Advice on laptop purchase

Forums › Laptops and mobile computers › Advice on laptop purchase

Eva888

2429 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#310640 8-Nov-2023 10:46

Thinking to buy daughter a laptop. She doesn’t do gaming and uses iPad or phone at home.

iPad can’t access all the features in gmail and she turned up to use our laptop to bulk delete emails and that gave me the idea to buy her one for home.

Don’t want to spend mega as I doubt she would use it for much as she brings home the work laptop. Want it it to have SSD and be Windows, not a Chromebook.

Saw the following and would like an opinion or other recommendation. Reviews of it were not too bad overseas but only 2 stars here. It appears Ok for the low use it would get and is still $899 in other stores.

https://www.thewarehouse.co.nz/p/hp-15.6-inch-silver-4gb-ram-128gb-ssd-windows-11-laptop/R2888323.html

1 | 2

20578 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3157221 8-Nov-2023 11:01

You tend to get what you pay for. Cheap laptops tend to not be very robust and fail much sooner than decent quality laptops.

HP generally make good laptops, but look at the ProBook as a good quality durable laptop - they start around $1200 I think. Lenovo also make robust laptops, if you choose a decent model. Dell are good, not sure about robustness haven't had one for a while.

SpartanVXL

1307 posts

Uber Geek

#3157223 8-Nov-2023 11:25

I realise it’s ’only’ $600 at the moment, but it has a pentium n6000 and a paltry 4GB memory. Unless you were intending to wipe the drive and run linux, Windows wouldn’t be a good experience on it (I don’t even spec windows VM’s with 4GB anymore).

I would suggest really highlighting the requirements you need, there aren’t many things at this price point that aren’t second hand or inadequate for what you need.

If it’s just for the odd task then it may really be not worth it to spend any money at all. Like you’ve mentioned she has a work laptop, and has used yours for minor tasks when needed. Better to save the money for something worthwhile over something low powered and will sit unused if it’s not needed.

Side note: I’m not aware of any gmail features that aren’t available through a browser, on ipad it should be as easy as requesting desktop site in Safari.

Dynamic

3867 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3157224 8-Nov-2023 11:30

Consider reviewing your Chromebook decision. Your other criteria were:

no gaming ✅
works well with Google ✅
budget friendly ✅

Other reasons to consider one:

Quick to boot.
Great battery life.
low total cost of ownership (not much to go wrong with them)
not all of them have the little 11.6" screens. I used a 14" model for several months and had a great experience.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

Referral links to services I use, really like, and may be rewarded if you sign up:
PocketSmith for budgeting and personal finance management. A great Kiwi company.

Eva888

2429 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3157230 8-Nov-2023 11:56

This laptop would really only be used for the few odd things you can’t do on an iPad. Sometimes filling in forms and some websites won’t work properly on iPad and trust me there are gmail features that also won’t work.

She’s attached to her iPad and phone for personal use and relaxation. She works long hours so sitting at a personal laptop at home won’t happen much.

I see this laptop sitting on her desk gathering dust most days. She won’t ever use it for work so robust or super memory won’t be an issue. At most she may download photos on to it. I’m buying it for her as a convenience...and because have run out of ideas for presents. Also a nuisance when using ours having to sign out of everything to get into her stuff and sign back in again.

Reason I didn’t consider a Chromebook is because I thought it may have some limits, example in opening a windows doc she may receive via email? No idea really. If people think Chromebook is better for this use case then happy to consider. Just don’t want to be in a situation where it’s just as limiting as an iPad.

cddt

1551 posts

Uber Geek

#3157233 8-Nov-2023 12:06

IMO get a used laptop (e.g. FS: Various Laptops - HP, Dell, Toshiba (geekzone.co.nz)) and see whether she actually uses it much. Half the price and better performance than the "el cheapo" you linked to. If she takes a liking to having a Personal Computer then you can reassess in 6-12 months and perhaps upgrade to a new device at a higher price point, perhaps split the cost (depending on age and your parenting approach).

See this link to compare raw performance between one of the used laptops in the post I linked to above and the new one you linked to: Intel Core i5-8250U @ 1.60GHz vs Intel Pentium Silver N6000 @ 1.10GHz [cpubenchmark.net] by PassMark Software

Please do not buy that laptop you linked to from The Warehouse, it is not suitable for Windows in 2023, I would only use it with a stripped down Linux distro. It is intentionally crippled to meet the lowest possible price point.

cddt

1551 posts

Uber Geek

#3157235 8-Nov-2023 12:08

Eva888:

I see this laptop sitting on her desk gathering dust most days. She won’t ever use it for work so robust or super memory won’t be an issue. At most she may download photos on to it. I’m buying it for her as a convenience...and because have run out of ideas for presents. Also a nuisance when using ours having to sign out of everything to get into her stuff and sign back in again.

Based on this I will double down on my suggestion to get a used laptop. For around $300 you can save yourself some money and prevent the production of yet another piece of e-waste.

alasta

6703 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#3157239 8-Nov-2023 12:14

What is her level of technical proficiency? If she just uses the work laptop then at least she has support from her workplace IT department, whereas with a personally owned device she is on her own if it goes rogue.

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

evnafets

537 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3157245 8-Nov-2023 12:38

Also a nuisance when using ours having to sign out of everything to get into her stuff and sign back in again.

Something to consider here: Use "Chrome Profiles" feature. It is exactly for this use case of multiple accounts without doing the sign out / sign in rigmarole.

Eva888

2429 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3157249 8-Nov-2023 12:49

cddt:
Eva888:

I see this laptop sitting on her desk gathering dust most days. She won’t ever use it for work so robust or super memory won’t be an issue. At most she may download photos on to it. I’m buying it for her as a convenience...and because have run out of ideas for presents. Also a nuisance when using ours having to sign out of everything to get into her stuff and sign back in again.

Based on this I will double down on my suggestion to get a used laptop. For around $300 you can save yourself some money and prevent the production of yet another piece of e-waste.

Thanks all. Ok won't be buying it. Had thought of a used one when I saw the GZ ones advertised, but figured nicer presentation to buy new for the amount of time she would be on it.
Happy to consider suggestions.

jonathan18

7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#3157250 8-Nov-2023 12:54

Agree that a Chromebook or second hand Windows laptops are better options.

For increased peace of mind if buying secondhand you could buy from a business that provides a warranty, eg PB Tech's off-lease products. With these you can sometimes extend the included warranty, if that's important.

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/category/computers/exleased/laptops

coffeebaron

6231 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3157252 8-Nov-2023 13:04

Just something else to throw in the mix; she has an iPad, is her phone and iPhone? If so, then maybe a Macbook would a good option to stay in the Apple eco system. Obviusly a new one is not in your budget above, but could be worth seeing what's out there second hand?

Rural IT and Broadband support.

Broadband troubleshooting and master filter installs.
Starlink installer - one month free: https://www.starlink.com/?referral=RC-32845-88860-71
Wi-Fi and networking
Cel-Fi supply and installer - boost your mobile phone coverage legally

Need help in Auckland, Waikato or BoP? Click my email button, or email me direct: [my user name] at geekzonemail dot com

Stu

Hammered
8335 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3157253 8-Nov-2023 13:10

Further to the PB Tech off-lease suggestion, there are some discounted in the Daily Deals today: https://www.pbtech.co.nz/promotions/daily-steal-at-pbtech

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

Referral Links: Sharesies - Backblaze -

Are you happy with what you get from Geekzone? If so, please consider supporting us by subscribing.

No matter where you go, there you are.

Eva888

2429 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3157256 8-Nov-2023 13:22

alasta:
What is her level of technical proficiency? If she just uses the work laptop then at least she has support from her workplace IT department, whereas with a personally owned device she is on her own if it goes rogue.

Not particularly interested in tech, just expects it to work and as you say has the work support. Impatient too, so fast would be important.

Is used to Windows via work and has tried and not liked her sister's Mac.

Eva888

2429 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3157257 8-Nov-2023 13:26

Stu: Further to the PB Tech off-lease suggestion, there are some discounted in the Daily Deals today: https://www.pbtech.co.nz/promotions/daily-steal-at-pbtech

Some great prices. Thanks

concordnz

472 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

EMT (R)

#3157260 8-Nov-2023 13:31

Forget chromebooks & mac books,

You know what you want, for the right reasons 👌

Yes, go second hand - but make sure it's Windows 11 compatible = Intel Gen8 or better.

My recommendation would be
Intel i5 8th gen ( i3's just don't cut it, even for 'nothing')
16gb RAM (or 8gb but must be upgradeable to 16gb)

256gb SSD - Sata SSD is fine (Nmve would be 'nice' but not important)
[you are limiting speed by going 256 instead of 512, but it's only intermittent use, so who cares...]

Bare in mind, every time she blows the dust off it and boots it up, it will have a truckload of Windows & Dot.net & browser updates to install each time. [this is partly why you should avoid anything less than i5.... Unless you are planning to boot it up 4hrs before she arrives everytime and do all these updates for her on a cruddy celeron or I3...]

Should be able to get something like this second hand for about $600,
(put it in a nice bag, so it's easy to store down the side of the desk, will make it pretty...

1 | 2