A laptop bought for a fiver in a charity shop. How do I turn the thing on?

[Seevio]

If the usage is just watching videos, listening to the radio, posting on CC, Facebook etc, a cheap android tablet should do the trick. A Bluetooth keyboard can be added if really necessary.

 

[PaulSB]

I don't want to spend more than £350 to £400 though. I have history when it comes to fecking electrical items up, as in dropping them and getting water on them!🙄🤷

Based on what you've said recently on this thread you should buy a low cost Windows machine, refurbished or new. Make sure its 8GB, preferably 16.

You will easily get a decent Chromebook within your budget. I'm wavering between a new Windows machine and a Chromebook. The Chromebook doesn't have a hard drive, data is stored in the cloud and run web apps. For the use you have described a Chromebook would be very good.

If you use any sort of documents, spreadsheets, etc you'll be forced down the Google Docs route. That is unless you're prepared to invest in MS or other non-Google products.

I've met several people who have bought a Chromebook and struggled. In every instance this has been the user's fault - "my spreadsheet is lost" - "no it isn't, you don't know where you saved it." A lifetime of using Windows leaves users expecting all machines to work the same way. They don't.

People assume the worst and don't spend time looking and learning.

As above you can do all you describe on a tablet.

 

[Drago]

Chromebooks are more akin to using an Android phone than a regular laptop. Once ones head is round that its easy, even for a complete nodule like me.

Accy, youll get a Cho,ebook well ablemto handle your needs for £250. You wont be crunching big numbers or processing vast amounts of data, a fairly inexpensive machine will serve you well.

 

[DRM]

I wonder how many pages this'll run to

 

[Dogtrousers]

How much are they?

If you're prepared to wait a decade or so they should be about a fiver in charity shops.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Go back to Currys. Budget c£400. Buy a Windows 11 laptop from Acer, Lenovo, HP etc, with 8-16Gb memory and job done.

Budget laptops are all much of a muchness, imo, and from a shop like Currys are perfectly adequate for most people's computing needs.

Play with the keyboard though, some feel clicky rather than smooth/soft. The latter feel nicer to use.

Laptop purchase (like TV's & phones) can be massively overthought.

 

[PaulSB]

Go back to Currys. Budget c£400. Buy a Windows 11 laptop from Acer, Lenovo, HP etc, with 8-16Gb memory and job done.

Budget laptops are all much of a muchness, imo, and from a shop like Currys are perfectly adequate for most people's computing needs.

Play with the keyboard though, some feel clicky rather than smooth/soft. The latter feel nicer to use.

Laptop purchase (like TV's & phones) can be massively overthought.

Very accurate assessment in my view. My research for either a Chromebook or Windows machine has been limited to reading the Which? Best Buys reviews.

For the keyboard quality is crucial. I wouldn't buy a machine that I hadn't had the opportunity to touch. A friend offered me his wife's nearly new laptop for nothing. She had recently passed away, he simply wanted rid of it.

A generous offer I declined because the keyboard was very clicky.

 

[MontyVeda]

Go back to Currys. ...

but avoid the sales-boy that said "These laptops are just laptops... those laptops are computers."

 

[mistyoptic]

but avoid the sales-boy that said "These laptops are just laptops... those laptops are computers."

Or the one who “needs to read the side of the box” to tell you the difference between them.

 

[MontyVeda]

Or the one who “needs to read the side of the box” to tell you the difference between them.

I'd rather that than a bullsh!tter

 

[Mike_P]

Go back to Currys. Budget c£400. Buy a Windows 11 laptop from Acer, Lenovo, HP etc, with 8-16Gb memory and job done.

Lenovos have a tenancy for the hinges to break. I have one in use as a desktop replacement using a monitor

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Lenovos have a tenancy for the hinges to break. I have one in use as a desktop replacement using a monitor

That's a surprise. We have two about 3 & 4 years old with no problems!

Do you slam them like teenagers do? 😂

 

[Mike_P]

That's a surprise. We have two about 3 & 4 years old with no problems!

Do you slam them like teenagers do? 😂

Mine was older than that and it was a well reported issue with Lenovos, maybe they have actually started using hinges that have better strength.

 

[MontyVeda]

Lots of Lenovo's on my life. Mum's must be knocking on 8 years old and still going strong... plus several at work. No issues at all so far as i can tell.

 

[Accy cyclist]

If you're prepared to wait a decade or so they should be about a fiver in charity shops.

I still have it here in my flat. 😉