I'm going to be retiring in the next 6 mos. Have never had a personal computer other than one issued by my employer. Any thoughts and considerations anyone can offer .

I'll use it for pedestrian things, email, paying bills, general surfing . My wife has and likes Macs but all my work experience has been on windows platforms so would prefer to stick with that.

Also would appreciate thoughts on secure email
Platforms.

Do you want a laptop or an iPad with a keyboard? If you're on an iPhone that'll have some benefit as well since things like Messages sync between the two devices.

Just a thought.

Laptops are what I have used and am probably most comfortable with but willing to consider pros
And cons of the iPad and keyboard option. Single piece and durability would be pluses imo. Simpler is better for an old fart.

OP: Don't know what I'm doing, here's what I prefer.

People who know a lot about the topic: Here's why this would be a better idea.

halfastros81 said:

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I'm going to be retiring in the next 6 mos. Have never had a personal computer other than one issued by my employer. Any thoughts and considerations anyone can offer .

I'll use it for pedestrian things, email, paying bills, general surfing . My wife has and likes Macs but all my work experience has been on windows platforms so would prefer to stick with that.

Also would appreciate thoughts on secure email
Platforms.

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What brand laptop did you use at work?
If you liked it, find something similar.
Get an iPad for general "browsing on the couch" stuff.

Proton Mail has a bundle called Proton unlimited
Includes Secure mail, 500GB storage and VPN for $10/mo for a year $8/month for 2 years.

After 20 years of Windows laptops, I switched to a Mac 5 years ago. That Mac has lasted longer than any previous machine and it's still running like it's new.

There is a small learning curve, but it's not difficult.

If I were to buy one for personal use now, I'd get a MacBook Air.

I wouldn't consider myself an Apple fanboy, I do not have an iPhone and have no desire to get one, but I won't trade my Mac for a PC.

Diggity said:

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fig96 said:

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OP: Don't know what I'm doing, here's what I prefer.

People who know a lot about the topic: Here's why this would be a better idea.

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Such a condescending fanboy response. Never change Apple dorks.

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OP asked for advice, I've worked on both platforms for 2+ decades and feel one is a clearly better fit in this case.

Nothing condescending about it at all other than non-Apple users who feel the need to call anyone who likes the platform a fanboy anytime this comes up.

I was responding to the commenter rather than OP, but either way wasn't intended as condescending and they were looking for thoughts.

And you can drop a grand now, don't have to worry about anything, keep it for 8+ years, or spend 400 now, deal with Windows annoyances/drivers/security/updates, spend another 400 in 3-4 years. It's just a much more hassle free experience.

I have to disagree with you there as I have two Windows laptops that have been handed down to kids and family members.

One is a Lenovo from 2016 and still humming along fine. The other is a Dell that's (at least) 10 years old and my kid uses it daily. He's not running Photoshop or anything like that, but has no issues.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but the idea that windows machines need to be replaced every few years has never borne out for me.

How do you actually use your laptop, OP? Do you prefer to dock it, use a mouse, etc?

Because one thing to consider with the MacBook is that, outside of the premium you pay, you then have to dish out more for Apple's mouse, keyboard, etc. or at least pay extra for USB ports that will plug into the MacBook. Having a laptop that you then have to spend extra money for an accessory to make a third party mouse and keyboard work was the most apple surprise ever when I purchased my new one last year.

I'm a Mac user and think the majority of the interface concerns are overblown (Apple has minimize/close window on the left instead of the right, and you use command instead of control for most of your keyboard shortcuts). At the very least the search functionailty in a Mac more than makes up for having to relearn. But having to dish out an extra $300 for their special mouse and keyboard is definitely something to consider if it's going to be docked somewhere.

I would stay away from the tablet and add a keyboard option, I've never felt it justified the cost over simply using my phone for the same task.

When I graduated college, every one of my buddies that had a mac was still using it, most of my buddies with windows had to replace them by senior year or 5th year. I'm sure they were downloading a lot riskier stuff on average than you will be though. I used my MacBook for almost 10 years, and then another 5 after with it having to be constantly plugged in.

Definitely Not A Cop said:

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When I graduated college, every one of my buddies that had a mac was still using it, most of my buddies with windows had to replace them by senior year or 5th year. I'm sure they were downloading a lot riskier stuff on average than you will be though. I used my MacBook for almost 10 years, and then another 5 after with it having to be constantly plugged in.

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Could just be user downloading a bunch of malware/bloatware, as you referenced.

I'm a little shocked that 20-somethings would choose to just go out and buy another computer, rather than install a fresh copy of the operating system.

Even if they're not savvy enough to do it themselves, I can't imagine it would cost much to have a tech to do that for you. Definitely a small fraction of the cost of a new device.

Definitely Not A Cop said:

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How do you actually use your laptop, OP? Do you prefer to dock it, use a mouse, etc?

Because one thing to consider with the MacBook is that, outside of the premium you pay, you then have to dish out more for Apple's mouse, keyboard, etc. or at least pay extra for USB ports that will plug into the MacBook. Having a laptop that you then have to spend extra money for an accessory to make a third party mouse and keyboard work was the most apple surprise ever when I purchased my new one last year.

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Err, I hate to break it to you but pretty much any bluetooth keyboard and mouse will work with your Mac.

fig96 said:

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Definitely Not A Cop said:

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How do you actually use your laptop, OP? Do you prefer to dock it, use a mouse, etc?

Because one thing to consider with the MacBook is that, outside of the premium you pay, you then have to dish out more for Apple's mouse, keyboard, etc. or at least pay extra for USB ports that will plug into the MacBook. Having a laptop that you then have to spend extra money for an accessory to make a third party mouse and keyboard work was the most apple surprise ever when I purchased my new one last year.

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Err, I hate to break it to you but pretty much any bluetooth keyboard and mouse will work with your Mac.

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Right, but the air's are so thin now that it doesn't have a USB port anymore. You have to buy a connecting cable to plug in any kind of USB receiver.

You've had far better experiences than I have. My Macs have been pretty bulletproof, I was using the last MacBook Pro I traded in for heavy design and motion graphics work for 7+ years with zero issues. The PCs I've owned haven't fared nearly as well.

Definitely Not A Cop said:

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fig96 said:

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Definitely Not A Cop said:

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How do you actually use your laptop, OP? Do you prefer to dock it, use a mouse, etc?

Because one thing to consider with the MacBook is that, outside of the premium you pay, you then have to dish out more for Apple's mouse, keyboard, etc. or at least pay extra for USB ports that will plug into the MacBook. Having a laptop that you then have to spend extra money for an accessory to make a third party mouse and keyboard work was the most apple surprise ever when I purchased my new one last year.

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Err, I hate to break it to you but pretty much any bluetooth keyboard and mouse will work with your Mac.

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Right, but the air's are so thin now that it doesn't have a USB port anymore. You have to buy a connecting cable to plug in any kind of USB receiver.

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Right, which is why everything is bluetooth now. Though I have an adapter for the occasional times I need it.

I will have to check that out. I'm just running a basic Logitech mouse and keyboard, you mean I should be able to bypass using the Bluetooth receiver usb plug-in?

If the mouse/keyboard is bluetooth you shouldn't need any kind of external receiver, you can just got into System Settings -> Bluetooth and connect. Some Logitech devices, especially older ones, do have their own little USB dongle/receiver that has to be plugged in because it's connecting via a different technology.

maverick2076 said:

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An older Surface Pro will do everything you need and be nice, light and portable. I have a Surface Pro 4 and it's still a great computer for doing everything I need around the house.

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I agree with this. I have a Pro 3 and use it for 95% of tasks that are similar to your uses. Costco has deals on them periodically if you're not in a huge hurry.

Diggity said:

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I have to disagree with you there as I have two Windows laptops that have been handed down to kids and family members.

One is a Lenovo from 2016 and still humming along fine. The other is a Dell that's (at least) 10 years old and my kid uses it daily. He's not running Photoshop or anything like that, but has no issues.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but the idea that windows machines need to be replaced every few years has never borne out for me.

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I'd say you're lucky...or I'm just incredibly unlucky.

For work I've had Lenovo, Dell, & HP. They all start to suck after a couple years. My wife's work laptop is a Mac and hers is 5 years old and no issues. And her battery lasts like 5x longer than my Dell (which is only a couple months old, we switched manufacturers, so not hand me down, brand new machine, battery only lasts 2 hours).

Personally (or family members) have had Compaq, Sony Vaio, Dell, Microsoft Surface, & HP. Same story, 5ish years max.

I don't know what would logically "start to suck" with these computers that can't be solved by a OS refresh. Are the keys popping off the keyboards, trackpad not operating properly, screen going out?

Build quality can vary by manufacturer, but I just haven't witnessed all these issues.

If the battery wears down, which they all will eventually, you replace it. Some of the newer, integrated laptops make that a PITA, but I see that more with Macs than PC's.

htxag09 said:

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Diggity said:

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I have to disagree with you there as I have two Windows laptops that have been handed down to kids and family members.

One is a Lenovo from 2016 and still humming along fine. The other is a Dell that's (at least) 10 years old and my kid uses it daily. He's not running Photoshop or anything like that, but has no issues.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but the idea that windows machines need to be replaced every few years has never borne out for me.

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I'd say you're lucky...or I'm just incredibly unlucky.

For work I've had Lenovo, Dell, & HP. They all start to suck after a couple years. My wife's work laptop is a Mac and hers is 5 years old and no issues. And her battery lasts like 5x longer than my Dell (which is only a couple months old, we switched manufacturers, so not hand me down, brand new machine, battery only lasts 2 hours).

Personally (or family members) have had Compaq, Sony Vaio, Dell, Microsoft Surface, & HP. Same story, 5ish years max.

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My experience with PC/Windows has been the same as Diggity's. No issues at all across multiple decades. Had old Gateway PC & laptop back in the day (RIP Gateway). Actually just got rid of the Gateway laptop because I hadn't needed to use it and didn't want to keep storing it in a closet. Have a Surface 3 (not pro) that still works for some things, Surface Laptop 2 still going strong (personal laptop but take it for work meetings and things too). Desktop custom build at home hasn't been upgraded in 6-7 years and handles my work multitasking, light gaming, light video editing, etc. Dell machines at work have always been good. Etc. Upgrades usually happen just because, not from them not actually working anymore.

Those I know with Macs (work & personal) have had more issues than most I know with PCs. They also still tend to upgrade occasionally (some required and some also just because).

Go to Costco and checkout what they have if you have one in your area, they offer a 2nd year to warranty and lifetime tech support. Also would get a 17" screen as someone else mentioned. Should be able to get a decent one to fit your needs for under $600, wouldn't recommend a touchscreen though as that drains the battery faster than non touchscreen models.

This reminds me of when my MIL retired and she asked me what computer to get and how to get the best deal on Word, Excel, etc. I asked for what and why and she didn't really have an answer. My advice to her and you is to give it a few months to see if what you have is good enough. She never bought anything. A phone and maybe a tablet will probably do all you want.

If you decide you want something you'll probably want something super portable. Who wants to have to go to your office and sit at a desk? If you are used to Windows, go Windows. Who wants to relearn locations of stuff and keyboard shortcuts? My wife has abused a Surface Pro for a decade and it still rocks.

At the rate technology advances, why would anyone want to hold onto a laptop for 8+ years?

Consider this. It's 2019. Two people have a $1000 laptop budget. Mac guy spends $1099 on a MacBook Air. It has an i5-8210Y CPU, 8 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD, WiFi 5, and Bluetooth 4. PC guy spends $500 on a Dell Inspiron. It has an i3-1005G1 processor, 8GB RAM, 128 GB SSD, WiFi 5, and Bluetooth 4. The PC's CPU is 78% faster, but otherwise the specs are comparable.

Now it's 2023. The batteries in both laptops kinda suck. Mac guy is tied to an AC outlet with his aging MacBook Air. PC guy spends his other $500 on a new Dell Inspiron. It has an i3-1314U CPU, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, WiFi 6E, and Bluetooth 5. Compared to the 2019 MacBook Air, the 2023 Dell Inspiron's CPU is 162% faster, the SSD is 100% larger, the WiFi is 38% faster and Bluetooth is 100% faster.

Take advantage of technological advances by spending less, more often.