Best value laptop/ notebook for MS office and browsing

[chemn]

Dear Urban

Thinking of ordering something for my son to assist with me remote schooling him and as something he could use for school for a few years.

I'm sure there is relevant info in existing threads. So a) apologies for any duplication and b) please hit me up with links to relevant posts if you're aware of them? I don't know my arse from my elbow as far as mobile tech is concerned so wouldn't really know whether to go for a chromebook thread or a value laptop thread. There is also the issue that, given ongoing scenarios with regards to certain global pandemics, many mobile devices are going out of stock faster than you can say "I NEED SOME MOBILE TECH TO GET ME THROUGH THIS INDEFINITE LOCKDOWN AGGHHHH!"

So yeah, as per the thread title, if anyone can provide advice and possibly links to devices that will do the necessary, and which would also be okay for video chatting, I would be massively grateful.

Alternatively just berate me for not looking for existing info... but in this case, please can you also link me to the most relevant posts in said existing threads?

Many thanks,
Chem

 

[Sweet FA]

This is coming down the line for me too...

How old is your son?

Up until now, I've been going to a charity place; Front Page ⋆ Jamies Computers I've had 2 laptops this way, costing about 100 quid each and lasting a couple of years apiece. Don't know where you're based but might be an option if there's something similar near you?

I have a mooch around the last few pages of this every now and again: Affordable laptop recommendations: budget £350-£450

 

[chemn]

Thanks for your reply £350 would be getting into price range territory I'd rather not get into am Bristol based. Chem jr is 14.

 

[chilango]

A Chromebook?

 

[chemn]

Wrt chromebook, for MS office, are the free apps from google play ok? Do you need to do in app purchases every time you change font in word or every time you recalc a spreadsheet in excel?

And also, any recommendation wrt to model in terms of value and performance?

 

[Crispy]

If you went the Windows way, there are lots of bargain refurbs at Morgan. (How long have these guys been around for now? Feels like forever.)
Let me see what they've got in store right now...

HP Stream 14-AX00NA 14

Buy HP Stream 14-AX00NA 14" Laptop Intel Celeron 1.60GHz Processor 4GB RAM 32GB HDD Windows 10 Home at Morgan Computers

www.morgancomputers.co.uk

£207 inc delivery
Only drawback is the limited storage (32GB), but it has an SD slot so you could easily add another 32GB for a tenner.

Wrt chromebook, for MS office, are the free apps from google play ok? Do you need to do in app purchases every time you change font in word or every time you recalc a spreadsheet in excel?

It's all free. tbh a Chromebook is probably a better bet.

 

[editor]

A Chromebook will be approx 8,565,575 faster than a cheap Windows machine and be a lot less hassle to maintain.

Some ones to look at

HP Chromebook 14 review

A well balanced Chromebook

www.techradar.com

Acer Chromebook 14 - £230

The best Chromebook deals in October 2024

Get a small yet mighty machine from as little as $100 / £150

www.techradar.com

There's also a huge thread here: Chromebooks - latest news and discussion

 

[chilango]

Wrt chromebook, for MS office, are the free apps from google play ok? Do you need to do in app purchases every time you change font in word or every time you recalc a spreadsheet in excel?

And also, any recommendation wrt to model in terms of value and performance?

I wrote my MA (and am writing my PhD) on a Chromebook and my daughter does all her school work on it.

Rarely use the MS office apps as I prefer the Google suite, but when I have used them it's been fine.

Without a problem or paying a penny extra.

Ours is a pretty old, basic HP model that was about £120 iirc.

 

[cybershot]

If you went the Windows way, there are lots of bargain refurbs at Morgan. (How long have these guys been around for now? Feels like forever.)
Let me see what they've got in store right now...

HP Stream 14-AX00NA 14

Buy HP Stream 14-AX00NA 14" Laptop Intel Celeron 1.60GHz Processor 4GB RAM 32GB HDD Windows 10 Home at Morgan Computers

www.morgancomputers.co.uk

£207 inc delivery
Only drawback is the limited storage (32GB), but it has an SD slot so you could easily add another 32GB for a tenner.


It's all free. tbh a Chromebook is probably a better bet.

Do not get the steams or anything with 32GB capacity for Windows. It just doesn't work.

A good cheap WIndows laptop for less than £350 that will not be a hassle in the short term let alone the long term is pretty much none existant.

A chromebook may be a good alternative however its going to come down to your requirement of MS Office. If you try the Chromebook ensure you buy it online (don't think you have much choice) and buy on a credit card if possible. This will give you the distance selling regs or whatever its called these days to be able to unbox it, use it for 14 days and if you decide beofre that point that it's not for you, you should be able to send it back for a full refund. (you don't get this in the shops because you've been allowed to look at it and sales people should have been able to advise you on the sale)

 

[chemn]

Do not get the steams or anything with 32GB capacity for Windows. It just doesn't work.

A good cheap WIndows laptop for less than £350 that will not be a hassle in the short term let alone the long term is pretty much none existant.

A chromebook may be a good alternative however its going to come down to your requirement of MS Office. If you try the Chromebook ensure you buy it online (don't think you have much choice) and buy on a credit card if possible. This will give you the distance selling regs or whatever its called these days to be able to unbox it, use it for 14 days and if you decide beofre that point that it's not for you, you should be able to send it back for a full refund. (you don't get this in the shops because you've been allowed to look at it and sales people should have been able to advise you on the sale)

This approach will not, unfortunately, work. This is because he needs it immediately and I'm a non-resident parent. Hence a recommendation for a specific device would be really appreciated. MS Office not critical - I don't have it so would be using Open Office anyway. Is Google Suite compatible and local or all in the cloud?

 

[chilango]

This approach will not, unfortunately, work. This is because he needs it immediately and I'm a non-resident parent. Hence a recommendation for a specific device would be really appreciated. MS Office not critical - I don't have it so would be using Open Office anyway. Is Google Suite compatible and local or all in the cloud?

In the cloud (but can be used offline too). Google Suite is better than OpenOffice IME and is actually really nice to use. Pretty easy to use with MS formatted stuff generally.

Can't recommend a specific device I'm afraid.

 

[editor]

This approach will not, unfortunately, work. This is because he needs it immediately and I'm a non-resident parent. Hence a recommendation for a specific device would be really appreciated. MS Office not critical - I don't have it so would be using Open Office anyway. Is Google Suite compatible and local or all in the cloud?

Chromebooks are bloody excellent, easy to set up and easy to reset if things go awry. Give me a strict budget and I'll find you a great machine!

 

[chemn]

I think £200 - £300 is what I'm thinking of (sorry if that's not strict enough! ), plus I would consider additional keyboard and wireless mouse essential - would you agree? For what I'm planning on I'm not thinking of making him do much typing, but just think that typing on the actual device will be torture compared to a proper keyboard and having the machine raised up a little, like a proper monitor would be.

 

[editor]

I think £200 - £300 is what I'm thinking of (sorry if that's not strict enough! ), plus I would consider additional keyboard and wireless mouse essential - would you agree? For what I'm planning on I'm not thinking of making him do much typing, but just think that typing on the actual device will be torture compared to a proper keyboard and having the machine raised up a little, like a proper monitor would be.

So - what size screen is needed? I portability/battery life a factor? Keyboards/mice are cheap as fuck and I don't think you'd need an additional monitor if you're getting a bigger screen on the machine.

 

[Crispy]

A good cheap WIndows laptop for less than £350 that will not be a hassle in the short term let alone the long term is pretty much none existant.

Sparrow bought a refurbed top-of-the-line-for-2014 Thinkpad (128GB SSD, 8GB RAM, touchscreen) from Morgan for £330. An excellent machine.
New is another thing altogether.

 

[editor]

Sparrow bought a refurbed top-of-the-line-for-2014 Thinkpad (128GB SSD, 8GB RAM, touchscreen) from Morgan for £330. An excellent machine.
New is another thing altogether.

But all Windows machines are a fucking ballache to update/maintain compared to Chromebooks. There's a thread here somewhere about how long it took my Thinkpad to update (a very long time).

 

[Crispy]

But all Windows machines are a fucking ballache to update/maintain compared to Chromebooks.

Correct (although much better than they used to be)
If you need a windows machine though, you can get a lot for your money with a refurb

 

[cybershot]

One thing that strikes me with this thread though, and this drives me insane at work too.

maybe just ask your son what they want to use it for rather than IT aka us deciding for them!

E.g now you know chromebooks exist ask your son if it’s something they think they can use for what they want to use it for and any software they use at school. Drives me nuts when other people decide what someone else needs a computer for.

He’s probably going to have a better idea of the software and OS his school uses than us, see what OS the software runs on. He maybe enjoy coding projects for example that might not work on a chromebook.

And now we’re talking about keyboard and mice and tilting it like a proper screen. Which makes me think it’s going to be at a desk.

Desktops are way cheaper than laptops and even with a screen you can probably get something that’s better. Assuming mobility isn’t a necessity then in which case back to laptops.

I’d probably think a bit more about this. If you’re willing to throw £300 at something for a short term remote schooling thing why not maybe think about something longer term save having to throw more money at it again in less than 12 months.

 

[chemn]

One thing that strikes me with this thread though, and this drives me insane at work too.

maybe just ask your son what they want to use it for rather than IT aka us deciding for them!

E.g now you know chromebooks exist ask your son if it’s something they think they can use for what they want to use it for and any software they use at school. Drives me nuts when other people decide what someone else needs a computer for.

He’s probably going to have a better idea of the software and OS his school uses than us, see what OS the software runs on. He maybe enjoy coding projects for example that might not work on a chromebook.

And now we’re talking about keyboard and mice and tilting it like a proper screen. Which makes me think it’s going to be at a desk.

Desktops are way cheaper than laptops and even with a screen you can probably get something that’s better. Assuming mobility isn’t a necessity then in which case back to laptops.

I’d probably think a bit more about this. If you’re willing to throw £300 at something for a short term remote schooling thing why not maybe think about something longer term save having to throw more money at it again in less than 12 months.

I know what he really wants. He has numerous consoles but still wants a gaming tower that can run AAA titles well, do streaming, etc.

With regards to school I'm less sure. I don't think he'll be doing much coding or getting into coding in a big way. He's just chosen maths, history, music, sports and art as his GCSE options.

From the point of view of what I want to provide him, I want it to be purely a tool for education, primarily word processing, and browsing, vid chat, and that's it. It would also be nice if it was surprise, which sort of rules out asking him what he wants out of it.

And editor - all you said you needed was a strict budget! Appreciate that keyboards and mice are cheap as fuck but it's still a few extra £. Portability and decent battery life would be a plus, and a screen of usable size would also be a plus.

 

[chemn]

Appreciate comments on future proofing too ... though something that would last 2/ 3 years as a word processor is the main brief afaic...

 

[nick]

from bitter experience...
Something that is sufficient for school work, and not gaming, will have many merits

It is hard to stop someone form gaming when it is also their study machine. Good to be able to separate the 2 if required

 

[editor]

Appreciate comments on future proofing too ... though something that would last 2/ 3 years as a word processor is the main brief afaic...

Chromebooks are supported for something like 6 or 7 years and unlike Windows machines they don't get slower over time!

This is a great deal for £270 - 14" screen, 64GB memory, massive battery life but not a touchscreen

Buy Acer CB314 14in Celeron 4GB 64GB FHD Chromebook -Pure Silver | Chromebooks | Argos

Buy Acer CB314 14in Celeron 4GB 64GB FHD Chromebook -Pure Silver at Argos. Thousands of products for same day delivery £3.95, or fast store collection.

www.argos.co.uk

Review: Acer Chromebook 314 review

If you need a touchscreen, I'll have another think!

 

[chemn]

I'm not a fan of touchscreen laptop type devices. I think it's a gimmick. My cousin got one a year ago or so and now feels the same way ... Not sure what the boy would think though... But touchscreen doesn't scream out 'really useful for word processing' to me. Thanks for that recommendation. The more I hear about chromebooks, the more I like the idea. Boy had a refurbed Windows laptop which now runs like treacle in a freezer which is another thing pushing me towards chromebook.

 

[chemn]

from bitter experience...
Something that is sufficient for school work, and not gaming, will have many merits

It is hard to stop someone form gaming when it is also their study machine. Good to be able to separate the 2 if required

Yeah, it would be gifted on the basis that it is a tool for education and browsing only! Even thought about adding the threat of a demand for payment if he farks it by trying to run games on it or something to that effect, to discourage such activity...

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Yeah, it would be gifted on the basis that it is a tool for education and browsing only! Even thought about adding the threat of a demand for payment if he farks it by trying to run games on it or something to that effect, to discourage such activity...

Well you can run Android games on some Chromebooks, but as a games machine they would be far less desirable.

 

[Big Bertha]

Correct (although much better than they used to be)
If you need a windows machine though, you can get a lot for your money with a refurb

Would definitely go for a refurbed thinkpad

 

[cybershot]

I believe school teachers are supposed to be still be at work in a sense. Drop your school an email. The IT teacher will be able you tell what applications are used. They may even have a deal with their supplier to provide personal devices discounted.