Thanks and thanks. I might try something like that but the last time I tried to add an additional hardrive to an older desktop, so I could have more memory or bytes or whatever, I messed it up and couldn't figure which tabs to bend or something. I might try a fan replacement but really I would like a new computer and that seems like a good excuse.
i to all out there concerning laptops and desktops. I have been in the computer business since it essentially started, and have my own home based comoputer business now, for the past decade, so I know a lot about these devices, along mainly on Windows based computers. I have 5 desktops and 3 laptops in my house, and all are useable. One laaptop is Windows 8.0, and sucks gbig time, another is Windows 10, and the newest is Windows 11. Two of the desktops run windows 7, and three are running Windows 10. Windows 7 was the best OS Microsoft ever made. Windows 10 & 11 are fine, but a bit harder to use if you do anything other than email and browsing.
So, moving from Windows 7 to 11, will be a bit if a shock, but nothing like the disaster of Windows 8 & 8.1. Windows 8.x cost Microsoft billions of $ since it was bad, many left the Windows world and went to Apple, or to simply using tablets and smart phones.
But I have to comment on the topic of laptop vs. desktop. Laptops cost about 50%-75% more if you get the same power, storage size, memory, etc. So, if yo just use a laptop that sits in one place at your home, it should be a desktop! Besides the price, you can make changes to desktops somewhat easily, and if you are not savy enough, you can take somewhere that will make the changes for you. Right now I am looking at inserting a stand alone network card (NIC) becasue I think the one in the desktop (always on the motherboard now, topped working. The other benifits of desktops is that you can have a built-in CD/DVD drive, you can have lots more memory (most can go up to 32GB of RA, and some at 64GB, and some upto 128GB. My main one has 40GB, which I do use with having 50-75 sessions (all programs) open at the same time. And within these sessions, the browsers have 15-40 browser session open as well.
But if you take your laptop around the house, or travel with it, then a desktop would not work out. I have a desktop for may main computer, with a 24" monitor, and another desktop hooked up to a home theater (projection system). My main laptop (Windows 11, which is all you can get now), sits in my office next to my desktop, and I test wireless with it, Windows 11, and travel with it.
The components of all computers is: (1) memory (RAM) which is where ALL programs are brpought into (from storage) and run, and it is in GB (4-128 for normal user computers), (2) storage (GB & 1TB-24TB) which is used to hold files, including programs, and your data (1Gb - 1,000 MB, 1TB = 1,000 GB), (3) the CPU (Hz is no longer a meaningful measure to determining their speed), so the CPU make and model tells the whole story, (4) monitors (small laptop screens of about 10" -17" laptops, and to large external monitors used by all desktops, all the way up to huge sized TVs, but the standard today is the 24" monitor, (5) video cards or chips on the MB which produces the display on the laptop screen, or on a monitor (of any size), and finally the (6) the mouse and keyboard.
So, if you are comtemplating upgrading your desktop, and thinking of moving to a laptop, keep in mind how it will be used, where you pay considerably extra for the laptop. You can buy a very fast, decent refurb desktops from $200-$400, new ones from $450-750 that are very fast with lots of RAM and storage. Also, the heating issue of the past has been reduced greatly (not completely) with the advent of SSD - Solid State Storage, which is just memory of a certain type. Prior to that, storage on all computers was a hard drive - HDD, which is a spinning mechanical device thet generates HEAT!
Prior to SSD, I used small 4" fans (some USB based, others 110 volts) that I mounted at the back of the desktop to help keep it cool. Heat is one the of the main reasons computers failed before. I also used the USB fan device under my laptops when not traveling with them, and sometimes I had to take the external fan device with me when I did travel! So, these devices DO work with laptops, but they are bulking and add weight to the laptop carrying bag. But with SSD, most of this issue goes away. But still be careful on how you use your laptop, and I still do not recommend using it in you lap or on the bed where in both cases the entire bottom is closed off. Also, most newer laptops vent on the sides and top sometimes, so this helps with the 'laptop' issue, especially now that there is no spinning HDD in it..
A final note here - laptops come usually with 4-8GB of RAM. I contend that this is often not enough, and 12GB or 16GB is MUCH better. Part of a computer slowing down is when the RAM gets overloaded - your usage has required more programs (aps) to be loaded than the memory can hold. This causes automatic Swapping, where the OS (Windows in this case) has to unload programs that are not currently doing something, or even if they are, and has to bring in the higher priority programs. This REALLY slows down a computer, and it is NOT internet access issues. So, your computer needs to have enough memory (again RAM) to almost always prevent this scenario from happening.
So, if you are a user that just has one email session open, a few (3-8) browser sessions open, and maybe one MS Office programs open also (Word, Excel, PPT), all at the same time, then this is probably the max 8GB of RAM can handle. But if yo do nmore thaqn that, then more memroy is really needed. Now you see why I suggest getting a system with 12GB or even 16GB. And in the laptop world, this is VERY hard to change, so when you get a laptop, get one with everything you want on it at purchase time since it will be near impossible to change anything later. But in the desktop world, it is VERY easy to add RAM, change a video card, add other internal cards and with most desktop computers, most users can do most of these by themselves. In general, desktops and far better than laptops in most ways: less costly, they last a lot longer, easily expandable or upgradeable, spilling water on the keyboard does or breaking the power cord attachment at the body of the laptop, does not kill a desktop computer. In so many ways the desktop is far better, EXCEPT in the portability area!
If anyone is interested in how to get a really low cost desktop, just respond here, and I will tell you my sources. I even have access to low cost laptops - refurb and new. I own 3 refurb dekstops, 2 purchased as new, 2 refurb laptops, and one purchased as new. Getting refurb laptops is a little more trickier than with desktops since their tolerances are so much tighter, and everything internally is so much closer, including the Keyboard AND screen. Desktops do not have these issues, so refurb desktop is pretty much a no brainer. Refurb units (both types of computers) is even more viable now that just about all computers use SSD, which does not wear out like HDD do/did - no moving parts!
