I can no longer store images on my chromebook and my system is now actually deleting files. We save and store a lot of information we come across in our research and I want to know what others have found to meet their research/storage needs. Walk me through the most important /necessary features I should be looking for...and also what to avoid. I already know chromebooks suck. Who has the best features for the best price. I dared to post this here because it does tie in with what we all do.
Comments (51)
sorted by:
Why not just get an external hard drive for memory? 1 TB is ~$70 if I recall correctly.
I got two and they were both chinese requiring me to download an app to save my info...exactly Not what I want. I want it save offline onto an external hard drive.
That's a thing now? Damn shit has changed. I'm about 11yrs out of the loop. Built my first pc in 2003, pirated xp sp1. Never bothered with anything post XP/ubuntu/wine (wouldnt run my games without coding knowledge) so I said fuck it. Chromebook for bills and work email. Damnit man! I am early 30s, not late 40s! ? computers and copy/fax(do people still do that?) machines are the DEBILL.
Top kek. ?
I suppose unfamiliarity. How would I regain access to information stored on an external hard drive. First time I plugged it back into my laptop I'll freeze the darn thing up. I don't understand the mechanics of the process.
Great advice. I will look into this. Thanks for taking the time to type it all out.
I've never had an issue. The only downside is I like to use the "search" feature to find videos, articles, pictures, and so forth that I've saved ... if it's on the external drive and not hooked up at the moment, my searches will miss it.
Might be able to just get an external hard drive and save stuff to that and avoid buying a whole new computer.
Besides that I'm not much help, I build mine.
Is there a specific reason you need a laptop? I would suggest build a desktop, I can walk you through that if wanted.
This thing we do right here. I save/move information I find all over to all the other places I'm on. I build files on stuff to access later. I would prefer old school computer over laptop but you never hear anyone talking about the advantages of desktop systems.
How easy is it to walk a granny through a build? Serious question.
The benefit of desktops are that you can customize them for what you want, they are more powerful and cheaper. The problem is they aren't very portable.
It shouldn't be all that hard. I can create a build for you on a website, your job is to purchase and build but I can walk you through that too. I suggest using Linux OS which is free and open source. If you are used to windows they have Linux distributions that mimic windows. I think your biggest investment would be a harddrive. If it doesn't need to be super fast and boot times don't matter just go with a large HDD. Plus you can run the operating system off a flash drive if you ever needed that.
Again if you want just lmk and I can make you a build with a website.
Thanks.. I am considering.
I am very interested! I would love to see the website so I can get a guestamate of the amount of $$$$ I need to save.
My laptop is Windows 7 and isn't supported any longer. I am going kicking and screaming into Windows 10. Family got me a really nice laptop for Mother's Day (haven't fired it up yet because I am trying to watch videos and take notes as to what is not on windows 10 and what is, how to use it, etc.).
Any hints, etc would be greatly appreciated too. Oh, and if you have an older desktop, how to use the hard drive as storage would be awesome too.
thanks.
If you already have a laptop, I wouldn't get another one. Go ahead and turn on the new laptop, windows 10 should not look all that different. On your first boot, it will walk you through a setup process, turn off all tracking (on by default) as you go through. The main change is that there is no "My Computer" icon, instead, you need to click on the folder icon I think it's called "File Explorer" and Edge replaced Internet explorer. Instead what you can do is purchase a hard drive dock that will allow you to remove the hard drive from your old computer to access it for later usage. additionally, purchase a large HHD hard drive and you can use the dock as external hard drive storage. This would be a much cheaper route to go than to build a whole new PC.
but if you are still interested in that pat go to: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/ and build what you need. or I can make you something on there for your need.
Thank you very much!
Buy something new old stock w/ full warranty. Model year or two older. Will save you money and get you a better computer.
If you're doing just research, you saving, O365 files, IMG and VID files and bookmarks. Assuming this, you have low computing power requirements. Your concern should be reliable storage - I'd recommend getting a computer with a SSD hard drive (no discs to corrupt or fail).
I personally like Dell. HPs are good too. Lenovo is Chinese so I would avoid it - no telling what spyware is built into the bloatware.
You may also want to backup to a cloud service, unless you are concerned about that. If so, buy a high quality outboard SSD hard drive and backup your computer daily/weekly. Keep the HD in a fire safe.
No gaming. Very few downloaded videos. Mostly documents and pictures. I am on many different forums so I have folders full of links I visit.
You could probably store everything you will ever need on 250-500 GB. Check this: https://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnlineSales/Online/InventorySearch.aspx?brandid=2201&c=us&cs=22&l=en&s=dfh&frid=127&~ck=mn
acer, dell or hp?
Any laptop with a 3rd gen ++ Ryzen CPU (for example 3500U is a decent CPU even if it is 2 generations old). Laptops with 4th gen (and especially 5th gen) may be over 500$ hence why i'm not recommending them even if they technically better. I'm pretty sure you will find one at sub 500$ when where i am from i can find at 450 with VAT.
Regarding the brands every brand at this price point is trashy, mediocre chassis (low quality plastic), low nit monitor with mediocre colors etc.
Dell makes good Intel laptops because they have a deal going on since forever. HP/Asus/Lenovo make okayish AMD laptops. People may not recommend Lenovo because they are Chinese and i agree, however everyone is spying anyway its unavoidable. Both AMD and Intel are doing so, for example AMD has a small ARM CPU on the PCB of the CPU which is for "security"
For storage if you are planning to have hundreds of GB use an external USB HDD, they are super cheap nowadays. They don't last long to be honest since most of them are mechanical.
They are just plug and play.
I'm going to look into the external storage. Susceptible to viruses?
Everything is susceptible to anything malicious especially when we are discussing about software.
However if you get a normal laptop you will run Windows 10 and Windows 10 since 2015 have a built-in AntiVirus called Windows Defender.
Its not the best, its gets lots of false positives, however from having nothing is quite good and free. In the past Windows had no protection at all.
For newcomers/budget users i recommend Defender, its fine.
Also the best protection is the user himself, learn what you should run and what not to.
my laptops are bogged down too, even my new MacBook pro. so I bought an external hard drive. plan on transferring my files, and keep the laptop for videos and FCPX.
almost forgot, I love the macbook. it's so easy to connect to IPad, and imovie, etc are simple to learn.
The sweatshop slaves working 18 hours a day 7 days a week in the chinese Apple production facilities will be gratified to know that you appreciate their efforts.
ok, so which slave-free computer did you type your reply on?
and I get what you're saying, but looking at the big picture, I purchase very few 'products', so I'm sure my 'footprint' is smaller than most...
A lot of PCs are manufactured domestically by companies paying their employees fair wages. Not in chinese slave labor sweatshops like most Apple products (phones, laptops, desktops, ipads....). Anyone who buys ANY Apple product needs to understand that they are supporting and rewarding this kind of slave labor. And your money is allowing Apple to donate hundreds of millions of dollars per year to organizations like Planned Parenthood and other super liberal causes. I'd be shocked if they didn't donate huge sums of money to help steal this election, and much of that money will have come from conservative patriots buying their products.
I understand what you're getting at, but I always weigh my options. and I'm old & have had different computers over the years. along with the ones I've used at various jobs. and I know at this point in time, the MacBook works best for my needs in sharing between devices etc. Windows is not our friend either...
I've been compiling clips for my videos...which are aimed at helping these children you're talking about...I've also used my IPAD to take pictures of George magazines that many don't have the opportunity to purchase like I have...
and I had a TBI a few years ago, and know that I would be frustrated at this point in time to use something else.
so yeah, it's definitely not a perfect system, but I know that the way I live is VERY frugal compared to most.
And as for the American companies paying fair wages...
Gateway was an American 'homespun' computer company, even had COWS on the packaging to show how wholesome they were...
guess what, the founder was hooked up with Ghislaine Maxwell for YEARS and was a drug addict who left his home state-lots of employees without jobs, for a billionaire lifestyle...
so yeah,
find one that's NOT corrupt that I can learn quickly, and I'll think about it..
Better to keep doubles of important files anyway ☺️
If you go to yard sales, you could do what I've done several times: I find a laptop which the seller says "it not working or it's dead". I've gotten Apple MacBook Pro's (2012 or earlier models which can't be upgraded with latest Apple software). I got two Lenovo laptops for $10 each after I jewed the seller down. The Apples Were $25 each from same seller. I rehabilitated all of them with new batteries (about $30), and in one case replaced the internal HD with a solid state drive.
I loaded Linux on all of them. Everything ran perfectly after some minor tweaking with WiFi.
Total investment was about $50 each and with cleaning, they are all like new. I donated three of them and kept one of the Apple/Linux laptops to use with my Ham Radio.
"Seek and he shall find"
Check a site like https://slickdeals.net for upcoming Memorial Day deals. ?
Thanks for the tip.
OP: I think youll be interested in this program. It neuters the shit out of windows 10 telemetry bullshit. Total privacy https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10
Get yourself a a Dell laptop Also for storage get yourself a Nas But you won't do that for under 500
I love this one: Dell XPS 13
but, $1,000.
A 500$ desktop will outperform most 1500$ laptops.......
A laptop is something you use when you have to, that is literally why it was created, something mobile for when you have to be mobile and can't use a desktop.
A cheap but serviceable laptop(with some external drives for data rather than storing it on the laptop)to supplement a desktop is by far the superior option...
Depends a bit on the nature of your research and the data generated during(telemetry, images,video, audio, observation notes???) a tablet and a desktop may be a better option in some cases.
Just buy an external usb hard drive. Surely chrome os can mount external storage.
Copy files over to external storage and delete from local machine afterward. Make sure you don't delete any system folders. Basically stick to the idea of if you didn't download it and you don't know what it is then leave it alone.
Go to FB Marketplace and do a search for gaming laptop. Gamers are always updating their laptops and you can get one at a pretty good price.
Buy a "personal cloud", basically a remote hard drive that you can either tether to your machine or network.. I store an extra 6TB this way. Secure as it gets.
Thanks...it's what I'm going to do.