Computerlopnik Help

"Patrick Nichols" (pnichols) 09/24/2018 at 08:30 • Filed to: computerlopnik

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So my 2011 MacBook Pro finally shit the bed yesterday. Looks like a motherboard failure. Don’t have the funds or the interest in a new one, so I’m thinking of picking up a refurbished i7 surface book first gen. Anybody have any experience? I can pick up a 256 gb 16 gb ram model for just about $900  before 5% back through amazon.

Other options are probably a lenovo yoga or dell xps model, but I haven’t priced those out yet. Use would be coding for school (another reason not to go back to Mac and deal with VMs) and light photo/video work. I really like the idea of having 3:2 aspect ratio on a laptop and the pen/screen glitches seem to have been solved with firmware updates.

Will probably reformat the 500 gb ssd and toss it in my desktop for additional storage if possible. Is it worth selling the 4 gb ddr3 sticks if they’re still good? Any advice helps.

random001 > Patrick Nichols 09/24/2018 at 08:53

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I have a first gen SB with the i7 and the performance base.  AMA!

Captain of the Enterprise > Patrick Nichols 09/24/2018 at 08:53

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Sorry to hear, I’m worried about my 2012 MacBook Pro dying. I like the OS enough to buy another one but hate the touchbar. I was thinking if I went PC I would go XPS 15. But I’m thinking I’ll just ride this one out until it completely breaks and hope Apple makes a quad core MacBook  pro 13 without the touchbar. 

3point8isgreat > Patrick Nichols 09/24/2018 at 08:55

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I’ve got some experience with the refurbished route.  I bought a refurbished Dell in June and it’s been... interesting. To note, I probably could have returned it, but chose to try and use it as an opportunity to learn more on fixing computers. However the warranty only covers hardware failures, not software. Which explains why I was shipped a computer that “passed inspection” despite the following:

First it was just a regular CMOS clock error every time I booted it up. Thought that was just the little watch battery going bad. So I replaced that, and it didn’t fix it at all. Then a few weeks after that, the computer has an error finding the “boot device”, and suggested that the windows image may be corrupted. So I had to go buy an external HDD to reinstall windows. Now the computer is booting up again, but the CMOS error still persists for now.

Patrick Nichols > random001 09/24/2018 at 08:56

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Is the screen wobble annoying? I plan to use it as a laptop and in the screen flipped folded closed position.

Also what’s your battery life like for general laptop use?

tpw_rules > Patrick Nichols 09/24/2018 at 09:00

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I have a first gen surface pro (which is like 3 or 4 gens behind the surface book) and I hate it. Microsoft never committed to provide any amount of support for either the software or hardware. It still bluescreens about 5% of the time when I attach the keyboard cover. For all of windows 8 it would peg the cpu at 100% randomly due to an issue with the accelerometer driver. I could never perfectly align the pen. I had to custom-engineer a charger because Microsoft no longer sells replacements, and all the garbage chinese clones are garbage chinese clones. The battery was never very good, and it’s impossible to change it (or any other component) without a high chance of destroying the screen.

I would not purchase or recommend anyone else purchase such an expensive piece of Microsoft hardware. Maybe the Surface pro 3, 4, and book are good. I’m not fooling around with them .

Patrick Nichols > Captain of the Enterprise 09/24/2018 at 09:01

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Yeah I just wish apple didn’t abandon the base mbp that was upgradeable. I did the ssd and ram upgrades about 4 years ago and was running a windows partition for a bit for school, but it seems everyone has abandoned that in favor of slimness. The last gen sb seems to have the same quality hardware as anything new from apple so I figured I’d save some money and hassle of the partition.

Patrick Nichols > 3point8isgreat 09/24/2018 at 09:03

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Interesting. I’ll probably just return it if I’m not happy within a week.

random001 > Patrick Nichols 09/24/2018 at 09:08

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I have never noticed any screen wobble, really. I mean, it’ll move if you are very forceful with the touchscreen in laptop mode, but it just moves, there’s not really a lot of oscillation to it. If I’m in laptop mode, the hing is usually all the way extended, so that probably helps. I use it all the time in flat mode for writing notes and such, and I love it.

Battery life....good lord. So on the weeks when I’m just using for taking notes at school, browsing the net, etc. I just leave it in Battery Saver mode, and I get more than 20 hours of life. Obviously less if I running simulations (Matlab, Vivado for FPGA stuff, etc.) when I crank it to performance, but still well over 10-12 hours.  I charge it every 3 weeks or so.

Nom De Plume > Patrick Nichols 09/24/2018 at 09:14

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If at all possible I would avoid buying something using the last generation of Intel quad core. Six core i5 + more excruciatingly expensive RAM might be the compromise you have to give a hard look. Especially if it allows removing the hard drive.

There is a chance Intel or AMD might release something notable in the mobile arena before Christmas?

adamftw > Patrick Nichols 09/24/2018 at 09:33

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I’m still rocking my 2009 MBP, so I am no help. I bought a used iMac off eBay a year ago and it’s been great. 

bob and john > Patrick Nichols 09/24/2018 at 09:39

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as long as you dont get the base surface tablet (go for the pro at LEAST) you are good

random001 > tpw_rules 09/24/2018 at 12:12

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I’ve had the pro 4 and book, and they are both well supported, and good.

Captain of the Enterprise > Patrick Nichols 09/24/2018 at 12:52

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Yeah I’m disappointed that the new ones aren’t upgradable especially with the ssd and how much Apple wants to upgrade the storage.  I want a 1tb hard drive but that is a $600 option. I want the four core CPU so I have to have the touchbar. If I’m paying Apple prices then I want to get exactly what I want not have to compromise and pay for things I don’t. 

Spanfeller is a twat > Patrick Nichols 09/24/2018 at 13:08

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How much does an MBP motherboard go for these days? 

Patrick Nichols > Spanfeller is a twat 09/24/2018 at 14:27

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Between $200-500 but then there is trusting my skills, the quality of non-OEM or refurbished parts, and I’m still left with a 7+ yo laptop.

Spanfeller is a twat > Patrick Nichols 09/24/2018 at 15:12

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Gmm, yeah, old laptops suck

Of the bunch id go with the XPS, also what kind of coding are you doing that you need a virtual machcine? 

Patrick Nichols > Spanfeller is a twat 09/24/2018 at 16:58

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I don’t necessarily need a VM, but most of the software for school is for Windows (and all of the free copies of Visio, Project, etc. ). It’s also easier to follow along in any command line tutorials if you’ve got the same prompts. Just started an MS in software development, but also work full time so its nice to be able to get some homework done whenever I can and not at the home PC.

I like the feel of the XPS, but I really grew tired of the 16:9 in anything less than a 23" monitor for doing anything more than browsing and word processing.

Spanfeller is a twat > Patrick Nichols 09/24/2018 at 17:48

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Get a HDMI cable for a TV! that’s what I do.

For my degree my college provides free apps as well, but I find that even with a windows partition at 64bits, 16gb, 1.5gb GPU  and an i7, the computer is overwhelmed by them. I just use the labs at school now. 

boxrocket > Patrick Nichols 09/24/2018 at 19:41

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A lot of these have the same processors and RAM configurations, so the outside plays a bigger role than before.

The Surface line is a great choice for those coming home from apple. The gap between the screen and keyboard when closed takes some getting used to. A used Surface Laptop may be in your price range as well, but admittedly doesn’t look as cool (though I adore the Alcantara palm rests).

The XPS is a good choice as well, and I am very happy with my early-2018 (I think? Might be late 2017) Inspiron and its keyboard. Lenovo has a good reputation thanks to IBM, minus the software shenanigans they got into a few years back. Take a look at ASUS as well, as they have some of the best-feeling and -spaced keyboards short of the premium VAIOs a few years ago, IMHO.

Regardless of what you choose, try to get a Microsoft Signature model, which means zero bloatware and fully-optimized for Windows. Though given your background and field of study you’re probably comfortable doing a Clean install of Windows 10.

Make sure to look at layout, and decide whether having a built-in number pad is critical or not, or if a USB peripheral would be acceptable (if needed at all; I use my number pad a LOT, hence the Inspiron instead of an Ultrabook. That, plus a CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive). I also use Print Screen and the Delete key a fair bit, so again part of why I chose the Dell.

boxrocket > Spanfeller is a twat 09/24/2018 at 19:43

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You can also wirelessly cast to a newer TV, which is such a blissful experience from running cables across a room.

Spanfeller is a twat > boxrocket 09/24/2018 at 19:48

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I’m sort of worried about fidelity though, I tried to do that with my chromecast and it often failed. 

boxrocket > tpw_rules 09/24/2018 at 19:50

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I had a Pro3 with the i5 , and was very happy with it, except I started doing more work on my lap, and finding a laptop desk that fit it but didn’t make the screen too far away was too frustrating, so I replaced it with a Dell Inspiron 15 something or other, and got a 10.1 ” Windows tablet for gaming and digital book reading (and I made money on the deal) . I’ll admit that the SP3 did like to crank up the fan a surprising amount which could get annoying, but it never overheated and kept chugging along.

boxrocket > Spanfeller is a twat 09/24/2018 at 19:54

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I tried using a chromecast I won in a contest and got so frustrated with it I gave it away and bought a Roku. The Roku does just about everything my wife and I want it to , though it may be time to upgrade to a newer model based on recent loading times. The only way to make it better would be to somehow pair it with my Harmon/Kardon Invoke with Cortana for the times we (that is, my better half) misplace the remote.

Patrick Nichols > Spanfeller is a twat 09/25/2018 at 00:13

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Using labs at school is tough with online courses. My desktop does most of the heavy lifting with 16 gb ram, a 6 gb gtx 1060, and an i7 7700k, but being able to get homework done while traveling or on lunch at work is the big plus of a laptop.

Patrick Nichols > adamftw 09/25/2018 at 00:20

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Been thinking of picking up a used Mac mini on CL to scratch the macOS itch when needed. Also thinking of trying to stuff a rpi into the mbp case as a fun project since the battery still works and holds a charge.