHz.. One stick will actually run at 1500 MHz.. Multiple sticks are needed for dual channel which allows the full memory speed.

Of course you could add another 8 GB of memory which would solve both issues.

To be honest I may also be overly critical of the system just due to my being strongly biased against HP and Dell...

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The SSD was listed as being included on the machine shown on the ao.com site. I don't have games as such on mine, mainly because it's not the biggest drive and I didn't want to fill it up especially considering the updates that come through for 10.

I know when I got this Asus that only came with 1 stick of 4GB and I added another 4GB stick to it.

You obviously have your reasons to be bias against certain brands but as I've only got experience of Asus with regards to laptops that was one of the reasons I wanted other peoples thoughts on other brands.

Got another few days before I want to make a decision on what to buy but thanks for your input it's all very helpful.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

I sort of wish others would chime in as I am biased against the 'big box' outfits.

One possibility of the SSD being listed on your site and not the US-HP site is not all systems ship with exactly the same stuff when going to different countries.

Early on I asked if there was anything actually lacking on your current Asus system and you said no other than you would like a larger drive and more memory. Oh, also, you would like to be able to write on the screen. LOL! Let's see how true that is.

1) More memory? Toss your 2 4GB sticks and get 2 8GB sticks.

2) Larger drive? Throw in a 1TB drive and clone your current drive to the new and you are up and going without even having to do installs.

3) Write on the screen? Pick up a USB pen pad and go.

I'd be surprised if the above three would come to 20% of a new system and you could use the savings as a down payment on a new hubby.

Not at all trying to stop you from getting a new system but you, basically, seem to do emails and forums. Your current Asus seems to do this fine unless I'm missing something.

1) You want a larger hard drive but how much of your current 320GB drive have you used?

2) You want more memory but do you see any issues when you run multiple programs? 8GB is more than enough for most people.

Now, if it is a case of just WANTING a new system go for it! I had no actual NEED to build my new main system but wanting to do so is all the reason needed. Nothing wrong with wanting and getting something better.

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In most areas your last sentence hit the nail on the head, I don't desperately need a new one but want a new one. In some ways this Asus is getting old and as it came with the original version of 8 it's obsolete as such.

As I got a bit of a windfall I want to get a machine that is more up to date and better able to run 10 and all the new features, plus any that may come along. If I don't do it now I'll miss out and the money will get swallowed up on everyday living. I want to get hubby a dash cam for his birthday next month as well.

I'm not sure but I'm sure I saw somewhere that 8GB was the most this Asus could have, I could be wrong.

I'd really like a 2 in 1 Touchscreen at least 15.6 inch screen. My neighbour has a Touchscreen but her's is a desktop and she made me laugh the other day when I told her I wanted to get a Touchscreen laptop. She said just watch out if a fly lands on the screen and sends everything haywire.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

LOL! Also keep cleaner handy for the screen. Had touch screens for the registers and photo kiosks at work and it was a project keeping them clean.

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That and keeping Willow my little cat walking in front of it.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

Just had a look at my Computer Management and it's telling me that my C: drive has a capacity of 277.09 GB Free Space 173.17 GB with 62% free but that's because I've not loaded too much stuff on it because I didn't want to fill it up too much.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

It is amazing what has happened to hard drive space. Between my main and second desktops I have a total of 27.74 TB. Add my laptop and the drive connected to my router for image backups and I have a total of 32.74 TB... Make that 34.74 TB counting an external drive. Of course I'm a media freak and 20 TB of that space is dedicated to media files; 10 TB on each my main and second systems. This is one of the reasons that I prefer desktops over laptops even though laptops are handy. Between hard, SSD and optical drives my main system has 7 drives. LOL! Not gonna do that with a laptop. Still both have their purpose. I'm not likely to take a desktop to a coffee shop...

Just curious... You didn't load a lot on your hard drive to actually save space or was it that you just didn't have that much to install? Just to point out you only need 15-20% free space for optimal drive performance, some say 10% but that is a base minimum to allow Windows to do such things as defrag.

Oh, if you end up with the touch screen, be sure to use neither alcohol or ammonia based cleaners unless the docs state otherwise. Either chemical can be harmful to touch screens. Best is to just use a cleaner designed for flat screens.

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My desktop is the other end of the bungalow away from everything and everyone, which is why I wanted a laptop in the first place so I wasn't cut off from everything.

I do have other programs I've not installed because I was worried about space and didn't realise about the % of space to run it.

I'll remember about the cleaners, at present all I use on any of the screens in the house is a soft cloth just damp with plain water and then wipe over with a soft dry cloth, although I do have cloths that are OK for them, can't remember the name now, they're just a special kind of cleaning cloth. Oh what do you think of Lenova as a maker ?

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

I really don't have any experience with Lenova.

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Lenovo is still very big in the business space and their consumer laptops and tablets are also quite highly rated.
-steve

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

If I remember correctly Pete has had good luck with Levova Thinkbooks.

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