[Closed] Help please - Laptop for OAP suggestions

Does it have to be Windows based? If so whichever Lenovo fits the budget.

If it doesn’t absolutely have to be a Windows machine then a Chromebook could be an option perhaps?

If it needs to be Windows powered make sure it is at least an i3 or i5 and has 8GB ram. Other than that for what he's doing most should be fine. I'd always go for an HP but that's what we use at work and have 0 issues with them. Having said that my personal laptop is an Alienware but that was because I wanted a gaming machine 🙂

Windows is what he’s used to so I think that’s the safest approach. This particular old dog is 85!

laptops are difficult for OAP's, unless said OAP needs to do business deals whilst on the train?

What you want is a cheap desktop, a modern i3 or AMD equiv will be fine, and a big ass screen, like a 32.

don't go for 4k as the text will bee too small, get a cheap IPS LED 1080p screen.

Got the point about large screen/text but he is pretty determined on a laptop but I’ll suggest the desktop

We bought a Chromebook for my Mum recently.
She'd had Windows laptops before and then used a tablet for a while.

The laptops invariably ended up popping up all sorts of warnings about anti-virus and expired licences and getting cluttered with crap plus she never used anything beyond the most basic of Word features and certainly never opened PowerPoint or Excel. The tablet got to the point where it was no longer supported for updates so it was running a very old version of Android which was buggy as hell.

To get around all of that, we just got a Chromebook which has the user interface of the tablet that she's used to and the power and screen size of a laptop but without needing bundled software. They're a lot cheaper than laptops as well.

iPad + case with keyboard
As you’re a Mac user. We do this with our olds and have them as part of our family account.

Suitability depends on user experience. If an 85yo relative of mine wanted to get online for the first time for Zoom etc the yes, I'd absolutely them towards an ipad or Chromebook.

Here though it sounds like the person in question is a long time windows laptop user with a fair amount of research work etc they want to keep, most likely done with software they are familiar with and are comfortable using.

I also disagree that a desktop is the answer. Again, it sounds like they are used to using a laptop and not everyone wants to sit at a desk or table to use their computer. Particularly if it is for hobbies and leisure use they may want to sit on the settee or in a nice comfy armchair.

A desktop is a little more complicated for things like Zoom as well as you'd need a webcam etc and that is just another thing that can go wrong.

Any reason you can't push them towards a tablet & keyboard?

My MIL bought a laptop, against advice - utter PITA especially when +300 miles away.

It sounds like the man is more than happy using a windows machine so all these alternative suggestions for "old folk" alternatives seem a bit daft. Basically what DannyBgoode said

my go to is the dell outlet I've never gone to a shop for a computer!

First thing I'd be looking at here is backups.

What's up with the one he has?

iPad every time.

Simple to use, portable, light.

My parents in their 80’s moved from desktop to laptop to iPad

Yep DannyBgoode has grasped it. He isn't a firs time user and may not need all the bundled software/capacity but the familiarity is important.

Dell or Lenovo would be my starting point.

From experience, make sure the admin password is recorded somewhere, else you'll spend weeks trying to unlock it when they forget! A fingerprint scanner helps with this...

Well we got one! A Lenovo and they'll transfer everything across for him in a couple of days. Your work is done here. Thanks everyone.