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Laptop for my parents

  • 21-09-2020 10:13pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,379 ✭✭✭✭


    Hey all,

    Need help for my parents. The HDD on their old desktop went kaput today, completely seized up. They have been talking about getting a laptop for ages anyway, so this is the kick up the backside to get one. They have asked me for advice, so I need help. Their needs are pretty basic:
    • Browsing
    • Netflix/etc
    • Some small office work
    It doesn't need to be that portable, as the most it will travel is from sitting room to kitchen. Battery life not that important either. Screen quality I guess is important (to save their poor eyes). The desktop that broke was rocking a Celeron from ~7 years ago and 4GB RAM and they didn't have much issues there, so performance won't be a major issue either. It will have to be windows, they use a small number of windows applications, so chromebook is off the table.

    I have seen that the Honor Magicbook gets recommended a lot here, I said it to them, but they would prefer to pay less than that (400ish if they can I think), as it won't be something they use too often. Any suggestions on what I could point them at?


Comments

  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,306 ✭✭✭bobbyy gee


    i would not buy the honor it has the old ryzen cpu it's 549 sterling And about 8% to convert to euros i would wait until and ryzen 4500 or 4700 is in stock in Ireland also intel is bringing out 11 series cpu as it's new 10 series was slower than amd.all the stores currys did pc world Argos etc are selling old slower cpus at 700 if i was you i would wait until the faster cheaper computers come out.if they have a desktop i would buy another its faster and better value and you could slip in cheap gpu. here's about the best value laptop at moment if you can't wait i read the build quality is not great and people had problems after 5 months here's the dell if you need one now

    https://www.dell.com/en-ie/shop/laptops/15/spd/inspiron-15-3593-laptop#configurations_section


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭miezekatze


    I don't see the point in spending that kind of money on a laptop that's only going to be used occasionally for a bit of browsing. Something for around 400 would really do the job, even if some people on here wouldn't buy something with those kinds of specs. My parents would be similar to that and just replaced their laptop. We ended up getting a Lenovo Ideapad with 256 GB SSD, Ryzen 3, 8GB RAM on amazon for 399, that'll last them for a while and it's a decent laptop for a user like that.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,306 ✭✭✭bobbyy gee


    miezekatze wrote: »
    I don't see the point in spending that kind of money on a laptop that's only going to be used occasionally for a bit of browsing. Something for around 400 would really do the job, even if some people on here wouldn't buy something with those kinds of specs. My parents would be similar to that and just replaced their laptop. We ended up getting a Lenovo Ideapad with 256 GB SSD, Ryzen 3, 8GB RAM on amazon for 399, that'll last them for a while and it's a decent laptop for a user like that.

    time is money thebslower it is the longer you spend while it loads windows or doing searches
    if you don't want to spend money buy used intel i5 desktop 200 euro i see the Ideapad not just your one all them have trouble with Windows security and get blank screens. i bought a cheap 300 laptop for holidays so i would not bring my good one it was so slow i left it there
    if you want something to watch Netflix on by 100 euro tablet

    software now is hard to run on a slow computer windows need 8gb and if it's a Celeron or gold or silver ontel cpu you will wait for things to load


  • Posts: 18,962 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    dulpit wrote: »
    Hey all,

    Need help for my parents. The HDD on their old desktop went kaput today, completely seized up. They have been talking about getting a laptop for ages anyway, so this is the kick up the backside to get one. They have asked me for advice, so I need help. Their needs are pretty basic:
    • Browsing
    • Netflix/etc
    • Some small office work
    It doesn't need to be that portable, as the most it will travel is from sitting room to kitchen. Battery life not that important either. Screen quality I guess is important (to save their poor eyes). The desktop that broke was rocking a Celeron from ~7 years ago and 4GB RAM and they didn't have much issues there, so performance won't be a major issue either. It will have to be windows, they use a small number of windows applications, so chromebook is off the table.

    I have seen that the Honor Magicbook gets recommended a lot here, I said it to them, but they would prefer to pay less than that (400ish if they can I think), as it won't be something they use too often. Any suggestions on what I could point them at?

    this will do the job well for €340

    https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computing/laptops/laptops/acer-aspire-3-14-laptop-amd-athlon-128-gb-ssd-silver-10209096-pdt.html

    the cpu is actually decent enough on benchmarks and your parent's use is very basic

    fast ssd and full hd screen (although not the brightest ever)

    grab a 4gb ddr4 sodimm on amazon for £15 to bring it up to 8gb.

    job done.


  • Posts: 18,962 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    it's simple to add in the ram.

    philips screwdriver to remove the case and it clicks in

    you won't find an 8gb laptop new anywhere near 400 euro


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,379 ✭✭✭✭dulpit


    glasso wrote: »
    this will do the job well for €340

    https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computing/laptops/laptops/acer-aspire-3-14-laptop-amd-athlon-128-gb-ssd-silver-10209096-pdt.html

    the cpu is actually decent enough on benchmarks and your parent's use is very basic

    fast ssd and full hd screen (although not the brightest ever)

    grab a 4gb ddr4 sodimm on amazon for £15 to bring it up to 8gb.

    job done.

    Hmmm. Picture says 1080p, the specs say HD ready 1366 x 768. If the former, I'd just go with it, if the latter I think I'd pass.


  • Posts: 18,962 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    it's full hd.

    just a curry's / pc-world cock-up

    https://www.acer.com/ac/en/GB/content/model/NX.A32EK.002

    product code / part number matches


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,379 ✭✭✭✭dulpit


    glasso wrote: »
    it's full hd.

    just a curry's / pc-world cock-up

    https://www.acer.com/ac/en/GB/content/model/NX.A32EK.002

    product code / part number matches

    Oh sound. I assume it'll have an m.2 sized SSD if that needed expanding..

    Windows S is on it, that's a simple swap too, right?


  • Posts: 18,962 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    windows s is just a setting - 1 minute change

    could replace drive yes


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,379 ✭✭✭✭dulpit


    Appreciate the help Glasso, have passed info onto my parents, I'm sure they'll sort it now.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,379 ✭✭✭✭dulpit


    Bad news. They decided to pull the trigger, not in stock in Cork...


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