The Core i5 6200U CPU in that Dell tests approximately three times as fast as that Athlon CPU for multi-threaded tasks, and tests approximately twice as fast for single threaded tasks.
This particular machine is my 85 year old Mother's. Switching to a new Win 10 machine would mean that some programs that she use would most likely not be usable on a new machine. For example, she uses PrintMaster Platinum 15 that is DRMed by requiring that the install CD be in the DVD drive. (The program disk is not copy protected, so they didn't plan their DRM very well.) New computers don't have DVD drives. The current (downloadable and "properly" DRMed (involving an activation server) version of PrintMaster can't read PrintMaster 15 data files.
New machines don't have built in DVD drives and a permanently tethered external DVD drive would be very clumsy, the way she uses it on her couch. (The PrintMaster DVD lives in her DVD drive 100% of the time.)
She has a bunch of smaller programs that she uses. That may, or may not, run on Win 10. Most are abandonware, so updates are out of the question. She would not deal well with any VM solution.
Then I would not entertain switching to a new laptop unless the older laptop had problems that could not be easily resolved.
Even then, a far less expensive model would likely work just fine.
Also note that you can still purchase laptops with windows 7 installed, both in new and refurbished condition. So, if you do end up with hardware issues that are more expensive than worth it to repair, you should be able to find a good deal on a new or refurbished laptop with Windows 7 instaled
The Dell you bought does seem to be very nice *if* you need a laptop with it's screen type, CPU, etc. But, for someone that is a typical PC user that is running far less demanding applications, it's "over kill".
I am definitely *not* a fan of Windows 10. Of course, that means that any time I point out any deficiencies with it, I get slammed by Microsoft defenders claiming that I'm bashing it.
The changes in Microsoft's philosophy lately is just lacking at being in the best interest to consumers in my opinion, with the new features that look like they're trying to turn Windows into an advert delivery platform for profit purposes. That's not bashing, it's pointing out areas that need improvement and debate about.
Hence, they've been very anxious to get more users on Win 10, using what many consider to be questionable (being nice about it)l methods that shove Windows 10 down users throats via nag screens, downloading install files that users did not want and more.
It's good to hear that they're starting to make some of the updates "optional" again, without installing them by default if users don't pay close enough attention and uncheck the boxes to install them.
There was a recent discussion in this thread about that kind of thing:
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/56633308
Of course, some members accused me of FUD and more, and stayed "in denial" that Microsoft would use those tactics, even after Microsoft admitted that they had made a mistake. But, given what I've seen them doing lately, I'd agree with Malch:
"Jeeze, MS have flat out admitted it and still you're in denial?
It was a "mistake". Of course if you believe that I have some wonderful ocean front property in Arizona for sale"
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/56634986.
But, you can find utilities that will try to disable some of the "phoning home" that Windows 10 is performing and utilities that try to give you a more familiar user interface back again.
For example, I use the free Classic Shell with my Windows 8.x installs (and it also works with Windows 10)::
http://www.classicshell.net/
You'll also find some free tools that help to block Microsoft's information gathering. But, many users just don't seem to care about Privacy any more, and take the stand that if you don't have anything to hide, then why worry.
I call that complacency. If we don't speak up with concerns about invasion of Privacy, then vendors like Microsoft are just going to try and get away with as much as they can, in order to put together marketing profiles that are designed to spam us with adverts in search results, "modern" apps, and more.
Other members are welcome to their opinion about it. But, personally, I wish they'd respect mine, too.
Of course, Google does the same kind of thing But, two wrongs do not make a right.
As pointed out in the article linked to in my last post, Microsoft is stating to roll out updates to Win 7 that do the same thing as Windows 10 does by gathering information about your computer use.
I suspect that they're disappointed in the number of users that have upgraded to Windows 10 so far (so they can make more money from adverts in modern apps, bing adverts included in desktop search results by default, etc.), despite very aggressive efforts to upgrade users, even when they do not want to upgrade. So, they are trying to do the same kind of thing with earlier versions of windows now, by installing updates that gather information about your computer use.
So, please be careful, as even though they may have unchecked the box that was letting the "optional" Windows 10 installers work by default, they could still be pushing updates that include the same "nag" screens about the "free" upgrade, as well as updates designed to send data about your oomputer use back to Microsoft (see the article linked to in my last post about those updates).
There are also some threads here pointing out that Microsoft starting installing updates that were previously hidden recently. IOW, do not assume that if you've hidden an update that it won't still be pushed down and installed later, as they've been apparently resetting the files tracking hidden update so they can try to install them against user wishes anyway. It's amazing that they are getting away with that kind of behaviour.
I'd look for any of the KB numbers in both articles I linked to, and decide if you really want any of them running, hiding the ones you do not want.
Of course, some of the members here that brag about how much Microsoft stock they've purchased are probably going to accuse me of bashing, even though I'm only pointing out issues that many Windows users are concerned about, with articles in most computer related magazines pointing out what Microsoft has been up to.
What is happening with Microsoft Windows is evolving with frequent changes, and IMO, it's not a bad thing to discuss those changes and voice our opinions about them.
Yeah, I should have skipped the Dell Win 10 machine and gone straight for the Win 7 reinstall, but hindsight is 20-20. I assumed that transferring her data to a new machine would go quickly and that being faster and having a larger, higher resolution screen would make up for the missing programs. After spending 10+ hours on the wi-fi adapter issue, I learned once again the lesson about green grass and pastures.
The Dell had a spinner HD. Non-optimized booting was slow. As were any disk operations. The old machine now has an SSD (as of yesterday). It uses DDR3 and I can bump it from 4 GB to 8 GB for less than $50. So it will end up faster than it used to be.
Neat. The SSD should be a big help. but, if she is not using any demanding software, 4GB of RAM is probably plenty.
With this said, I appreciate your comprehensive replies. I don't do computer work any more often than I have to and every time I do it I am somewhat rusty. So every bit of detail helps. What can be seen as a "nothing but the facts" to some might be overly cryptic to me. (And to any real newbies that are lurking.)
As for the "forced upgrade to Win 10" problem, it looks like Microsoft backed off on that. At least for newly installed updates. The
updates that you discovered on the Win 10 thread
I started several months ago now seem to come in as optional and are unchecked. As of when I did my 147 important updates yesterday.\
Again, that's good. But, I'd check for the other updates, too. For example, the updates that caused the original "nag screens" about reserving your free upgrade to Windows 10; as well as the updates that Microsoft has been pushing out for "telemetry" purposes (I've got my own term for that, but again, I don't want to be accused of bashing by calling a spade a space).
Thanks again for all your help. On this thread and on past threads.
No problem. I'm happy to help.
I do give a lot of detail in my posts. For one thing, I have an issue with answers telling people to use google, or the read the (you know what) manual, or to update drivers without any information about how to do that.
So, I tend to do a bit of research and try to give others looking for help a step by step guide to solutions (exactly what they need to download with links to those downloads, what settings they need to change and how to get to them, etc.)
That helps the member I'm responding to, and also gives enough detail so that others with the same problems can refer to it.
Complex problems will often require complex solutions (problems that are not going to e resolved with one or two sentences of advise).
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JimC
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