Computer recommendations

[Alex Bridges]

Hi all,

I’ve been wanting a new laptop for a while. I’m hoping for some advice, and I’m getting hung up on a few factors.

1. The first is price. Is it me, or did laptops get more expensive in the last couple years? I remember them being a big but not major purchase not that long ago.
2. And I may be looking at expensive laptops because I’m hung up on internal storage. What do folks think? Is that just a thing of the past and I should just embrace cloud storage and external? I do use some cloud storage and currently use external drives, and I find it irritating that I have to keep shuffling photos from my laptop to a drive and wondering where I saved this or that. And I have no idea what happened to my music library. I don’t especially want to be saving the ABDL stories I write in the cloud.
3. And subscriptions. I understand the subscription model, but I don’t want to pay for Office indefinitely and security software indefinitely. Do I need to just get over that? What’s the difference between Office and Office 365? Should I switch to Goggle’s word processing and spreadsheet apps? Is there any major difference between them and Office functionality wise? I’ve used Docs and Sheets and still prefer Office, but that may because I’m more used to them.

As for other needs, I don’t game on my computer. I’m looking for a good laptop for writing and browsing. My current laptop is a Mac showing its age, and my work machine is a PC. I’m comfortable on both, but I don’t want to shell out for a new Mac unless there’s a good reason to. I haven’t used a Chromebook, but I’m open to it.

But because I keep focusing on the above, I keep ending up pricing out laptops over $1,000. 
 

Any suggestions on make and model, preferably under $600, bearing in mind the need to buy new software along with it, so maybe $800 total?

 

[ValentinesStuff]

Sorry not to be more helpful @Alex Bridges, but I am in a similar boat. I am less worried about storage, I am not a audiophile or have any other Large storage needs. 

Just looking for a laptop to surf the web, play some older games, write, and other simple stuff on.

[TinyBunny]

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Swift-14-Laptop-Ryzen/dp/B08DXSD1SX/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=ryzen+4500u+laptop&qid=1604410403&sr=8-9

Would this be any good?  I tried searching for models with sixteen gigabytes of RAM but ended up with prices >$850.

I don't pay subscriptions for any software.  I am using Microsoft Office 2013 and maybe that suite would work for you as well.  Kinguin sells inexpensive serial numbers for products such as Microsoft Office.

[Crinklz Kat]

Well, ever since the start of the year, new computer demand has skyrocketed thanks to COVID.  So, supplies are limited --- and prices go up accordingly. 

For myself, I started buying used because it just made sense for me.  I also gave up on "consumer" grade hardware because it's just not built to the same reliability standards as a business class machine -- and also ease of repairability too!   So, the last 4 laptops I've purchased have all been Dell Latitude series.  I have the port replicator that allows me to dock it on my desk and use the big monitors, keyboard, mouse... they all share the same power cord now, so if I damage one, I'm not screwed until I can get a replacement, they're reasonably cheap on the used market.  Lots of business machines come off 2 year leases and frequently still have some of the factory warranty left.  I don't think I've paid more than $400 for any one of them.   Are they performance screamers that will play today's graphics insane games - No.  But I don't game anymore.

As for storage, that's moot.  I go for RAM (16GB is my standard now) and the disk space is just along for the ride.  I have a file server here at home where I keep all of my IMPORTANT data (sure, I got stuff local to each machine... stuff I've downloaded, but it's sacrificial).  I can map the share to every one of my computers and use that same data on every computer - no more mismatched copies floating around. Plus I have only 1 system that has to be backed up.  You can do that with a relatively inexpensive network attached drive (can get single drive units that are good for 1 or 2TB or go with a low cost NAS and put your own drives in it).