I was talking to my mom today and she told me she was out shopping for a new laptop, because her old one was a piece of junk. She's 80, and really only wants to use it for word processing and printing. I was thinking a Chromebook would be a perfect device for her, but I really have no first-hand experience or knowledge of them. Given her needs, would you recommend a Chromebook, and if so, what are some things to look out for when buying one?

I'm a fan and my first one is an 11" model from 2011 that I bought refurbished and it still works. I've bought several more since then, always from Acer Recertified. Very easy to deal with and the CBs appear new to me.

All I do is web surf and simple stuff, my main connection is a desktop pc but I have 5 chromebooks scattered around the house and my wife has a couple.

I've got both models in the link - the 17" is a little awkward to tote but the screen is crisp and clear and I like it for youtube and general browsing. 16:9 aspect. The 16" model 516 is my favorite, it's more expensive but you also get more - they call it a gaming cb, that means nothing to me but I love the 4k screen and the extra memory/chip upgrade, also prefer the 16:10 aspect. I got mine on sale during Christmas for $275 w/shipping included and no sales tax.

At age 72 I'm probably one of the more computer illiterate members of the forum but a cb is easy for me to do all I care to do and I wholeheartedly recommend doing business with Acer Recertified.

https://acerrecertified.com/ch...n+Size%5B%5D=17.3%22

edited to answer a couple things to look out for. Cheaper models sometimes have lower screen resolution so be sure to get 1920x1080. 4gb memory works fine and a 15.6" is sweet spot imho - big enough screen and light enough to carry. Most do not have backlit keyboards, speakers are adequate but nothing special.

My spouse loves her chromebook too.

All she does is surf the internet, facebook, email, shop, etc. Perfect for her needs and it boots up immediately.

Yes chromebook should be perfect.

The Chromebook would be perfect and a reconditioned one should fit the bill, but check the AUE date when you decide to purchase one. That is the date that updates will stop from the mfg.

If she can get down with Google documents, then absolutely. But if she's a MS Word user and that's her muscle memory, I wouldn't shake things up unless she's inquisitive and willing to learn the new routine.

I hate 'em!!!!! You can't load SHIT on them without running out of memory, the one I had couldn't even load the first updates when I booted it because it didn't have enough memory. Not worth a crap IMHO.

Physically, is her laptop OK and the Windows OS bogging it down? If so, consider installing a Windows flavored version of Linux on it. It will look and feel the same to her, but perform much better, save some money and run rings around a Chromebook. If she still has a spinning HD, put in an SSD and it will be like night and day. I'm typing this on a nearly 13yr old bottom tier MacBook Pro...maxed out RAM, installed a 1T SSD, and new battery a few years back.

I really like mine.

A cheap windows laptop might be easier and have more flexibility with documents and internet content. Only thing with Windows is you need to lock down the browser she will be using, and if you can swing it, a pay-for vpn service that runs in the background. That will keep all old people (and everyone else) from being attacked with malware etc.

Got my wife one a month ago for Christmas. A laptop was more than what she needed and more than what I wanted to spend.

She’s been happy so far.

The ease of use of Chromebooks has been great for many years now. For web browsing and watching videos a cheap 4gb hp Chromebook from Costco has been great. Zero maintenance or security issues and it just works. This one says it will receive updates through 2031.

I use CB and really like it for the limited amount of things I use a computer for. Beware of buying from Amazon or third party sellers. They play loose with the specs and descriptions. One thing that was a must have for me was a back lit keyboard. I purchased two from Amazon claiming in the description they had back lit keyboards. Both came without and I sent both back. Finally wound up purchasing directly from HP website and got what was described and what I wanted.

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
If she can get down with Google documents, then absolutely. But if she's a MS Word user and that's her muscle memory, I wouldn't shake things up unless she's inquisitive and willing to learn the new routine.

This. If word processing is primary, I’d stick with what she knows.

We tried one a few years ago, but both my wife and I hated the experience and ended up getting rid of it.

As much as they try to push the idea, it really does not replace a true laptop. To me, it’s just a giant smartphone that happens to have a keyboard attached.

I've had the urge to get a CB and put Ubuntu on it. Not done so yet, but that may be my next travel laptop.

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:
I've had the urge to get a CB and put Ubuntu on it. Not done so yet, but that may be my next travel laptop.

That cheap Costco CB let me access the underlying linux system, so I've installed the Brave browser, python tools, and even Visual Studio Code. It's definitely not enough to develop software, but it works to play with python and linux.

Sorry to revive this thread, but are there any options for external storage with a CB? Can I hook up an external hard drive or SSD to store a massive amount of the wife's pictures?

TIA.

RMD

Certainly! Attach any usb connected external drive and it's recognized quickly.

Thanks.

RMD