I'm buying a new computer and have a question,

[Beerd]

My current pc is running XP Pro with a Pentium 4.
The laptops I have been looking at either come with a "core" processor or an "AMD" processor. Is one more better than the other?
And it looks like I am going to make the switch to Windows 8 :roll:
..

[Gunload Master]

Actually core and amd are two different items. AMD is a brand of processor that comes in single core, dual core , quad core.... etc.. multiple cores are like having multiple processors in 1. Just had to clarify that.

[williamwaco]

If you are going from XP to 8 -

You are going to think you have died . . . . . .



And



Gone to HELL!


.

[David2011]

Yep.

David (Day job: System Administrator)

[Beerd]

I guess what I mean is core as in "Intel CORE i3" and AMD A5
..

[MtGun44]

Yep. Win 8 sucks bigtime. REALLY a PITA.

Bill

[km101]

Either one will perform so much better than what you are used to that it wont make much difference. Unless you are going to do a lot of grephics, or are heavy into music videos, etc. either will work fine.

[mpmarty]

I never wanted to leave Windows 98 2nd edition. Been through XP and now Vista 64bit running a home wireless network hooked to a fiber optic backbone to the net. I won't be going to Win 8 ever.

[possom813]

I miss Windows 3.1

[markinalpine]

My previous PC had a Pentium processor, and Windows PC. I only upgraded because the motherboard itself was having problems. I now have one with an AMD processor running Windows 7. The guys building it recommended staying away from Windows 8 because it is more geared toward tablet PCs with touchscreens, not keyboard/mouse oriented desktop or laptop PCs. Other than having to adapt to a slightly different way of doing some things, I haven't had any problems with moving from XP to 7.
Mark :coffeecom

[41 mag fan]

I'm not computer savvy enough to know whats what....it don't work it get a slim chance of being worked on, then its one shot one kill, and i go buy another one.

[Mal Paso]

I think the OP was asking Intel vs AMD. IMHO Intel has fewer problems and AMD keeps Intel in check with better prices.

I spent Christmas on Win 8 and Hated It. Format the hard drive, getting rid of all the junkware and put Win 7 on it. Corporate customers HATE Win 8 so Win 7 will be supported much longer than Microsoft says now.

If you buy from a Computer Repair Store they can install it for you as well as sell you an OEM version of Win 7 which is cheaper.

[wantoutofca]

If you get one with an intel i5 you won't be disappointed. Not the top of the line but not a slouch either.

[Oreo]

Your processor choice is inconsequential. Get whatever and it will do everything you need unless you're doing intense CAD work, gaming, etc. You're probably not doing those things on a laptop anyway, and you're certainly not doing them on your old computer. Just make sure you get at least 8gigs of good quality, high speed ram. (DDR3 1600 or faster)

The biggest performance increase you can get these days, especially on laptops but desktops too is in using a solid-state hard drive (SSD instead of HDD). The price per unit of space is much higher for SSDs but the advantages are WELL, WELL! worth the extra money.

And I must concur about Win8. Go with Win7 instead if you have any kind of choice in the matter. Win7 is a well sorted, highly evolved itteration of the familiar Windows interface. Win8 scrapped the legacy interface entirely and tried to do something completely different and more similar to a smart-phone's interface. Win8 missed the mark big time. Its a real pain in the ***.

[MtGun44]

Win 7 is actually a great OS. I got a new Win 8 for my FIL this Xmas and spent a few days trying
to make it workable for a 94 yr old fighter pilot. Workable for him because I set up a bunch of tiles
to do the relatively few things he does with it. WHAT A ***! Everything is really messed up and they
are trying to take control and require you to be centrally registered to do almost anything. CANNOT
say how much I hate Win 8 and how normal and nice, with some nice improvements Win 7 is.

The mind boggles that these fools thought that that CR** interface would be useful outside of a phone.
Business users will NEVER buy into it. The whole OS is a phone app.

Bill

[FLINTNFIRE]

XP was great still is just needed more ram after all the service packs , win7 is good , I liked XP better but am using win7 here and as for intel chips or amd , either work , multiple cores crunch more faster , lots of ram .
Use either processor , and win7 instead of 8 but that is up to you

[Bill*]

I've talked to a few people about upgrading from xp. The majority seem to feel win 7 is more comfortable to use than win 8.
(by comfortable I should have said familiar)

[oldred]

If you are going from XP to 8 -

You are going to think you have died . . . . . .



And



Gone to HELL!


.




Not necessarily, just download the free "Classic Shell" and it will make your Win 8 desktop look and function like Windows 7 (or XP, your choice) without all that Windows 8 BS, and I do mean BS!!!!! It returns the start button and puts the menu in a familiar and more sensible arrangement, sure beats the stupid Win 8 layout.


http://www.classicshell.net/

[Dale in Louisiana]

Stepped off the Windows bandwagon and bought an Apple MacBook Pro. I have a Windows 7 machine for work.

In my opinion, I will never again buy a windows computer from my own pocket. Yes, I paid out the kazoo for the MacBook, but (again, MY opinion) it is the greatest bit of computing technology I've ever owned. I could have, for the same price, bought SIX low-end Windows machines and hated each of them.

dale in Louisiana

[HangFireW8]

Avoid any single cores such as Sempron or "new" Pentium. Avoid Vista and 8.

I do everything in Mint 14 on a 5 yo laptop and it blows away my $2k new work laptop with 7. Currently the best deals are high end Vista era laptops, reformat and put Mint Linux Cinnamon 64 on it, life is GOOD even with only 2GB RAM.

Asking a self-sufficient person to use Windows (any) is like telling them to shoot only jacketed... factory ammo.

[Lee]

8G of RAM? Don't you have to run the 64bit version(s) to access all that? Im running 7 32bit pro version, and when installing 4G, it only shows 3.25 accessable. And some I'net snooping seems to confirm that. The reason I mention, is that (some?) older computers won't properly run a 64bit version, if at all, and maybe even requiring a BIOS update. (Which is one level of H*LL I don't want to visit....) Just sayin', just throwin' it out there ..... Lee[smilie=1:

[gsdelong]

32bit systems are limited to about 3.75gb of ram, anything more is wasting money. As an owner of an IT support company for over 20 years I can tell you every operating system since DOS 1.0 has been said to be worse than the one before. I always suggest buying the newest because software development thrives on using the newest features. Also you will have the opportunity to by a PC, Tablet and phone that all have the same interface. If you are going from XP to either Vista 7 or 8 you are going to have a learning curve no matter what. The headaches come in learning to do things the new way rather than trying the old way and being disappointed when it no longer works. Same as a lot of things:) depending on what you do, don't rule out the Microsoft Slab a tablet that has a keyboard for a cover. As far as the AMD/Intel question I stopped selling AMD along time ago as they are really hit or miss. Think of them as the LEE of processors, some times they are great value sometimes not so much.

[williamwaco]

Win 7 is actually a great OS. I got a new Win 8 for my FIL this Xmas and spent a few days trying
to make it workable for a 94 yr old fighter pilot. Workable for him because I set up a bunch of tiles
to do the relatively few things he does with it. WHAT A ***! Everything is really messed up and they
are trying to take control and require you to be centrally registered to do almost anything. CANNOT
say how much I hate Win 8 and how normal and nice, with some nice improvements Win 7 is.

The mind boggles that these fools thought that that CR** interface would be useful outside of a phone.
Business users will NEVER buy into it. The whole OS is a phone app.

Bill

Exactly! When I first saw it on my neighbors new machine, my first comment was D---, they have turned a 800 dollar computer into a 50 dollar phone.


.

[Digger]

Avoid any single cores such as Sempron or "new" Pentium. Avoid Vista and 8.

I do everything in Mint 14 on a 5 yo laptop and it blows away my $2k new work laptop with 7. Currently the best deals are high end Vista era laptops, reformat and put Mint Linux Cinnamon 64 on it, life is GOOD even with only 2GB RAM.

Asking a self-sufficient person to use Windows (any) is like telling them to shoot only jacketed... factory ammo.

Big 10-4 on that .... been using Linux Mint for quite a while , before that , other versions of Linux .
Mint is still making the gears work on this old AMD machine I haven't touched (other than the start button ) in the last six years.
For field use in a small Ausus net book that is a couple years old , I dual boot XP/mint .......
Linux for security.

digger

[Goatwhiskers]

Still making up my mind, but I got my Win 8 to bring up a conventional screen when I press "enter". All the other functions that we used to access from the screen or the start button are still available, but ya gotta hunt for 'em, a real pain. I might just take the darn computer back to W-M and tell 'em it don't work and get my money back, still have my old laptop and it works fine on XP. GW

[jmort]

I'm sticking with Windows 7. Went from XP to 7 and 7 seems to be good for me, stable and fast enough.

[RayinNH]

I too have joined other in using Linux and left Windblows behind. I'm using Ubuntu. It works great, it's free, and you can burn as many copies as you want and hand them out like drink coasters. You're also able to rid yourself of virus software.
Did I also mention it's FREE...Ray

[farmerjim]

I am running debian linux with an XP dual boot for those rare programs that I can't get for free in linux.
I don't like windows because they keep upgrading to something I neither want nor need. Apple is a little better only it costs more.

[oldred]

Still making up my mind, but I got my Win 8 to bring up a conventional screen when I press "enter". All the other functions that we used to access from the screen or the start button are still available, but ya gotta hunt for 'em, a real pain. I might just take the darn computer back to W-M and tell 'em it don't work and get my money back, still have my old laptop and it works fine on XP. GW



Honest guys this works great and it's free, http://www.classicshell.net/

It will make Windows 8 look like Win 7 or XP, your choice, and it's becoming quite popular.

[smokeywolf]

Stick with quad core Intel processors. Look for "chip sets" advertised as workstation level. I've had good luck with Dell and Toshiba (Toshiba runs cooler than the Asus and Dells I've had) laptops. I won't buy a laptop with a screen size less than 17 inches. Nowadays you need a minimum of 2 gigs of RAM. I prefer nvidia graphics boards/accelerators.
One other thing I would now be looking for is a wireless network card that will talk to your router on the 5 ghz. band.

smokeywolf

[cbrick]

If you are going from XP to 8 -

You are going to think you have died . . . . . .

And

Gone to HELL!


The mind boggles that these fools thought that that CR** interface would be useful outside of a phone. Business users will NEVER buy into it. The whole OS is a phone app. Bill

Hate
Detest
Despise

Such weak words for windows 8.

Rick

[40Super]

I hate this Windows 8, Why does my messages keep disappearing????. Plus pm'ing, I have no control over where the cursor goes. If the little "I" for the pointer is anywhere but blank space inside the message box, I'll suddenly be typing up in the middle of a previous sentence or the cursor will be gone and my message just disappears, sometimes a different window will open or it will go back to the thread. I even have the touchpad disabled(I use a wireless mouse) so I'm not hitting the select button. All this started with my new laptop running Windows 8.
I did set up a desktop "button" so I have a normal startup screen like XP or Win 7.

[Goatwhiskers]

My little netbook, that I'm still thinking about keeping, is on XP. The darn thing as long as I've had it does the same thing as 40Super said. It has a very small keyboard and all I can figure is I'm touching something wrong. As long as I use the two finger method the problem doesn't occur. GW

[40Super]

Could be just by barely touching a certain key or something, maybe just the cursor position gets auto selected or some garbage like that. I've tried typing with all fingers tucked up into a fist and it does help, but it's a annoying way to type. By disabling the touchpad it worked on my old one(it kept zooming in and out), this one doesn't seem to allow full disabling.

[gsdelong]

This cursor problem is usually caused because part of your hand or wrist is touching the touch pad. Get an external mouse and disable the touch pad and your problem will go away. Has nothing to do.with OS just a common problem with the physical layout of the laptop.

[archmaker]

Re-iterate HangFireW8, Mint is a version of Linux, and very nice one to boot.

Think of Linux as Cast boolits and Windows as J-bullets. Windows you are left with few choices and only what they want to sell you, with Linux the way it turns out is all determined by what you put into it.

Been using Linux for over 16 years, has been my personal desktop operating system for the last 14.

[HangFireW8]

Re-iterate HangFireW8, Mint is a version of Linux, and very nice one to boot.

Think of Linux as Cast boolits and Windows as J-bullets. Windows you are left with few choices and only what they want to sell you, with Linux the way it turns out is all determined by what you put into it.

Been using Linux for over 16 years, has been my personal desktop operating system for the last 14.

I would qualify that Linux is more like cast, paper patched, swaged, and wire wrapped.

HF