Honestly, if all you need the Windows laptop for is to access the external NTFS-formatted hard drives, I think you'd be much better off just buying something like NTFS for Mac (it's supposed to have a 10-day free trial).
Buying any used PC, especially if you're largely unfamiliar with what to expect and don't have time to do some decent reliability testing before you buy, is risky.
What do you need your Windows laptop to do?
What is your budget?
How savvy are you using Windows PCs?
On a scale of 1 (least) to 5 (actual certified IT technician), where would you realistically rate your comfort getting into the nuts and bolts of computer troubleshooting?
What level of working on photos? Simple organizing stuff or editing in Photoshop? If Photoshop-level, do you already have a good color-calibrated & accurate external monitor to which the new laptop could be connected?
Most computer hardware, including Apple, is all built from the same standardized components from 3 or 4 OEM suppliers. Hardware reliability is rarely an issue anymore; it's about after-the-sale support, both in sustaining software updates/fixes and informational/tech assistance from humans.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
OK, without knowing your budget, here's my wild stab at a pick: Dell Vostro 14" 3490 for $519 + tax (free shipping).
My reasoning:
Vostro: The Vostro line is designed for small & large business applications, with very minimal (or possibly none) crapware/junkware pre-installed.
(10th Gen) Intel Core i3-10110U cpu: I'd greatly prefer at least a Core i5 or i7, but that's a noticeable jump in price for performance you may not need. It is the newest gen CPU though.
Windows 10 Pro operating system: Maybe you could get away with WinHome, but WinPro has better networking support especially if you decide to network it to your Mac.
8GB RAM: You can run Win10 with less, but I wouldn't recommend it. It has an open slot, so down the road you could drop in another 4 or 8 GB if needed.
256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD: I'd rather 512GB, but it'll still give you room to play. SSD drive will be very quick, and with no moving parts, should be more reliable and use less power than the old SATA/IDE drives with platters.
Intel UHD Graphics: I'd prefer the new Intel Iris or an NVidia GPU, but again more expensive. And since you aren't doing anything GPU intensive, should be sufficient.
14.0-inch FHD (1920x1080) display panel: Pretty standard. For what you're doing, I'd prefer 1920x1200 to give you more vertical room, but those panels are hard to come by. Don't get a lower resolution display, you'll regret it. Otherwise, the display should be a fairly standard experience with range of color reproduction, but it won't be as good as an IPS panel (more $$$). A 14" or even 15" panel is a happy medium, but I find 17" panels irritatingly cumbersome.
Standard 802.11ac WiFi & Bluetooth 4.1, HD webcam, stereo speakers, touchpad, and un-backlit keyboard: Basic stuff. Not a weird, cramped keyboard layout.
3-Cell, 42 WHr, integrated battery: I'm not keen on the smaller battery, especially a non-removable one. But, this system is optimized to be low weight and not be a power guzzler, so you'll likely be OK when mobile.
I/O Ports (SD card reader, 1 x USB 2.0, 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, VGA out, HDMI, RJ-45 network jack, headphone/mic): Pretty much all standard stuff.
Weight: 3.8 lb. Not bad.
It doesn't ship with an integrated CD/DVD drive... which is actually what you want these days. Dell will sell you an external USB CDR/DVDR drive for only $39. If the drive dies, replacing it is cheap and easy and doesn't require an onsite tech or shipping your whole laptop in for service. You won't miss the added weight or extra heat & noise it generates. If you want to watch movies on the go and can't take the external drive along, there are ways to rip your DVD movies temporarily to the SSD drive.
---
Personal opinions: If you don't go with Dell, Lenovo is comparable. ASUS makes decent hardware, but their tech support has been lacking in the past. Acer is generally a little more affordable, but product build and support is also less-er. VAIO (formerly Sony) is overpriced for what they sell. HP... well, HP is [RANT DELETED].
Dell always includes "discounts" on their PCs, and they frequently run sales. Odds are it'll be close to the same price regardless of when you buy it (assuming you decide to get it from them). If I remember correctly, most laptop manufacturers introduce their refreshed line in late March to early April, so if you can afford to wait a little longer you might pick up a Dell (or whatever you choose) for cheaper then.
I don't know how old your Apple is, but if it's running OSX, you should be able to set up a basic network with a Win10Pro system without jumping through too many hoops.
One thing I forgot tor recommend is to pay a visit to your local big box electronics and/or office supply stores and browse their laptops that are on display. Spend a little time looking their inventory over and compare. Also look for disqualifying stuff, like wonky keyboard layouts or weird feel under your fingers, dim and/or low contrast screens, construction that seems cheap or flimsy, skipping track pads, how much bloatware comes preinstalled (by the desktop icons and under the Start menu), etc. You're not looking to buy so much as get a general feel for what you like and don't like. If you see models you do like, especially with a built-in DVDRW/CDRW drive, jot down their model numbers so you can look up their specs and any reviews online.