HELP I need a new desktop PC

[niemeyjt]

No one has mentioned Libre Office to escape MS pay to type etc. I find it more than acceptable as an alternative for Word, Excel. Draw etc and it's free to download.

Er, I did.

But I would add that for some OnlyOffice may be a more familiar but less capable alternative.

Another Linux Mint vote here - and it does dual boot with Windows 11. On my PC it is dual boot, but Windows 11 is so unstable compared to Linux I mostly use just Linux now.

 

[Chubber]

Er, I did.

Sorry, N.

 

[XTiffy]

Plus 1 for LibreOffice. One big plus for me is that in LibreOffice draw it is possible to edit PDF files (and it is free!).

 

[Naylom]

There are a lot of choices, you need to decide how much time you want to put into switching the operating system and, if you do, does the new one support all the programs you like / need or you are happy with the alternatives. I would also suggest that if you are not literate in the new operating system then its worth making sure that you know where you can get support from until you are confident.

As someone mentioned Windows 10 is going to have a short shelf life so I think you are going to have to bite the bullet and do some sort of upgrade. If you are not a gamer and don't need huge amounts of power there are neat small mini PC's that do a good job. I use a UM790 from Minisforum (https://www.minisforum.uk/products/minisforum-um790-pro?variant=44785406279958) and its has more than enough power for running Fusion 360 and for doing IT development. There are less powerful options as well.

I saw a post suggesting an all in one solution, for what its worth I would point out that with this solution is you cannot replace the PC or monitor on its own which is why I like the mini PC solution - it doesn't take much desk space and gives you flexibility. HTH.

 

[trvlr]

one can always boot linux (whichever version) from an external drive; allows one to try and decide if one would like to use it... As well as determining if your current hardware is OK for it...?

 

[Diver Fred]

one can always boot linux (whichever version) from an external drive; allows one to try and decide if one would like to use it... As well as determining if your current hardware is OK for it...?

That is not always possible to do with Win10, MS made changes that making the boot sequence very hard to find and change especially for someone not very computer literate or confident. There is lots of advice on the web, some easy, some not so easy; search for "Changing Win10 Boot Sequence" - you need to change so that the Boot Sequence 'looks at' Drive A first (that will find the USB drive which is where you can have a USB memory stick with a 'Live' Linux system on.

I have used Ubuntu which has professional support by Canicol.

 

[MikeJhn]

The new M4 Mac mini in base config is excellent value for money

OP wish's to run Quickbooks that needs Parallels or similar to run on a Mac.

Read this thread with interest, understood maybe 5%. What would be your recommendation for someone who, at present, has a Lenovo Idea Pad with an i7 processor running Windows 11 who is fed up with MS tech support and subscription model. What I need is a computer that will let me send and receive emails, visit chatlines, order from Amazon, Ebay and Craigslist, look at newsfeeds, talk to someone in tech support and occasionally print out a letter without having to pay for a subscription for everything. I use Duck Duck Go, Gmail and Proton Mail with Mcafee anti-Virus and an Adblocker.

Mac's come with the word processing (pages) and spreadsheet (numbers) software built into the operating system, no costly upgrades ever needed, Amazon, E-bay, Craigslist and news feeds available through built in browser (Safari), never needed tech support in near twenty years of Mac usage, Oh yes there is no such thing as Ctrl-Alt-Del, if just does not come up as needed.

 

[Spectric]

Oh yes there is no such thing as Ctrl-Alt-Del, if just does not come up as needed.

Don't you miss the blue screen of death ?

 

[Snorkel]

Any pointers for buying a new PC, I'm running on an HP - Windows 7 one, I bought in 2015 (and have an AVG antivirus subscription which is up for renewal) which seems to be huffing and puffing a bit, the base criteria is I need to reload my 2016 Sketchup/layout package and my 2016 Quickbooks accounting software, if nothing else.

I'm used to window's - XL and word etc, nothing else that's critical, no gaming nonsense or high demand, simple works, probably go to John Lewis to buy, looking at this one:

https://www.johnlewis.com/hp-slim-s...essor-8gb-ram-256gb-ssd-dark-black/p110659741

Not restricted to budget, within reason.

Main question is, can I load my legacy programs on to a new PC, and if I can could someone explain how best to do so.

I have back ups of critical files and stuff, and not interested in any cloud or subscription options, with my flaky rural internet connection.

TIA

Get a refurbished one. My honest opinion, based on 10 years as a software tutor (now long retired) is that people spend far too much on new machines, most of which are far greater than their computing needs will ever be.
I bought a 2nd hand Dell Optiplex 3010 Small Form with Windows 10 Pro, with graphics card, 500GB SSD, and a large HP Compaq monitor, all for less than £200, which won't be a great loss if I have to upgrade next year as has been suggested.
This is the system info: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3470 CPU @ 3.20GHz 3.20 GHz. 500GB SSD, 16GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti graphics card.
There are lots of online sites where you can customise your pc and it will track the total cost as you chop and change to suit your budget.
You should be able to take out your old hard drive and install it into a new pc. The aforementioned websites will be happy to advise you as your're going to become one of their customers. Personally, I'd give places like Curry's and PC World a massive body swerve.

 

[HOJ]

Update from me, bought an HP refurbed Win 10 box, for £100.00, core i5 family, 512 SSD, 16 Ram, Intel HD Graphics 630, if any of that means anything!

Nice looking box, no bloody use got a Displayport connector for the display, so made a special trip to Curry's, nope, don't keep them, so Amazon here we come...

 

[artie]

Update from me, bought an HP refurbed Win 10 box, for £100.00, core i5 family, 512 SSD, 16 Ram, Intel HD Graphics 630, if any of that means anything!

Nice looking box, no bloody use got a Displayport connector for the display, so made a special trip to Curry's, nope, don't keep them, so Amazon here we come...

A display port to HDMI adapter is only a few pounds.

Which connection do you need?

That's the spec of one I sold to a young Latvian immigrant, he was delighted as I included a Nvidia 710 graphics card complete with HDMI out.

 

[JSW]

Update from me, bought an HP refurbed Win 10 box, for £100.00, core i5 family, 512 SSD, 16 Ram, Intel HD Graphics 630, if any of that means anything!

Nice looking box, no bloody use got a Displayport connector for the display, so made a special trip to Curry's, nope, don't keep them, so Amazon here we come...

Apologies @HOJ , completely forgot to mention the HP Elitedesks by and large use DisplayPort (though not always) Plenty on Amazon, only a few quid. Also, it may or may not have Bluetooth and WiFI, these ex-corporate machines can be a bit of a lottery regarding peripherals, if you need any help, just PM me.

 

[Robbo3]

Windows has (since Win 8.1) its own built in anti virus, Windows Defender/Windows Security so you shouldn't need anything else.

 

[McAldo]

That is not always possible to do with Win10, MS made changes that making the boot sequence very hard to find and change especially for someone not very computer literate or confident. There is lots of advice on the web, some easy, some not so easy; search for "Changing Win10 Boot Sequence" - you need to change so that the Boot Sequence 'looks at' Drive A first (that will find the USB drive which is where you can have a USB memory stick with a 'Live' Linux system on.

I have used Ubuntu which has professional support by Canicol.

I think the easiest way to give Linux a go is to download virtualbox and then a ready to run image of whatever distribution one wants to try from https://www.osboxes.org/virtualbox-images/
The default password for all osboxes images is 'osboxes.org'

I have used for several years Ubuntu, which by default looks a bit like Mac, and Mint Cinnamon.
It was by chance in reality, I found myself stuck with with a broken installation of Windows on my only laptop while abroad and I needed to get online and work to keep my job.
So out of desperation I installed Ubuntu from a memory stick I happened to have on me. It worked so well that I stuck with it for 4 years.
It used a fraction of the memory and resources demanded by Windows and it was always snappy.

 

[GuitardoctorW7]

OP wish's to run Quickbooks that needs Parallels or similar to run on a Mac.

Mac's come with the word processing (pages) and spreadsheet (numbers) software built into the operating system, no costly upgrades ever needed, Amazon, E-bay, Craigslist and news feeds available through built in browser (Safari), never needed tech support in near twenty years of Mac usage, Oh yes there is no such thing as Ctrl-Alt-Del, if just does not come up as needed.

Yeah thank you for pointing that out, it was actually a reply to Inspector who was talking about replacing his old Mac mini.
As for Quickbooks, if you're talking about the accounting software? I use that for my business on my Macs as it's a web based GUI not platform specific

 

[MikeJhn]

Quickbooks a web based GUI, not when I ran my business twelve years ago it was Windows specific only.

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

If going with an SSD go plus 1TB as the read/write speed on smaller drives is a lot slower.
Crucial have a good range that is reliable plus Samsung is ok.
I build my own PC's along with modding as mine has a water cooling system.
Windows don't support 7 but many still use it perfectly fine and hopefully as no support Windows won't want to snoop around your Hard drives like do now?
Only issue is going to be on much older PC's is RAM as DDR2 and 3 are on the back burner with no low res stuff made.
My main one is on DDR3 and all up and running in under 10seconds.
One of the major issues with 11 is apart from Drivers for older items as MS want cash to allow! are peripherals as MS are locking down drivers/Signatures along with causing issues with Printers/Headsets etc

Another thing for Peeps to be aware of is the new esp laptops do not have a CD/DVD drive it''s ok if build a tower as often can stick one in it.
Also Tablets now are shying away from Jack plug sockets for headsets! so you have to endure Bluetooth gear which has Lag!

Windows as been stated have there own AV which is ok! Most are just a compromise often giving false tags or locking you out of places!
I use it with Firefox with Privacy Badger.Ghostery.MalwareBytes.with Duck duck go search engine with don't track me/DNT and Add blocker.
Firefox has a Faceache blocker so they can't track you all over the net which slows your pc down.
I don't have Google web browser on PC's or phone and DDG on the phone has a tracker blocker Google is constantly using your data and resources slowing devices up.
It also pays to Defrag HD's(But not SSD's bad for them)you go into props and Optimise SSD's. speeds things up.

 

[Exluthier]

OP wish's to run Quickbooks that needs Parallels or similar to run on a Mac.

Mac's come with the word processing (pages) and spreadsheet (numbers) software built into the operating system, no costly upgrades ever needed, Amazon, E-bay, Craigslist and news feeds available through built in browser (Safari), never needed tech support in near twenty years of Mac usage, Oh yes there is no such thing as Ctrl-Alt-Del, if just does not come up as needed.

I use the most recent stable version (24.04) of Lubuntu, installing it from a flash drive on to donated PCs and laptops which had earlier, ancient versions of MS Windows, and handing them on to interested youngsters. It's so good I use it myself.