I need a new laptop...

[MrsWembley]

... so what do you recommend?

Love Apple but can't justify the expense.

What something smallish but not a tablet.

Would like a CD drive but as I understand it (certainly from what the Apple 'genius' told me) they're not the done thing these days.

DP works in IT, so he's obviously not the one to ask

[MissConductUS]

My DH works in IT too.

He just got DD a Dell 7380 13" 2 in 1 laptop. It opens up like a regular laptop, has a touch screen and folds over like a tablet. It's really well made and extremely fast. She's over the moon with it.

www.dell.com/en-uk/work/shop/laptops/13-2-in-1-7390/spd/latitude-13-7390-2-in-1-laptop

Check the price on Black Friday.

No one has done built in CD drives in years, but you can get a nice external one that plugs into a USB very cheaply.

[TonTonMacoute]

I was going to recommend a Dell too. DH has a very small and light one, as he travels a lot for work, can't tell you which model though. I can also really recommend their after sales service, when he had a problem with the screen, they sent an engineer to his office to fix it!

[MrsWembley]

I do like the fold over ones. DP has one and it's lovely but I've not really used it so I don't know if the love will last...

[MrsWembley]

And the 'genius' was right about CD drives then! Wonders will never cease!!

So was he also right about USBs being a thing of the past, too?

[MissConductUS]

Apple is trying to replace USB ports with their own version, called a lightening port. USB ports are alive and well on laptops running Windows and will be for quite a while as there are so many other devices that connect by USB.

[MrsWembley]

That's what I thought, but he was very much, 'oh no, they'll all be like this before long!'

Trying out the fold over one at home again - Lenovo. It's Windows10 and I think that's what's putting me off.

I miss my Apple Mac

[Kerning]

The 2017 Macbook Air is 749 at John Lewis...

[MrsWembley]

Okay, so this Lenovo is fine, but old; the mouse mat isn't working properly and when you fold it over and use the touchscreen no keyboard appears - think that's why I've never got on well with it

But I definitely like the size and the touchscreen option (working...) but that Dell is a lot more than I was thinking of. Is there anything cheaper?

[DaysOfCurlySpencer]

I have a Lenovo and the touchpad is crap, so bad I can't use it, apparently it might be possible to change the drivers to make it work like a proper one but it is the finger actions and setting for them that is apparently the problem, scrolling like you do on a phone. I wouldn't buy one.

If you find a good one please post on here as I need one too. With a working touchpad and does anyone make one without a camera?

[MissConductUS]

but that Dell is a lot more than I was thinking of. Is there anything cheaper?

DH and DS both have the very similar Dell 7378,

www.pcmag.com/review/354488/dell-inspiron-13-7000-7378

but I'm not sure if it's still available. Search the dell website for "2 in 1".

Also, check the prices on Friday. They're sure to have some great black Friday deals.