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Posted by: attias 4th October 2017, 04:07 PM

Bit of a random one but hey - I've seen randomer!

Just curious to see where others are at with this cos I'm still on my first ever laptop. I was a bit of a #latebloomer when it came to having my own laptop as I only ever had shared home computers until I was 20. I was very low maintenance when it came to these things so it wasn't until 2011 that I finally decided to get my very own lappy. My Sony Vaio has had its fair share of annoying problems over the years but overall I'm still very happy with my baby as it's been pretty good overall. I'm getting slightly apprehensive though because it's six years old now and I think that's quite old for a laptop?

vote. discuss. share.

Posted by: LewisTScream 4th October 2017, 04:09 PM

Got my first laptop in 2007 I think it was. It barely lasted just over a year, I think it conked out 2 or 3 days after the guarantee had ended which was fabulous

I had one more for A-Levels which then stopped working and so got a new one for going to university, which slowly packed up too! I got my most recent one in 2014 which is more of a notebook than a laptop because it's tiny, however last year I reverted back to a desktop (all-in-one) which I adore using #retro

It's surprising how quickly they just slow down and clog up because with the money that you pay for them, I expect a bit of longevity!

How have you had yours since 2011 Mattias? Teach me your secrets!

Posted by: ta spin go skrra 4th October 2017, 04:12 PM

2 iirc! My first was when I was 13 and replaced it about 3 years ago. I can't remember the model etc.

I now have Lenovo E530C which is going... ok it's mostly just the internet speed which is shite so I can't really judge otherwise

Posted by: 28 Brays Later 4th October 2017, 04:15 PM

Technically 2, I had one when I was younger but I pretty much never used it (apart from a couple of times when we went on holiday), I still used a PC right up until I left for uni and needed to have a laptop, and I still have the same laptop 2 years later. I haven't had any issues with it in terms of slowing down etc. as of yet, at least not that I've noticed. The battery on it is a bit shite but that's not really much of an issue as I just keep it plugged in whenever I use it (which is probably why the battery is so terrible lol).

Posted by: Dalek-xorcist32 4th October 2017, 04:17 PM

Two. One of them was an HP hand-me-down from my sister, another is a TOSHIBA (the one I have used since the end of December 2015)

Posted by: Doctor Blind 4th October 2017, 04:18 PM

I've had my MacBook Pro since October 2008 - so coming up to nine years!

The one before that was a clunky Dell that I got around 2003 I think, so in answer to your question - 2.

Posted by: ta spin go skrra 4th October 2017, 04:19 PM

yeah I ran this battery health test thingy and it was around 70% of its original capacity

Posted by: attias 4th October 2017, 04:24 PM

tbh I'm just as surprised as you that it's lasted this long really - I think I just "stumbled upon" a good one! Although like I said, it's had its fair share of technical glitches and problems but nothing too major really... The battery is pretty shit now though I think it lasts just over an hour or something.

Posted by: Jade-o-Lantern🎃 4th October 2017, 04:25 PM

I am still on my first laptop just like you Mattias! I used all two incarnations of the family desktop for about a decade until I got my own laptop for Christmas 2013! This is a Macbook Pro which is a pretty wonderful (albeit expensive) first ever laptop. Four years later and it still works alright minus a few of the keys not working but I just use an Apple replacement keyboard.

Posted by: Cameron 4th October 2017, 04:27 PM

I've had about 5 :/

Posted by: Jay ☆ 4th October 2017, 04:29 PM

I've been using laptops since around 2004... I can't remember precisely how many I've had! Maybe my current one is the 6th or 7th? The laptops I had in the 2000s would typically break within 18 months, 2 years tops.

Posted by: FreddyVsJupiter 4th October 2017, 04:31 PM

I said 2 but I guess I should have gone for 3 as I now have one of those tablet/laptop combo things in addition to my main laptop which I've had since 2013 or so. I always make sure everything is set up just so, as soon as I buy it, so that it will be as long-lasting as possible.

I don't see myself replacing this one for a good few years yet either.

Posted by: J▲hq 4th October 2017, 04:38 PM

I used a family desktop computer from around Christmas 2005 (although it took my Dad until the following summer to get the Internet set up) until about May 2013 when I got my first laptop, and I'm still using the same one over four years later. Did have to take it into a repair shop and get it put back to factory settings I think, less than a year after I'd bought it, but aside from the battery being utter crap these days, I don't have much issue with it and am in no rush to get a replacement!

Posted by: JosephGutierrez 4th October 2017, 04:41 PM

I'm only on my first, and even then I've only had it since 2015 and use it very sparingly (its main use is when I'm on holiday lol). At home, I use a desktop - would've migrated to my laptop by now I think but my grandad "donated" his old computer to me, with Windows 10 and everything, so I've been using that for a few months now!

Posted by: 5 Silas Frøkner 4th October 2017, 05:31 PM

Ive had 5. My first one lasted like a week. Then died. So back that went to PC world. The replacement lasted 2.5 years then it's replacement about the same. Then I switched to MacBooks. First one lasted 3 and a bit years. Then the hard drive needed replaced and trying to migrate everything over and reinstall MacOS and everything was painful AF and I gave up and bought a new one instead Had this over 2 years now and it's still going strong.

Posted by: Colm 4th October 2017, 05:38 PM

3 laptops, a netbook, 2 desktops and a tablet.

Currently still in use - 1 desktop and one laptop

Posted by: jessie j 4th October 2017, 05:45 PM

I've got a Mac desktop computer in my room, but for 99% of stuff I just use my Chromebook now. I've got three of them (they've all been gifts lol. as if i could afford to buy my own laptop) and my favourite is a touchscreen one with a battery life of ~8 hours - it's fell off my bed about 50 times and I've fell asleep on it loads too yet it seems indestructible so I reckon I'll have this for a while.

Posted by: jessie j 4th October 2017, 05:47 PM

oh, and @ people that use a desktop and don't have a laptop - is it not a pain in the arse to be sitting straight up whenever you want to watch browse or do something for a long period of time?? it's FAR more comfy to browse on my bed

Posted by: T Boy 4th October 2017, 05:54 PM

Only 3. I have tablets now.

Posted by: Jacøb 4th October 2017, 06:52 PM

Got a really nice desktop, paid a fair bit for it initially but it's lasted 3 and a half years so far and shows no sign of slowing down. Will need to replace the graphics card at some point, maybe in a year or so but beyond that I can see this thing lasting for another good 5 years minimum. I've got dual screens and I love them, it also functions as my "console" basically because I can run pretty much any game you can throw at it smoothly.

Had my own laptop once and I was going to have it at the same time as my current desktop but about a month before I built the desktop it fell of my desk while charging (I was moving a box which yanked the cable) and the charger dug into the power button area, forever killing it. I recovered the hard disk but beyond that it wasn't worth fixing, was already slowing down and Iz had sold it on to me in the first place. The main advantage of a laptop is obviously the portability which would be useful if I was going away somewhere for a couple of days or more, or for uni. I'm thinking of getting a MacBook both for uni/ music reasons and for the portability reason to go alongside my desktop (will be extremely useful for when I travel - I just use my tablet at the moment which is functional for most but not all things, particularly uni related stuff) but MacBooks are ridiculously expensive so I'm still in the "thinking about it" stage.

So the answer is 1 if we're strictly talking about laptops and it wasn't even new. Before my current one I had a shared desktop that I had a stake in, bought with both my brothers when we were kids (well I was 13, didn't get my own personal computer until like 17 haha although because everyone else got laptops before me I was the only one still using the old desktop for a while) but before that it was just family desktops.

Comfy spinny chairs are the answer. x

Also re browsing in bed that's what iPads are for m8. They're also not heat machines like laptops, I find that tablets are just as functional as laptops for general browsing, watching videos etc with the slight disadvantage of not having an actual keyboard to type quickly with and without certain programs of course.

Posted by: 28 Brays Later 4th October 2017, 07:16 PM

I can never find a comfortable position to use my laptop while I'm on a bed lol ;o

Posted by: Riser 5th October 2017, 02:12 AM

I'm on my second laptop. My first one lasted 6.5 years (2009-2015) although it still works and I use it occasionally. I got my current one for Christmas 2015 and I hope it lasts 6+ years as well!

Posted by: troublepink 5th October 2017, 07:57 AM

I've had four. Had my current one (Macbook air) for three years now and its still running as good as new, one of the best things I've ever got

Posted by: lot🎈IT🎈a 5th October 2017, 08:28 AM

I’m on my fifth rn. I had about 2 HP laptops in two months bc they were crap, I then had an asus or whatever for a while then before year 10 i got my first MacBook and I only replaced it this February. MacBook for life

Posted by: breezyspice 5th October 2017, 11:21 PM

I feel like I need to knock on wood because this thread is jinxing my hardware, attempting to give reason to buy new ones.

Posted by: Iz~ 6th October 2017, 06:26 PM

2, the one that Jacob killed was my first, I traded it in for one that wasn't even exactly what I ordered because Amazon messed it up and gave me one with a bigger screen but a slightly worse processor (I never bothered to get it properly sorted because as a first year uni student I couldn't be arsed). And yet that's the one I'm still using today, it's 5 years old now and is running fine now I've cleaned it out a bit. And its age is the only reason I've taken it to India because as I have also now built my own desktop (which is far superior in every aspect, especially for games), and I haven't really used this one much over the past year so if it does conk out or get lost/stolen it won't be the end of the world - hopefully if either happens that'll be more towards the end of my trip than the beginning though.

Posted by: Hide&Seek 12th October 2017, 07:19 PM

This is my first laptop. I think I have it about 8 yrs now.
It no longer lets me put songs from my ipod onto a blank disc anymore, or photos....so I think it's on it's way out.

Posted by: 28 Brays Later 16th October 2017, 12:07 AM

Gah I am starting to worry this thread jinxed me... my 'a' key has been a little bit dodgy for a few days (like occasionally not responding to being pressed, but it'd always work again after pressing it slightly harder so I brushed that off as not really being a big deal) but just now for about a full minute it COMPLETELY stopped working, as did the 'q' and 'z' keys after a bit of panicked fiddling it's all working fine again now so I'm just praying this was a one off incident, if it persists I might find myself moving onto laptop #3 unexpectedly quickly oops.

Posted by: Iz~ 16th October 2017, 03:33 AM

This has happened to mine twice, and currently the main keyboard is dead, I use a USB one resting on top of it. Depending on the model though if it does happen again it's cheaper and easier to just replace the keyboard and obviously be careful with it from now on.

Posted by: Jacobites 16th October 2017, 08:14 PM

I ordered that MacBook. Went for a MacBook Pro, got pretty much the best specs I could because I'm all too aware I can't upgrade it. Copy paste from the order details:

3.5GHz Dual-core Intel Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650
16GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM
1TB PCIe-based SSD
Force Touch Trackpad
Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports
Touch Bar and Touch ID
PRO APP BUNDLE FOR EDUCATION
KEYBOARD/USER'S GUIDE-GBR
COUNTRY KIT-GBR
AppleCare Protection Plan

So yeah my bank account is dead (or rather it will be, I'm using Paypal credit with a 6 month plan so I can manage it easier and I can still have a life in the meantime) but yayayayayayyay I've got a Mac. It arrives next week. The Pro App bundle includes Logic as well.

Also got a new screen for my desktop (a 2nd 27" identical to the one I've already got) so I can have matching dual monitors. Next thing to do is upgrade my graphics card on my desktop but that can wait another 6 months to a year or possibly more. Thank God I've got a part time job while at uni (and more hours in the holidays) is all I'm saying.

Posted by: 28 Brays Later 16th October 2017, 09:41 PM

Ah I suppose I could look into getting a USB keyboard if this starts being more of an issue. Thankfully it's been totally fine since that post as of the time writing this though so I am still just hoping it's magically fixed forever

Posted by: Brébino 14th November 2017, 07:44 PM

Update ~~

It was not magically fixed forever and I have now had to get a USB keyboard indeed (actually my dad just had one lying around already so using that one) but I shall be getting a new laptop over the Xmas hols. Exciting xx

Posted by: D0bz 14th November 2017, 07:55 PM

3. One I had at Uni then it got old & sluggish and could only operate when plugged in. Got 2 now, one I use for day-to-day stuff (like Buzz) and a back-up, more powerful one for storage & subsidiary tasks.

Posted by: Ninjabait 16th November 2017, 06:26 PM

I'm currently on my...fifth one, I think? It might be the sixth. I've honestly lost count. The last one I had got the hard-drive click of death, and the one before that literally started falling apart (and eventually just wouldn't start). I had another one while in college (don't remember what happened to that one), and one more before that I think. There might be one I'm forgetting. They all usually lasted about a year or two.

Hopefully the one I'm on now will last a bit longer.

Posted by: 5 Silas Frøkner 16th November 2017, 07:19 PM

Welcome to team MacBook!!!! They’re just so awesome to use if they were maybe half the price they are they’d just decimate the market for laptops

Posted by: mdh 16th November 2017, 07:23 PM

now I've been converted to team iPhone I'm fully considering buying a MacBook when I next get paid!! Apple's operating systems seem far superior and I never realised just how powerful GarageBand was as a software overall

Posted by: 5 Silas Frøkner 16th November 2017, 08:20 PM

If it was a pure decision between operating systems in a world where money was no object, or the hardware cost the same, then I wouldn't understand why anyone would volunteer to be subjected to Windows when they could have macOS X instead. Its so much quicker and smoother and user friendly.

Posted by: Jacob Alan 16th November 2017, 10:32 PM

Thank you! I love it, absolutely made the right decision.

I still use my desktop a lot but I use my Mac at uni all the time, also when I travel or just generally around the house rather than just my room. It's so pretty, has a really nice sound system (I couldn't believe they were laptop speakers when I first used them), runs smoothly, has fantastic resolution and I love the touchbar/ touch ID. Plus it's got Logic X which I've been wanting for ages- I still use Ableton a lot tbh because that's great too but it's nice to have the choice, there are things you can get in one you can't get in the other. I also have access to Final Cut Pro and the like if I ever decided to get into video editing (maybe one day who knows x). No regrets. In terms of laptops, yeah this is the best I've ever come across- looks like it's set to last for years. Windows should only be for powerful desktops, it's painful how slowly it runs on lower end laptops. x

High Sierra's going well for me so far as well, recently upgraded from Sierra a no problems so far. Have you got it yet?

Posted by: Brett-Butler 16th November 2017, 10:39 PM

Excluding work - 3
Including work - 5

My first laptop was a Sony Vaio in 2008. Used it all the way until 2015 when the disk drive stopped working and it was just working too slow for me (plus it ran on Vista, which wasn't very good). Switched to a low-range Lenovo, but once again had hardware issues (ran off Windows 8, then 10), which made it run very slow, so last year I switched over to a Dell that runs Windows 7, which does most things I need. All my laptops have had a disk drive, although I have a feeling my next one won't.

I've also been issued 2 hi-range Lenovo laptops from work (would cost about £1,000 to buy brand new), both running Windows 7, neither have disk drives. They work quite well, but can't access Facebook or Outlook on them due to work restrictions.

Posted by: 5 Silas Frøkner 16th November 2017, 10:55 PM

Glad that you are enjoying it!! I think its got the best trackpad of any laptop I've come across. The multitouch gestures work really well and they're so configurable so you can customise them a bit to how you like to work.

Yeah I upgraded the week it came out. There's not much difference to Sierra so I'm looking forward to next years big update to see what that brings with it.


The things they give us are really worth MacBook money? f***ing hell Lenovo are such a rip off. I wouldn't pay £30 for my work laptop it's a complete heap of shit and ancient too. Even IT was like "why the hell are they giving you these things" when we got them on day 1.

Bring on the touch screen yogas.

Posted by: Jacob Alan 17th November 2017, 12:44 AM

Ooh yeah the trackpad's great. I got a (2nd hand) Magic Mouse 2 as well, use it occasionally if I'm at my desk and that's great as well but the finger combinations on the trackpad >>> any other trackpad. Yeah I didn't think it was huge but I only had a couple of weeks to experience Sierra, overall the OS has run without a hitch really. The addition of "High" makes it sound even more swish though and I like it.

But yeah to update my answer to the original question: On my 2nd Laptop and I guess 2nd Desktop (or 1st because the other wasn't solely mine)- in both cases, 2nd time lucky. x

Posted by: commonsense 17th November 2017, 05:24 PM

None. Just a desktop. Wife and daughter have laptops but I'm not allowed to touch them and wouldn't know how to use one anyway.

Posted by: mdh 17th November 2017, 05:26 PM

a laptop is essentially a desktop on your lap i think you'd know how to use it

Posted by: commonsense 17th November 2017, 05:32 PM

Well had a go with wife's once and found I'd need to attach a mouse to one. Hate the laptop keypad, as the cursor was all over the place for me!

Posted by: mdh 17th November 2017, 05:37 PM

trackpad?

Posted by: commonsense 17th November 2017, 05:38 PM

What do you mean? Connect a mouse to the laptop!

Posted by: The Diplomat 17th November 2017, 05:43 PM

There are plenty of mice in your house though I am sure you will find one

Posted by: Chez Wombat 17th November 2017, 06:32 PM

I FINALLY got my current laptop which had a damaged screen back yesterday, I'd only had this one two years so I didn't wanna have to replace it already. The last ten days have been something of an endurance test.

I've had three overall - my first one lasted four years, the next one three (though it got a broken screen hinge and the battery died and yet I still persisted on ) and my current one which I've had for just under two years.

Posted by: Michael Bubré 18th December 2017, 01:09 AM

And my answer is now officially 3 ;o (got a new Lenovo IdeaPad 320).

Had a few teething problems setting up this laptop but I think I've got it how I want it now, just need to get used to the new layout of the keyboard / power button (now an actual key on the keyboard so I'll no doubt accidentally press it at some point) / all of the ports lol ~ Also the display is a lil bit washed out which is quite annoying, played around with the brightness and contrast to minimise it as much as possible but sadly can't seem to get it back to how my old laptop looked :'(

But... at least the keyboard is fully functional I'm sure I'll get used to the display as well... this laptop does also have the advantage of being a bit lighter than the old one, not that I carry it around very much anyway.

Posted by: Mack'sXmasSack 18th December 2017, 02:52 PM

1 that still works it is rarely used which I had in 2006.

Posted by: ChristmasEve201 19th December 2017, 12:31 AM

A big fat zero for me just a PC and now an iPhone!

Posted by: Oliver 14th January 2018, 10:41 AM

I've had 5 I think.

Started off with a crappy handoff which ended up getting viruses on after one of my mates decided to watch some suspect videos. Then I got myself an ACER which lasted about 3 years. My Dell was next and that lasted about another 3 years before I spilled orange juice on and everything went caput and it wouldn't turn on without showing the BSoD.

Went and got myself a HP laptop which worked really well (got it whilst I was at uni) and was my first foray into PC gaming other than Football Manager, and finally I'm now here with my MacBook which I've had for about 2 years.

Probably going to go back to Windows on my next one though (even though it's probably going to be a couple of years yet (I want to get my monies worth out of this one )) as I'm not using this to it's potential at all and it feels like a bit of a waste (I originally got it because I was going to do vlogging and I know video editing on Macs is generally better).

Posted by: 5 Silas Frøkner 14th January 2018, 12:33 PM

Finally got rid of the heap of shite after the wifi card started dropping connections at random.


I like that the new one has a touchscreen and stylus, it's pretty good. Windows 10 Enterprise though is a bit naff

Posted by: Mattias 3rd August 2018, 05:25 PM

The creator of this thread who had only ever had one laptop belonging all to himself has gone and done the unthinkable I'm now on my second laptop as of today, it happens to be a Lenovo IdeaPad 320 like Bré. Wow. So Bré, if either of us need advice regarding Lenovo IdeaPad 320... hah. It seemed like the best option for the kind of thing I was looking for, has a loooad of space (1 TB) and 4 GB RAM which is the minimum one should have really. One thing I can't figure out is how to open the DVD / CD Drive as it seems to have one (it's listed in my devices) but there's no button. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Guess I can always use my external DVD player cos the thing I see might be an extra hard drive.

Not sure what to do with my old Sony Vaio now which I used for 7 years, it's still working pretty okay but there's a problem with the motherboard where the USB ports / other ports are.

Posted by: Dexton 6th August 2018, 11:54 AM

I'm currently on laptop #6 I think, it's the first time I've bought a new one without the previous one "mysteriously stop working" so I do still have my last laptop in a box somewhere waiting to be sold. I still haven't got around to wiping it though so I have no idea when I will actually sell it :')

Posted by: HarryEzra 6th August 2018, 01:26 PM

I think I've only had 3-4 laptops not entirely sure!

Posted by: Botchia 6th August 2018, 09:39 PM

I'm still on my first laptop! I used to just use the family computer until I went to uni and then bought a MacBook Pro (so Summer 2013) and it's been going strong ever since! Well, it had a few hairy moments. But apparently that was an Apple fault and they fixed the fault for free and since then it's been good as new!

I recently bought a desktop Mac too with my work bonus vouchers as it only came to £400 of my own money *.* I currently use my desktop for main usage and MacBook for mobile needs. So I can see myself sticking with my current one for a bit longer yet as there's no need to replace!

Similarly my sister only just replaced her first laptop (also a MacBook Pro) after 8(!) years. So I expect mine should have another few years in it yet!

Posted by: 5 Silas Frøkner 7th August 2018, 09:03 AM

This wonderful pile of shite, the Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga G1 Or something like that lasted less than 4 months. Completely died on May 8th which was so helpful. I also now have a second of these laptops from the German firm so will look like a raving loon travelling back to the U.K. in December with three laptops in my hand luggage

Posted by: Popchartfreak 7th August 2018, 12:23 PM

I voted for one - then I realised it didn't say laptop dancer. Silly me. had one laptop only, and it's full of songs. It actually creaks under the weight of the itunes I buy, and BJSC tracks when I pick it up, and is now 2kg heavier thanks to all that heavy music on it. Ed Sheeran tracks, in particular, weigh a ton...

True fact.

Posted by: Oliver 16th August 2018, 06:19 PM

I am now onto my 6th laptop, but hopefully this one will be staying for a bit!

I've bought a bespoke one from PC Specialist, wanted something with a decent graphics card so opted for a smaller processor as I was on a budget. I've went with an Intel Core i5-7300HQ processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card.

I originally intended to get an i7 processor but the cost would have pushed me over the amount of money I had, but I'm pleased.