I’m getting a laptop

Yes they do, my wife does. Every time it comes to upgrade her phone she opts for the more expensive, lower spec (generally) iPhone over a Samsung. Despite liking my Samsung phones at renewal time, and her regular complaints about her iPhones, particularly how they like to drop wifi signal.

When we bought a digital piano she was very sniffy at my suggestion of a Kawai and not a Yamaha, because of the perceived (incorrect) assumption that the Yamaha is quality and the Kawai must be inferior quality because 1) she hadnt heard of it and 2) it was cheaper (like for like in their respective ranges) and had more features and better spec.

Even when I sent her links regarding Kawai grand pianos to show they are actually a well establish piano brand, she was still reluctant. In the end I made the decision as I was paying for it, and she loves it.

Lots of people are the same, and especially with Apple products because of the years of product placement in hollywood films. Not everyone, lots of people, and definitely not "no one".

 

So, did you ask the mods to move it to off-topic?

 

Also possible on a laptop - mine was not broken, but as supplied by my firm had a low-rez display. I replaced it.

 

Relax.......Of course not, not asked moderator anything. This is a good read & computers are used for music file downloading. I just noted it is a computer post with lots of replies. I may post computer items here too as relating to downloads, etc.

 

I'm just sayin' that people complain that no one is talking about music. I understand the complaints because the OP posted this in the audio section. All anyone really has to do is have a moderator move it.

 

Looking for a new laptop for my wife. Lenovo seems to e the best choice according to this thread?

 

Lenovo makes good hardware. But like most PC manufacturers, they also offer some products that cut corners on certain items to cut costs to meet low/competitive price points. One such “cost cutting” item for a laptop is often the display/screen. Whichever the brand, I’d recommend either seeing one in person by visiting a store or making certain that you check the specs/reviews and get a free return policy.

 

It entirely depends on what it is needed for. Not only do laptop specs and features vary wildly, these days you have some decent specced tablets as well as ultrabooks, 2-in-1s etc. First decide on what features are needed, then find the make and model which fits best.

 

I have an HP Spectre 360, used it for 2 years now. Pretty good and fast. Had I to upgrade, I'd go for a Surface

 

Apple's products have longevity, you may pay twice as much but a Mac will last twice as long as a Microsoft based(read inexpensive because of the parts) product. I have 5 Mac's in daily use in my home. Three of the oldest are regulated to TV's (you gotta love Amazon Prime) and they date back as far as 2008, they still function great for simple task like streaming. The others are more up to date, well 2012 at least. Apple has a "Refurbished Product" page or what I like to call it "The Buyers Remorse Page". No it's not all bad QC. I've purchased 3 off the site, I want up gradable machines, I'm old school! With each purchase I added "Apple Care" their warranty program, I have never had to use it but it gives me a warm happy feeling knowing I'm covered should anything happen.

 

We have already seen that there are high end "Microsoft based" laptops which are built to just as good a spec as an Apple. If you compare a $1200 mac to a $300 laptop you might be right, but then by the time you had bought four $300 "windows" laptops the last will almost certainly have outlived the mac, and definitely be significantly more powerful and specced. Also, you can buy a $300 laptop and if you just use it for streaming it will last you indefinitely.

 

I have a Surface tablet, and I can rig it up like a laptop with a keypad, and a mouse. The only thing I can't do is hook up an external monitor.

As you point out, everyone has different needs, and no one here on this forum, or anywhere else, can tell another person what their needs are. Some people clearly prefer Apple computers for whatever reason, some prefer Windows 10 for whatever reason, and some prefer a Linux distro. Some do all three. Some are happy with Chromebooks. The bottom line is that YOU have to decide what YOU want, not what some bozo on a Steve Hoffman thread thinks you should have. Some people need a DVD-R drive, some don't. Some are happy with a USB. Some like the way iOS functions, some hate it. Some build their machines, some buy prebuilt ones.

Isn't choice great?

 

And, you're biased and very wrong. I can say the exact opposite and then i'd be biased and wrong. We can both find many examples and personal testimony for both positions.

My personal experience is that if you build your own PC, you can choose quality parts that will last years, perhaps decades. I have a 10-year-old laptop that is still running on the original installation on the original hard drive.

What you did not say in your post is that a Mac can be of better quality than an average manufactured Windows computer. There's a difference, because, again, if you build your own, you can buy custom parts by reputable manufacturers that will rival or exceed a Mac. That is a fact. The average PC you get at a Best Buy will contain cheaper OEM parts.

Apple uses very proprietary parts, but they are of no better quality than what you can get for a Windows based PC. I'll be the first to say that most Apple computers are quite elegant looking, indeed. But, don't pretend that they are superior to anything else.

 

I think you overestimate the number of people that want to "build their own". Especially if they're under the age of 40 Sure there's always gamers and other techies that love this stuff. But people that buy the $500-$1000 desktop from Best Buy just want something that works better than what they have today, and will probably never even open it up, much yet replace components inside.

Also, your comment about 'don't pretend [build quality is] superior to anything else' is subjective. Yes, the RAM/CPU and some other components are based on similar tech available in other machines. But some of the (real) better quality includes exclusive features like integrated 5K displays, more color-accurate laptop screens, the fastest SSD controllers on the market, etc. Things you just can't get on a Windows machine, or selection is very limited. Those may not be important to some people. But you can't make blanket statements that don't hold up to closer inspection.

 

It would be greater if one weren't called ignorant and illogical for the choice they make.

 

She uses the laptop mainly for e-mail and a few basic searches. I use the desktop 95% of the time. She has a tablet which is used for travel. I not fond of the tablet, prints to small and my readers are marginal using it. Actually, both the laptop & desktop need replacing. Both are 10yrs old.

 

When my six-year-old Samsung goes to the big data drive in the sky, I think I'm getting a Lenova.

 

I suppose it’s a bit ironic that I had (different) meetings today with both Microsoft and Apple?

 

I didn't do that.

 

I realize that.

 

It would be greater if people weren't misquoted. I said that people who buy Apple over a non-apple equivalent do so because they are ignorant (of the options) OR illogical (because they buy Apple knowing the options and knowing they are paying more for the same spec) OR they dont care as the monetary difference is irrelevant to them OR they have a very specific need.

It has been demonstrated time and again with the comments so far that some Apple owners lack knowledge of the current windows pc/laptop market, aka they are ignorant. And by 'current' I don't mean in the last few months, but for years.

 

It has been demonstrated time and again with the comments so far that some windows pc/laptop owners lack knowledge of the current Apple market, aka they are ignorant. And by 'current' I don't mean in the last few months, but for years.

See? I can do that, too. In my view, many people by Apple because they value the user experience, i.e. the way hardware, software and services work together and deliver a high degree of usability.

 

For some, it doesn't have a high degree of usability. See, it's all in what YOU like. I get more pleasure out of using Windows 10. Diff'rent strokes, and all that.

 

I didn't write "all people".

 

What Surface tablet doesn’t allow an external monitor, via either the MS dock/power connector or Minidisplayport? Just curious , every one I’ve had does. Only laptop I’ve had that didn’t was my Dell XPS13, only because the TB3 port did not ever work correctly.

Of course you can connect an external to almost anything via a Displaylink USB3 adapter. I’ve used several o& them and they have all worked decent for basic things.