laptop recommendations

yourdeadwright · 12-01-2022 3:22pm #1

Hey folks

I know absolutely nothing about laptops so please be kind ,

A family member needs a lap top for college work (midwifery) they want to spend about 200 euro or so on it,

Any recommendations

Thanks

13-01-2022 12:36am

200 you'll need to go to adverts.

nothing new for near that price really

not a shop

look for an ssd, core i3 cpu, 6gb min ram

expect battery to be shot on old laptops.

will need to be plugged in

yourdeadwright · 13-01-2022 8:48am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118465148#Comment_118465148

Thanks for the reply

Around how much would it cost to get a half decent new one?

Tow · 13-01-2022 9:05am

For a bit of warranty you would also try Green IT and there is a place in Cork selling lots of reconditioned corporate Dells on ebay. You would still be pushed to reach €200.

Spec wise don't touch anything less than glasso spec. 256GB SSD as a min, I would also aim for at least 8GB of memory it is more common than 6GB. I3,i5 or CPU.

yourdeadwright · 13-01-2022 10:52am

If she went up to 300 or 400 would she get a decent new one ?

13-01-2022 6:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118466130#Comment_118466130

https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computing/laptops/laptops/hp-pavilion-14-dv0622sa-14-laptop-intel-pentium-gold-128-gb-ssd-silver-10229538-pdt.html

sale price so can't say how long it will be there at that

upgrade the ram yourself to 8gb buying 4gb or 8gb extra on amazon uk

Flinty997 · 13-01-2022 6:33pm

A Chromebook might also be an option if you don't need MS Office and can live with Google Docs.

Wouldn't be enough for me but I know people who love them. I think they are a bit limited myself. But if you do everything through you phone, just need a bigger screen and keyboard.

13-01-2022 10:08pm

thing is with a chromebook though is to get one with decent quality components - build quality, screen, cpu (still need ok cpu to run well) you end up paying as much as a decent windows laptop

for people who they are a good fit for they are good but a usual reason that people are looking at them is that they think that they can be had cheap which is not the case really as there are a lot less options and they are less often on sale also

Flinty997 · 13-01-2022 10:10pm

I think they work best for people who want basically a bigger phone. Not a true replacement for a laptop....AND keep their phone free, if that makes sense.

yourdeadwright · 13-01-2022 10:33pm

Go home

Tow · 15-01-2022 6:44pm

I would not touch a Chromebook, it will need to link into the colleges systems and you probably cannot get it to print to most printers.

My sister did midwifery by correspondence course years ago. She used an old Pentium 2 desktop she borrowed of me. It was mainly used for writing essays etc.

Flinty997 · 15-01-2022 8:06pm

Prints the same to printers as does an Android phone. So least the ones I've tried.

It's not for everyone.

riclad · 17-01-2022 8:16pm

Loads of laptops windows 10 on argos ie, 14 to 15 inch screen, cost 230 to 260, get at least 4gig ram, see if it has network cable interface, port, all laptops have WiFi and bluetooth, in the menu, details, specs it says battery life look for at Least 8 hours battery life, or look on power city ie,

did. ie

Laptops price low to high,

You can't get a half decent laptop for 200 euros laptops last for 5 years, spend 250 to 270 euro . Some have hdmi out port

riclad · 17-01-2022 11:42pm

i looked on powercity, DID,IE , argos.ie, for laptops 14 inch ,at least 10 hours battery life, low noise, 2 usb ports, usb c port, the ones i recommend are the ASus Chromebook model 314, 12 hours battery life, 14 inch screen, on argos .ie www.argos.ie /laptops they have 15 inch laptops,8- 10 hours battery life, 15 inch Screen ,4gig ram, 64gig storage,. Windows 10,os, price 249 to 269.

AS a nurse if shes using microsoft apps,email,teams, ms OFFICE, eg windows os she needs to buy A Windows 10 laptop,

ARGOS have listed on the website asus laptop,4gig ram,64gig storage, screen 15.6 inch, 10 hours battery life,2 usb ports,wifi,bluetooth, price 249, or 260 euros, i, tied to buy it today the assistant says no models left in the ilac cenre,argos, i think you could get it in another branch, or just email, phone argos and ask them. i dont look a laptops over 299 euro.

https://www.did.ie/products/asus-e510-156-intel-celeron-n4020-4gb64gb-laptop-star-black-e510maej015ts 10 hours battery life if i remember correctly. i think its 260 euro approx in aargos, look on youtube Asus 510 Laptop review,youtube.com

https://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/9586879/Trail/searchtext%3ELAPTOP%2B%2BASUS.htm

i just checked it now, price 249, 12 hours battery life,

i tried 5 shops ,argos ie,dublin ,it says out of stock,in all the shops i tried

riclad · 18-01-2022 1:36am

I looked on did.ie the Asus 510 is in stock price 299 euro it's the only 15 inch laptop I can find with windows 10 under 300 euro, obviously there's 14 inch windows laptops avaidable for 250 to 270 euro 8 hours battery life on argos ie, powercity.ie I don't know if you live in a rural area it maybe in stock in an argos in Cork or Galway , maybe

I would buy it if I could get it from an argos shop

riclad · 18-01-2022 4:06am

You can use Google docs from the chrome browser on chrome os notebooks. You can simply buy a Windows 10 laptop for 250, 260 in did or power city just make sure and look at specs menu in ad info laptop, battery life, I would not buy anything that has less than 10 hours battery life. Ook at review on YouTube. Com eg model z review, eg Asus 310 review YouTube

Anything called Chromebook means it runs chrome os files can be saved and opened from file menu downloads eg txt audio video files avi Mp4 mp3 files

15 inch windows laptops cost 270 t0 300 on average but check is this model in stock on powercity or did.ie www.argos.ie

The 310 Asus chromebook is in stock at argos 14 inch screen 64gig storage 4gig ram 3 USB ports WiFi Bluetooth price 269 euros it runs chrome is apps android apps from play store it comes with free high quality full size headphones designed to fit adults it has a webcam built in 1080p HD screen it does not run Microsoft Office or ms teams or windows os apps

Screen size and battery life are very important for anyone using laptops for school study training education users maybe txt her ask does she need a Windows laptop does she prefer windows os versus. Google chrome operating system eg a chromebook Laptop

One advantage the Asus 310 is completely silent it has no fans most windows laptops have cooling fans inside in order to keep the laptop cool if many apps are being used the cpus processors get hot

Chromebooks are mostly Low power laptops use less power equals less noise

riclad · 18-01-2022 4:06am

Tow · 18-01-2022 7:25am

4gb of memory will be as slow as a dog and a 64gb SSD is only large enough for Windows and Office, it will be filled with updates within a year or so.

riclad · 19-01-2022 4:44am

I have a laptop 4 gig ram I use it for Web browsing , YouTube, vlc player, podcasts, music listening, I don't find it slow, it has 64 gig SSD Drive, but I only use maybe 2 or 3 apps at once, it has 1080p display,

The laptop 510 Asus can be upgraded to extra ram, eg 4gig 28 euro, or another 8gig ram chip, cost 57 euro approx, go to crucial.com/ Asus 510 upgrade

Ram

Upgrade Storage 510 asus

It says it can only be upgraded Re drive by plugging in a 500gig external drive

I understand there's a problem with windows, it downloads updates every month these take up space, eg after installing windows, ms office there may not be much room left on the 64 gig drive

I'm not an education expert, millions of students use chromebooks they are cheap and easy to secure,

Students use zoom, Google docs, apps, android apps, Google education apps and they only have 64 gig storage on the average chromebook

So they must be usuable, there's also cheap laptops on amazon google amazon uk, refurbished, eg demo models, returns that have hardly been used also I think dell.ie might have older or refurbished models maybe 400 to 600 euros with 500gig drives

I used a pc 4gig ram windows 7 for 3 years in 500gig drive and I never found it slow but I just used it for chrome browsing YouTube podcasts TV iplayer that was 5 years ago

I just use my chromebook for YouTube videos podcasts, light browsing, I find it great because it's light 1080p HD great keyboard charges in 1.5 hours 12 hours battey life and its Completely silent no fans

I'm not a student I don't know do they use lots of apps all at the same time zoom email app browser Google docs or ms teams

If I was a student now I'd probably ask for advice from the teacher, do I need to buy a Windows 10 laptop with 500 gig drive 16 gig Ram memory in order to use zoom email google docs Skype ms Office etc

Or would a 4gig ram laptop with 64 gig storage do fine

When I was a student a pentium pc with 80gig drive 2 gig ram cdrom 14 inch crt screen 56k modem was the state of the art and it cost 800 euros to buy one

In a years time I'll build a pc if the supply chain crisis eases abit or maybe buy an 16gig i5 pc with 1 terabyte drive from adverts ie

The cheapest laptop I see with 500 gig drive windows 10 15inch screen 16 gig ram is 650 euro approx on www.argos.ie

Right now my chromebook and phone is all I need for basic Web browsing but I don't have to use zoom or any education apps or any Microsoft teams apps office etc I download videos from YouTube and watch them on an sdcard on the chromebook

riclad · 19-01-2022 9:13am

On www.harveynorman.ie. The acer aspire 3 laptop has 4gig ram. 128 gig hardrive .the ram can be upgraded to 8 gig ram .cost around 57 euro

Aspire 3 price is 449 euro. 128gig storage should be enough for zoom calls security updates ms office teams etc. The hard drive can be upgraded with a 1terabyte or larger drive if neccessary in the future. If you include 8gig ram upgrade the cost us 510 euro approx

I think it would be risky to buy a windows 10 laptop with only 64gig storage. But I dont know how many apps students use at the same time. do they use zoom.many Browser. Tabs and google docs all at the sane time when they are using online learning apps ?

I wonder does windows 10 work ok on a laptop with 64 gig hd. Would the drive fill up due to constant security updates. If its that bad why are so many stores selling laptops with only 4gig ram?

riclad · 25-01-2022 6:13am

I bought a laptop chromebook 4gig ram 64gig storage Asus 310 it has a great keyboard full size sturdy but light siilent no fans 1080p HD screen I use it for browsing YouTube music I have screen set to low brightness it lasts 13 hours I charged it 2 days ago it took 1hour 3o minutes I charged it to 100 per cent I find it very fast great sound the only test I have left is to install rte player android app to watch TV on it I install music player and vlc player

It strange to have a powerful laptop that's light and silent 14inch screen

I did one update chrome os 200meg approx i m glad I don't need to install new windows update every month and I'm not sending data to Microsoft I'd recommend it to any one as a browsing laptop music player YouTube TV device as long as you don't need to use Microsoft apps office teams etc for work study my phone runs rte TV app perfectly i don't intend to install anymore apps apart from rte player. I think 64 gig SSD is fine for chrome os I read Google will provide updates for 6 years if you buy a new chromebook now

I don't find it slow at all but I'm not trying to run 6 apps at the same time I'm not a student

laptop recommendations

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