I'm going to be in the market for a new laptop in the next month or so. Not looking to spend a ton of money and I don't need it to do much more than internet and word processing. Though I would like it to be faster than my current laptop (which shouldn't be too difficult) and would be nice if I could stream movies/TV shows. Ideally I'd like a new computer, but not opposed to getting a used one. Any suggestions for what type of laptop I should consider and where I might get the best deal?
It sounds like you are a good candidate for Chromebook. I've never used one, but from what I heard it works great. The only disadvantage is that you'd need to have internet for it to function because all of its apps are only for online use, meaning you can't install custom programs on it unless you install a different OS. If not then you might want to check out Lenovo laptops because I think they are one of the most inexpensive brands today.
Chromebooks are actually adding a little bit more offline capability with their apps and programs now. Still, they're almost useless without an Internet connection. Lennovo laptops are pretty cheap, but we're talking about in price and build quality for their low-end options. You'll get a decent laptop if you shop around, though, because some of Lennovo's lower-end laptops are still good enough for basic uses. Personally, I'd go with Asus. You'll spend slightly more on it than a Lennovo laptop, but Asus is known for making some quality devices, although some terrible devices are sold by them, too. Really, you should try to spend just over $300 or so in order to get a budget laptop that has a little more quality than the basement price laptops. It'll save you plenty of troubles.
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm thinking about $300 is my budget. I saw that Walmart had some pretty cheap laptops (not surprisingly) that looked decent. Anything will be an upgrade, though. I spent years using the laptops provided for me in my public schools job - they were very low-end and very old. My current laptop is also very old and falling apart - I just lost the E and R keys!
Let me know what you end up buying and where. I will be on the lookout for a new laptop in about 3-4 months. I do not have a laptop now. I have an old Dell computer that is over 10 years old. I have been working on a dinosaur, but I am saving up my money first. I want to get a really good one for a few more dollars rather than buying a cheaper, slower computer.
