New laptop tips

[Joods]

To alpha, the best thing you can do is remove the bloatware new systems tend to come with and go through your startup programs and disable anything you don't need running from the start.   I got a new Dell laptop myself earlier this year (a 2017 XPS 13), and the worst offenders re: performance were Dell's own apps.  I mean, on a device with an i7 and 8GB RAM, my CPU was maxed out right out of the box.   It was ridiculous.  Removing those apps brought the percentage down into the teens.

This is why when I want a new computer, I go to my computer guy who builds phenomenal computers from scratch and he will even theme it out for you. My current desktop is see through. I plan to save up to get a liquid cooled system next year that I can mount right on the wall.

[John V]

To alpha, the best thing you can do is remove the bloatware new systems tend to come with and go through your startup programs and disable anything you don't need running from the start.   I got a new Dell laptop myself earlier this year (a 2017 XPS 13), and the worst offenders re: performance were Dell's own apps.  I mean, on a device with an i7 and 8GB RAM, my CPU was maxed out right out of the box.   It was ridiculous.  Removing those apps brought the percentage down into the teens.

This is why when I want a new computer, I go to my computer guy who builds phenomenal computers from scratch and he will even theme it out for you. My current desktop is see through. I plan to save up to get a liquid cooled system next year that I can mount right on the wall.

I've built desktops from scratch. These days though, the components will cost significantly more than the same off-the-shelf system.

[pocaracas]

If you're going to use windows, don't forget to pack a decent anti-virus... even a free one will do wonders!

Choose your own after looking at the comparative: https://www.av-comparatives.org/consumer/

[The Industrial Atheist]

In my experience, PC Matic does a good job with optimization. I don't know if it's literally the best security program but it seems pretty good. I did run into problems before but it was when I installed third party software from other sources than the people who made it.

If you are installing third party software and you get a menu asking you to install a bunch of extra stuff that has nothing to do with it, it's a warning. Don't do it!

[Joods]

This is why when I want a new computer, I go to my computer guy who builds phenomenal computers from scratch and he will even theme it out for you. My current desktop is see through. I plan to save up to get a liquid cooled system next year that I can mount right on the wall.

I've built desktops from scratch. These days though, the components will cost significantly more than the same off-the-shelf system.

Yeah but when it's custom built, you don't have to install all the useless crap that comes with the shelf variety. Right? All I know is that my guy told me that with a custom built machine, I got to pick and choose what I wanted for programs.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

If you're going to use windows, don't forget to pack a decent anti-virus... even a free one will do wonders!

Choose your own after looking at the comparative: https://www.av-comparatives.org/consumer/

Bitdefender and malwarebytes works very well for me.

[I_am_not_mafia]

I've searched and found a few pages that discuss optimizing a new Windows 10 laptop. Just wondering if anyone here has tips from personal experience. Thanks.

Dipping it in motor oil on a regular basis will help keep it running smoothly.

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Yeah but when it's custom built, you don't have to install all the useless crap that comes with the shelf variety. Right? All I know is that my guy told me that with a custom built machine,  I got to pick and choose what I wanted for programs.

You also get to choose quality components that get ignored by PC makers. They're not going to advertise how good the power supply unit is for example, no one wants to know, so they chuck in the cheapest they can get away with. But this means more heat, more noise from cooling it, far less spare power capacity for upgrading at a later date and a larger electricity bill. I have my computers processing at 100% day in day out so I make sure to spend far more money on a quality PSU. And if it does blow up a good quality PSU won't take out all your other components. Same goes for fans, thermal paste, cabling, case etc. I always intend having a computer running for at least 10 years so I don't want the motherboard to blow so I choose the makes the advertise quality components.

Dell will throw any old shit in there. Poor quality components may be initially cheaper but it still comes at a cost.

[Ravenshire]

This is why when I want a new computer, I go to my computer guy who builds phenomenal computers from scratch and he will even theme it out for you. My current desktop is see through. I plan to save up to get a liquid cooled system next year that I can mount right on the wall.

I've built desktops from scratch. These days though, the components will cost significantly more than the same off-the-shelf system.

Depending on what you're building. It's why I got out of custom builds. The bread and butter systems, web browsing, e-mailing, media players, have gotten so cheap that I can't compete. Gaming rigs and CADD systems, I can still make a decent margin and still kick the crap out of the off the shelf systems. But, consoles have started competing in the PC gaming niche and demand for home systems that can run CADD has nearly vanished. I still build all my own, and do an occasional gaming build for friends, but the market is drying up.

[Angrboda]

I still build my own simply because I like the process and the degree of control over the finished product it affords me. However, it's gotten more difficult since I lost my fingers.

[bennyboy]

To alpha, the best thing you can do is remove the bloatware new systems tend to come with and go through your startup programs and disable anything you don't need running from the start.   I got a new Dell laptop myself earlier this year (a 2017 XPS 13), and the worst offenders re: performance were Dell's own apps.  I mean, on a device with an i7 and 8GB RAM, my CPU was maxed out right out of the box.   It was ridiculous.  Removing those apps brought the percentage down into the teens.

This is why when I want a new computer, I go to my computer guy who builds phenomenal computers from scratch and he will even theme it out for you. My current desktop is see through. I plan to save up to get a liquid cooled system next year that I can mount right on the wall.

The first steps I do when I get a new laptop:

1)  locate drivers and put them on a partition (or just a thumb drive)
2)  completely re-install Windows.

I do not need "Samsung TM Turbo Tweak 2000" or any of that crap, ever.

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I still build my own simply because I like the process and the degree of control over the finished product it affords me.  However, it's gotten more difficult since I lost my fingers.

You build your own laptops?  Is that an option?

I've always built my own desktop computers from parts, but I usually shy away from laptops because they are pre-packaged and therefore more expensive.

--edit--
Oops. Note to self: read first, type second.

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If you're going to use windows, don't forget to pack a decent anti-virus... even a free one will do wonders!

Choose your own after looking at the comparative: https://www.av-comparatives.org/consumer/

I have avg installed right now, but to be honest, on new comps, Windows installs so darned fast that I'm kind of tending to just use the built-in defenses, and if things go wrong I'll just re-install.

I built a new comp for like $400 and in includes the newest line of SSD (the onboard kind), and the read/write speed is truly mind-boggling.  It kind of feels like having 256GB of extended RAM to be honest. A fresh Windows install off of my thumb drive took me just a couple of minutes. And from zero power, launching Windows takes less than 10 seconds. Sexy!