Replace my Desktop with a Laptop?

Nothing. Hitting the power button gets that button light to come on and then hitting a key gets the keyboard backlit as normal but nothing after. No video output of any kind and then after a minute or so it powers itself off. For Dell, at least, holding D while powering on does a video test and doing that does show the screen cycling colors but I can't get into anything else like the BIOS or anything.
Kevin, try rapidly hitting F8 while booting, should bring up the BIOS screen. F12 on some computers, DELETE key on others.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, guys, but it's DOA. For the first time in my life I did something I thought I'd never do: I handed over one of my computers to somebody else to fix. 😬

But, playing both ends of the spectrum, I have a shiny new toy on order. I now must wait a few weeks before I find out if I'll be cursing at Dell again for lack of dedicated page dn/up buttons. (I know, I know, but I can hope and feign disappointment when it arrives. 🤦‍♂️) Now to see if I can keep my sanity for a few weeks using only a phone...
 
I actully replaced a laptop with a desktop. My M1 Mac Mini (that’s a lotta M’s) is working just fine except the smart sharpen filter in PS leaves vertical lines so I can’t use it.
 
I actully replaced a laptop with a desktop. My M1 Mac Mini (that’s a lotta M’s) is working just fine except the smart sharpen filter in PS leaves vertical lines so I can’t use it.
Exactly, Steve.

While I'm all for mobility in computerised devices, for some things it just makes sense to have a nice big box under the desk with lots of disks in it, a proper rat, a decent screen, an ergonomic chair, etc.

Preferably one which any competent person can service without breaking its screen to get at its guts!
 
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.......But, playing both ends of the spectrum, I have a shiny new toy on order. I now must wait a few weeks before I find out if I'll be cursing at Dell again for lack of dedicated page dn/up buttons. (I know, I know, but I can hope and feign disappointment when it arrives. 🤦‍♂️) Now to see if I can keep my sanity for a few weeks using only a phone...
So what's on order?
 
So what's on order?
I overbought. 😬 But it's my one 'toy' I've bought myself for a good year or so.
  • Dell XPS 15 9510
  • 3.5K OLED display
  • 11th gen i9
  • GeForce 3050 ti video
  • 512gb SSD
  • 32gb RAM
  • Win10 Pro
If my old XPS 15 gets fixed then it'll be used to replace an ancient HP laptop my wife has in her home office. I haven't heard from the repair shop about it yet.

I checked out the Razer as an alternative along with Dell's Inspiron, HP Envy, and Lenovo (and considered a Mac for a fleeting moment) but for what I was after, along with my experience with my current/old machine, I found myself going back to the XPS. Kind of like a moth to light. 💡 Oooh, shiny! 😆
 
I overbought. 😬 But it's my one 'toy' I've bought myself for a good year or so.
  • Dell XPS 15 9510
  • 3.5K OLED display
  • 11th gen i9
  • GeForce 3050 ti video
  • 512gb SSD
  • 32gb RAM
  • Win10 Pro
If my old XPS 15 gets fixed then it'll be used to replace an ancient HP laptop my wife has in her home office. I haven't heard from the repair shop about it yet.

I checked out the Razer as an alternative along with Dell's Inspiron, HP Envy, and Lenovo (and considered a Mac for a fleeting moment) but for what I was after, along with my experience with my current/old machine, I found myself going back to the XPS. Kind of like a moth to light. 💡 Oooh, shiny! 😆
I got a 9510 a couple of months ago via work. Opted for the FHD screen since battery life was more important to me plus I was trying to keep the price manageable. i7 CPU, 512GB SSD (will add another SSD for the 2nd slot when our dept gets close to its fiscal year end) and 32GB RAM. Been quite happy with it although I do miss the lighter weight and smaller size of my XPS 13. But I'm currently using my 13 again because yesterday the 15 crapped out on me. Multiple crashes, spontaneous re-starts, and video artifacts when I shake the laptop, oh, and it has also refused to start a few times, citing memory errors. I ran diagnostics which found no problems. But it's likely that there's a connection problem with the display's ribbon cable and I'm not sure how that relates to a RAM error so maybe there's multiple problems. Grrr. In contrast, my 13 has been flawless since getting it 3+ years ago. The only thing I've done is that I installed a fresh battery 3 mos. ago since work was paying for it and I decided to update the battery while they were still available. I handed the 15 off to the main IT dept at work since they're Dell-certified so they can handle a repair or replacement themselves.

Previous to my XPS13, I had (well, still have) a Macbook Pro 13. That was great until its speakers blew and also the screen started de-laminating. And before that I had a Macbook Air 13 which still works fine although the battery life isn't want it used to be, understandably.
 
I overbought. 😬 But it's my one 'toy' I've bought myself for a good year or so.
  • Dell XPS 15 9510
  • 3.5K OLED display
  • 11th gen i9
  • GeForce 3050 ti video
  • 512gb SSD
  • 32gb RAM
  • Win10 Pro
If my old XPS 15 gets fixed then it'll be used to replace an ancient HP laptop my wife has in her home office. I haven't heard from the repair shop about it yet.

I checked out the Razer as an alternative along with Dell's Inspiron, HP Envy, and Lenovo (and considered a Mac for a fleeting moment) but for what I was after, along with my experience with my current/old machine, I found myself going back to the XPS. Kind of like a moth to light. 💡 Oooh, shiny! 😆
Serious specs.
 
Serious specs.
David, all computers are obsolete before they hit the shelves, so best to buy the top, then no upgrades for ~5 years. Upgrade around 5 year mark, should then be good for another 5 years. Then backup/old essential hardware support only.

My oldest fully operational PC was commissioned in 2007. It supports my Konica-Minolta 5400 slide scanner using the original software. Vuescan is nowhere near as good ...
 
David, all computers are obsolete before they hit the shelves, so best to buy the top, then no upgrades for ~5 years. Upgrade around 5 year mark, should then be good for another 5 years. Then backup/old essential hardware support only.

My oldest fully operational PC was commissioned in 2007. It supports my Konica-Minolta 5400 slide scanner using the original software. Vuescan is nowhere near as good ...
Not sure I completely agree, I can't upgrade the CPU or GPU, but RAM and drives in the 9510 are upgradable. 2007? I just sold this 3 years ago.
 

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I tried the XPS17 9700 early last year. Great screen, solid keyboard, good battery life, mostly decent Linux support…terrible trackpad. I truly hope Dell resolved that mushy cheap-feeling trackpad in the next generation. For as premium as the rest of the machine was, it was surprising that they overlooked such a critical component to a laptop, on one without a touchscreen no-less.

Also, PCs don’t obsolete nearly as fast as they once did. Generational improvements in CPUs has not been significant enough for many years for average users to find performance lacking. Like with cameras, we reached “good enough” years ago, and going for the latest and greatest is more for the power user. GPUs have been where the gains have been, but those can be upgraded with relative ease (if you can find/afford one these days) compared to the rest of the system, though not in laptops. The only thing easier is RAM.
 
I have the 16” 2021 MacBook Pro M1 and it is the nicest laptop I have every used. The battery easily last 8 hours+, as all the ports you could need, and I can used my iPad Pro as a second screen. But, I have had Mac computers since 1986, so very much in that eco system.
Highly recommended for post processing photos.
 
I have the 16” 2021 MacBook Pro M1 and it is the nicest laptop I have every used. The battery easily last 8 hours+, as all the ports you could need, and I can used my iPad Pro as a second screen. But, I have had Mac computers since 1986, so very much in that eco system.
Highly recommended for post processing photos.
I've got a 14" MBP on order for work. I opted for the "small" model because everything I read was that the 16" is overkill except for things like video editing, which isn't me.

I'm looking forward to replacing my circa '18 MBP 16". It's served me well, but half the ports don't work and it's getting a bit flakier each week.

Really looking forward to ditching some of the dongles I've had to rely on due to Apple's decision to "streamline" the ports on the last gen MBP. I was surprised (but really glad) they admitted the errors of their ways with that move.

- K
 
I've got a 14" MBP on order for work. I opted for the "small" model because everything I read was that the 16" is overkill except for things like video editing, which isn't me.

I'm looking forward to replacing my circa '18 MBP 16". It's served me well, but half the ports don't work and it's getting a bit flakier each week.

Really looking forward to ditching some of the dongles I've had to rely on due to Apple's decision to "streamline" the ports on the last gen MBP. I was surprised (but really glad) they admitted the errors of their ways with that move.

- K
That was Jony Ive’s design philosophy at work, I believe. He chased thinness and minimalism, often to the detriment of user experience. The butterfly keyboard was the ultimate example of taking things too far. I think it’s hard for a company to claim they care about the environment when their products require dongles and adapters when ports will do the job. The new MBPs are what Apple customers have been asking for for a long while.
 
Me: Cool, my new laptop shipped early and is now at FedEx in Newark, Jersey.

Wife: What new laptop?

Me: ...

Wife: ...

Me: ...

Wife: ...

Me: Did I, uh, not mention that I ordered a new one?

Wife: No, I thought you were waiting for your old one to be fixed?

Me: I haven't heard from the shop yet.

Wife: And?

Me: Hey, I think the dog needs to go out.
 
Me: Cool, my new laptop shipped early and is now at FedEx in Newark, Jersey.

Wife: What new laptop?

Me: ...

Wife: ...

Me: ...

Wife: ...

Me: Did I, uh, not mention that I ordered a new one?

Wife: No, I thought you were waiting for your old one to be fixed?

Me: I haven't heard from the shop yet.

Wife: And?

Me: Hey, I think the dog needs to go out.
:rofl: :ROFLMAO:

Kevin, I can't tell you how familiar that sounds ... e.g.

Me: I'll need that in my next computer/tablet.

Wife: Are you buying a new computer/tablet?

Me: Not at the moment (translate = 'Not in the next 30 microseconds').

Wife (suspiciously) : What do you need a new computer/tablet for?

Me: Google puts so much rubbish on the tablet that I can't remove. It's slowing down dramatically now that I need to monitor the solar panels, pool heat pump and electricity generation and usage in real time (all true). I need a dedicated tablet just for those latter purposes.

Wife (vaguely grudgingly, as I am extremely technically minded, and she isn't): OK.

Me: Due to my monitoring and control, our electricity bill this quarter will be around AUD$ 60-90, compared with around AUD$ 590 for the same time last year, when we didn't have the 8kW solar panels.

Wife: I suppose that's really pretty good.

Me: Yup. Certainly worth the money.

No more mention of the tablet, OR the PC. The new PC bare MB, RAM video card and a couple of new, fast NVME SSDs (I already have a spare case, HDDs and PSU) will cost a lot more than the tablet ...
 
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