OMG my pooter is slooooow!

Where are my stabilisers?

Does anyone know "stuff" about computers (laptops)?

I think I need a new one... a bit more up to date. This heap took 6 HOURS to upload an 8 minute video. That's not normal is it?! :shock:

I don't really know stuff about computers and I bought the last one based on the theory that if it cost more, it's brain must be bigger and faster. To be fair, I think I did well because it has done the job for 5 years. But now it's struggling to cope with the latest software for videos and photos etc... In fact, it's burning my leg as I type!

So, what do I need to consider if I want to get a new laptop which can easily cope with HD videos and photos from my camera. Is it all about RAM? or is there other things I need to look out for?

Thanks

thel33ter

Ram, CPU, and Graphics card are important. What kind of budget do you have in mind.

Where are my stabilisers?

Budget, well this one cost me a whopping £2000 in 2005, which is lots but it has lasted pretty good so I'll probably go for a similar price again - as long as it's likely to last as long as this one. I don't want to buy a cheap one which needs updating in a year.

I've started looking at the Dell XPS17 with the i7 processor and customising it with stuff that sounds like it's big and fast... Trouble is, I don't know how these things compare :oops:

So, is that a good place to start? Or have I failed already

Salesmen see me coming

thel33ter

That is a good start, i7's right at the end of Intel's range.

Does it have to be a laptop?

The Northern Monkey

isnt uploading a video more to do with your internet connection?

How big was the file?!

thel33ter

Uploading video's are mainly about internet, but converting and editing them needs quite a lot of power, especially HD stuff.

Where are my stabilisers?

Don't get me started on my internet connection Na, just to get the vid off the camera and on to the computer is like trying to get blood from a stone! I don't know how big the file was, I just plug in and expect things to happen


Yeah, laptop for me please!
I just used the customise thing on the Dell site and figured i7's better than i5. Then I get confused and start picking the most expensive bits, because I don't actually know what they mean.

So, if I go for and XPS 17 with i7 and choose the biggest RAM, hard drive gb and best graphics card, skip the tv tuner (I don't use the one on this), will I get a simpleton proof computer which will last a few years? :oops:

thel33ter

Yea, pretty much You can generally be pretty safe by going for the biggest numbers, but with graphics cards, google a few of them, as one with more space is not necessarily best.

After having a quick look through the pc maker thing, I would go for pretty much all the standard stuff, apart from the processor, the middle Dell recommended one is a much better deal, the next one up isn't worth the £300 extra. Go for loads of RAM, and it's up to you if you want to go for all the 3D stuff.

mak3m

^ as above video converting or compression takes a monster amount of ram, decent cpu etc will help but ram is the key if its video you are going to be doing alot

leaflite

Laptops are a bit like bikes really-theres a big difference between an apollo full sus and a boardman pro HT for example, but past a point its very hard to tell the difference. Similarly, theres a big difference between a £100 PC world special and a £1000 Dell XPS laptop thingy, but I doubt you would notice much difference between the basic XPS and one with all the upgrades, apart from a much lighter wallet.

Therefore, I would probably say:
Best processor the options allow
4GB Ram-any extra isnt really necessary
Your choice of software(If you have a child in education it can be had for much cheaper elseware)
Fastest RPM drive you can(actual GB isnt too important-320gb is plenty)
Best standard graphics card(The 3d one really isnt necessary unless you play games)

This should last a few years, and with the money you save, go out and bling your bike some more!


I would reccomend a Desktop rather than a laptop though unless you really need the portability-a much higher spec desktop can be had for less.

unixnerd

It's likely just full of old bits of accumulated crud and needs a spring clean :-) Your best idea is to make a backup then give it to a local computer shop and have them reinstall all the software for you.

Better yet, find a tame IT guy / programmer and invite them round to do it for you, copious amounts of wine help as few of us enjoy spending our evenings doing this!

As long as it's running XP and not Vista you'll get another year or two out of it. And only rich people buy new laptops. If you (or a friend) know what to look for you'll get a used laptop on ebay for very little. I'm amazed anyone would spend over 1000 quid on a computer unless they're into the biggest and best new games or create / edit lots of video.

Every five years or so I spend about 100 quid on a PC, normally ex call centre kit from ebay. They run everything I need and do it well. Remember that most computer salesmen at the likes of PC World don't even know when they're lying. (NB: to those spotted the word "unix" in my forum name the reason I have a PC is that some of the software I write has to run on them, I use Sun or HP unix machines for most things.)

Anonymous

Where are my stabilisers? wrote:

I think I need a new one... a bit more up to date. This heap took 6 HOURS to upload an 8 minute video. That's not normal is it?! :shock:

Sounds like slow internet, not computer.

Where are my stabilisers? wrote:

In fact, it's burning my leg as I type!

Makes me think the vents are full of dust. shut it down, remove the battery and mains lead, and attack it with a vacum, or open it up and give it a blast of compressed air.

joshtp

I Have a Dell Inspiron 15R. It's not exactly a top end lappy at £600 but a 500GB HD, 4GB Ram, and a 2.66GHZ Core i5 processor with a 15 inch HD screen means it's a really nice pooter... fast, powerful and very smooth. Love Win 7 too.

It even looks pretty sweet.


maybe something higher up the range would be good?

bluechair84

Have you thought about reinstalling the OS to give it a new lease of life? That will most likely solve any issues with it being incredibly slow - I can't imagine the hardware in a £2000 computer, even a few years old will be that crap :?
And if the hardware really is too slow for your needs you could at least sell it on as a fully functioning, problem free computer.

joshtp

good point... my 8 year old desktop was running really, really slowly... so I decided to pop ubnutu on it and see how it fared... it's super fast once more... I now use it almost as much as my lappy....

Anonymous

2.66 Core i5 is pretty frikking decent by any laptop's standard, Josh.
That's higher spec in some ways than my workstation/desktop at home.

joshtp

yeah... i supose it is.... pretty killer value which ever way you looka at it

Where are my stabilisers?

Thanks for all the info guys, it all helps!

I had the computer looked at last year, I don't know what they did to it altogether, but they installed "ccleaner" and I think that was meant to improve things. I didn't notice much though.

I have been wondering if a fan has broken or something, it makes a whistling sound most of the time now - it sort of sounds like it's busting a gut to cope with the smallest request! I'm scared it's gonna die on me

This thing is XP version 2002, with Intel(R) Pentium(R) processor 2.13GHz and 786MHz 1GB RAM (was that decent for 2005?... my £2000 also got me a big software bundle etc. so maybe not as good as it sounds?) and the hard drive only has 11.9GB space left... didn't realise it had filled up so much!

It's all of the HD software it can't seem to handle. I plug my camera in and it takes forever to bring the program up, then the video player can't play it properly and editing is almost impossible and then it crashes :evil:

I am quite impatient :roll: so i'm still thinking new will be my best option!

joshtp

back up all your stuff to an external HDD and put ubuntu on it... that's what I did and my desktop is awesome now.

BenS999

Where are my stabilisers? wrote:

Does anyone know "stuff" about computers (laptops)?

I think I need a new one... a bit more up to date. This heap took 6 HOURS to upload an 8 minute video. That's not normal is it?! :shock:

I don't really know stuff about computers and I bought the last one based on the theory that if it cost more, it's brain must be bigger and faster. To be fair, I think I did well because it has done the job for 5 years. But now it's struggling to cope with the latest software for videos and photos etc... In fact, it's burning my leg as I type!

So, what do I need to consider if I want to get a new laptop which can easily cope with HD videos and photos from my camera. Is it all about RAM? or is there other things I need to look out for?

Thanks

If you are looking to shell out for a laptop get a Mac. You mention photos, video (im guessing editing bike vids etc) and good chunk of web use. they are great for that sort of thing. There are many pro's and cons but for simplicity and ease of use a mac is the way forward. I work in IT and have Windows at work, if we ran Mac's, i would be out of a job. compared to Windows, they just work. Granted there is a learning curve, but once you are settled its all fine. Just be prepared to sell your soul to everything apple from now on...

unixnerd

I work in IT and have Windows at work, if we ran Mac's, i would be out of a job. compared to Windows, they just work.

+1. A mate just bought an Apple laptop and it's a sweet bit of design. Wasn't cheap though.

Anonymous

Eugh, apple. Don't get on with them at all.

unixnerd

Eugh, apple. Don't get on with them at all.

Years ago I got one for my fiance's kids (was bad enough the poor things were called Gates let alone having to run Windows!). It seemed strange at first but I soon got the hang of it. In all the years they had it I only had to fix a problem once.

Anonymous

You're luckier than I am then, I 've had numerous problems with the in house macs.

joshtp

Mac's do what they do very well, they are like a toaster in that respect.

But Window's is like a grill, maybe not quite as good as a toaster at making toast, but it CAN make toast, and it can do loads of other awesome stuff a toaster could never dream of.


if you could only have a toaster, or only have a grill, which would you have? well I like to eat more than just toast all day every day, so i'll take the grill.


Similarly, I want to do more than JUST edit movies and photo's all day, I want to do more than JUST be creative... I want to be creative AND do other fun stuff, plus, since 7 came along Windows is pretty darn reliable and pretty darn pretty. I love it!


Linux is like a grill oven, it can do everything... but it's not very petty and it can be a fiddle to use. It's awesome once you get used to it though.

Anonymous

Actually, Josh, the differences aren't that pronounced. And personally, if I wanted to edit photos, videos, and audio all day (which I do on most days on account on one of those being by job, and the other one being one of my main hobbies), I'd choose a pc. Every time.

joshtp

Me too.... Toast from a grill is much nicer than from a toaster...

bennett_346

macs just seem too "fun" to me, from my experience i cant seem to use them in a very productive way, using windows everything seems more set up for productivity and less emphasis on silly visual tricks and flair.

Northwind

Where are my stabilisers? wrote:

Na, just to get the vid off the camera and on to the computer is like trying to get blood from a stone! I don't know how big the file was, I just plug in and expect things to happen

Are you connecting to the camera by USB? Some cameras have very slow USB connections... Often worth getting a memory card reader.

Where are my stabilisers?

Are you connecting to the camera by USB? Some cameras have very slow USB connections... Often worth getting a memory card reader.

Yep, I'm using a USB connection. This laptop has an SD slot, but it's broken or doesn't recognise SDHC cards or something, because it doesn't work when I put it in. Might be worth getting a card reader though, if it makes a difference!

I like the look of Apple stuff, but I'm happy using Windows, so I don't really want to make the change and we use Windows in work etc. I'd probably just get mighty confused!

Northwind

Might or might not make a difference... my old ATC camera was USB1, which meant that transferring a 2gb file took long enough for a new world empire to rise and fall.