Cheap notebook for writing and internet

[Deleted]

Hi guys,

I'm looking for some kind of cheap office notebook for when I go to the university. I really only want to use programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and look at PDF files and stuff. And connect to the internet. I don't need to be able to play games with it. I've been looking on the internet, but I have problems finding the right thing. Can you give me advice on what the right notebook could be for me?

[anveena]

Something like this should do the trick.

[Tradewind]

Something like this should do the trick.

Waaait a second...

[Rukentuts]

Finally something an HP laptop would be good at.

[Brunevde]

http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/ what about something like that?

[lizon]

If you want to get the most bang for your buck try looking at some refurbished laptop that you can find online. Here's one from newegg.com.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834300021

Price: $280 USD

Intel i3 330UM
2GB ram
250gb HD
Windows 7

It will do pretty much everything you want and if you ever need to speed it up you can always drop some more ram into it for a few bucks down the line. I checked and you an grab 8gb of memory for this thing for about $60.

Don't be scared by the refurbished tag. I've owned a lot of refurbished items in the past. They all go through the same testing process as new devices. In fact they go through the testing more often than new devices due to the fact that if they are a repair item they need to test it once to see what the problem is then test it again to see if the problem is fixed. A lot of "refurbished" items are also overstocks sent back to the manufacturer. They take them out, test to see they are working, slap a refurbished label on them and sell them for cheap.

[Deleted]

If you want to get the most bang for your buck try looking at some refurbished laptop that you can find online. Here's one from newegg.com.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834300021

Price: $280 USD

Intel i3 330UM
2GB ram
250gb HD
Windows 7

It will do pretty much everything you want and if you ever need to speed it up you can always drop some more ram into it for a few bucks down the line. I checked and you an grab 8gb of memory for this thing for about $60.

Don't be scared by the refurbished tag. I've owned a lot of refurbished items in the past. They all go through the same testing process as new devices. In fact they go through the testing more often than new devices due to the fact that if they are a repair item they need to test it once to see what the problem is then test it again to see if the problem is fixed. A lot of "refurbished" items are also overstocks sent back to the manufacturer. They take them out, test to see they are working, slap a refurbished label on them and sell them for cheap.

That's actually a bit too expensive for what I had in mind. I really only need it for some things like MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Isn't there anything cheaper on the market? What is the cheapest thing I can get, with which I would still be able to perform those basic tasks?

[Deadraline]

Cheapest option would be a Chromebook. It has internet and is perfectly compatible with a word type program (it's called google docs but it converts easily and effortlessly into word format/excel...etc.) And you can use the word/excel features offline and it will be perfectly fine. (most apps require online use but not google docs along with several others). Also if you use google chrome as a web browser on your main pc, all information is automatically synced to your google account so you don't have to worry about saving it to a USB or emailing the documents to yourself...you can just access it instantly. The keyboard is good, decent battery life, and screen size is good. It's also compatible with wireless printing.

I use one, mainly for writing and I will admit it's a great device...the fact I can't put certain things on it keeps my mind focused on what I am working on so I don't get distracted while working...something that I notice when I am on my desktop is easier to get distracted.

If I were you, read some reviews and base it on the decision of if it's something you really want (For between $200-$250 the price can't be beat) or if you would rather make an investment in an actual laptop...either way, a Chromebook is worth looking into for the tasks you mentioned as your main/only use it would do fine.

[ro9ue]

Less than $280? Try this notebook:

[Adam Jensen]

Something like this should do the trick.

Sure, if you want to spend more than 3x what my current laptop was worth ($630) for something that has similar or worse specs . . .

Try Newegg and you can get similar for much, much, less. http://www.newegg.com/Laptops-Notebooks/Category/ID-223

If all you're going to do is use excel/powerpoint/word, then you most certaintly do NOT need a $2800 apple.

- - - Updated - - -

That's actually a bit too expensive for what I had in mind. I really only need it for some things like MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Isn't there anything cheaper on the market? What is the cheapest thing I can get, with which I would still be able to perform those basic tasks?

$280 is cheap. Cheapest laptops I've seen generally run around $300-400

[Deleted]

Sure, if you want to spend more than 3x what my current laptop was worth ($630) for something that has similar or worse specs . . .

Try Newegg and you can get similar for much, much, less. http://www.newegg.com/Laptops-Notebooks/Category/ID-223

If all you're going to do is use excel/powerpoint/word, then you most certaintly do NOT need a $2800 apple.

- - - Updated - - -



$280 is cheap. Cheapest laptops I've seen generally run around $300-400

It honestly confuses me, because my mother has got herself a laptop around 315$ and she can play WoW and other MMOs with it just fine. Just thought there were some way cheaper versions, because I really don't need a gaming laptop.

[chazus]

Chromebooks and Netbooks can run as cheap as $150, however they are VERY limited. The cheapest new laptop with an actual windows OS is going to run you about $250 at the very very least. I believe the Dell Mini 9 (which I dont think is sold retail anymore) runs for like $180 with WinXP. Asking for less than $300 on a new laptop with windows is asking too much, honestly.

- - - Updated - - -

my mother has got herself a laptop around 315$ and she can play WoW and other MMOs with it just fine.

"Plays just fine" I assume means she plays on the absolute lowest settings, and doesn't participate in anything demanding like raids. A potato can log into wow and check the AH and do quests. My HP G6 ran me about $300 after taxes, and it can play wow... But not amazingly. Certainly not well enough to be anyone's main computer. I use it for vacation where I could care less that it's on Low settings.

[Tehterokkar]

"Plays just fine" I assume means she plays on the absolute lowest settings, and doesn't participate in anything demanding like raids. A potato can log into wow and check the AH and do quests. My HP G6 ran me about $300 after taxes, and it can play wow... But not amazingly. Certainly not well enough to be anyone's main computer. I use it for vacation where I could care less that it's on Low settings.

Indeed, people seem to often confuse "Can open the application" to "Get decent FPS and be playable in raids"

[Deleted]

Chromebooks and Netbooks can run as cheap as $150, however they are VERY limited. The cheapest new laptop with an actual windows OS is going to run you about $250 at the very very least. I believe the Dell Mini 9 (which I dont think is sold retail anymore) runs for like $180 with WinXP. Asking for less than $300 on a new laptop with windows is asking too much, honestly.

- - - Updated - - -


"Plays just fine" I assume means she plays on the absolute lowest settings, and doesn't participate in anything demanding like raids. A potato can log into wow and check the AH and do quests. My HP G6 ran me about $300 after taxes, and it can play wow... But not amazingly. Certainly not well enough to be anyone's main computer. I use it for vacation where I could care less that it's on Low settings.

I'm fine with it being limited to using MS Office programs and connecting to the Internet, downloading PDF files and watching them etc. Is there any particular one you could suggest?

Yeah it doesn't run on the highest settings, obviously, but on low settings it's ok. She's doing dungeons. Don't know how well she can do raids with that thing. she doesn't raid. I just thought there has to be some sort of notebook that isn't meant for playing games and would therefore be much cheaper.

- - - Updated - - -

Indeed, people seem to often confuse "Can open the application" to "Get decent FPS and be playable in raids"

It does more than just open the game, not sure about raids, but 5 mans are fine.

[chazus]

I just thought there has to be some sort of notebook that isn't meant for playing games and would therefore be much cheaper.

The thing is, any -new- computer can run wow, and do dungeons. I think it would actually be difficult to find one that doesn't. Don't confuse "can run wow" with "meant for playing games". That would mean that 100% of all laptops now are gaming laptops, because they can run wow.

There really isn't much cheaper.

As far as nettops and chromebooks go, I personally haven't used one, so I don't entirely know their functionality with PDFs, or Office. The have office applications, for sure, I just don't know if it suits your needs exactly. I think a used Dell Mini 9 might be your best bet. Cheap (sub $200) and runs actual Windows OS, not some janky tablet os business.

[Vermicious]

You're not going to find what you want for much less than $300 US unless you find something used. I'd stay away from the Dell Mini 9 or similar, they are just too small/slow to work well. I had one and then sold it at a loss because I never used it.

Not sure where you are located, but Craigslist is a decent place to look for something used, but just watch out for scam artists... they get very clever there.

From what you have said, a Chromebook would do everything you need.

This one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834314074 is basically a tablet with a full screen/keyboard. It boots fast, surfs the web, and will do your email and documents pretty easily too. Not bad for $200

[llDemonll]

$280 is dirt cheap for a laptop. if you're not willing to spend that much on a computer to do very basic tasks then you shouldn't be buying a computer

[Deleted]

$280 is dirt cheap for a laptop. if you're not willing to spend that much on a computer to do very basic tasks then you shouldn't be buying a computer

280$ is pretty normal, but as I've said before, I thought there are notebooks way cheaper that let me do those "basic tasks", and apparently there are. Someone said they can be as cheap as 150$, which sounds ok.

[chazus]

I suppose you could keep an eye on Woot Deals, I see there have been a number of sub-200 chromebooks there. They're all expired by now, but it looks like one pops up every so often.

Another option, if you want to go that cheap, is to just buy a used laptop of some kind.

[Deleted]

Surface RT could do it, you get Office for free with it, costs £280 not sure about USD