I've been using a Chromebook to do all my writing for the last year, but my old eyes are starting to rebel when I use the 12" screen for too long. I've started searching for a reasonably-priced 16" laptop (
I've been using a Chromebook to do all my writing for the last year, but my old eyes are starting to rebel when I use the 12" screen for too long. I've started searching for a reasonably-priced 16" laptop (
Staples has a 17.3" HP laptop for $350. That is $230 off list. I bought one last year and love it since the keyboard is about full size.
My wife and I have bought our last two (used) MacBooks from BackMarket.com. They sell refurbished, used Macs, Windows desktops, and laptops, etc...
The sellers generally get good reviews, and you can choose how good you want these used machines to be (scratches, dents, colors, etc).
Check Tuxedo Computers. They have a wide range of systems that run Linux.
The Aura 15 - Gen 4 will give you a Chromebook feel at under $1000.
Unless you really need a laptop for mobility reasons, why not choose a desktop with a nice big monitor instead? The CPUs nowadays are pretty small and can be moved around easily. You can get yourself a nice screen and avoid the eye strain. Larger keyboards are better for your hands and elbows as well.
I don't know about the chromebook specifically, but a lot of laptops you can hook up to an external monitor and keyboard. Gives you the best of both worlds.
My MacBook is connected to two, 24-inch monitors, as well as a Bluetooth keyboard and thumb wheel mouse. Challenging occasionally, but works well for me.
Actually, if you stick with LogiTech's MixMaster 3 mouse, you can switch the display via a single button on the bottom of the mouse. It's not something you can do readily, yet at long as the devices are separated, it's easy enough to shift from one to another.
Plus, LogiTech's mice actually fit the palm (ergonomic fit), rather than the crappy 'pretty', minimalistic accessories that apple makes. The MixMaster is actually a gaming mouse.
Actually, if you stick with LogiTech's MixMaster 3 mouse, you can switch the display via a single button on the bottom of the mouse.
My personal preference is for LogiTech's ERGO M575
Mouse like buttons and a trackball operated with the thumb.
Takes less desk space to use than a traditional mouse.
https://www.logitech.com/en-us/shop/p/m575-ergo-wireless-trackball.910-005869
Yeah, mine takes more room, yet it also contains both the normal mouse control and selectable buttons, so you can redefine their functions. I've used the ERGO M575, yet since much of my work is when sitting in front of the TV (we have NO quiet areas with a decent work desk, so my own options are fairly limited.
That's true - but for the same cost, the PCs generally cost less. Chromenbooks should have an HDMI port that you can use as well.
I don't know about the chromebook specifically, but a lot of laptops you can hook up to an external monitor and keyboard. Gives you the best of both worlds.
I'm headed in that direction now, just doing some searching.
Thanks to everyone for their input.
Installed a 22" monitor, wireless keyboard, and mouse running from my Chromebook yesterday. I think I'm in love.
I have some limitations that I didn't mention in my original post. I don't have a lot of money to spend, and I'm tight on space. In my former life, I always had desktops with big monitors. Alas, those days are gone.
If you're really limited, you can always switch your computer display to your TV. It's not as high-resolution, but if you're viewing it from a distance away, that higher-resolution won't buy you anything.
If the tv is a 4k, it's higher resolution than the original display. A very long hdmi cable back to the tv would work well. Pretty sure even most Chromebooks can setup a second display and extend the desktop.
For OP, there are 16-17" Chromebooks out there.
For those that don't have space constraints, I also found a really nice 32" 4k display for $200 and use 2 of them along with my older 32" 4k display and run my MacBook Pro at qhd resolution.
PCs generally do cost less and do provide you the option to upgrade your memory/cpu etc. allowing you to keep the same case around for a while. I had my first desktop for almost 10 years because I used to keep changing everything from the motherboard to the simple things like CDs-> DVD slots-> extra USB slots.
From what I've seen there are mini-PCs that available for quite cheap nowadays. Depending on how tech savvy you are (or want to be), they don't take a lot of space.
Lenovo's Yoga is pretty decent if you are really hard up on space (although the screen is small again).
Not sure how those VR sets are at projecting the screen. Has anyone played with those things?
Or split the difference, as you can always connect a laptop to a high-quality, non-Apple screen, getting more for you purchase. Just ensure that the display is 'high-def' and check the screen resolution (though that too is adjustable via the setting tab).
Until you actually purchase and receive your new laptop, consider changing the screens contrast, background and foreground colors and/or simply increasing the scene display as the day progresses. (I'm also hitting both the "lighten/darken" and the + and - keys, as the available light often changes during the day.
Just be careful, as for the last several years (decades) Apple has been selling most of the products that users have turned in for refunds. So even if they've 'fixed' the issue, they may have merely made it 'good enough to get by' and the issues are also likely to reoccur with prolonged us.
This is literally the OPPOSITE of the truth.
Apple 2-5% Lowest among peers (2.0% for smartphones)
Dell 8-12% Aligns with PC industry average
LG 10-15% Matches electronics average
Samsung 5-10% (2.1% for smartphones)
Industry Average (Electronics) 11%
From Blumberg Advisory Group and NRF reports
[In response to @Crumbly Writer who deleted his posts due to my accurate criticism]
You made blatantly false statements and followed up with blatantly false statements.
Apple consistently ranks at the top due to its focus on quality, user experience, and customer support. The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are particularly praised for their performance and design.
Apple 9.5/10
Dell 8.5/10
HP 8.0/10
Lenovo 8.5/10
Asus 8.0/10
Acer 7.5/10
Samsung 8.0/10
[Laptop Mag/RTings]
As for refurbs, Apple refurbs are widely regarded as the best in the industry and have extremely high quality.
Fine. You hate Apple. But don't post easily disprovable fabrications.
In general, I have very little qualms over buying refurbs (regardless of vendor, but Apple would count as one I would generally trust). The testing done on a refurb is often much more thorough than the testing done on production goods.
I'm not sure what else one would expect, honestly. A company produces a product worth a significant amount of money. A user returns it, for reasons ranging from 'It totally failed and smoke came out' to 'I don't like the sound of the chime' or even 'I bought it but never opened the box'. What should they do - simply eat the cost of the product? That's reasonable if the product actually caught fire, but not if it's user error or an easily repaired component (of which there are many even in modern hardware.
Note: I have been peripherally involved with a report of a product actually catching fire. It was not our fault. It was a data center product, though, and fires in data centers are taken extremely seriously, even if they stay confined to a system's chassis.
Fix it (if necessary), test it thoroughly, put a warranty on it, then sell it at a discount. That's a reasonable course of action.
My concern with Amazon is that their 'Warehouse' business (I believe they have now changed the name) often neither tests nor refurbishes. But they do offer a reasonable return policy. I have bought things from Amazon Warehouse and had great experiences; I have also bought things and found missing components or obviously physically damaged and inoperable goods.
[In response to @Crumbly Writer who deleted his posts due to my accurate criticism]
Yeah, and continually repeating the exact same stats helps prove you point, how?
ANOTHER false statement by you. The first stats were return rates; the second stats were satisfaction rates.
Bah, this is WHY I despise the SOL Forum so much, because it inevitably ends up in a frigging pissing contest.
You brought this on yourself by making 3 posts with provably false statements.
Despite your protests, every single time you've ever replied to one of my posts, you end up attacking every single thing I say, proving my point.
You make false claims, and I point them out. If you take that personally, that's on you, not me.
And no, I don't "hate Apple", so why do you keep reading things just to provide yet another thing to attack me over? So, why not just be honest about it. Geez, get a life!
You doubled down on your false statements after I pointed out your error. Your posts in this thread were baseless and counterfactual claims about Apple. What conclusion should I draw?
I reserve the right to call out errors. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
[In response to @Crumbly Writer who deleted his posts due to my accurate criticism]
And Michael, if you once again claim I'm making things up, you already know where I'll ask you to place your complaints. Yes, my complaints aren't typical, yet they ARE my complaints, NOT yours!!!
Complaints are one thing. Publishing falsehoods are another…
Back in the day when I had built my own computers, that was easily handled, as knowing my needs, I'd simply purchase a high-quality fan, but Apple sells one and only one fan, and often their 'components' are subcontracted and not manufactured under Apple's control.
This shows you know ZERO about Apple's manufacturing process or about their sourcing of parts. Apple has almost complete and total control over subcontractors and parts suppliers, and holds them to exacting standards. And yes, I had Macs that could have memory, video cards, etc, added.
Now, if you want to bitch about working conditions at Apple's manufacturing facilities, that's a different thing altogether. But to claim they, in effect, have no control over their suppliers is arrant nonsense.
Who are you talking to?
Crumbly Writer deleted the posts I was responding to because I called him out for counterfactual and made-up 'information'. That causes the system to remove the links/references.