Finding energy efficient Windows 8 laptop?

softdown
softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,819 ✭✭✭✭
in In the Weeds--Member's Choice #1
I have given up on Acer and Windows 10. Looking for new or gently used energy efficient Windows 8 with a SSD hard drive. Budget? - thinking ~$400 should get a nice older laptop. I don't want any irksome quirks even if the savings are 50%. Like my new Windows 10 was constantly "changing the screen/font size"- constantly.

Tips?
First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,003 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Well I hated Windoz 8 and loaded Windoz 10 as soon as I could and haven't had issues like you have had. Perhaps a born Windoz 10  laptop? 

    Do you really like the 'cell phone' interface of Windoz8?

    You say giving up on Acer (I did too),  but their travelmate line seemed to be among the best for efficiency.  Lenovo Thinkpad L series, is their 'green line'. I've been happy with my Lenovo, after 5 years it's about time to be looking again. I like their battery management system for people who leave laptops plugged in, has a max charge of 60%, after 5 years mine still has a usable battery life (2hrs compared to almost 5 when new)
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,144 ✭✭✭✭
    edited December 2019 #3
    I just recently bought a new low end Dell 15" with a 256 GB SSD and 8 MB of ram. It was $439.00. (Would have been $100 less with a standard HD, or smaller SSD and 4 MB of ram) The solid state drive and 3.1 USB ports let me mirror the hard drive with 196 GB on it, in 7 minutes to my large external drives.
    The small internal battery (45 watt hour)) gives me 6-8 hours of heavy use with Wifi. That is not a lot of power.
    I was dragged kicking and screaming from DOS to (skipped 3.0 and 3.11) to Win 95/98/XP/7/8. For me, Win 10 is fast and reliable. I won't go back to Windows 8 for anything - you are welcome to it. With the SSD, it takes 18 seconds boot up and have Excel up and running.
    Getting a computer with a low power consumption processor, then lock down the speed using battery management settings - is likely what you want.

    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,819 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Turbo Tax no longer works with Windows 7 and taxes are kind of important. Though Turbo Tax has really, really sucked for the past several years. I  need to try another program like HR Block or something. There is not a single reason to stick with Turbo Tax - the program doesn't remember anything anymore so I start over every year. 

    I NO LONGER RECOMMEND TURBO TAX. AT ALL. 

    Never used 8 - I do like 7. Figured 8 would be similar. Perhaps not. I've lost a bunch of Windows 7 (they quit) laptops over the past year. 


    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,144 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    I bought a new laptop because my 2013 laptop was making me nervous, and there is no support for Office 2007 now.  It's still running fine but we run our business on my laptop and my wife's laptop (accounting) - so it was time. We replaced my wife's 2013 laptop computer in June, in order to be able to keep running Quick Books.




    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,003 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #6
    softdown said:
    Never used 8 - I do like 7. Figured 8 would be similar. Perhaps not. I've lost a bunch of Windows 7 (they quit) laptops over the past year. 
    I was okay with  Windoz 7,  but truly found  Windoz 8 appalling! Micksoft decided to make a phone interface for laptops.

    REALLY recommend trying Windoz 8   if you haven't used it, Maybe look at some 'using Windows 8' videos.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,819 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    I don't like smartphones so I don't think I'd cotton to W8. I did find a number of reviews by old timers who said they strongly preferred W7 to W10. 

    I can't seem to quit being cheap - it is my nature. Found one for less than $100 - supposedly with a new battery. 

    I plan on using laptops for another few decades. Perhaps I should stock up on cheap W7s? It is highly doubtful that I'll take a shine to W12 or 14 or Infinity. W7 has always appealed to me. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,003 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #8
    I  understand, I still keep a XP laptop around  to run  Photoshop 6(Full) on,  but I rarely use it as I've mostly figured out GIMP.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,819 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
    Photowhit said:
    I  understand, I still keep a XP laptop around  to run  Photoshop 6(Full) on,  but I rarely use it as I've mostly figured out GIMP.
    Thanks for reminding me of the tens of thousands I spent on photography software and equipment.  :s There are remnants all over the place. What does Gimp costs? 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #10
    IIRC, GIMP is an open source (free) application that runs on *nix operating systems.  I used it ~25yrs ago on OpenBSD, Solaris, and SCO unix systems.  These days, would use a Linux flavour like Debian (also open source / free).
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #11
    softdown said:
    Thanks for reminding me of the tens of thousands I spent on photography software and equipment.  :s There are remnants all over the place. What does Gimp costs? 
    GIMP is freeware.  They appreciate a donation.
    https://www.gimp.org/   GNU IMAGE MANIPULATION PROGRAM

    GIMP is a cross-platform image editor available for GNU/Linux, OS X, Windows and more operating systems. It is free software, you can change its source code and distribute your changes.



    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,819 ✭✭✭✭
    #12
    I went au natural in photo editing. Have not edited an image in years and years. Like so many other ex-photogs. I have strayed far, far and away from that rat race. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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