Quilting Heidi Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 Lisa, I personally would not get an HP. They are known to be disposable and can't be easily repaired. I've heard some horrible stories and even worked on a couple that had cardboard cases built into them. Stick with the Dell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 I would only go with a desktop system. Have a laptop for work in our truck...but the desktop unit is a better system. More realiable, easier to keep clean, less heating/shut down issues. Also, I love the large monitor attached to my desktop. I recently upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate and love it. Vista operating is something that I would stay away from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted December 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 OK, it is down to a laptop by Dell, HP or Compaq...according to my gadget-gizmo son. Any one have any reason for one to be eliminated??? Any problems with service or reliability? How long do laptops last? Desktops seem to last up to 5 or so years. My Uncle had many problems with his HP, but he is 82 now, bless his heart and every thing else!! We have had great luck with our Dells. My first desktop was an awesome Compaq "back in the days" of 386sx!! Staples prices are very good at this time, so I may go for it sooner than expected. LOL! I really appreciate all of your comments and ideas. Thank you ALL so very much. I can tell others are shopping as well...glad to help with your decisions too! This is a such a great group. Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted December 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 Oh, my son is concerned over the graphics cards....he prefers AMD and Nvidia. He says the ones by Intel are not as high quality. Any techy quilters know if he is right? Of course, I want crisp, clear, true colors for looking at quilts(!!!) and quilting videos and, and, and.... I think the HP has the Intel. Compaq had the AMD, Dell offers the choice. Thanks, Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 Lisa, Both Compaq (nothing like they used to be) and HP are considered disposable and don't have great reviews. I'd go Dell or Apple. I don't have a MAC but their reputation is fantastic. I have 3 IBM's and I love them but they are spendy. My work pays for my laptops and it is the laptop that my institute gets for all of our students. Graphic cards can be a problem but more so for gamers I think. I don't know off hand what a good rated graphic card is. I just haven't stayed up on the latest and greatest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IQuiltToo Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 We love Dells. DH custom orders to his specs. We started in computers with a tiny Apple. Bought a few more. When working, we switched to PC's so we could also bring home work. Right now we have a 3 yr old Dell laptop (which is on the desk in the kitchen, a Dell desktop (1 yr old) and I am working from a Sony Vaio (about 3 years old and has been a great machine). We have retired three older Dells, 4 or 5 Apples, a Compaq (what a piece of junk) and a few others. I just bought DH a MacBook for Xmas. He does not know I did this. He has really been wanting to get one. He loves his toys, just like I love my Millie! He is sure going to be surprised! Marilyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 I have an HP Elite desktop that I am using at this minute. It is about 3 years old. Yesterday I purchased an HP laptop and am so glad I did. I like to take a laptop with me when I travel and I like to work in the living room when my Hubby is watching something godawful on TV. I will probably always have a tower but I sure do like those new laptops. I respectfully disagree with a couple of tiny statements on here. I have bought 3 Dell laptops (for my children - one for the daughter and two for the son) and each has "gotten too hot." That is because the mother board was frying. No time to even save the latest work. I won't do Dell again. I know some folks have had great success with them, just not me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 hey lisa - like i said - we would only buy a dell cause of the good experience we have had. my last one just died in september after 7 YEARS of trouble free service. and it was the kitchen computer - 3 kids and 2 adults using it all the time. it was a desktop. i replaced it with another dell desktop w/windows 7 and it's been great so far. about the nj connection - i was born in jersey city - raised in glen rock (bergen county) and lived in lake hiawatha, dayton and clifton before we moved out of state in 1989. i lived in ohio and michigan (its hard for a jersey girl to adjust to the midwest) and now am in syracuse - and while i do like it here - nothing feels like jersey to me. i get down there alot cause my daughter lives in saddle brook. where else can you get the cheapest gas around and have them pump it for you???? where in nj are you located? good luck deciding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 Mentioned earlier, I just got a new laptop. We were looking at Dell and then came across an MSI. I had never heard of them before. We ended up with MSI. Look at the MSI A5000, or A6000 is a bit bigger. It had everything the Dell had plus a 3 yr warranty and about $400.00 less. My A5000 has the Nvidia graphics card and has HDMI , the widescreen, a full size keyboard with numeric keypad ( I really like that as I am used to using the keypad). Built in Webcam, etc. Oh, and the best thing it is very lightweight compared to the ancient Toshiba I was using just for traveling. www.tigerdirect.com not affiliated, just happy with my computer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted December 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 Wow, you are all the best! Sylvia: It is good that we can tap into "us" here...and that we all have different opinions and experiences. Dell: my desktop is 7 years old and has been great, as all my other Dells. Just found the HP and Compaq at Staples and was pleased with their price/features. Love Dell, would get it for same (or less) price and features. HP: the model at the store has the HDMI, nicer screen and was $20 less...not that significant. I like the HDMI feature. Not absolutely required but I can see using it in the future. Compaq: OK...check that one off the list of possibilities. I thought they went down hill over the years. Meg: I agree. There is no place like NJ. I think it is a best kept secret about how nice it CAN be living here. It is not all what you see on TV. I am a Bergen County girl also. Lived next door to you in Midland Park for a few years. We have it all here. Mountains, lakes, beach, city, country, bears, deer, mountain lions, even rats in the city!! No place like home. Must say, these days the country life is for me in the NW part of the state near Pa and NY state. I hate going out of state and have to pump my own gas. Because we are not allowed to even touch the pump, I always feel like an idiot trying to figure them out!! Fortunately, they see my plates and come to my rescue. It is one of the few times I feel totally helpless! Marilyn: Your hubby will be thrilled...what a nice gift! My hubby got me a new floor cleaner...on my credit card!!! LOL. I told him I'd have to buy me a surprise for Christmas since I know about the cleaner. Of course, I did suggest the true gift would be HIS cleaning the floors with it! Patty: Thanks for the link...I'll check it out next. My son would be happy I got the "better" card!! I'll call Dell and see what their price is for the features I want, and ask about the graphics cards. Thanks every one. Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 NVidia is a terrific graphics card. My husband runs Photoshop and that is what he is using for 'true' colors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinie Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 I have a 7 year old desktop, still working very well. I also have a Acer laptop. This one has a 17" monitor and that means also a normal numeric keybord. With that I'm very happy as I'm using this very often. The laptop also has 2 500GB disks enough space for my photo's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gable428 Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 Laptop. I hate seeing electronics in a house and I even prefer to have a tv concealed when not in use. Just my opinion:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted December 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 Well ladies...I am happy to report I am happily typing on my brand new Dell laptop!!! It is awesome. No, it does not have the graphics card my son wanted but it is so much better than the 7 year old one I was using, I'm in hevan with the entire system. Still getting used to it. Win 7 seems good so far. The HP had many tempting features but the Dell won out. Truth be told: I wanted the HP but the family kept warning me about reliability issues they read about. I knew if I had any problems, I I'd never hear the end of it!! LOL Now I can see all the great details on pix taken at quilt shows and can show customers my work right there! Have to get it all set up for email and stuff. Thank you all so much for your help[. I would be lost with out all of you! Lisa APQS Liberty Circle Lord NW NJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennan100 Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 I just used part of my bonus this year to buy an Acer netbook. I'll only use it for email and web. Anything I want to keep is going on a flash drive. Today is really the first time I've been able to stop and play with it, but s far soo good. The Windows Live is similar to Outlook, enough so that I am happy with it. I went with Cricket for online access, 40.00 a month, get the modum free when I send in the 50.00 rebate. blackberry was beginning to be frustrating for websurfing since I couldn't see video on it, so it's going back to being a phone and text thing only. I am going to add a nine hour battery to it. Acer has been getting better and better over the last several years. I didn't want to spend a lot. for what i'm using it for at the moment. I will get bigger more when it's time, tho. I'm kinda having to get used to the color. I am not a purple person. I decided that I would call it pink which doesn't hurt so bad, but my 3 year old neice informed me, after careful consideration, that it is purple. (sigh). So now I'm looking for a case for it, maybe a skin........spray paint? I'll have to get Delainey to help me, need to start her color training right away! I don't want a sleeve, I'd have to take it out of the sleeve to use it, and there it woud be...all purple. I knew I was color sensitive but not like this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 I have enjoyed reading everyone's opinions and suggestions about a new computer. At this point I am OK with what I have. We have a desktop and printer/scanner/fax upstairs, but down here in my quilt studio (oh, boy do I use that phrase loosely:) ) I have a laptop. I absolutely love it. It is however, almost 8 years old. It is a Dell Inspiron 600m...whatever all that means. My son, a computer geek helped me pick it out. I told him features I wanted and he gave me feature he thought I needed. Funny how our rolls have reversed over the years. Anyway, I know my Dell's days are on the countdown, so I am glad to read the reviews from so many people, so I have some ideas in the back of my head for a future purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 congrats - i know you wont be sorry u got a dell. and doesnt it just feel good to make a decision and be done with it?? ENJOY IT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinequilts Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Chiming in a bit late here.... You won't be sorry you got a Dell! I work for a large company and our PC's (desktop and laptop) are all Dell - thousands of them! A big company like ours wouldn't make a decision like that if Dell weren't truly reliable. My husband wanted a new computer for Christmas too. He prefers a desktop because of the power. I wanted a laptop because I want to be able to move around the house - watch videos in my studio, take it up to the cottage, etc. I do a lot of stuff on EQ6 and my business stuff accounting/inventory is on MS Access which I really like, so I don't always need internet connection. So guess what? He got his desktop and I got my laptop! We are both happy.. They are both Dell - 4GIG, dual core on my laptop quad core on the desktop. For for internet access for your laptop I highly recommend a wireless router. Also, I upgraded to a better battery for longer life. Mine is passion purple - what colour did you get? I'm now looking for a good printer. I'm thinking about HP Officejet. I guess this will keep this post running, but does anyone have any comments about printers? I want to print my own business cards and flyers and invoices, and I want them to look good in colour. Our current printer is awful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmen Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Laptop, I have both but for mobility and convenience the laptop is the best. Dell. with this printer. http://www.staples.com/HP-OfficeJet-Pro-8000-Wireless-Printer-Eco-Easy-Edition/product_777585?cmArea=SC3:CG44:CL40300 Carmen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted December 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2009 Caroline: I have had good luck with our HP Desk Jet and other HP printers. Our latest is an all-in-one model. Now I can make copies on a flat bed, scan docs and print. Very cool. Now I get to figure out how to get Outlook (I have come to hate Windos Live) and Word. The scaled-down version you get is not practical for my uses. Seems like it will be another $300 for that!!! It never ends. Wish I had some other options. I'll be transferring file over the Christmas break. Enjoy your new computers. Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted December 22, 2009 Report Share Posted December 22, 2009 Hi Lisa, There are "models" of HP and Dell, and yes even Compac that are less than wonderful! Some HP's are not worth buying, same with the other two brands you mentioned. They are as Heidi mentioned "hit & miss disposables" within all three major brands. You need to do a bit of research and read some reviews using Model numbers and features as your basis for deciding. Price is not necessarily a determining factor either, but helpful. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted December 26, 2009 Report Share Posted December 26, 2009 DH/Santa came through...he gave me a Toshiba 4gb laptop for Christmas. His disclaimer..."I am not a techie, but I know you like this kind of thing.....blah, blah, blah" I have read through the entire 2 pages of this thread and only found one mention of a Toshiba and that was of an old one that Patti Butcher was finished with. DH took his son shopping with him. This son knows computers inside and out, litereally, he builds them. He knew what to look for and knew what not to get when the sales clerk is trying to talk you into something you don't need. So far I am happy with my new laptop....the best part, I am not in the basement talking to you all while DH is sleeping in the recliner....now I can sit in the same room with him and talk to you all while he is snoring away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuliaDay Posted December 26, 2009 Report Share Posted December 26, 2009 i love my lap top. All of us have one so there is no fighting. Rob has a desk top too, but his "quilting machine" is a supercharged computer so we can game on it. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted December 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Hi Mary Beth. Congrats on the new puter! I have a question for you...the CL Consultant...is that a new title? Is it official?? Seems to fit well! To all: Enjoy all the new toys. Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bekah Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Yes MB inquiring minds want to know. have your joined the CL Family officially? if so congratulations. You are such an asset to CL. oh and congrats on your new laptop too. that is wonderful that Santa was so good to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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