Elderly relative has asked me to buy a new laptop - help!

stanleyman

Hi,

An elderly relative has asked me to buy a new laptop for him, as his one is very old and running outdated software. He only really uses it for shopping online and emails so it doesn't need to have fantastic specs. He's quite impatient though (if he clicks and something doesn't happen instantly then he gets annoyed and starts clicking again and again) so I don't want one which is going to hang up all the time.

His requirements are:
1. Must be at least as big as his current one (how do you measure it? I measured the width of the laptop and it's just over 14", and I measure the screen diagonally (15" excluding the surround, 17" including the surround)
2. Doesn't want one online, he wants to be able to buy it from a shop so he can go back to them if he has issues (which pretty much restricts us to Argos, Currys, Tesco and Asda), although I may be able to change his mind for a particularly good deal
3. Happy to spend up to about £300
4. Doesn't want second hand/refurb etc

Anything fancy like touchscreen would just confuse him (I've seen the fingerprints on his current screen!) and I don't want something like a Chromebook where he's forced to use online services.

I've had a look on Argos and Currys websites and Argos seem to have plenty within his price range. They all have 4GB RAM, but I'm not sure what else I should be looking for, eg processor speed? Is anyone able to give me any advice?

ballyblack

He only really uses it for shopping online and emails so it doesn't need to have fantastic specs

Both activities are on-line so a laptop on Chrome would be ideal

stanleyman

ballyblack wrote: »

Both activities are on-line so a laptop on Chrome would be ideal

Sorry, I should have said - he does some volunteer work as a secretary/treasurer for a local charity, so he maintains Excel and Word documents for that. He could do that through Google Drive etc, but he's made it clear he's not willing to learn anything new (he's "too old for all that" in his own words :rotfl:) so I'd rather just get him a normal laptop with a hard drive.

Basically just trying to make the transition as easy for him and me as possible, so trying to have minimal changes.

googler

Do you or he have install disc(s) for MS Office, Excel or Word?

Or does he update these with LibreOffice or similar?

EveryWhere

What's the brand name and model number of the current laptop?
It might be a candidate for the fitting of a solid state drive. meaning that he can continue using the same laptop, as it will no longer be slow.

stanleyman

Thanks for the replies, very helpful.

EveryWhere wrote: »

What's the brand name and model number of the current laptop?
It might be a candidate for the fitting of a solid state drive. meaning that he can continue using the same laptop, as it will no longer be slow.

I'm not sure the model number but it's an old Toshiba running Vista. I checked the specs and it doesn't meet the requirements for installing Windows 10, which is why I was going for a new one.

googler wrote: »

Do you or he have install disc(s) for MS Office, Excel or Word?

Or does he update these with LibreOffice or similar?

He has an installation file for MS Office, it's through their HUP deal.

EveryWhere

stanleyman wrote: »

Hi,

An elderly relative has asked me to buy a new laptop for him, as his one is very old and running outdated software. He only really uses it for shopping online and emails so it doesn't need to have fantastic specs. He's quite impatient though (if he clicks and something doesn't happen instantly then he gets annoyed and starts clicking again and again) so I don't want one which is going to hang up all the time.

His requirements are:
1. Must be at least as big as his current one (how do you measure it? I measured the width of the laptop and it's just over 14", and I measure the screen diagonally (15" excluding the surround, 17" including the surround)
2. Doesn't want one online, he wants to be able to buy it from a shop so he can go back to them if he has issues (which pretty much restricts us to Argos, Currys, Tesco and Asda), although I may be able to change his mind for a particularly good deal
3. Happy to spend up to about £300
4. Doesn't want second hand/refurb etc

Anything fancy like touchscreen would just confuse him (I've seen the fingerprints on his current screen!) and I don't want something like a Chromebook where he's forced to use online services.

I've had a look on Argos and Currys websites and Argos seem to have plenty within his price range. They all have 4GB RAM, but I'm not sure what else I should be looking for, eg processor speed? Is anyone able to give me any advice?

You had better change his mind. It is a really bad idea. There are only disadvantages to this choice.

What does he think that will happen? That he can take it back to Argos and they will take it to the back of the shop and fix it in the event of a problem?
Also, it's not as if he will be able to try it out in Argos either.
Best you steer him away his ridiculously old fashioned and erroneous way of thought.

I won't say anything about Currys at all, other than at least he can take a look and touch some models to see if he likes the feel of them.
Most people here would choose an second user business machine or a least an 'as new' customer return, over a plasticky low spec new device.
Since he obviously wants to tie everyone's hands behind their backs with his handicapping stipulations, he can stay alone in that game.
Best to stay away from cheap and nasty devices or he definitely will be taking it back to the shop.

EveryWhere

stanleyman wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, very helpful.



I'm not sure the model number but it's an old Toshiba running Vista. I checked the specs and it doesn't meet the requirements for installing Windows 10, which is why I was going for a new one.

He has an installation file for MS Office, it's through their HUP deal.

That is almost certainly wrong. I have ten year old Toshiba laptops running Windows 10.
So get the Part No. from the underside of the laptop, so we can give the the definitive reply.

spadoosh

I think this is being made too complicated.

Spend £300 on a new laptop in a store and it will be suitable for him. My laptop would be suitable for him, it cost £300 7 years ago.

Loads of arguments about bang for your buck, new/old etc but more or less every laptop that meets the size requirements will be capable of handling what he needs.

eg. all of these should be suitable.
https://www.argos.co.uk/browse/technology/laptops-and-pcs/laptops-and-netbooks/c:30049/brands:asus,lenovo/price:%C2%A3150-%252D-%C2%A3200,%C2%A3200-%252D-%C2%A3250/screen-size-range-(in):14-%252D-15.9in,16-%252D-18.9in/type:laptops/

Again arguments about more powerful reliable second hand laptops are made moot by the stipulations imposed. But the linked laptops tick the relevant criteria. There might be some issue with size, the screen sizes should be similar but they tend to use smaller profile frames now so might not be physically the same size overall.

grumpycrab

stanleyman wrote: »

it's an old Toshiba running Vista

That would be a good "project". But if the gentleman is not in any hurry you could swap out the exisitng hard disk (a low risk approach) for a SSD and give it a go! Follow everywhere...
Not much good value for new in the shops...this is the best I could find after a quick look (AO is a wellknown etailer -sorry not a shop.)
https://ao.com/product/6ex02eaabu-hp-laptop-silver-66575-251.aspx

Cisco001

Lenovo IdeaPad 330S 81FB00DCUK Laptop, AMD Ryzen R3 Processor, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, 15.6", Platinum Grey
John Lewis

https://www.johnlewis.com/lenovo-ideapad-330s-81fb00dcuk-laptop-amd-ryzen-r3-processor-4gb-ram-128gb-ssd-15-6-inch-platinum-grey/p4005388

Lenovo IdeaPad 330s 15.6 Inch Ryzen 3 4GB 1TB Laptop - Grey864/8945
Argos