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CottonBear

(21,613 posts)
Thu Dec 10, 2020, 12:57 PM Dec 2020

Need recommendation for a touchscreen laptop under $500 for my 11 yr old & me.

We want to Email, search the internet, do middle school research & homework. play Roblox, Minecraft & Fortnite, use Microsoft Office, manage photos, and watch streaming videos. We need bluetooth capability.

We have a limited budget. Kiddo has a Lenovo touchscreen Chromebook issued by school, but, due to security reasons, many websites are blocked, there’s no external email (there is email within the school system), and we cannot print from it. I have a laptop that is 11 years old and needs to be retired soon.

I researched and found this at Best Buy:
HP - Pavilion x360 2-in-1 14" Touch-Screen Laptop - Intel Core i3 - 8GB Memory - 128GB SSD - Natural Silver
Model:14m-dw1013dx SKU:6428667

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-pavilion-x360-2-in-1-14-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i3-8gb-memory-128gb-ssd-natural-silver/6428667.p?skuId=6428667&irclickid=ykQQ5QzIWxyLT2y05-R4sULoUkE1prwmIzMy0Q0&irgwc=1&ref=198&loc=CNET%20Media%20Group&acampID=0&mpid=159047

I did some initial research on CNET for best laptops undercover $500. We don’t want a Chromebook.
https://www.cnet.com/news/best-laptop-under-500-of-2020-from-hp-lenovo-acer-and-more/?_amp_linker=1

We currently also have an iPhone, an LG phone, an android tablet and a Nintendo Switch.
We are lacking a good laptop.

19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Need recommendation for a touchscreen laptop under $500 for my 11 yr old & me. (Original Post) CottonBear Dec 2020 OP
Look at some Lenovo products too. Captain Zero Dec 2020 #1
I bought a used ThinkPad W530 CountAllVotes Dec 2020 #6
That's cool! I hadn't thought of doing that! Thanks! NT CottonBear Dec 2020 #11
Thanks! Kiddo's school touchscreen is a Lenovo Chromebook. It works great! NT CottonBear Dec 2020 #7
Bookmarking and cilla4progress Dec 2020 #2
Ultra-cheap laptops are slow! We don't play games that need a graphics card. CottonBear Dec 2020 #8
Lon does really good reviews at YouTube. My son has an HP x360... cayugafalls Dec 2020 #3
He is reviewing a different setup with 1920x1080p screen and larger SSD cayugafalls Dec 2020 #5
Thank you! YouTube review videos are great! CottonBear Dec 2020 #9
check out discount electronics katusha Dec 2020 #4
Great info and link! Thank you! NT CottonBear Dec 2020 #10
I looked at getting a low-mid range new PC just at the start of the new school year DonaldsRump Dec 2020 #12
Thanks for the good advice. I hadn't considered eBay. CottonBear Dec 2020 #13
That's good to know DonaldsRump Dec 2020 #14
I'm in research mode & am leaning toward Lenovo or HP. CottonBear Dec 2020 #16
One other thing DonaldsRump Dec 2020 #15
Thank you! I have read about Chromebook conversions! CottonBear Dec 2020 #17
You may not find a (Really Good New) touchscreen laptop ItsjustMe Dec 2020 #18
Thanks! I like Lenovo. $549 is a great deal! NT CottonBear Dec 2020 #19

Captain Zero

(7,468 posts)
1. Look at some Lenovo products too.
Thu Dec 10, 2020, 01:00 PM
Dec 2020

My last two work laptops before I retired came from Lenovo. They were good.
Probably my next one at home will be a Lenovo.

CountAllVotes

(21,044 posts)
6. I bought a used ThinkPad W530
Thu Dec 10, 2020, 01:23 PM
Dec 2020

I had the HD replaced on it and Windows 10 installed and I added an extra 16 RAM to it so it has 32 RAM on it now.

I could not be happier as it runs ZOOM, has a camera, a DVD player, CD player and also has the ability to record videos on its 15" screen.

I've put a total of $475.00 into it and it is the best ThinkPad I've had in a long time and I'd highly recommend it!



cilla4progress

(25,793 posts)
2. Bookmarking and
Thu Dec 10, 2020, 01:03 PM
Dec 2020

following.

I have a laptop (Dell Inspiron) - I think I paid somewhere around $400 - 450 for it a few years ago at Office Depot. I don't game on it, so, don't know if it would suffice for that. Use it mostly just for data - work. Word processing, simple spreadsheets, web browsing.

I am considering a tablet, now. I made the mistake of buying a Dell notebook a few years ago to use in my satellite office in town (now closed due to COVID), where I could last minute edit documents while meeting with clients. About $200. Woefully inadequate; small, slow processor!

Good luck in your search!

CottonBear

(21,613 posts)
8. Ultra-cheap laptops are slow! We don't play games that need a graphics card.
Thu Dec 10, 2020, 03:18 PM
Dec 2020

Gaming laptops start at about $750 and go WAY up from there. Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft and Among Us can be played on smart phones, tablets and Switches, and don’t need high end graphics cards.

There are 2 in 1 Chromebooks and Laptops that have touchscreens and either fold out flat or the screen flips all the way 180 degrees around so it’s like a tablet. You can use stylus pens with many of them. It’s the best of both worlds with tablet mode and regular laptop/keyboard mode. You can also connect to a large monitor(s).

Thanks for your input and advice!

CottonBear

(21,613 posts)
9. Thank you! YouTube review videos are great!
Thu Dec 10, 2020, 03:21 PM
Dec 2020

I used a YouTube video by a very helpful Indian IT guy to set up my exact printer and to print from my exact iPhone model! I tried following the printed and online product setup directions for 2 days to no avail, before resorting to YouTube!

DonaldsRump

(7,715 posts)
12. I looked at getting a low-mid range new PC just at the start of the new school year
Thu Dec 10, 2020, 10:46 PM
Dec 2020

(late Aug-Sept).

I was shocked at the lack of choices and the prices seemingly higher than I would have thought they would be. I was not happy with the specs that I could get for the money I was willing to pay. On the other hand, high end computers were readily available, but there is no way that I will pay anywhere near 4 figures for a PC. I'm assuming this was pandemic-related.

As another poster said, get a good used computer or upgrade your existing computer if you can. Just switching to an SSD and adding memory, assuming you can, makes a huge difference. The kind of things you and your child are going to use for don't need high end computing.

Try eBay too. If you deal with a highly rated seller, you can get good stuff there. I'm not very big on Amazon these days for buying PCs. I'd definitely look around.

CottonBear

(21,613 posts)
13. Thanks for the good advice. I hadn't considered eBay.
Fri Dec 11, 2020, 01:16 AM
Dec 2020

Best Buy has a lot of sales going on right now. Apparently, prices have dropped since the beginning of the school year. Supplies have been replenished and there are holiday sales.

DonaldsRump

(7,715 posts)
14. That's good to know
Fri Dec 11, 2020, 01:32 AM
Dec 2020

I was shocked in the late summer when I looked at getting a cheap computer how little I could find. I was trying to get one for my daughter for online school. I finally gave up and just gave her a new computer I had bought in March when I thought I would be doing a lot of travelling.

I am no longer enamored with Amazon. It is not always the cheapest (it used to be reliably the best and easiest way to find good deals on non-Apple computers, but no more). BestBuy is very good. eBay is GREAT for parts if you go the route of getting a good used laptop and then do some add ons (memory and a solid state hard drive does wonders for PCs.

I regularly use a 7 year old PC that I have repaired myself and done add ons. So, if you go the used laptop route and then add some stuff to it, just check YouTube on videos to make sure you can add what you need to and to find guidance. It's so satisfying to boot up the computer and see that everything works! (My daughter loves Roblox too!)

I've learned in the last year or so that you need to keep scouring, and you will find good deals.

CottonBear

(21,613 posts)
16. I'm in research mode & am leaning toward Lenovo or HP.
Fri Dec 11, 2020, 02:39 AM
Dec 2020

My current HP laptop needs a new battery, because the battery died & I have to use it plugged in.

It is overheating and the fan runs loudly and constantly. It needs to have the case opened up to be cleaned. An SSD upgrade is a possibility.

I originally got it to run Autocad while working from home after I lost my engineering job during the Great Recession in 2009. My former office computer & IT consultant ordered it for me. It had upgraded graphics capability in order to run Autocad.

It was Windows 7, but I had to upgrade to Windows 10. Now I have Windows 10 with Edge, Chromium, Firefox and it’s a MESS. I’m trying to get rid of Bing.

I need professional help! LOL! 😁

In the meantime, Kiddo and I need a good touchscreen laptop.

DonaldsRump

(7,715 posts)
15. One other thing
Fri Dec 11, 2020, 01:41 AM
Dec 2020

When you get your new/used computer, you can probably take your old computer and make it in to a high end Chromebook for no cost with only software changes. I circulated a primer on how to do this on DU a few months, and I can dig it up if you want to try this.

I NEVER get rid of computers. You can always find some use for them. I love Chromebooks for certain things like basic surfing, streaming, etc. I don't "do" Google docs and stuff like that, but there are many benefits to a Chromebook. If you have an old computer that you're going to get rid of, you can probably convert into a high end Chromebook only with free software changes as described in the link I had previously posted.

CottonBear

(21,613 posts)
17. Thank you! I have read about Chromebook conversions!
Fri Dec 11, 2020, 02:51 AM
Dec 2020

We actually need to use Google Docs quite a bit for both the middle school PTO and for Kiddo’s online Piano lessons.

Kiddo Zooms piano lessons from his smart phone. I’ve been Zooming when volunteering online for the Warnock & Ossoff campaigns here in Georgia.

Kiddo started virtual online school in March 2020 and will continue to do so.

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