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I need a windows laptop with a small HDD to use for a couple of bits of software which aren’t Mac compatible. They have very low performance requirements so no need for fancy processor, RAM, or even much in the way of robustness as I’ll only really use it on the odd occasion.
I may need to use the laptop at short notice so just buying something to punt on isn’t viable.
I’m also not interested in putting a partition on my MacBook to run Windows either.
Sooooo… what’s the cheapest option, links to decent refurb sellers who sell licensed laptops/notebooks would be great, please! 🙂
Also interested in this as people are telling me VCDS is the best VAG scan tool.
Does it have to be a laptop? If you have a monitor or even a telly to use for such rare use it opens up using a PC stick or Raspberry Pi type mini boxes.
I've got an Asus vivo book. Absolutely cannot fault it*.
It's pretty low spec, 10th gen i3, 120gb SSD and only 4gb Ram.
It does the job of mobile Internetting as I have a proper computer at home.
*The screen is a bit lack lustre though! An IPS screen would be nicer but it's just a laptop, and a better screen would ruin the battery life.
Yeah, needs to be ‘mobile’ so laptop/notebook. Battery, display, storage, USB socket and running windows are the requirements.
Well I'll open the bidding at £140 quid for a tatty outdated Lenovo thinkpad (so at least it will be built well)...
I'm not sure I'd want to use it much, but at least a core i3 will be passable and Tier1 should at least be a trusted source to have legitimate Windows 10.
https://www.tier1online.com/ are good resellers.
I'm similar to the OP in that I run a Mac, but had need of a Windows machine for a few things (3D printing software + some music software)
I bought an HP Elitebook 12"/i5 from Tier1 a few years ago for approx. £120. Then upgraded the RAM + fitted an SSD myself for under £80, and it's been bulletproof.
The Elitebooks are great machines, very solid build.
I wouldn't touch any laptop that doesn't have an SSD drive, or at least one that you can easily swap out the HDD with an SSD.
14" screen is also a good call.. It's small enough to be portable.. Anything bigger then you may as well buy a proper PC.
Just be sure to turn it on regularly to let it run updates. Otherwise you'll turn it on to use it once in a blue moon, it will have to do months of updates & you'll get frustrated that it's 'constantly doing updates'.
Refurb business laptop is probably the best idea I would have thought.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-run-windows-10-from-a-usb-drive
Seems the best option if you have USB3.0 or higher
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/disposing-of-a-very-old-windows-xp-laptop/
Ask this guy to give you his old one?
☝☝ Buy that tatty outdated Lenovo with the 8GB and SSD options ticked, before I do.
Would something like this be a terrible idea?
Have a look on ITZOO as well
That X250 on eBay looks a good deal. Looks like a real company, too. Not just someone selling on eBay out their spare room who happens to have a couple of computers. Slightly worried that there's no pictures of the one you're buying, though. SSD + 3 generations newer for 40 quid less than the Tier1 one linked above looks good to me. Oh and i5 rather than i3. Looks good as long as you're not fussy about the cosmetic condition.
ETA: Also the X250 has Win 10 Pro rather than Home (unless you pay an uplift), which is better. Whether any of the ways it's better are relevant to you is questionable, but I have in the past hit "why can't I do this? Oh..." moments working on Win 10 Home machines. Remote Desktop support is the one that springs to mind.
Not a partition - but surely Parallels or VMWare Fusion is the right answer?
Run Windows on your Mac. No need to partition, no need to shut it down to run windows. Also no extra machine to lug around, not lose the power supply for etc.
I have a 10 year old Acer Win10 laptop you can have. It's a bit slow, but it works just fine. I'd be glad of it to go to a good home for a bit of extra life.It'll probably spend some time updating once fired up (I could do this before sending).
I have a 10 year old Acer Win10 laptop you can have. It’s a bit slow, but it works just fine. I’d be glad of it to go to a good home for a bit of extra life.It’ll probably spend some time updating once fired up (I could do this before sending).
Wow, that’s an incredibly generous offer, but I’m just being tight. You should donate yours to someone with a genuine need.
Windows tablets that come with keyboards ? Asus/ Linx ?