Lap Tops

[Warren Lake]

Tried a lap top at a friends and not really something I need but I can see it would be handy at times when im moving around in here., Do have a number of computers in different rooms.

the one I tried was 15.6 screen and while I would have thought too small ilt was fine,. The mouse set up stinks so I added a mouse., I dont like the keyboards so I can use a red dragon and ill use a portable hard drive for into.

I want Windows 7 and my tech will do that. Dont need to tell me the reasons not using it. I have 10 and linux and 7 works fine and is stable.

Reading about lap tops to have Win 7 I cant go past processor 7600 in an I5. I attached one that will work. I asked about battery and they said 78 percent. I looked up replacing a battery and on older models you can that works for me.

I did read the 6000 series will not play 4k video and I dont quite understand that. My video camera is set on lowest resolution for now. What other negatives are there if it wont play 4k video. Will it stop you tubes or only some or non? If I could find the same computer with 7600 id pay whatever more and buy that one. Ill go with Dell. Ive found 7600 series with 14" screens and feeling I want the 15.6 as that is what I tried.

this is will get me used to them I can get something modern if wanted when I want if I like them.

thanks

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[glenn bradley]

I finally broke down and picked up a new laptop as I use it for inventory control in the out buildings. I got tired of jotting stuff down or taking pics with my phone and then running into the house to transfer it to the spreadsheet. I am getting too old to rely on my memory of where that 2" wide webbing strap is when I want it. I am a Dell fan but picked up an HP Pavillion. It can fold 180 and work like a touch tablet which I don't really do being an old knuckle-dragging Troglodyte. It also came with a smart pen that does some cool stuff but, not what I am using it for. Your best bet is to make a short list of things you need the machine to do and then finding one that will do that, last a good long time, and be up-gradable. The trick is to ignore the doo-dads you don't really care about and focus on the things that you want.

[Curt Harms]

It looks like there are docking stations available for the Dell 5580 you're looking at if you want to leave your keyboard and mouse plugged in. You could also do sort of a poor man's docking station with an unpowered USB hub I'd think. I've never used a docking station so don't know the pros and cons.

[Warren Lake]

thanks, not sure what a docking station is but sounds like outerspace stuff. I can ask Elon.

What is the reality of the 4k video thing? will it interfere with playing you tubes or is it only the high resolution of my Panasonic camera and it would not play those at all or not smooth. Ill try one of my video friends again. Its easiest for me to start with the 6000 processor one then once in if I find its a good thing then I can step up to something newer unless I want to be stubborn and stay on 7. Computer guy showed me a program that turns 11 into 7 or looking and working the same. One more thing I can look into when more time.

[Bill Howatt]

A docking station is a "box" you have on your desk/table that your PC will plug into. Of course, they vary but the idea is that you can have your keyboard, mouse, and bigger monitor left plugged into the docking station and it also will charge the laptop battery. To take your laptop to use elsewhere as a portable machine you just pull it out of the docking station and take it away. This allows you to easily use the machine with and without the accessories since you don't have to plug and unplug them.
I don't know about now, but when laptops first became popular they were fairly common among working people who had the docking station on their desk at work.

The 4K video problem is likely to be stuttering but there is only one way to find out for sure and that is to try it. According to this Intel site it says the built-in graphics of your CPU does support 4K at 60Hz refresh listed in the Graphics Processor Unit (GPU) section. This is a fairly feeble GPU compared to modern standards but you aren't into high-end games.

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us...-3-00-ghz.html.

[Warren Lake]

thanks Bill, yeah no games there are enough in regular life with humans. I dont think the 4k thing is a big deal if it does not affect you tubes emails or then im fine. Even now I cant use the 4k in the camera as its a different file type. Its the same iwth photos I dont shoot raw as they are Tiffs and I dont have the stuff to open them. All fine enough resolution on the JPEGs. Its easier to find the specs in 14 screens and since I first tried 15.6 think ill start with that. I was surprised are all 27 at the desk and thats what im used to thought the smaller would bug me. I cant see squat on cell phones. The 15.6 was fine even good so that was answered.

Docking thing makes sense but im wanting to be mobile around the place with a lap top so really very first I want a Logitech anywhere 3 mouse. They are small and have a forward and back button im very used to. The mouse set up on lap tops stinks and wastes time. Im used to the old style keyboards as well mechanical noisey with long travel. had the old white microsoft ones and no on red dragons and they are close.

[Curt Harms]

What I've read about 4K is that it makes a difference on larger displays, generally 50" and up. There is another technology called High Dynamic Range (HDR) which I'm pretty unclear about but it makes possible things like greater color depth and blacker blacks. This is separate from 4K but they're usually found together. I can sort of see the benefit of HDR on a 14" computer display. 4K? not so sure about that, unless I guess the computer were attached to a large display.

[Bill Howatt]

4K being a benefit on a larger display makes sense and it seems that down-converting a 4k to 1080 gives a better result because of average the 4 pixels into 1 than just native 1080 but there seem to be a lot of variables from the recording to the display to make any definitive point. Obviously, a 4k image on a 4k monitor that has all the pixels available is the best.

I don't think the quality of the video image is the issue but whether or not the hardware can handle all that data stutter-free. I think YouTube has different download options but that vague statement is all I know about it.

[Brian Elfert]

A former manager at my employer bought 4k laptops with 13" screens for everyone. The purchase was about six years ago and company employees skewed quite a bit older at the time. (A lot have retired since then.) A lot of employees complained they couldn't read the screen. Windows automatically scales to 150% on a 4k screen. You have to change Windows settings if you want to use it at native size.

Most of the 4k laptops are being replaced this year and we are getting 1080p 14" screens this time. 4k is mostly a waste at 13" or 14". 1080p generally costs less than 4k too.

[Warren Lake]

thanks I dont quite get it all and want the 15.6 screen and this one would have it. I saw a you tube one day on screen resolution and saying it was crap and had to change or some dynamic like that and not sure if it was referring to this. I just saw the title and didnt watch it. My view was that it would not play 4k video from my camera that it would stutter. My video friend didnt respond and then im not using 4k on the camera. I do want be sure you tube works so I can keep learning from all those content creators Argh

I did learn that Firfox hangs up on some you tubes and Edge is better. I wanted to contact them and say whats going on but its too annoying for an old guy. I come from a time when I called suppliers a human answered the phone.

[Bill Howatt]

I use Edge as my preferred browser but some like others, so be it.
I am using a Dell laptop with an Intel i3, but it's specs are close to the i5 specs you posted but as you will see below this is not real important.
I went to YouTube and selected a 4K video on Costa Rica and it played fine. I selected the Settings or Options gear icon at the bottom of the screen and showed it was set to Auto and playing at 720 so YouTube is smart enough to have some sort of a clue what the destination and likely the internet connection (connection speed can matter if it's not fast enough) can handle the data stream.
Apart from Auto it brings up a list of different resolutions and I clicked on the 4K. It worked but it did pause every few seconds for buffering so that is not ideal. I put down to 1080 and it worked fine (for the amount of time I let it run).
Based on this, I doubt you will have a problem with YouTube if you select 720 or even 1080 or below.

[Warren Lake]

thanks I remember past there were several really bright computer wizards here you being one of them. Thanks for taking the time to check that. This is just for me to get a feel if I like a lap top or not. There are five computers on the desk now and I use two constant.

[Bill Howatt]

I'll have to tell my wife somebody besides me said I was bright!
I use the laptop and the desktop and the one that is most useful depends on what I'm doing as is so often the case. My desktops have 2 monitors and sometimes that is a huge advantage or at least a huge convenience. Also, my desktops have much more power than this laptop but a modern laptop can be purchased with gaming-level power. The track pads often used on laptops in place of the mouse are a real pain until you get used to using them, then they aren't so bad but IMO lack the ease of a mouse or trackball for selecting an item. And as you've been told you can plug in a mouse or keyboard or even a larger monitor (I think your may have a HDMI output connector?. You may be able to have the laptop screen and another HDMI monitor operating as a 2 monitor system but can't say for sure.)

I think the desktop machines are no longer the preferred style by many, especially the younger generation, who want portability as a major requirement.

But you can't beat the laptop if you want to take it somewhere, even in the same house.
Good Luck.

[Warren Lake]

she knows they just dont want to let on they know. No one really understands them. Even woman have told me that about woman

So yeah on the desk I have overkill then the shop is in three other rooms actually four and a computer run into a receiver in each one. One thing I have noticed is in a room im going to need larger screens as im far away compared to the desk and thats fine. Its on in the back ground anyway so I hear more than I need to see as im busy doing other stuff.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I got spoiled at work about 20 years ago when they gave us a monitor at our cubicle at work so we could run our laptops with 2 monitors.
I always felt that was a silly piece of fluff - until I did it. Once was all it took & I was hooked forever.
I run an HP laptop with a 15" screen and a 2nd 23" monitor. I plan to upgrade the monitor to 27" when/if the price drops at all.
I also run a Bluetooth Logitech keyboard and mouse.

I'll probably never go back to a desktop PC.