Need laptop, suggestions?

[Pogo]

Wife finally decided her Apple iPad doesn't cut it and wants to get a new laptop. I've stuck with a desktop computer through the years so I'm not much help in offering advice.

She'll be using Office 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel), cruising the web (Facebook and such) and for doing her banking and paying assorted bills. Pretty basic.

I'm thinking around $400 would get her what she needs. Any suggestions as to (1) a good laptop and (2) where to purchase it would be appreciated.

This is for real.......
Top 10 Best Laptops Under $400 of 2018 - Best Guide for Budget Buyers

That Asus VivoBook 14 is serious contender. Light, powerful, great sized screen and the keyboard is comfortable.

Had three ASUS and had nothing but problems with them.

The only reliable part of my Asus was the power supply I salvaged. Still works just fine, unlike the lemon-laptop that came with it.

 

[Ringel05]

Wife finally decided her Apple iPad doesn't cut it and wants to get a new laptop. I've stuck with a desktop computer through the years so I'm not much help in offering advice.

She'll be using Office 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel), cruising the web (Facebook and such) and for doing her banking and paying assorted bills. Pretty basic.

I'm thinking around $400 would get her what she needs. Any suggestions as to (1) a good laptop and (2) where to purchase it would be appreciated.

This is for real.......
Top 10 Best Laptops Under $400 of 2018 - Best Guide for Budget Buyers

That Asus VivoBook 14 is serious contender. Light, powerful, great sized screen and the keyboard is comfortable.

Had three ASUS and had nothing but problems with them.

The only reliable part of my Asus was the power supply I salvaged. Still works just fine, unlike the lemon-laptop that came with it.

I've been using Dells forever, rarely ever had a problem (one hard drive went bad after 5 years) and I buy refurbished.

 

[waltky]

Try a local computer users group...

... check with yer local library.

 

[Pogo]

Wife finally decided her Apple iPad doesn't cut it and wants to get a new laptop. I've stuck with a desktop computer through the years so I'm not much help in offering advice.

She'll be using Office 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel), cruising the web (Facebook and such) and for doing her banking and paying assorted bills. Pretty basic.

I'm thinking around $400 would get her what she needs. Any suggestions as to (1) a good laptop and (2) where to purchase it would be appreciated.

This is for real.......
Top 10 Best Laptops Under $400 of 2018 - Best Guide for Budget Buyers

That Asus VivoBook 14 is serious contender. Light, powerful, great sized screen and the keyboard is comfortable.

Had three ASUS and had nothing but problems with them.

The only reliable part of my Asus was the power supply I salvaged. Still works just fine, unlike the lemon-laptop that came with it.

I've been using Dells forever, rarely ever had a problem (one hard drive went bad after 5 years) and I buy refurbished.

I read lots of reviews and they said this one was built like a tank, and it is.

Had limited experience with Dells, just one. Not bad for a company that used to make comic books.

 

[my2¢]

Haven't been to the thread in a couple of days. Here's the deal. Wife asked what we're going to do about getting a new laptop. Very innocently said we'll look for something she's comfortable with technology-wise and take it from there. Few hours later she said I made her feel stupid. Now there isn't a week that goes by where she's not asking me to look at the TV and/or remote because she can't get to something or other. I didn't bring that up and thought I had put things very diplomatically.

Anyways, thanks all for the very useful notes and resources. Biggest drawback to any action hasn't been my mouth but this Arizona heat which puts a damper on both of us wanting to go out for anything but the bare necessities.

 

[Pogo]

Haven't been to the thread in a couple of days. Here's the deal. Wife asked what we're going to do about getting a new laptop. Very innocently said we'll look for something she's comfortable with technology-wise and take it from there. Few hours later she said I made her feel stupid. Now there isn't a week that goes by where she's not asking me to look at the TV and/or remote because she can't get to something or other. I didn't bring that up and thought I had put things very diplomatically.

Anyways, thanks all for the very useful notes and resources. Biggest drawback to any action hasn't been my mouth but this Arizona heat which puts a damper on both of us wanting to go out for anything but the bare necessities.

If it matters I've loaded up the Dell with the supplementary 500 gig disk drive and it's working famously, smooth, lightning fast, and the whole deal cost me $210. More bang for the buck than I've ever had before.

 

[addy smith]

There are lots of good laptops are available on the market under $400. For example

• Acer Aspire E 15 E5
• HP 15-BS020WM
• Samsung Chromebook Plus XE513C24
• Dell Inspiron 3000 Series
• ASUS Chromebook Flip C213SA

 

[Lucian Hodoboc]

I'd recommend a Dell or an Asus laptop. They seem to make the best products, according to the reviews I've watched / read.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I'd recommend a Dell or an Asus laptop. They seem to make the best products, according to the reviews I've watched / read.

ASUS are pieces of shit.
Had three of them and they all crapped out within a year.

Macbook Pro is the way to go.
The things are damn near flawless.

 

[dannyboys]

I went to a nearby Staples and told them to give me a call if anyone returned the latest Apple laptop.
Some people are given it as a gift but they would rather have the cash so they return it.
I got a call a week later.
Was able to purchase a top of the line Apple laptop still in the package for $300 off the original selling price.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I went to a nearby Staples and told them to give me a call if anyone returned the latest Apple laptop.
Some people are given it as a gift but they would rather have the cash so they return it.
I got a call a week later.
Was able to purchase a top of the line Apple laptop still in the package for $300 off the original selling price.

You cant go wrong with a MAC.

 

[Lucian Hodoboc]

Macbook Pro is the way to go.
The things are damn near flawless.

Too bad they're too small. Why don't they make them with a 17-inch screen size, like they used to?

 

[Gracie]

Don't know about laptops, but my ASUS desktop has been going for 7 years now, with no probs except a fan getting old, which I replaced. Still humming along, even after being dragged around during our homeless time.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Macbook Pro is the way to go.
The things are damn near flawless.

Too bad they're too small. Why don't they make them with a 17-inch screen size, like they used to?

I'm fine with the 15 inch screen.
The Retina display is outstanding!!!

 

[Pogo]

Don't know about laptops, but my ASUS desktop has been going for 7 years now, with no probs except a fan getting old, which I replaced. Still humming along, even after being dragged around during our homeless time.

I think you lucked out, my experience was the direct opposite. I agree with HereWeGoAgain upstairs -- Asus was the worst one I ever had. But mine was a laptop, perhaps that's the difference.

I haven't actually had a desktop for about 15 years. Still have that one though. Gateway with XP.

 

[Picaro]

I build my own PC's, and for something portable I get a tablet for $100 or so and just copy whatever I need to it if I need to travel. Never liked any laptops I ever saw, and don't know anybody who did own them who didn't have trouble with them all the time.

 

[Ringel05]

I build my own PC's, and for something portable I get a tablet for $100 or so and just copy whatever I need to it if I need to travel. Never liked any laptops I ever saw, and don't know anybody who did own them who didn't have trouble with them all the time.

You never had a problem with a desk top? That's astounding!!!!!

 

[Picaro]

I build my own PC's, and for something portable I get a tablet for $100 or so and just copy whatever I need to it if I need to travel. Never liked any laptops I ever saw, and don't know anybody who did own them who didn't have trouble with them all the time.

You never had a problem with a desk top? That's astounding!!!!!

Nope, just a power supply going out once, after 4 years, replaced, lasted another 6 years and went out again, but they had quit making supplies like the old one, so I built a new one. My first PC still works, it finally just went obsolete and I built a new one, which also still works fine, just went obsolete also; current one is going on 7 years old and has only been turned off a couple of times in its entire life, due to a blackout during a storm, and being moved to another room and cleaned; I'm one of those who never turn theirs off and on, as that wears them out quicker; I just leave on 24/7.

Laptops cost 3-4X more than a PC that has much more capability, even with the cheap memory these days; they run hot and don't have the lifespans, and still most have crappy batteries. A decent tablet is much better for the money, and stuff is easily downloaded to them from a PC or copied to a PC via merely drag and drop over USB ports. No need for over-priced laptops. A very good reliable PC can built for less than $300 if you scrounge, or built off the shelf for $600 to $1,000 these days, a tablet for $90-120.

 

[addy smith]

Hey Friend,
Well, There are many good laptops available on the market that really suits your pocket. For Example,

• Acer Aspire E 15 E5
• HP 15-BS020WM
• Acer Chromebook R 13
• Samsung Chromebook Plus
• HP 15-BA009DX
• Lenovo IdeaPad 320

Now, You can choose the best one for you. You can also purchase it from Amazon.

 

[Picaro]

A note of warning: The Chinese have been slipping spyware into their chips, and probably the capability to disable the microprocessors as well. If you haven't this news yet, look it up.