New Dell Laptop Options

[The Piano Man]

Hi,

I need to order a new laptop and not sure about a few of the options available, any advice welcome please.

I want win 7 as not interested in touch screen win 8 so the options are pro or ultimate and 32 bit or 64 bit?

Also which memory option for memory 4G or 8G for an extra £60?

Many thanks in advance.


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[Saab Dastard]

8G would be good, but see if you can find the upgrade cheaper elsewhere, assuming that it's provided as 1 x 4GB SODIMM.

64-bit, always.

Ultimate vs. Pro - look at the features and see if you need some or all of what's in Ultimate and not in Pro. Windows 7 editions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7_editions#Comparison_chart)

SD

[The Piano Man]

SD Many thanks for your help, does anyone know if there's much difference between win 7 and win 8 as some of the best deals only have win 8 but I don't watch touch screen?

Thanks again

[Bushfiva]

Either choose a device without a touch screen, or don't touch the screen: there's nothing in Win8 that requires the screen to be used: if you use a mouse, for example, app scroll bars automagically appear. You can choose to boot straight to the desktop.

In Win 7, there's no real benefit in Ultimate for most people, other than the ability to switch between languages, full disk encryption which can be achieved via other means, and some RDP bells and whistles.

[Mike-Bracknell]

For my money, Win 7 Pro 64-bit would be the choice.

Windows 8 will drive you mad whether you have a touchscreen or not.

You need 64-bit for any memory usage more than 4gb anyway (otherwise it just sits there and can't be used by the computer).

4gb vs 8gb - depends upon what you're using the computer for. e.g. if you're using it to browse the web, write the occasional word doc, the odd spreadsheet, etc then the 8gb upgrade would be a waste of money. However if you do a lot of video or photo editing or fancy yourself as a CAD engineer then 8gb would be useful.

Cheers,
Mike.

[mixture]

I concurr with what my secretary Mike-Bracknell wrote on my behalf. :E

i.e. Windows 7 Pro, 64 bit (does Windows 7 even come in 32 bit ?) , 4GB unless you're doing intensive stuff.

[TWT]

Yes,W7 does have a 32 bit variety,it's what I have on my work supplied laptop.

[Saab Dastard]

Windows 7 Pro, 64 bit, 4GB

Interestingly that's the exact specification on the 4 desktops and one laptop in Dastard Mansions!

One thing, though - if you have any 16-bit software it will definitely not run at all on 64-bit, while it might run on 32-bit versions of Win 7.

I've never tried running 16-bit apps on 32-bit Win 7, but I'm assuming that if it ran on 32-bit XP it might still work on 32-bit Win 7.

SD

[Ancient Observer]

Daughter no 2 regards me as her help desk.
We acquired an i5 lappie with win 8 and 4 whatevers. (OK, Gb). Took advice from others on here and got the one that comes in more bits. 64. When I opened the pack, I was pleased that there weren't 64 bits to assemble. I had visions of Ikea, where the 64th bit is always missing.

I hated setting the blooming thing up. I like my win 7 and much prefer it to Win 8..
From me, lots of "Where's this capability ferking well gone??"

However, daughter got used to win 8 pretty quickly, especially as friends around her at her then home and Uni had it.

So I guess anyone can get used to Win 8. It's just different.

As the so and sos will no doubt stop support on 7 before 8, maybe best get the 8??

[le Pingouin]

End of extended support:

Windows XP: April 8, 2014

Windows Vista: April 11, 2017

Windows 7: January 14, 2020

Windows 8: January 10, 2023

Windows lifecycle fact sheet - Microsoft Windows Help (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/products/lifecycle)

[Maulkin]

Just a quick comment - Windows has for many years come with "downgrade rights" - it's a little tricky, but certainly possible to legally install Windows 7 if you have a Windows 8 installation.

See Downgrading from Windows 8 to 7: What you need to know | PCWorld (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2015107/downgrading-from-windows-8-to-7-what-you-need-to-know.html) for more details.

Neil

[meddwl bender]

At present Lenovo laptops seem better value and better built than Dell, and have a wider range available with Win7 Pro
for instance see these, which are all "factory downgraded" to Win7

Notebooks | HP | Lenovo | Samsung | Toshiba | Acer | Asus | Notebooks from Cleverboxes (http://www.cleverboxes.com/c-311-notebooks.aspx?sm=continue&fltpagedata=order%3d|ASC|&fltsrcattrcbx=last%3D|Operating%20System|item%3D|Manufacture r|Lenovo|item%3D|Operating%20System|Win%2B7%2BPro|add%3D|Inv entory|In%20Stock)


FYI - Cleverboxes are where Tesco source their computers for resale

[G-CPTN]

It seems that W7 is only available in the UK on new machines supplied to business customers, and, although there is nothing to stop you buying W7 and installing that you might find some drivers difficult to source.

[jimmykrion]

i vote Dell XPS L501X(6 GB). It is great laptop. The performance is fantastic except for the new touchpad driver.

[mixture]

Just a quick comment - Windows has for many years come with "downgrade rights" - it's a little tricky, but certainly possible to legally install Windows 7 if you have a Windows 8 installation.

Typically its on only FPP or VL that has the downgrade rights, OEM doesn't usually although they might be allowing it with 8 (have not checked).