shopping for tablet/laptop

[j-bird]

So I need some help. I am looking for a new laptop/tablet for the house. I need something simple, that works. It will mostly be used for monitoring e-mail and just typical internet surfing (hanging out with you all and facebook and the like). I'm not a gamer, or the like and I don't need a super computer. I need simple, functional and low cost.

 

[BenAllgood]

I like the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop/tablet, or if you want to move up a little, their Latitude 2-in-1. You can use them as a tablet or laptop, or even a desktop if you get a docking station with a large monitor attached with wireless mouse and keyboard. I've been moving all of our company to this type of setup.

 

[DiSc0Rd]

I'm a Lenovo guy. Great pricing and their return support is top notch though I rarely have a hardware issue. They have a 2 in 1 but I use the x390 with a touch screen. But,I have no beef with the xps from Dell I just don't care for all their bloatware.

 

[Tree Spud]

I am a Lenovo user also as that is what we use for work. Good reliability.

Lenovo now has a new docking station that only has a "C" type cable plug in connection which is much better than an actual docking set-up.

Even though you are not a gamer, make sure you get enough processing speed to handle videos, movies, etc. Memory capacity also important.

 

[DiSc0Rd]

I am a Lenovo user also as that is what we use for work. Good reliability.

Lenovo now has a new docking station that only has a "C" type cable plug in connection which is much better than an actual docking set-up.

Even though you are not a gamer, make sure you get enough processing speed to handle videos, movies, etc. Memory capacity also important.

Good point. I'd never go below an i5 with less than 16gig of ram. Just running windows 10 burns a ton of ram. They like to pitch a lower price but give you 8g on an i3 and that just won't cut it today, even in just a pure working environment.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I would consider a Chromebook if you know all that you are doing is light web browsing. Otherwise, I agree with Discord and Tree Spud about a laptop. I'm typing this on a HP ProBook 450 G6. It's a solid laptop and would recommend it to anyone that does light office work or general web browsing.

 

[Bassattackr]

We use Microsoft Surface tablets at work. For the use you describe, its a great option.

 

[TreesuitSC]

My experience only. I don't know anything about the other brands.

We use HP at work and I bought my wife an HP. They are great, so far we have zero issues.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

 

[j-bird]

I currently use (my work computer) a HP Elite book with an intel I7 processer and it does everything I would need (probably even more). I just don't want to spend a lot of money on a computer as they tend to quickly become outdated within only a few years unless you really plop down some money. I am far more familiar with a laptop than I am a tablet and I would need the means for USB and SD cards and the like as well. My cams still use SD cards and I store most of my data on USB based thumb drives. I will push for as big of a hard drive as makes sense....but I agree in that a 16Meg RAM is nearly a must.

 

[Tree Spud]

I currently use (my work computer) a HP Elite book with an intel I7 processer and it does everything I would need (probably even more). I just don't want to spend a lot of money on a computer as they tend to quickly become outdated within only a few years unless you really plop down some money. I am far more familiar with a laptop than I am a tablet and I would need the means for USB and SD cards and the like as well. My cams still use SD cards and I store most of my data on USB based thumb drives. I will push for as big of a hard drive as makes sense....but I agree in that a 16Meg RAM is nearly a must.

Just like tractors ... buy more horsepower than you think you need today. If you buy a computer to meet todays needs at the low end, it will be outdated faster with the scale that tech is moving.

We change out our laptops every 2 years, you can extend that cycle but electronic and software issues strt to creep in..

 

[Buckly]

So I need some help. I am looking for a new laptop/tablet for the house. I need something simple, that works. It will mostly be used for monitoring e-mail and just typical internet surfing (hanging out with you all and facebook and the like). I'm not a gamer, or the like and I don't need a super computer. I need simple, functional and low cost.

This is exactly what an IPad was made for. Can’t get any simpler to operate.

 

[Bill]

This is exactly what an IPad was made for. Can’t get any simpler to operate.

Yep, I do almost everything on a ITampon.

Really.

Yes if you order on line they will etch anything on the back......

 

[35-acre]

I'll preface all of this with my "credentials" to lay some credence with my opinion - LOL. I've been working in the technology field for over 25 years. Much of that time, during my career, I have risen through the ranks at a large financial institution where technology has risen to the forefront of everything we do. The work is non-stop. That being said... I don't have a help desk for my family. I don't have teams of people dedicated to support my family with internet protection, office products, browsing, etc.

So, I'm a HUGE fan of the Chromebook! They are super simple. No 20 minute software downloads and updates every time you turn it on, no extra $oftware needed, etc. They are basically a piece of hardware with an embedded web browser (all the apps are web-based and on the more newer models you can use many of the same apps as you install on your phone). So the updates are few and far between. The reboot or power on cycle is SOOOOO FAST!

For my own sanity and to get time back in my life from helping others, I have gotten chromebooks for my mother-in-law, father, and my wife. Obviously I was tired of having to be the "support guy"... I started with getting one for my wife and it passed "the wife test" (meaning no complaining, nothing broken, etc.). She could print, open files, browse the web, and so on. I now have user names and passwords for the rest of my family and if they have trouble, I can just login on my Chromebook (I have one too) with their account see what's going on. The user experience is the same for each user on almost any device, so I can spot their problem and either fix it or show them how. My wife actually helps her mom that way; something I never would have expected.

Of course, you need a gmail account and you upload all of your documents to Google Drive (yeah - word, powerpoint, excel, etc. can all be opened in the web-based Google apps). Setup your printer and you're done.

As for devices, there aren't a lot of parts inside. You don't need a TON of RAM, hard drive space, etc. This makes them super cheap! And the battery charge lasts seemingly forever. It's actually the price that had me try it out because for a couple hundred if it didn't work for my wife, I would just keep it.

I have gotten them through Amazon (re-furbished) lately. While I am working from home and have been, my chromebook has become a mainstay on my desk. Sure, my 35" curved screen with all the bells and whistles and my $2000+ laptop docked to it are great. But when I just want to do something quick (personal stuff), I open the lid on my chromebook and just get things done.

EDIT:
You can connect a wireless keyboard or mouse.
There are SD or Micros SD slots along with USB slots for connecting other stuff.
You can save the Google version of office products to the Micro$oft version (i.e. excel, word and other microsoft applications)

 

[j-bird]

Yep, I do almost everything on a ITampon.

Really.

Yes if you order on line they will etch anything on the back......
View attachment 37030

With your I-tampon do you have the ability to connect a wireless keyboard or mouse? What about data drives like SD drives and USB ports? Can you still use excel and word and other microsoft applications?

 

[j-bird]

I'll preface all of this with my "credentials" to lay some credence with my opinion - LOL. I've been working in the technology field for over 25 years. Much of that time, during my career, I have risen through the ranks at a large financial institution where technology has risen to the forefront of everything we do. The work is non-stop. That being said... I don't have a help desk for my family. I don't have teams of people dedicated to support my family with internet protection, office products, browsing, etc.

So, I'm a HUGE fan of the Chromebook! They are super simple. No 20 minute software downloads and updates every time you turn it on, no extra $oftware needed, etc. They are basically a piece of hardware with an embedded web browser (all the apps are web-based and on the more newer models you can use many of the same apps as you install on your phone). So the updates are few and far between. The reboot or power on cycle is SOOOOO FAST!

For my own sanity and to get time back in my life from helping others, I have gotten chromebooks for my mother-in-law, father, and my wife. Obviously I was tired of having to be the "support guy"... I started with getting one for my wife and it passed "the wife test" (meaning no complaining, nothing broken, etc.). She could print, open files, browse the web, and so on. Now, I have my family's user names and passwords and if they have trouble, I can just login on my Chromebook (I have one too) with their account see what's going on. The user experience is the same for each user on almost any device, so I can spot their problem and either fix it or show them how. My wife actually helps her mom that way; something I never would have expected.

Of course, you need a gmail account and you upload all of your documents to Google Drive (yeah - word, powerpoint, excel, etc. can all be opened in the web-based Google apps). Setup your printer and you're done.

As for devices, there aren't a lot of parts inside. You don't need a TON of RAM, hard drive space, etc. This makes them super cheap! And the battery charge lasts seemingly forever. It's actually the price that had me try it out because for a couple hundred if it didn't work for my wife, I would just keep it.

I have gotten them through Amazon (re-furbished) lately. While I am working from home and have been, my chromebook has become a mainstay on my desk. Sure, my 35" curved screen with all the bells and whistles and my $2000+ laptop docked to it are great. But when I just want to do something quick (personal stuff), I open the lid on my chromebook and just get things done.

So my kids use chrome books at school.... so I assume they have to be rather bullet proof. Do they use microsoft software? Do they have SD drives and USB ports? Do I have the means to connect a second monitor?

 

[35-acre]

So my kids use chrome books at school.... so I assume they have to be rather bullet proof. Do they use microsoft software? Do they have SD drives and USB ports? Do I have the means to connect a second monitor?

Yes - you can connect an additional monitor. You can do that through a cable to just "cast" to another capable screen (like a TV).
They have USB-C charging. And depending on the deice you can get mirco SD, SD and USB; they are fairly standard.
As for Microsoft software, you use the google versions but can save files as the Microsoft version (say you were trying to email someone a word document). You can try that out anytime you want by using the Chrome web browser and opening the web app (Sheets/Excel, Docs/Word, Slides/PowerPoint, etc.).

 

[Bill]

With your I-tampon do you have the ability to connect a wireless keyboard or mouse? What about data drives like SD drives and USB ports? Can you still use excel and word and other microsoft applications?

Mine no. My wife just got a new one and has a Bluetooth keyboard. Bluetooth mouse is available. They sell adapters that plug into the power port that would let you us a usb and SD card. No on the Microsoft to the best of my knowledge.

which isn’t much.

 

[DiSc0Rd]

So my kids use chrome books at school.... so I assume they have to be rather bullet proof. Do they use microsoft software? Do they have SD drives and USB ports? Do I have the means to connect a second monitor?

Chromebooks are very School friendly they're a lot easier to lockdown. you can use Microsoft applications on an iPad and you can use Bluetooth keyboard and mouse and hardwired SD reader, but if you're going to do that you might as well get the laptop at that point iPad can do a screen share to a compatible Bluetooth or wifi-enabled smart TV or monitor but again you may as well go to an HDMI connection or a dock.

 

[DiSc0Rd]

Chromebooks are very School friendly they're a lot easier to lockdown. you can use Microsoft applications on an iPad and you can use Bluetooth keyboard and mouse and hardwired SD reader, but if you're going to do that you might as well get the laptop at that point iPad can do a screen share to a compatible Bluetooth or wifi-enabled smart TV or monitor but again you may as well go to an HDMI connection or a dock.

 

[Telemark]

I hate chrome books. Also not an apple fan. I like Samsung tablets and Lenovo laptops. Definitely spend a little extra on a good processor and extra RAM