ISO a very basic laptop that won't be e-waste in 12 months
May 30, 2020 5:52 PM Subscribe
What should I prioritize in a basic laptop that I want to hang onto for a while?
In the market for a new laptop. My needs are pretty basic-- internet, netflix, excel and word mostly-- and I could probably get away with something really cheap but I'd rather spend a little more if it won't feel laggy and slow quickly. Ideally I'd like use it for 4 or more years without wanting to throw it across the room.
What should I prioritize in terms of memory, SSD, processor, features if I'm shooting for longevity?
Anything I should think about in terms of brands, whether to consider refurbs, that sort of thing? I have sort of ruled out chromebooks but I could be persuaded to look at them again. I don't have a preference between OS and Windows.
I'm envisioning spending in the neighborhood of $700 or so but if I could get away with less that's great, and if it makes sense to go more expensive I'd consider it. Specific suggestions welcome as well!
In the market for a new laptop. My needs are pretty basic-- internet, netflix, excel and word mostly-- and I could probably get away with something really cheap but I'd rather spend a little more if it won't feel laggy and slow quickly. Ideally I'd like use it for 4 or more years without wanting to throw it across the room.
What should I prioritize in terms of memory, SSD, processor, features if I'm shooting for longevity?
Anything I should think about in terms of brands, whether to consider refurbs, that sort of thing? I have sort of ruled out chromebooks but I could be persuaded to look at them again. I don't have a preference between OS and Windows.
I'm envisioning spending in the neighborhood of $700 or so but if I could get away with less that's great, and if it makes sense to go more expensive I'd consider it. Specific suggestions welcome as well!
> In the market for a new laptop. My needs are pretty basic-- internet, netflix, excel and word mostly
None of these uses are resource intensive, no expensive hardware is required -- I reckon you'd do fine with any business-grade laptop made since 2010. Anecdote: I bought a refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T410 in 2014 (for AUD 350, so about USD 230 or so) -- this had a Core i5 520M CPU and 8 GB of DDR3 ram, and no solid state drive. It could browse, stream drama & edit documents like a champ. After a few years the screen stopped working reliably -- but since I always used the laptop seated at a desk with a proper monitor, that didn't matter. I got 5 years of usage out of that refurb, and only traded it away to upgrade to a machine that could run some games.
posted by are-coral-made at 6:45 PM on May 30, 2020 [3 favorites]
None of these uses are resource intensive, no expensive hardware is required -- I reckon you'd do fine with any business-grade laptop made since 2010. Anecdote: I bought a refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T410 in 2014 (for AUD 350, so about USD 230 or so) -- this had a Core i5 520M CPU and 8 GB of DDR3 ram, and no solid state drive. It could browse, stream drama & edit documents like a champ. After a few years the screen stopped working reliably -- but since I always used the laptop seated at a desk with a proper monitor, that didn't matter. I got 5 years of usage out of that refurb, and only traded it away to upgrade to a machine that could run some games.
posted by are-coral-made at 6:45 PM on May 30, 2020 [3 favorites]
I have approximately the same, undemanding usage pattern and I've been fine on a Lenovo X61 for the last 13 years.
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 6:47 PM on May 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 6:47 PM on May 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
In order of importance: user-replaceable battery, user-replaceable SSD, user-replaceable RAM. For the most part user-replaceable processors are a thing of the past, sadly, but any modern CPU that says "iSomething" will probably be fine for what you're describing.
Dell somehow doesn't get a lot of love as a tech company, and they make a lot of unsexy, fleet-vehicle type products, but by god, look at this glorious document. None of Apple's exotic pentalobe bullshit screws and everything soldered to one unreplaceable motherboard or batteries glued into the frame here, just Phillips screws and standard parts that slot into standard interfaces as far as the eye can see.
Dell's website is kind of tragic - it's not quite the crime scene that HP's is, thankfully, but you can't search for anything like this. You've pretty much got to intuit your way around it and then download and read a ton of user manuals to double check, but if that manual (some Vostros, some Inspirons, a bunch of their other models) has a way to replace the battery, SSD and (ideally) RAM, then you're on the right track; in two or three years when the battery gives out you'll probably be able to order a new one, and if you need more storage or more RAM you'll be able to do that affordably.
posted by mhoye at 6:51 PM on May 30, 2020 [3 favorites]
Dell somehow doesn't get a lot of love as a tech company, and they make a lot of unsexy, fleet-vehicle type products, but by god, look at this glorious document. None of Apple's exotic pentalobe bullshit screws and everything soldered to one unreplaceable motherboard or batteries glued into the frame here, just Phillips screws and standard parts that slot into standard interfaces as far as the eye can see.
Dell's website is kind of tragic - it's not quite the crime scene that HP's is, thankfully, but you can't search for anything like this. You've pretty much got to intuit your way around it and then download and read a ton of user manuals to double check, but if that manual (some Vostros, some Inspirons, a bunch of their other models) has a way to replace the battery, SSD and (ideally) RAM, then you're on the right track; in two or three years when the battery gives out you'll probably be able to order a new one, and if you need more storage or more RAM you'll be able to do that affordably.
posted by mhoye at 6:51 PM on May 30, 2020 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Hmm, so I have definitely had issues with laptops I've had in the past being laggy even with this usage. But I guess one was old and another was like $250 new. So I will just avoid the super cheap.
Replaceable battery is a really good call! That's the kind of thing I want to be thinking about.
posted by geegollygosh at 6:55 PM on May 30, 2020
Replaceable battery is a really good call! That's the kind of thing I want to be thinking about.
posted by geegollygosh at 6:55 PM on May 30, 2020
I have had good luck keeping laptops from Dell's "business" line alive for friends and family well past their intended lifetimes (to the point where I once built an entire extra one out of my parts bin.) They are easy to take apart, designed to be serviced by an overworked IT department, and replacement parts are readily available on the cheap from eBay. Many of my friends swear by and do the same various ThinkPad models.
Make sure whatever you get has an SSD instead of a traditional spinning rust hard disk. For future proofing you'll want 8 and preferable 16 gig of RAM. Do not get a Chromebook; they have a limited support lifetime and will stop receiving updates after (I think 3?) years after the date of release (note: not the date of sale, if you buy one that came out 2 years ago it only has 1 year lef.t)
posted by jordemort at 6:59 PM on May 30, 2020 [4 favorites]
Make sure whatever you get has an SSD instead of a traditional spinning rust hard disk. For future proofing you'll want 8 and preferable 16 gig of RAM. Do not get a Chromebook; they have a limited support lifetime and will stop receiving updates after (I think 3?) years after the date of release (note: not the date of sale, if you buy one that came out 2 years ago it only has 1 year lef.t)
posted by jordemort at 6:59 PM on May 30, 2020 [4 favorites]
Business-class laptops are built better, better specifications, better components. I buy used ThinkPads on ebay. Businesses lease them, return them after a year or 2, there's a whole market in refurb business laptops. Even older ones perform well. Buyer's Guide. I'm on a Thinkpad T510/ 8 gb RAM, at the moment, and for web browsing and netflix, it's great. you'll want something way newer, T540 at least, but you can still get a rock-solid laptop at a good price.
posted by theora55 at 7:48 PM on May 30, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 7:48 PM on May 30, 2020 [6 favorites]
Also recommending the used Thinkpad approach. I bought a refurb and have used it for years without issue.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 8:37 PM on May 30, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 8:37 PM on May 30, 2020 [4 favorites]
+1 to refurbished business laptop. My (refurbished) Thinkpad T420 is still my daily driver 4 or 5 years later, and I have similar computer needs to you. The displays are not always great, if that's important to you, but there are whole communities dedicated to tinkering with them out there if you wanted a display upgrade.
Removable batteries are becoming a thing of the past, though. Newer models don't always have them, and batteries for older models are no longer being made. My T420 is too clunky to travel with it often, so it's used plugged in 99% of the time.
I believe soldered RAM is becoming more and more common too - you'll want to check the specs on any model you're interested in.
posted by invokeuse at 8:42 PM on May 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
Removable batteries are becoming a thing of the past, though. Newer models don't always have them, and batteries for older models are no longer being made. My T420 is too clunky to travel with it often, so it's used plugged in 99% of the time.
I believe soldered RAM is becoming more and more common too - you'll want to check the specs on any model you're interested in.
posted by invokeuse at 8:42 PM on May 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
This is likely too obvious an answer, but I would seriously consider a refurbished MacBook or MacBook Air. While my most recent is the 13” Air (2019), I also have a Late 2011 MacBook Pro that I popped a 2.5” ssd into and it runs like an absolute champ even 8 1/2 years later. Still snappy and I was even able to do a workaround to update to the newest OS. I sometimes use it for casual surfing, Xcode, and some Office use.
The 2019 refurbished Air will be supported and updated for the long run, and it runs quiet and solid. MacOS is a dream to use if you aren’t a business or power user and Apple has the whole “it just works” thing down pretty solid. You’ll maybe pay more than the $700 price point, but you’ll get a higher quality, better built machine.
I currently run the 2019 Air and a ASUS gaming laptop (work issued) and I always go back to the Air.
posted by Master Gunner at 9:07 PM on May 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
The 2019 refurbished Air will be supported and updated for the long run, and it runs quiet and solid. MacOS is a dream to use if you aren’t a business or power user and Apple has the whole “it just works” thing down pretty solid. You’ll maybe pay more than the $700 price point, but you’ll get a higher quality, better built machine.
I currently run the 2019 Air and a ASUS gaming laptop (work issued) and I always go back to the Air.
posted by Master Gunner at 9:07 PM on May 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
I have had good luck keeping laptops from Dell's "business" line alive ... replacement parts are readily available on the cheap from eBay.
Can confirm.
My current laptop is a 2008 Dell Inspiron 1525 that, had I not been given it for nothing late last year, would have ended up at the knackery because its former owner had become completely fed up with how dog-slow it had always been (supplied with Windows Vista, complete with the usual bloatware, it had never had attention from anybody skilled in the Dark Arts and was just crawling with malware).
After spending AU$30 on eBay acquiring 4GiB of DDR2 RAM and a CPU with VT-x so I could run current versions of VirtualBox, I pulled the 250GB Samsung 860 Evo SSD out of my previous laptop (also a salvage job, a Compaq Presario two years older than the Inspiron) and dropped it into the Dell. And because I run Debian rather than a bullshit proprietary OS all gummed up with licensing, that Just Worked.
It's more responsive than the Presario was, has a nicer keyboard, and it will play 720p60 YouTube videos without lagging or stuttering or making its fan scream.
The main technology that makes this kind of salvage worthwhile is the SSD. f you've already got a laptop that's slow enough to make the old hurl manouevre look attractive, try dropping a SSD into it instead of replacing it. I think you will be impressed by the difference that that makes, and even if you do end up replacing the laptop, chances are you'll be able to find one you can transplant your existing SSD into instead of needing to pay for a new one.
posted by flabdablet at 10:04 PM on May 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
Can confirm.
My current laptop is a 2008 Dell Inspiron 1525 that, had I not been given it for nothing late last year, would have ended up at the knackery because its former owner had become completely fed up with how dog-slow it had always been (supplied with Windows Vista, complete with the usual bloatware, it had never had attention from anybody skilled in the Dark Arts and was just crawling with malware).
After spending AU$30 on eBay acquiring 4GiB of DDR2 RAM and a CPU with VT-x so I could run current versions of VirtualBox, I pulled the 250GB Samsung 860 Evo SSD out of my previous laptop (also a salvage job, a Compaq Presario two years older than the Inspiron) and dropped it into the Dell. And because I run Debian rather than a bullshit proprietary OS all gummed up with licensing, that Just Worked.
It's more responsive than the Presario was, has a nicer keyboard, and it will play 720p60 YouTube videos without lagging or stuttering or making its fan scream.
The main technology that makes this kind of salvage worthwhile is the SSD. f you've already got a laptop that's slow enough to make the old hurl manouevre look attractive, try dropping a SSD into it instead of replacing it. I think you will be impressed by the difference that that makes, and even if you do end up replacing the laptop, chances are you'll be able to find one you can transplant your existing SSD into instead of needing to pay for a new one.
posted by flabdablet at 10:04 PM on May 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
Oh, and just don't go anywhere near a used or refurb Toshiba laptop. Those guys don't need pentalobe screws and glue to make their shit completely unserviceable.
posted by flabdablet at 10:07 PM on May 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by flabdablet at 10:07 PM on May 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
n-thing used Thinkpads - having just bought a refurbished 2012 era T430 last week. In almost all respects it behaves just like a new model and there were no problems with updates from either Lenovo or Windows. The machine comes with a replaceable battery that was specced to offer 9 hours of usage. The machine may lack USB-c connectivity - but has plenty of USB 2 and 3 ports. There are also a number of very useful "retro" options like Ethernet, VGA and a packaged CD/DVD player. You get a half Terrabyte SSD and 8GB of RAM - which would have been expensive technology at the time - and which is still ahead of what you are getting on many new budget laptops. The fact that these machines were the choice of leasing companies: who had to both impress their clients and deal with the fall out if things should go wrong - should tell you a lot that is positive.
posted by rongorongo at 12:08 AM on May 31, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by rongorongo at 12:08 AM on May 31, 2020 [4 favorites]
there is a reason thinkpads are always mentioned in these type of situations and that's because they are a great basic machine that can be upgraded to some degree and can take a lot of abuse.
posted by lescour at 2:25 AM on May 31, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by lescour at 2:25 AM on May 31, 2020 [4 favorites]
More anecdata: my last laptop was a Dell business class that lasted a couple of years before becoming very flaky. It had what looked like a sturdy metal case, but that was just two shells applied to a fragile plastic body. The plastic around some of the ports broke. It never left the house, and wasn't dropped. Replaced it with an LG Gram that I'm happy with. It's very light, and has an SSD, which speeds things up noticeably.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:07 AM on May 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:07 AM on May 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you want to watch movies on it, as long as the basic specs are fine, I'd pay more attention to things like screen viewing angles and speaker quality than the exact CPU speed.
posted by Candleman at 6:01 PM on May 30, 2020 [2 favorites]