Refurbished Dell laptop advice
- Thread starter rosb55
- Start date
I doubt it matters but I'll mention it. I can only get the UK addresses (and pricing in GBPs) if I use an incognito window.
My assumption is that they're using IP geolocation to show the results and that somehow this is changed with incognito mode.
I suspect that folks in the UK will be presented with GBP pricing automatically. I mention it only because it may matter.
My assumption is that they're using IP geolocation to show the results and that somehow this is changed with incognito mode.
I suspect that folks in the UK will be presented with GBP pricing automatically. I mention it only because it may matter.
I don't have any advice on the Dell line. But I would be remiss if I didn't share how impressed I am by my laptop. I'm a retired over the road truck driver and my laptop is still going strong after riding through all but two of the lower 48 states in the US, multiple times. And believe me when I tell you that trucks do not ride as smoothly as a car. That thing has been bounced around a LOT.
In all the years I've had it, it only needed two repairs. I had to replace the screen and the keyboard. Both victims of a cockatiel attack. It came with Windows 10 but Linux Mint easily replaced it.
It's a Toshiba Satellite L55. If you can find one, I highly reccomend them.
In all the years I've had it, it only needed two repairs. I had to replace the screen and the keyboard. Both victims of a cockatiel attack. It came with Windows 10 but Linux Mint easily replaced it.
It's a Toshiba Satellite L55. If you can find one, I highly reccomend them.
The Satellite line is still alive and still a quality laptop.
As an aside, I was a motor vehicle operator in the USMC. Though, after school, I drove only light and medium vehicles. i can appreciate the 'bouncy' bit. Even with 'air ride', those big things like to vibrate and bounce.
Today, the closest thing I have is a very large motorhome. It's an automatic transmission and I couldn't be happier about that fact. I can work the gears up through low and high, but automatic transmissions are just so much easier for me. My RV even has a Jake brake that's all automatic (and makes a lovely noise).
As for the states... I've done them all in the lower 48 and driven to the 49th while also flying to the 50th. Much of that was commercial driving (gathering data) but not in a semi. One of the more amusing things I've done was driving on the interstate in Hawaii.
Anyhow, I can confirm that Toshiba makes nice stuff. It's likely to be more expensive on the refurb market than a Dell but that's probably a logistic thing because Dell has sold so many devices when compared to the other companies. Toshiba would have fewer sales than both Dell and HP, meaning there are less of them on the market.
I was fond of the <impolite term> mouse/pointer. Once you get used to that, it makes the trackpad much less important.
Those darned cockatiels!
I saw one reaching out of its cage with one foot... trying to get the passing dog. 
Re. Dell laptop refurbs - my only beef with used Dell laptops (and it was long ago) is that they always seemed to have wifi hardware that was -almost- like everyone else's but was actually some variant that no linux developer had apparently ever heard of.
From around 2005 to around 2016 dell used BCM43 Wi-Fi, since then they changed over to intel wi-fi, BCM drivers were/are non-free so not included in many distributions, although they were available to download and install, the Intel are fully supported
Sure enough - I only have a couple of Dell lappies floating around here, neither in use, and they both have BCM wifi hardware. One's a 2009 vintage Vostro and the other is a 2006 vintage Inspiron and I honestly don't remember whether or not the wifi is working in either of them. (I have the lshw out put and similar shtuff saved on (virtual) postit notes for just this sort of curiosity, so I didn't haul them out and fire them up just now to get the info).
The ones I remember having so much trouble with were -even older- so I guess that's kind of a moot point anyway, especially in as much as I don't have any of them any more.
I had an a Dell lappy insperion I think something like that and it had a BCM43 wifi card but the driver though not installed was available right on the Mint .iso You just had to know it was there and install it manually. But it worked, ended up giving that machine to my grand daughter who used it until the thing finally gave up. HD failed. But all I'm saying is it's not impossible to use one. I perfer the intel chip set though It's supported by the kernel and I have never had a problem getting them to work. In any event there are plenty of choices out there and I'm sure the op can find one that will work with linux and meet the need.
Funny, the personell carriers, tanks and tank recovery vehicles I drove in the Army had automatic transmissions and never gave me any problems. But I've driven a couple of trucks with autoshift transmissions and hated them! Nothing but trouble, I'll take a 13 or 18 speed manual over any autoshift.
I've not been to Hawaii or Alaska. And missed Idaho and Montana before I had to give up trucking for health reasons. One thing I learned is that, for me personally, any state with a Pacific coastline is not a state I would return to willingly, just not for me.
If "trackpad" is that rectangle that's supposed to control the mouse pointer, then it's nothing but in my way. I tried and tried using the dratted thing before giving up on it. I'll stick to a mouse TYVM.
Yup. That's a trackpad. The other pointing device on the Satellite was/is a button in the middle of the keyboard.
It looks/looked like this:
I'm not sure if the Satellite still has them, though there was a pundit mentioning them on new Toshiba models in a fairly recent video. It's basically a way to move the cursor with a button fit between keys on the keyboard.
You may not have them anymore.
They were actually handy once you adjusted to using one, plus the trackpad was there as an option in newer models.
I guess the formal name was 'track stick'. I don't recall folks using the formal name.
theLegionWithin
Well-Known Member
having lived in Washington State** for over 20 years, I agree with you. there's a lot of really beautiful countryside out here but... well, politics. one of these days I'll have my RV finished and I can leave to never return.
**wanted to abbreviate it but then I remembered that it might confuse our Australian friends
Chuckle. No worries KGII.
I'm from the middle of the continent. Not a fan of mountains or ocean coastlines. Wasn't thinking politics when I made the statement.
Ohhh. I do remember the stick thing. I had one on another laptop, though I can't recall the make/model. It worked a lot better than the pad thing, but it still gave me trouble. Thanks for reminding me, forgot all about that piece of hardware.Yup. That's a trackpad. The other pointing device on the Satellite was/is a button in the middle of the keyboard.
It looks/looked like this:
I'm not sure if the Satellite still has them, though there was a pundit mentioning them on new Toshiba models in a fairly recent video. It's basically a way to move the cursor with a button fit between keys on the keyboard.
You may not have them anymore.
They were actually handy once you adjusted to using one, plus the trackpad was there as an option in newer models.
I guess the formal name was 'track stick'. I don't recall folks using the formal name.
It's a friendly reminder. No big deal.
Basically, we avoid politics, religion, sexuality, etc... If it's potentially contentious (regardless of your own beliefs) then there are better places to discuss it than here on this site.
Gotta tell you, it makes for such a nice environment as compared to other sites.
LOL It can also be REALLY hard to follow those rules and we admit that. Imagine talking about the full implications of free and open source software without talking about politics! We make it work but it does hamper our discussions.
Also, you just so you know, none of us mod/admins are all that 'gung ho'. You really have to work at it to get banned. We much prefer a glass of wine (or beer) and to move on than we do to hold grudges. Unless you're a spammer (or someone who takes it way over the top), it's all good. I did ban someone within the past few weeks but they were saying things like, "Do you want to take it off site?" and trying to turn things into a mindless fight.
Ah well... Point being, you're fine. It's just a friendly reminder.
Last I knew, Toshiba was still including them on some models. Many people used various names for female anatomy to describe the track stick. I dare say the slang names were more used than the actual name. I had to look the actual name up just to ensure I hadn't lost my mind and that they were a real thing.
theLegionWithin
Well-Known Member
you're right. I apologize.
My Thinkpad has the little mouse thingy in the keyboard also. but I hardly ever use it.. The thouchpad is just in the way most of the time as I'm old school and use an external mouse. Just what you grow up with I guess. in any event hope the op finds the machine that will work for him/her.
Thanks for all the further advice. I'm leaning towards a Lenovo Thinkpad, possibly a T480 of some kind. Are the SSDs and other hardware of a used model likely to be reliable for a few years? I'm thinking I may have to replace the battery at some point - I believe some Lenovo models don't let you use non-Lenovo replacements, but others do. Any UK recommended sites for battery replacements?
I had my t-450 for 6 years and it's still going strong. Look for one in A condition if you can find it. Mine came and was almost new.
get at least 8 gbs ram and 256 or 500 or more SSD. Think you will do well with it.
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Thanks, yes, I'm thinking of 16 gb ram and 256 SSD.
the one component no one can guarantee is the HDD/SSD/NVMe, it all depends on not so much of age in years but how many cycles it has gone through, this you can only test once you have it on the desk
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