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Chromebook or Windows?

Brokenlink

Brokenlink

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2004
Location
hangtown
Moto(s)
FZ-09

DRZ400SM
Name
Mike
So my cheap ass Chromebook pos died and I need a new laptop. I don't game, and really only use it for surfing the web, YouTube, taxes, etc. I recently found it about a website called backmarket.com and they have some good deals on refurnished units with a 12 month warranty. It seems like I can get a pretty sweet windows based laptop for 300 bucks and a decent Chromebook for the same. The Chromebooks do not seem to have the level of discount that the windows ones do. Can some of your computer guys come in and help me out?

Thanks.
 
I don't use either.

If you're content with your Chromebook, I'd just get another. You're clearly (yes?) not missing anything that Windows brings to the table and, if anything, you're missing out on the hassles that can come with Windows.
 
$300 laptop hardware often becomes e-waste rather quickly. It shitty that they actually break or just aren't worth fixing. But you get what you pay for. The best solution to that problem is a Macbook Air - it's just not the cheapest.
 
Pretty sure were on year 6 on my wife's Mac Book Air.

256G storage, 8G RAM I think.
 
Not getting a MacBook.

But I have to commend you guys, you truly are following the barf model of suggesting the exact opposite of what was asked.


Next up, I'll ask what the best electric vehicle is and your guys will tell me all about the new Dodge Challenger with the V18 motor and hemi tranny......
 
Our Asus laptops from 2010 and 2011 are still working fine. They came with Windows but we run Linux Mint on them now. One of them had a third party battery replacement, good as new.

I'm more of a desktop guy though. Laptops are clunky to type on. If you don't need portable computing beyond a smartphone, then a big screen and real keyboard are much nicer. I like Intel products and my NUC 11 in particular.

Aside from that, check reviews of whatever you are considering... could save you much disappointment.
 
For that pricepoint you'll get more out of a Chromebook. I had to buy a machine after getting laid off and settled on an Acer Chromebook spin 714. It's a bit more than your price point, but it's pretty nice and short of video editing or gaming, does everything I could ask of it just fine. I got lucky and it was on sale for under 700.
 
Well fwiw, I think backmarket is at least one way to reduce the ass-rape. My son bought Apple stuff from ‘em and it worked out.
 
Brokenlink said:
Not getting a MacBook.

But I have to commend you guys, you truly are following the barf model of suggesting the exact opposite of what was asked.
Click to expand...

Perhaps because when you buy shit, you get shit. You can run Chome on the Macbook. I wouldn't because it's memory hog and a battery killer. So use Safari, log into all your Google shit and live life knowing you won't have to throw it away in 2-3 years.

Or just act like a contestant on the Price Is Right who looks for guidance from the audience and doesn't listen. Then is surprised when they don't win the Chevy Cruze LT and then gets to the big wheel where people told you to hold at $0.70, but you fucking spun away and go over by $0.10! :laughing
 
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Brokenlink said:
Not getting a MacBook.

But I have to commend you guys, you truly are following the barf model of suggesting the exact opposite of what was asked.
Click to expand...

I suggested the Chromebook because you were already in the eco-system and seemed to be happy with it, so why mess with it?

I don't use Windows. Many folks have great experiences with Windows, many don't.

As for the Mac, you can get the machine that my wife uses (13" 2017 Mac Book Air) for $3-400 on eBay.

It might have a fan (I've never heard hers spin up), other than that, there's no moving parts except the hinge, and the keyboard (which I guess is a lot of moving parts to be fair). But it's a solid state, aluminum, fused, immortal brick. If all you do is mostly store files (vs constantly erasing and recreating files, and I mean lots of files) the SSD will last forever. My wife has an external SSD drive we use for Time Machine (Mac backup software, which is amazing.)

And you don't have to join the Apple borg to use it. You can leave all of the iCloud stuff off.
 
yodaisgod said:
Perhaps because when you buy shit, you get shit. You can run Chome on the Macbook. I wouldn't because it's memory hog and a battery killer. So use Safari, log into all your Google shit and live life knowing you won't have to throw it away in 2-3 years.

Or just act like a contestant on the Price Is Right who looks for guidance from the audience and doesn't listen. Then is surprised when they don't win the Chevy Cruze LT and then gets to the big wheel where people told you to hold at $0.70, but you fucking spun away and go over by $0.10! :laughing
Click to expand...

Ok. I assume you're an apple guy. And that's great. I used to be also. But now I'm not. I use a different system and don't want an apple. And quite frankly your reaction use a little over the top. I asked for a recommendation between a Kia and Hyundai and you are telling me that I'm an idiot if I don't buy a Tesla.

That wasn't the question dude. No reason to get butthurt because you don't have reading comprehension.
 
Brokenlink said:
Ok. I assume you're an apple guy. And that's great. I used to be also. But now I'm not. I use a different system and don't want an apple. And quite frankly your reaction use a little over the top. I asked for a recommendation between a Kia and Hyundai and you are telling me that I'm an idiot if I don't buy a Tesla.

That wasn't the question dude. No reason to get butthurt because you don't have reading comprehension.
Click to expand...

First thing fucking last, I never called you an idiot. :teeth

I use both Windows and Mac on a daily basis since, oh....Windows 3.1 and OS 6. They have their strengths and weakness.

Go ahead and buy shit. Good luck. Can't wait for you to bring this back up again in 2-3 years.

Your car analogy is wrong. It should be Kia/Hyundai vs Toyota/Honda.

Tesla's are shit cars anyway. Luxury car prices with low-rent plastic interiors. :x
 
I need a Windows laptop on occasion and I get a used DELL for cheap and replace the HDD with SSD and maybe memory too. Works for me.
 
Brokenlink said:
Not getting a MacBook.

But I have to commend you guys, you truly are following the barf model of suggesting the exact opposite of what was asked.

Next up, I'll ask what the best electric vehicle is and your guys will tell me all about the new Dodge Challenger with the V18 motor and hemi tranny......
Click to expand...

There were many parts of your original post that suggested a Macbook would be a great option and zero parts that said you absolutely didn't want one. Often times when people ask these types of questions - even somewhat specific ones like yours - they haven't considered all their options and are actually helped by the new info. You weren't - oh wells. Your reaction to the attempted help may make people think twice about trying to help you in the future.
 
stangmx13 said:
There were many parts of your original post that suggested a Macbook would be a great option and zero parts that said you absolutely didn't want one. Often times when people ask these types of questions - even somewhat specific ones like yours - they haven't considered all their options and are actually helped by the new info. You weren't - oh wells. Your reaction to the attempted help may make people think twice about trying to help you in the future.
Click to expand...

: | his post literally says Chromebook or Windows only. : |

:later
 
Maybe I can help. The OP isn't looking for a lion, he's looking for a pitbull in a wig. :laughing
 
Chromebook, Macbook, Windows laptop — I have them all, I use them all. Macbook is the best long-term. Chromebook is the biggest bang for your buck. Windows laptop is meh.

Chromebook. It just works. $220 Asus survived a couple years of kids abuse and its hinge wiring failed and display died. At that point it was out of warranty and not worth the repair. Beefed-up replacement, another Asus, in $500 range, works for my wife's tasks since 2019 and she's happy with it: it can flip the keyboard around, has touchscreen, etc. The OS ecosystem is very meh. Basic stuff works fine, but if you want any extra (image editing, any coding), you have to be ok with some inventive approaches or some compromises. I wouldn't buy premium Chromebook, because at that point the limiting ecosystem and OS not worth it. But up to $500-$600, it's very hard to suggest anything better than Chromebook. However, if your budget gets to $500+, consider iPad (see next).

iPad is actually pretty decent alternative to mid-range Chromebooks, depending on the circumstances. My parents prefer iPad over any laptop mostly for "can't accidentally mess it up into unusable state". Web browsing, taxes, you can do all that on iPad for sure. Me personally is a sucker for physical keyboards, and iPad+keyboard propels prices to uncomfortable range of Macbooks :)

Macbook. I've used a bunch of Macbooks for work. I have one personal Air with M1. Expensive, silent, fast, works great, great ecosystem, good support from 3rd party developers. If you're using other Apple products, they place nice together.

Windows laptop. I have HP, priced between Chromebook and Macbook, somewhere in $700-800 range but its performance is about as my Asus Chromebook that is 1/3 cheaper. The OS is needy, fans are spinning for mundane things. The only reason I content with it is that there's some stuff me or my kid need which works on Windows only.

Based on my experience, $300 Windows laptop is going to be not great. You mentioned you were happy with your previous Chromebook. I strongly recommend to buy Chromebook, you will get better overall result than discounted Windows laptop.
 
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