Need Help Buying Laptop For Parents

[KingOfQueens]

Hi all

I want to buy my parents a new laptop each but I'm clueless as to which ones. The reviews are always mixed and I get completely baffled.

I'm buying from the tesco direct website.

What I need is as follows

Mum - just uses laptop for family tree research, Fb, emails and general internet browsing

Dad - Fb, emails, browsing and placing occasional horse racing bets lol

Both must be able to store god know how many pics of the grandkids.

Doubt they can use windows 8 but if they have to have it then I'll teach them. Both of their eyesight is getting pretty dodgy so a clear screen is a MUST.

Hope someone can help

Thanks

[Mosaic]

I got OH a little android tablet for his b'day - his use of computers broadly equates what you describe for your folks. He loves it - I'm chuffed as it was under £70. You can add more memory so it will hold the photos, plug in usb's etc - but I reckoned at the price it would allow him to browse about to his hearts content. It hasn't gone wrong yet......came with a wallet-style case with integral keyboard and screen stand. Got it off ebay, called a Flypad (obvious rip-off of i-pad, but do I care?)

[KingOfQueens]

Thanks mosaic. Mum was bought a tablet a couple of years ago and 'couldn't get on with it' they both prefer a laptop.

[ummmm]

What's your budget?

[Jomlett]

If money's no object then MacBook Airs are great.

[Old_Geezer]

Budget is important.

I figure pretty much any model would do them Hardly playing high intensity graphic / high CPU use games are they. Probably want to look for either integral CD / DVD writer to store photos or plug an external one in.

I can't help on what the clearest screen is, but Windows allow you to set sizes and have accessibility applications that help. Personalty I'd suspect a large, high resolution monitor attached might help.

[ladybirder]

I second Jomlett's suggestion, if money is no object, a Macbook Air is wonderful. They are very light and slim, easy to use, has the fabulous iPhoto installed so no worries about their photos. I love mine and I'm no spring chicken. Not sure if TD sell it though, but Costco does.

[beso]

OG //Probably want to look for either integral CD / DVD writer to store photos or plug an external one in. //

No way. Optical disks are so last century. They hold almost nothing by today's standards. And who wants to be swapping disks?

Even entry level hard drives are huge and you can get multi terabyte models at very reasonable cost. To expand you would get an external HDD. Anything but a boring CD/DVD.

[Jomlett]

Tesco Direct do indeed sell Macbook Airs.

[beso]

Sure Macs have some nice hardware but you pay through the nose. There are fantastic Windows laptops too if you look beyond the built-to-a-price rubbish. I have an ASUS with a magnesium alloy frame and I would choose it over a mac any day.

Mac easier to use than Windows is a myth. It is just a matter of what you are familiar with.

[KingOfQueens]

Thanks for the input. Your gadget speak has gone totally over my head. Budget is about £3-350 each

[HansUrbancka]

If eyesight is getting 'dodgy' I would suggest laptops with the biggest screens you can afford.

Lenovo laptops are excellent. Stretch yourself to a total Budget of £710.00 and buy two of these. :-

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

Hans.

[VHG]

If they cant get on with a tablet I think they are going to have problems with Windows 8 as it is even more complex than a tablet as it is trying to be "normal" Windows as well as a "tablet based" Windows.

But other than that almost ANY laptop will do for what they want.

Just make sure it is a decent brand.

[ladybirder]

£300-£350 won't get a Macbook Air so that's out.

[Gizmonster]

If you're buying from Tesco Direct, have a look at:

http://www.tesco.com/direct/asus-x551ca-sx024h-156-hd-led-glare-i3-3217u-shared-4g-500gb-dvd-dl-win-8-64b/688-3123.prd?pageLevel=&;skuId=688-3123

That's what I'm currently using - bought mine in Feb ish .... no problems and it does what it's meant to :)

.... only downside is, I notice that it's currently unavailable :(

[HansUrbancka]

@VHG....I fully agree with you. However, what I have suggested is loaded with Windows 8.1 which I understand is a lot easier to handle than W8.

Your thoughts on my choice of a Lenovo will be appreciated.

Hans.

[KingOfQueens]

I'm thinking these 2. What do you think?

http://www.tesco.com/direct/toshiba-satellite-c50d-156-amd-a4-8gb-1tb-black-laptop/577-5608.prd?skuId=577-5608

http://www.tesco.com/direct/acer-e1-522-156-a44gb1tb-laptop/756-3970.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=756-3970#reviews

[KingOfQueens]

or this.

http://www.tesco.com/direct/lenovo-b50-30-156-inch-windows-81-laptop-with-4gb-ram-320gb-hdd/629-4864.prd?pageLevel=&;skuId=629-4864

[B00]

Whatever you buy, make sure you get the laptop version of this...

http://media-cache-cd0.pinimg.com/236x/93/e5/60/93e56077c80b96558cf5861454780a36.jpg

[Old_Geezer]

Not so good to put your hard drive on the shelf though, not like having a library of disks.

[mikey4444]

I wish people wouldn't bang on about Mac Airs. for the price of one of these, your parents could have a Secretary sent from Harrods for less !

I have found Tesco to be very good value. Go to a really big Tesco Extra and try a few. Grab hold of one of their quite knowledgeable staff while you are at it. You really shouldn't have to pay more that £700 for the two. ASUS and ACER are two makes that I would recommend.