Recently have the need to buy a new computer. Mainly used work computer but due to layoffs, I now need one to search/apply for jobs. Mainly just email, Google docs, and likely need to run a zoom call. Also probably turbo tax online for this tax cycle.

I see there are some cheaper option laptops that have like 64 gigs of space at Best Buy. Will something like this suffice? https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-14-fhd-laptop-intel-pentium-n6000-with-4gb-memory-64gb-emmc-star-black/6587794.p?skuId=6587794

A bit pricier than the one you posted ($249), but the lowest tier Dell Inspiron is a great laptop for the price.

Inspiron 15
i3-1215u
8gb RAM
512 ssd


Or something like this:

Refurb Lenovo Ideapad 1 $182
i3-1215u
8gb RAM
256 ssd

sirhc said:

---

Recently have the need to buy a new computer. Mainly used work computer but due to layoffs, I now need one to search/apply for jobs. Mainly just email, Google docs, and likely need to run a zoom call. Also probably turbo tax online for this tax cycle.

I see there are some cheaper option laptops that have like 64 gigs of space at Best Buy. Will something like this suffice? https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-14-fhd-laptop-intel-pentium-n6000-with-4gb-memory-64gb-emmc-star-black/6587794.p?skuId=6587794

---

Does it need to be a laptop? A mini pc setup might work best for you.

Example:
https://a.co/d/ild521c (quad core with threading so 8 cores, 8gb ram, 256 m.2 ssd, built in wifi)

Just need a cheap monitor, keyboard and mouse to go with it. Much better future proofing and this pc would run circles around that junk at BB (its basically ewaste already). Goodwill and others centers are a great place to find a second hand monitor. Just make sure it has hdmi and works before you buy it.

A basic 22" monitor can be had for $60 on Amazon. A keyboard and mouse purchased separately or in a combo for about $15 total.

Monitor: https://a.co/d/gNrZS2n ($60 22" 1080p 100hrz)

Keyboard and mouse:
https://a.co/d/4kNGBv1 (wired $13)
https://a.co/d/epu8EHs (wireless $16)

Thanks for the recs. Concerns that there are no usbc ports? Feels like it already is close to being outdated in that regard

I don't mind the dell but delivery wouldn't be until EOM. What about a lenovo like this?
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-ideapad-1-15-6-fhd-laptop-amd-ryzen-3-amd-radeon-4gb-128gb-ssd-abyss-blue/6593581.p?skuId=6593581

Unless you are trying to dock it or do Power Delivery + video over 1 cable, usb C on a pc isnt really needed tbh. That laptop is still ewaste with just 4gb of ram. Chrome itself can use more than that just surfing the web.

FatZilla said:

---

sirhc said:

---

Recently have the need to buy a new computer. Mainly used work computer but due to layoffs, I now need one to search/apply for jobs. Mainly just email, Google docs, and likely need to run a zoom call. Also probably turbo tax online for this tax cycle.

I see there are some cheaper option laptops that have like 64 gigs of space at Best Buy. Will something like this suffice? https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-14-fhd-laptop-intel-pentium-n6000-with-4gb-memory-64gb-emmc-star-black/6587794.p?skuId=6587794

---

Does it need to be a laptop? A mini pc setup might work best for you.

Example:
https://a.co/d/ild521c (quad core with threading so 8 cores, 8gb ram, 256 m.2 ssd, built in wifi)

Just need a cheap monitor, keyboard and mouse to go with it. Much better future proofing and this pc would run circles around that junk at BB (its basically ewaste already). Goodwill and others centers are a great place to find a second hand monitor. Just make sure it has hdmi and works before you buy it.

A basic 22" monitor can be had for $60 on Amazon. A keyboard and mouse purchased separately or in a combo for about $15 total.

Monitor: https://a.co/d/gNrZS2n ($60 22" 1080p 100hrz)

Keyboard and mouse:
https://a.co/d/4kNGBv1 (wired $13)
https://a.co/d/epu8EHs (wireless $16)

---

Slight bump in price of pc but here is dual usb-c included.
https://a.co/d/6bDk6ys (8gb ram $132)
https://a.co/d/j9v9hW8 (16gb ram $155)

Can easily upgrade both ram and storage in this unit if you ever need more.

sirhc said:

---

I don't mind the dell but delivery wouldn't be until EOM. What about a lenovo like this?
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-ideapad-1-15-6-fhd-laptop-amd-ryzen-3-amd-radeon-4gb-128gb-ssd-abyss-blue/6593581.p?skuId=6593581

---

My bad, didn't notice the delivery date.

You can get a scratch and dent model from Dell Outlet for $225

Dell Inspiron 3520

The i3-1215u is going to be a tad bid better than the Ryzen 3. And 4gb ram on Windows 11 is going to be pretty rough..

On the 2 alternative ones you posted, Is the celeron chip ok? Feel like that line has been around for forever and while I'm sure it's been upgraded, just feels "old"

sirhc said:

---

On the 2 alternative ones you posted, Is the celeron chip ok? Feel like that line has been around for forever and while I'm sure it's been upgraded, just feels "old"

---

The N100 is pretty decent for the price. It's 12th gen, released in 2023. The N150 is the newer version of the N100.

sirhc said:

---

On the 2 alternative ones you posted, Is the celeron chip ok? Feel like that line has been around for forever and while I'm sure it's been upgraded, just feels "old"

---

Yes relatively new. 4core with threading @ 3.4ghz is plenty for the work you mentioned. The n150 as mentioned above is an option too but its a bit more and i dont think you will gain much for what you want.

Does it have to be a laptop or PC (whether mini or otherwise)? Would you consider an iPad or similar tablet? For the uses you listed, it would work just great in my experience.

I have a Dell tower PC in our office nook, an HP laptop and an iPad. I use the iPad every single day for web surfing, email, online shopping, games, etc. When we travel, the laptop stays home and the iPad goes with me. Nice and compact fit in the backpack and great for use on an airplane, in a hotel room, on a cruise or wherever. If you're on Netflix and/or Amazon Prime you can download movies and TV series episodes to take with you and not have to worry about WiFi availability. My iPad has 256 GB of storage and that seems to be plenty. I bought a renewed unit a little over 2 years ago to save over the cost of a new one. My wife just did the same a couple of weeks ago to replace an older iPad that just didn't have enough storage. She's very happy with the upgrade.

Apple iPad Air (10.9-inch, Wi-Fi, 256GB) - Space Gray (Latest Model, 4th Generation) (Renewed)

Col. Steve Austin said:

---

Does it have to be a laptop or PC (whether mini or otherwise)? Would you consider an iPad or similar tablet? For the uses you listed, it would work just great in my experience.

I have a Dell tower PC in our office nook, an HP laptop and an iPad. I use the iPad every single day for web surfing, email, online shopping, games, etc. When we travel, the laptop stays home and the iPad goes with me. Nice and compact fit in the backpack and great for use on an airplane, in a hotel room, on a cruise or wherever. If you're on Netflix and/or Amazon Prime you can download movies and TV series episodes to take with you and not have to worry about WiFi availability. My iPad has 256 GB of storage and that seems to be plenty. I bought a renewed unit a little over 2 years ago to save over the cost of a new one. My wife just did the same a couple of weeks ago to replace an older iPad that just didn't have enough storage. She's very happy with the upgrade.

Apple iPad Air (10.9-inch, Wi-Fi, 256GB) - Space Gray (Latest Model, 4th Generation) (Renewed)

---

Taxes, spreadsheet work and job searching sound miserable on a tablet imo but thats just me. 11" screen is very tiny for daily driver work.

Maybe look at a Chromebook if you only need a browser for Docs, the TurboTax website, and applying for jobs online.

sirhc said:

---

On the 2 alternative ones you posted, Is the celeron chip ok? Feel like that line has been around for forever and while I'm sure it's been upgraded, just feels "old"

---

Celeron is a governor that literally takes an engine no matter how fast, and neuters it. Intel is the brand, it's not a brand, it's more of a 'type'.

It was designed for super-cheapo computers (what most days people would now look at as 'chrome books'...

Seriously - that's what it is, like how a school bus won't go 90mph despite it's engine capability.

General rule for Intels :

1. The first number(s) is basically the year... plus 10 (called 'generations')

i7-5xxx = 2015
i7-6xxx = 2016
i7-10xxx = 2020
iy-14xxx = 2024

... and so forth. The latest is the 14th gen, the i7-14xxx.

As for the prefixes, that's your general cores/power size - i9's are for monsters, i7 for gamers/heavy production, i5 for office staff and i3 for casual/non-heavy office staff

2. If you want to use something for more than browsing, don't get anything with less than 12gigs of memory.

3. If it's a cheap laptop, the harddrive space is 'whatever', but in this day and age, 500GB should be the minimum looked at.


ANYTHING you buy is all about Processor --> RAM ---> HARD DRIVE TYPE/SPACE.

Outside of Video cards (gamers), those are, and have always been, your bottlenecks.


Shop around on Newegg.com - they always have awesome deals in the laptop section on refurbs that are generally always about as new as you can get for not new (extremely rare you can tell it isn't - it's not like they're an ebay)

Searching a bit more might lead to some decent deals. Heres a n150 with 16gb, 512gb m.2 and usb c for 159 after discount.
https://a.co/d/hBhhjwd

Search keyword: n150 16gb usb c mini

Can try the same for n100 for cheaper option, just check the model page to make sure it has the usb c you want as some come up without it in those searches.

FatZilla said:

---

Searching a bit more might lead to some decent deals. Heres a n150 with 16gb, 512gb m.2 and usb c for 159 after discount.
https://a.co/d/hBhhjwd

Search keyword: n150 16gb usb c mini

Can try the same for n100 for cheaper option, just check the model page to make sure it has the usb c you want as some come up without it in those searches.

---

If you're going to go the mini-pc method, I recommend BEELINK over any other. More reliable... tons of options.

For those reading this and maybe don't know... all those mini PC's are basically laptop-in-a-box without the toys... because they have laptop processors, and generally really low-end ones unless you buy specific models higher... but still, always laptop (mobile) versions.

A few others have said it, but it can't be overstated. 4GB of memory is useless these days, and that laptop linked in the OP will be nothing but frustrating for you. Even 8GB is pushing it, I consider 16GB the bare minimum these days for basic use: email, web browsing, spreadhseets, etc. Browsers consume a lot of memory these days, especially if part of that browsing includes video. Anything less is just not enough memory.

kb2001 said:

---

A few others have said it, but it can't be overstated. 4GB of memory is useless these days, and that laptop linked in the OP will be nothing but frustrating for you. Even 8GB is pushing it, I consider 16GB the bare minimum these days for basic use: email, web browsing, spreadhseets, etc. Browsers consume a lot of memory these days, especially if part of that browsing includes video. Anything less is just not enough memory.

---

Gospel truth.

And no celeron processors. Ridiculous.