Laptop recommendation for writing

[Animelover]

Hey everyone,

I'm on the hunt for a laptop mainly for writing, I want to get back into writing fanfics and maybe a short novel. I currently have a Dell archive laptop that I love, but it's 8 years old and its quirks are more problematic now despite sending it for repair. My current one is quite heavy, which is fine, and I love the big screen and keyboard. I have been to a few places but can't really see anything that stands out. Currys was also more interested in getting me to pick a macbook.

I am looking for

• Good battery life that can last a long time
• A screen that’s large enough to stare at for long periods
• Budget is not massively important if the laptop will last
• Duriable
• Not an Apple product
• I am adverse to a tablet... I would even consider a desktop of good quality

Any suggestions are welcome.

HP are good work horses

If you're going to be writing for extended periods of time then there is a school of thought that a desktop might be preferable. The problem with laptops is that if you've got the keyboard at a comfortable height for typing then the screen is going to be lower than the recommended ergonomic height to minimise neck and back pain. If you need the portability of a laptop then you might consider a separate screen, keyboard and mouse to plug in at home.

Since it's for working, you might find a refurbished business laptop to be better value and more robust than a new consumer grade one.

Over the years, I've had several from: https://www.dellrefurbished.co.uk and been pleased with them. They fairly regularly have discount codes on their front page. There are lots of other suppliers of refurbished computers, but I would be carefully about third party ones that aren't manufacturer backed.

Working for longer periods will always be better with a proper screen and keyboard. You can use these with a laptop (very comfortable with a docking station) or with a desktop computer. Desktop option will be cheaper, but you're not mobile. With a separate screen, you can also - if you need to be mobile - possible get away with a smaller laptop/screen for working on the go.