Just got a new laptop delivered and set up-thoughts?

Time to retire that machine. What OS is it running ? That laptop smokes that desktop in every category.
Would you retire your car or truck because it is 10 years old? Considering it still gets you to work and back home. Or retire it because of 100,000 miles? I only use the desktop for places like BITOG.

Are the new ones faster...sure! Heck, I had a 1969 Plymouth GTX with a 440 six pack that was fairly hot for it's day. Now a days, a Honda Civic would probably beat it in a 1/4 mile race. I'm not racing here and require the speed of the laptop.

And besides, if the desktop craps out, I will get a new one. I only want a backup computer either way. I'm computer and illiterate in those areas. No desire to learn either, they don't rock my boat, just a necessary tool. ;)
 
Not a gamer or anything. Know nothing about the replies all you folks sent. Just a backup for playing on websites like BITOG.
Well the 3060 graphics probably added about ~$200+ to the laptop price and is arguably, mostly beneficial in 3D gaming. There are other benefits like GPU acceleration in certain pro apps, hardware accelerated NVENC/DEC for video editing and enhanced video playback, but gaming is mostly what it gets you over modern integrated /IGP video, and it's going to drain the battery a bit faster.

I'm speculating, but I'd venture to say the OP's desktop isn't anything close to that. You probably built that one too, right ?
Yes self-built, but even it is more than enough for most web and office use. We're a decade past the era where basic web and office tasks need more performance. Maybe minimum 8GB memory for Win10+.

Then again, things wear out. Ever since motherboards moved to HQ solid capacitors, I haven't seen much of a failure rate from them, but time takes its toll on HDDs and PSUs, and minor things like fans.
 
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Well the 3060 graphics probably added about ~$200+ to the laptop price and is arguably, mostly beneficial in 3D gaming. There are other benefits like GPU acceleration in certain pro apps, hardware accelerated NVENC/DEC for video editing and enhanced video playback, but gaming is mostly what it gets you over modern integrated /IGP video, and it's going to drain the battery a bit faster.
Well...the Granddaughter can game with it if she comes to visit!:D
 
It's laughable comparing vehicles to computers. In 2013, your computer came with Windows 8. Please tell us that desktop isn't still running Windows 8.
Let's not get started on that topic.

It's not the OS, it's the user and apps.

A seasoned user with mature apps, is worse off with each newer version of windows. The risk becomes the OS itself. Granted, if your app has internet access like the browser, once that app has support ending after a certain OS versions and/or patch level, that's a wake up call that you have to put in more effort, especially can't just assume some ancient version of your browser is fine to use. Browser vulnerabilities are the #1 threat to a home user who doesn't do anything *stupid* otherwise, like installing things your browser popup suggested, installing things from nefarious sources, opening dubious email attachments, etc.

Windows 8? Heh! I'd rather run windows 7 than 11.
 
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An unpatched, unsupported OS or browser can be exploited by simply being connected to the internet. The user or app(s) have nothing to do with that.
Completely vague, and as a result, wrong.

It has nothing to do with the OS, is ALL about the user and apps.

What do you want to bet that I can get a winxp box online, and have no worries?

Hint: It's reality. I do.
 
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1. Create another non-Admistrator account on that laptop and work from that account only.
2. Restore Points. Learn about those
======================================

[You are most likely using an administrator's account with maximum privileges that are abused by bad guys first.
You may hurt yourself in other words.].
 
i am enjoying my recent purchase of a dell laptop with SSD BUT its mouse is TOOO sensitive opening + closing things quickly + yes its at its "slowest" setting!!
 
Would you retire your car or truck because it is 10 years old? Considering it still gets you to work and back home. Or retire it because of 100,000 miles? I only use the desktop for places like BITOG.

Are the new ones faster...sure! Heck, I had a 1969 Plymouth GTX with a 440 six pack that was fairly hot for it's day. Now a days, a Honda Civic would probably beat it in a 1/4 mile race. I'm not racing here and require the speed of the laptop.

And besides, if the desktop craps out, I will get a new one. I only want a backup computer either way. I'm computer and illiterate in those areas. No desire to learn either, they don't rock my boat, just a necessary tool. ;)
You need to understand that an old computer running an old operating system that no longer receives security updates is a vulnerability. It has nothing to do with its function, therefore your car example is invalid.

Doesn’t matter if you only use it for BITOG. It is connected to your home network, therefore if compromised, it opens the door to your other devices that are connected to that same network.

So anyone that connects to your home network can be at risk.
 
Completely vague, and as a result, wrong.

It has nothing to do with the OS, is ALL about the user and apps.

What do you want to bet that I can get a winxp box online, and have no worries?

Hint: It's reality. I do.
There are lines that separate "stubborn", "silly" and then "downright destructive".

Dude, I'd wager (and hope) your intentions are good and you are simply trying to keep this subject from being too complex for those who have neither the expertise nor the interest to concern themselves over "best practices" when it comes to their computing. I think the world needs a lot more of that, frankly: Too much advice doled out to casual users is unnecessarily complex. And in most cases where malicious software involves direct user actions, it IS indeed the user and the operation of their applications and we desperately need users to have at least some modicum of acuity or literacy. A necessary part of that acuity must involve knowing how important it is that their OS is secure.

Please, anyone reading this: Using an unsupported and/or unpatched operating system, be that on your desktop or mobile device, is a terrible idea. Your own data is at risk; but equally important is that your device can be used to exploit and damage others' devices and networks.
 
Completely vague, and as a result, wrong.

It has nothing to do with the OS, is ALL about the user and apps.

What do you want to bet that I can get a winxp box online, and have no worries?

Hint: It's reality. I do.

But you're an expert user while most are not.
 
Please, anyone reading this: Using an unsupported and/or unpatched operating system, be that on your desktop or mobile device, is a terrible idea. Your own data is at risk; but equally important is that your device can be used to exploit and damage others' devices and networks.
Yeah, this is off topic and not going to be settled here, so I'll just end my part in this by stating that it's not going to matter on your home network if you learn and use the same basic safe computing practices that you need on the latest MS patched OS too, with an exception in that you need a modern patched browser if you're going to surf the 'net with it. Hand waving and spreading FUD, is not a specific exploit and nobody has ever been able to tell me one that isn't user error at very basic decision making. Of course I'd need to add qualifiers like it's a home lan, that you have the MSE, firewall, UAC, and if your kids are up to reckless things, they're isolated on your lan.
 
What do you want to bet that I can get a winxp box online, and have no worries?

Hint: It's reality. I do.
Just because you're not worried about it does not mean there isn't anything to worry about.

Hint: There is.

But if you're comfortable with it in your own environment, then that's cool. But please don't tell others that it's fine to do so.
 
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with an exception in that you need a modern patched browser if you're going to surf the 'net with it.
Anyone else reading this, this is bad advice. Exploits do NOT need your internet browser, whether fully up-to-date and patched or not, to do harm. Your computer is connected to the internet all the time and bad stuff doesn't happen just via port 80. Do you own research. Put an unpatched Windows computer on the internet and don't touch it, don't open the web browser, or anything. It can be infected in minutes. I used to "help" people clean up their PCs after getting infected and back when you could only download a unpatched Windows ISO, I quit. You couldn't install Windows and get it online in order to download updates quicker than it would get infected.
 
Anyone else reading this, this is bad advice. Exploits do NOT need your internet browser, whether fully up-to-date and patched or not, to do harm. Your computer is connected to the internet all the time and bad stuff doesn't happen just via port 80. Do you own research. Put an unpatched Windows computer on the internet and don't touch it, don't open the web browser, or anything. It can be infected in minutes. I used to "help" people clean up their PCs after getting infected and back when you could only download a unpatched Windows ISO, I quit. You couldn't install Windows and get it online in order to download updates quicker than it would get infected.
Do you know that:

1) There are more open exploits on Win10 and 11 than Win 7 or 8?

2) No, a windows computer in the modern era isn't actually "on the internet", because this isn't the dial up era, instead there is a router between. If you don't understand how that impacts ports, then you have not done research relevant to home use which is different than a corporate environment.

3) Define "unpatched" (see #1 above), since a legacy system had long ago patched itself, and in fact, I do have older OS computers "on the internet" (behind a router) for many years 24/7, and none have become infected, not in minutes, not in years. However, I do not use very old browsers, and also steps further like limiting scripting but that's a different topic. I've had no problems getting fresh old OS installs online to patch them - when patches were available, but today, I have the relevant ones archived as offline installers.

4) If you were not able to safely get online, that's on you, tell us what you were doing wrong because unless your router was compromised, or you used an old vulnerable browser, it's not going to happen with a windows OS with a firewall and a router.

5) These OS used to be current. Did you run them then and were you constantly exploited? I wasn't, nor were most people - those who practiced safe computing, the same practices you still need today.
 
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