Cheap but good laptop for web browsing etc

Forums › Laptops and mobile computers › Cheap but good laptop for web browsing etc

iamian

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# 170931 31-Mar-2015 10:07

I need to get a new laptop for my wife, she only uses it for web browsing/online apps etc. She always has a massive amount of Chrome tabs open at any one time, so I'm guessing 8Gb RAM would be a starting point.

That said, would this one on sale at DSE be good enough?

http://www.dicksmith.co.nz/laptops-notebooks/hp-15-6-15-g208au-w8-1-notebook-black-dsnz-xc9378

Or would it be better to go with an i5/i7 processor like these?

http://www.dicksmith.co.nz/laptops-notebooks/hp-15-6-15-r225tu-w8-1-notebook-silver-dsnz-xc9370

http://www.dicksmith.co.nz/laptops-notebooks/hp-pavilion-15-6-15-p233tu-w8-1-notebook-silver-dsnz-xc9371

Or are there any others out there that would be better?

I had a quick search but there didn't seem to be any recent topics regarding a similar situation...

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Vocus

# 1274046 31-Mar-2015 10:14

IMO unless you know you need something special, just go with the cheapest laptop which you like the look/feel of. Performance is such now that for web browsing etc, anything is up to scratch.

iamian

38 posts

Geek

# 1274063 31-Mar-2015 10:22

Cool, thanks for the advice!

I was thinking about adding an SSD where the dvd drive is, as she's constantly opening/closing it (when she finds 5 mins to have a quick look at something) - is it pretty easy to set up a hybrid system with the OS on the SSD and media etc on the HDD?

andrewNZ

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# 1274075 31-Mar-2015 10:33

Unless you want to store STACKS of stuff on it, just go for an SSD. 256GB would probably do just fine, but 512GB would be an option if you're worried.

Location: Dunedin

nathan

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# 1274082 31-Mar-2015 10:37

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for web browsing even an SSD of 32 or 64GB would be fine

timmmay

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# 1274092 31-Mar-2015 10:43

32GB may be pushing it slightly, but 64GB is easily enough for a web browsing machine. 4GB of RAM is enough if you have an SSD, and probably if you don't as well.

I got my wife a pink Asus, which work well, from memory an i3 with 4GB RAM. She resisted an SSD and even without it's ok, just a lot slower to boot.

reven

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# 1274093 31-Mar-2015 10:45

personally I would go for something like this
http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/laptops/laptops/dell/auction-862560158.htm

Just throw in an SSD (it mentions SSD upgrade).

If she doesn't mind a chromebook, I would go for that (even cheaper/faster). 128GB SDD should be plenty, unless she's saving lots of files on it. But most things people sync to the internet now.

I bought a i3 2.4Ghz laptop from pbtech 2 years ago for $450 with $50 rebate, didnt have an SSD, but was a very good laptop. So you can get them for around that price. I wouldn't spend more than $600 for such basic needs.

iamian

38 posts

Geek

# 1274098 31-Mar-2015 10:53

Thanks for all the info guys!

She stores photos etc on it, so would need a relatively large hard drive (meaning more than 64Gb etc), and her current one which is about to die has 4Gb RAM and she often complains it's slow and Task Manager says chrome is using most of the RAM. Those we the reasons why i was looking for 8Gb RAM and maybe having a hybrid situation...

nathan

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# 1274099 31-Mar-2015 10:54

timmmay: 32GB may be pushing it slightly, but 64GB is easily enough for a web browsing machine. 4GB of RAM is enough if you have an SSD, and probably if you don't as well.

I got my wife a pink Asus, which work well, from memory an i3 with 4GB RAM. She resisted an SSD and even without it's ok, just a lot slower to boot.

I've been giving out 1Gb RAM / 16Gb SSD Windows 8 machines to my family for similar style web browsing and it is fine, personally I would go for a better machine but they wanted cheap and cheerful

16Gb Windows 8 machine has more free disk space than a 16Gb iPad FWIW

sidkumar

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# 1274169 31-Mar-2015 11:58

I am surprised no one's suggested a Chromebook yet. Although a requirement of "lot of tabs" is relative and am sure the current Chromebooks can meet it. Why would you want to deal with managing an OS, antivirus updates when all you need is a browser. Wifey and me have been using them for a year now and we love it. Leess than 10 sec startup time, no AV drama, everything works (except LightBox and Java apps).

nathan

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# 1274188 31-Mar-2015 12:09

a modern Windows OS and Windows machine starts up in 10 secs, manages its own updates and AV signatures and gives you the flexibility or running Java/Flash/Silverlight et al if you need to, as well as being a real OS that you can do real stuff like working offline, printing to printers etc etc

timmmay

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# 1274191 31-Mar-2015 12:11

An SSD would mitigate the need for 8GB RAM as swap to SSD is fast. Map her a drive onto a real computer/server for photos, that way you can back them up easily as well.

I have 9 Chrome tabs open, plus document management, RDP, Acrobat, total RAM usage 3.3GB. I think 8GB would be overkill - get it if you can easily, but don't go out of your way for it.

iamian

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# 1274229 31-Mar-2015 12:23

Lots means 20+ tabs at a time... It's like she doesn't know about bookmarks or something! Lots of drama when one of the kids accidentally closes them all, haha!

So with windows 8.1 is would only be around 10 seconds startup/wake up with a HDD? That would probably mean she wouldn't need an SSD...

Thanks everyone for all the replies so far!

timmmay

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# 1274293 31-Mar-2015 12:59

From turning it on to getting Chrome open probably more like 20-30 seconds with an HDD, 10 seconds with an SSD. My work laptop starts up in about 4 seconds, it's crazy. My home PC starts up in about 8 seconds with just SSDs attached, when I connect the four HDDs it's a lot slower. I rarely turn it off though, I use standby.

20 tabs at 100MB each is 2GB. OS takes 1.5GB or so. You're fine with 4GB. Go try it in a store.

lokhor

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# 1274310 31-Mar-2015 13:20

iamian: Lots means 20+ tabs at a time... It's like she doesn't know about bookmarks or something! Lots of drama when one of the kids accidentally closes them all, haha!

So with windows 8.1 is would only be around 10 seconds startup/wake up with a HDD? That would probably mean she wouldn't need an SSD...

Thanks everyone for all the replies so far!

I use a Chrome Extension called Tab Suspender, it works wonders on having 20+ tabs open.

Solution Architect @Intergen
All comments are my own opinion, and not that of my employer unless explicitly stated.

iamian

38 posts

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# 1274311 31-Mar-2015 13:21

On her old/current laptop with an average number of tabs open (for her) it was sitting on most of the 4Gb available RAM, and it was slow switching between them which I put down to the RAM usage... would that not be the case?

Not trying to be difficult, that's just how i saw it so don't want to 'upgrade' to be in the same situation!

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