New Dell Laptop Options
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Uk
New Dell Laptop Options
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.
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.
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 8,121
Likes: 686
From: Twickenham, home of rugby
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
SD
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
SD
Hippopotomonstrosesquipidelian title
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,825
Likes: 1
From: is everything
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.
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.
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,133
Likes: 0
From: Bracknell, Berks, UK
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.
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.
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 8,121
Likes: 686
From: Twickenham, home of rugby
Windows 7 Pro, 64 bit, 4GB
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
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 6
From: Lemonia. Best Greek in the world
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??
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??
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,845
Likes: 21
From: YMML
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
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
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Cambridge, UK
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 for more details.
Neil
See Downgrading from Windows 8 to 7: What you need to know | PCWorld for more details.
Neil
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: the deep pit
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
FYI - Cleverboxes are where Tesco source their computers for resale
for instance see these, which are all "factory downgraded" to Win7
Notebooks | HP | Lenovo | Samsung | Toshiba | Acer | Asus | Notebooks from Cleverboxes
FYI - Cleverboxes are where Tesco source their computers for resale
Resident insomniac
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,878
Likes: 1
From: N54 58 34 W02 01 21
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.
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,663
Likes: 0
From: Earth
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.
