I think laptops are just the luck of the draw.
I have an old Dell Inspiron that is about 8 years old (maybe older) and still works great. Don't use it much anymore though I have a new HP(cheapy that works okay....just don't really like Windows 8).
Go to classic shell and download the program to go back to a normal Windows look.
I think anything BUT ToSHITba would be a good choice. I think their Satellite line is crap. I've owned 2 (first one hard drive literally fried, second one motherboard went to Hell in a handbasket) and never again will I touch a ToSHITba computer. I've even been banned from their site because I sent them an email calling their product "a useless piece of shit not worth the bullshit it's made of."
TX69, I know you are anti apple, so this is more for others reading this thread. My wife and both switched back to apple/mac after disappointing experiences with windows laptops. The ONLY problem we have had was me dropping my old macbook off the top of the truck roof on to the concrete. It broke the screen (mainly because it was open at the time), I ordered and replace the screen for $120. It is still in use now, over twelve years old and still running well.
I just counted the macs in the house total is seven, all in running order. We only buy a new one for new features and software. Never had a hardware problem ever.
Not quite true. The Mac gives you the flexibility to ALSO run Windows, at the same time as OSX even (using VMware Fusion or Parallels, or others) if you have the need or desire to do so. When it comes to versatility and utility, Mac is at the top.Depending on what you are doing with it, the Mac is limited.
Many commercial software packages won't run on it. And many more that do make Mac apps won't do what the Windows versions will do. Yeah, I get they are easy to use, and intuitive. But it comes with a price. If all you do is screw around on the internet, Mac is a nice tool.