How should I replace the failing laptop I use for watching TV and DVDs?

Emma uses an old 17in laptop for watching TV and DVDs. Would it be better to replace it with a similar laptop, a desktop, or perhaps even buy a TV?

We don't have a traditional TV set at home. Instead, we watch TV programmes and DVDs on a 17in Dell Studio 17 laptop, which we plug into our Denon hi-fi system to get decent sound. My husband also uses the laptop for a desktop publishing project.

Unfortunately, our Dell is nearly 10 years old. It's running Windows Vista, the internet is painfully slow, and the DVD player is starting to become unreliable.

The Dell Studio 17 was a great machine in its day, but your version sounds as though it has come to the end of its natural life. In theory, you could prolong it by installing Windows 10, an SSD, some extra memory and a new DVD drive. (The SSD would go in the spare drive bay.)