Laptop for homeschooling/family use

[TomO]

We are looking for a new laptop for general family use. Our kids are 9 and 6 so no gaming. Only really word, exel, zoom, web browsing needed. Could anyone advise anything that fits what we need?
is this any good?

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Thanks

 

[TechWise]

I would just get onto Google with "best budget laptop 2021" There's whole websites dedicated to laptop reviews and it's hard to keep up with all the models coming out all the time.
4GB RAM is not an awful lot in this day and age and 64GB storage isn't much the minute you start saving photos or anything like that. Not sure what the specs of that processor are like but you generally get better bang for your buck with AMD over Intel. The Office 365 subscription is a bonus, but find out if the school already provides that for the kids while they're still in education.

 

[upnortheast]

Support your local computer shop. They will not be far out on price & will be on hand to fix any problems, without the shite of dealing with call centres & places that are not that interested in you once they have your cash

 

[rollestonpark]

We are looking for a new laptop for general family use. Our kids are 9 and 6 so no gaming. Only really word, exel, zoom, web browsing needed. Could anyone advise anything that fits what we need?
is this any good?

Laptops - Cheap Laptop Deals | Currys

Take advantage of amazing deals on our Laptops range here at Currys. Shop online and get free delivery or order & collect in store.

www.currys.co.uk

Thanks

As it happens I took apart a HP laptop (friend's) just like that (yesterday) (but older model, same chassis) because the hard drive died, (did 3 years exactly) the quality of the chassis is terrible.
I said to my friend this really is a throw away item, they way it's built.
But it is cheap, so maybe do 3 years (max) and change it?

 

[J B]

We are looking for a new laptop for general family use. Our kids are 9 and 6 so no gaming. Only really word, exel, zoom, web browsing needed. Could anyone advise anything that fits what we need?
is this any good?

Laptops - Cheap Laptop Deals | Currys

Take advantage of amazing deals on our Laptops range here at Currys. Shop online and get free delivery or order & collect in store.

www.currys.co.uk

Thanks

Do *NOT* buy that machine ... 64Gb emmc means basically that it has no 'proper' hard drive - friends had one and after a couple of W10 updates, the machine was useable as it was full up!
Get something with at least a 250Gb hard drive and make sure that it's an SSD not the old fashioned HDD.

Have a look in here https://www.dell.com/en-uk/dfh/shop/dell-refurbished-laptops/cp/outlet-dfh
- you can get 10% off as a new customer if you search for the discount method
We've had a few from here in the past "scratch and dent" means 'nearly perfect'

 

[Poncherello1976]

If you do not need a massive capacity for storage, then a good bet will be a Chromebook. Had to do a sharpish dash to get an extra screen for home schooling last week and they seem to offer not bad value for money. They are mostly cloud based, and run very similar to an android phone. None of the windows software to bloat it out, but has google docs and sheets, which are very similar to word and excel.

 

[Cowabunga]

There's a lot to be said for a good Chromebook. Most stuff is migrating to the Cloud now anyway and as long as you have wi-fi and a decent internet speed they work well and are versatile.
Have a look at this YouTube channel for everything chromebook

 

[J B]

................................... and as long as you have wi-fi and a decent internet speed they work well and are versatile.

That's the one issue with Chromebook, especially for us country folk.
The other being that *maybe* the school uses Windows based software.

 

[Cowabunga]

That's the one issue with Chromebook, especially for us country folk.
The other being that *maybe* the school uses Windows based software.

Maybe, but most programs are available on Chrome just as they are on Windows. Even if not, the office suites can open, edit and save compatible formats. So you can create a spreadsheet at school, open it on the Chromebook, edit and save back to a excel format.
I really don't think it is an issue these days.

However, Windows laptops are readily available and probably cheaper for similar quality. They are a pain with their updates and virus protection and glitches compared to other operating systems ime.

 

[jimred]

Do you really need a laptop? Understand they have portability advantages but you'll get a much better spec and far longer life from a desk based machine for the same or possibly less money.

 

[Timbo]

Do you really need a laptop? Understand they have portability advantages but you'll get a much better spec and far longer life from a desk based machine for the same or possibly less money.

and if they pour milkshake into it, usually just need a new £10 keyboard not a £500 machine !

 

[shumungus]

If your buying a laptop for home schooling check what software is compatible with the schools system, most will be windows based. My two kids are at post primary school and a lot of their classmates are having problems as they are using mac-books or iphones at home and they simply aren't compatible. All our devices are android / windows based so synching is easy.
Try these people, haven't bought a new computer yet.
Certified Refurbished Laptops from MicroDream.co.uk

 

[Cowabunga]

If android and windows sync, so should almost all windows and apple programs. I have no problem whatsoever using Microsoft Office on a Mac in Mac OS for instance. However a Mac tends to be far more expensive than a Windows computer, but I find the iMac desktop to be ideal for me. There is nothing I have come across that doesn't work and I even have Windows working on them but very seldom use the Windows partition. Once installed I can choose to boot in Apple OS or Microsoft Windows.

As someone said above, the advantage with a desktop is its robustness for children. It can't really be moved and dropped and the keyboard is independent so any liquid dropped on it will not ruin the whole computer. Get a cordless mouse and keyboard so that there's no cable to snag.

Problem with children is that they are expensive to run. If two or more are bright and enjoy learning or even are of an age for home schooling in the current circumstances, it could be that sharing the machine doesn't really cut it. They might well really need a machine each to avoid clashes. So a couple of 'cheapish' new desktops would be my answer for that age.
Something like this at £185 each may be an answer. Won't break the bank to have one each. Not sure whether a webcam or speakers are included or needed but they can be added to any computer for little extra.

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[Pistonbroke]

Go for a bigger screen. Hard on the eyes and concentration if using a small screen all day

 

[J B]

Something like this at £185 each may be an answer. Won't break the bank to have one each. Not sure whether a webcam or speakers are included or needed but they can be added to any computer for little extra.

Complete set of 21.5in Monitor and HP 8300 SFF Quad Core i5-3470 8GB 500GB WiFi Windows 10 64-Bit Desktop PC Computer (Renewed): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Buy

www.amazon.co.uk

Could do with an SSD, but you could probably add one for sub £50

 

[Cowabunga]

Could do with an SSD, but you could probably add one for sub £50

Maybe by the time they reach secondary school? I got without, and still do on my old machine without an SSD or more than 4GB of RAM

 

[ollie989898]

8GB RAM is the standard now, how the heck anyone runs apps and Windows 10 on a machine with only 4GB I don't know. Needs an SSD but only a small one, save all other files to the cloud. Use OneDrive or Google Drive.

Ask school which software the kids are using. Google docs might be enough, if not, it's MS Office for you, buy the student version.

 

[J B]

Think it would be nice if @TomO followed up really

 

[TomO]

Think it would be nice if @TomO followed up really

Sorry. Thanks for the advice everyone. To be honest its all gone over my head. Is the general consensus that the one i put up is cheap for a reason.

 

[TomO]

How about this one?

Laptops - Cheap Laptop Deals | Currys

Take advantage of amazing deals on our Laptops range here at Currys. Shop online and get free delivery or order & collect in store.

www.currys.co.uk