Buy a New Laptop Or Upgrade Your Laptop?
This query was put to me awhile back and I punted on the question because I hadn’t done my research on the conversation. I’ve got some older computers, one is new enough that it’s got a P4 processor.
I use the older computers for a ‘mini’ network in our Recreational Automobile , it’s a mirror of the network in my office. Why? Because with the network I will work while we are traveling thru out the US of A. With all my tools available I’ll keep my forum recent and do experiments that I do while in my office to help readers of my internet sites. So rather than doing an upgrade on the portables I was considering purchasing a new computer for my work and keeping the others as is in the mini network. I know what the HP portable goes for as we acquired two of them last year.
I actually failed to know which way I’d go new or upgrade, so here is my experience when I ultimately got round to doing the analysis. Now a month or so later not only have I done the analysis, I have done the deed. I’ve got a nice IBM T-30 computer, not so heavy, not so old, the case is in wonderful shape. I’m considering a new computer to be used when we travel in the RV so I did the study.
This is what I found – New HP laptop $1300 T-30 Memory – Kinston now has a PC2100 one gig memory module, about $44.00 T-30 Processor – the speediest P4 400MHz FSB was 2.0 but 533MHz goes to 2.8 GHz. – $ eleven to $129 Storage – IDE SSD ( Solid State Drive ) up to 128 Gig ( $780.00 -oppps ) So what I did was set down with the outcome of my research and my checking account, how much am I able to afford to put in the portable with out draining my little checking account verses a new PC. One of the downsides of upgrading is you do not get the newest and best, that’s I cannot have a Core two or Hyperthreading processor. The T-30 has ver 1.1 USB and two ports. It does how ever have a 15″ video. The HP has Core two Pair with four Gig of Ram, 160 Gig drive, Blue Ray DVD, wireless and wired network, 17″ Portrait video, ver.
2.0 USB, weight three lbs. Cost – $1300! ( I’m aware that I purchased 2 for my boy and daughter-in-law ) I will do with out the Blue Ray DVD, the T-30 has wired network and I have added on a USB wireless, so here is what I did- Processor – 2.4GHz 533 FSB – $29 Memory – 1.5 Gig PC2100 – $44 Storage – 64 Gig SSD – $125 Total cost – $198.00 Whoa! What a deal! A quicker ( not the swiftest ) PC and it did not cost $1300!
Naturally I needed to buy a new battery that cost $94.00 but even with that it is less than 25% of the price of the new HP. 2 lessons
I learned from this exercise – Do the research!