Advice needed! Laptop or netbook

[KattyKit]

Hi

I am not sure if this is the right place to ask this but...

I want to buy my elderly father a laptop or netbook for him to email, go on the internet and send photos to. Can anyone advise me as to if I should get a laptop or netbook? What is the difference?

Can anyone recommend one?

Many thanks.

[Loz]

Netbooks are underpowered laptops. Considering the minimal price difference, I'd go for a laptop.

[KattyKit]

thank you Loz

[NowAndHere]

that's not exactly true, my netbook with intel atom cpu and 2gb of ram memory is powerful enough for all typical tasks, i would rather say that main difference is display size - netbooks were designed as really mobile laptops (you cant really say that about 17in laptop), so they have display up to 10,1 in. And just because of that for elderly person I would recommend a full size laptop, and even not necessarily the newest one, it just depends on the planned usage, to use the internet you do not require intel i5 cpu and 4gb of ram, do you? just find balance between power and price.

[KattyKit]

Thank you NowAndHere. I am afraid I don't understand much of that!! Not v good with computers. Are you saying a big lap top would be best? My dad will only be using it at home. All he will use it for is internet i.e booking train tickets and emailing. He would need quite a large screen and buttons.

[red devil]

Definitely get a laptop, less fiddly for your Dad to use than a netbook.

There probably isn't a single laptop on the market that won't perform the basics you require.

I don't think it would do you any harm to pop into somewhere like John Lewis that has a broad range of makes and sizes.

Tell them your requirements, they don't usually do the hard sell, and once you see something you like you can always try and get it cheaper online elsewhere if you're not happy with their price.

[ianr]

> He would need quite a large screen and buttons.

I'm not elderly, but still always use a full-size keyboard and mouse plugged into my laptop when using it at home. I'd also plug in an external monitor if I wanted a screen bigger than the laptop's 15", or dual screens.

[PeckhamRose]

I asked about getting a new laptop, on this site, several months ago, and had some fabulous advice. I now type to you from my very good new Toshiba Laptop. AND I was recommended a very good on line company to buy it from. I am not being paid nor do I benefit in any way by happily and freely recommending to you that you might consider buying a Toshiba laptop from http://uk.insight.com/en-gb/content/?src=go01&gclid=CO7Pj6HysasCFeUmtAodak3ldQ

[DJKillaQueen]

I can second PR's post. She got a very good deal on a very decent laptop from that website.

[KattyKit]

Hi

Thank you very much for the advice - much appreciated. I will have a look at the site.

Thanks!

[tog_in_sox]

My question to KK:

Does it have to be a laptop?

You said your dad is elderly and only going to use it at home. Is there any concern that he may not want to carry the thing about? Is he frail? Any PC can enable the tasks you mention so you'd be better off spending not that much on the computer bit and perhaps spending a bit more on the quality and size of the screen to maximise the legibility and enjoyment of picture quality for your dad. If you shop about a bit you might even be able to get a fancy PC with touchscreen so making some interaction even easier and intuitive for him. Depending on your choice of construction the PC may be a whole lot easier to fix and upgrade than a laptop so will last longer.

Is he accident prone? I'd rather dry out a separate keyboard from a cocoa spill than be sending the whole thing off somewhere to be fixed. Besides you can always get a spare keyboard and be back up and running in moments.

If you're worried about support and fixing then it's worth considering what after sales service is available from your chosen retailer/manufacturer.

If you are worried about accident or theft then there's the insurance aspect. You may find that desktop PCs are cheaper to insure than laptops.

Is he an experienced computer user? If not then you might want to consider setting up the PC with a separate login for him that cannot do technical admin actions so he doesn't accidentally mess things up. (My dad has messed up several PCs left for him to email and browse with and his "technical minded" friends have all managed to make things worse trying to fix them [sigh])

Happy to answer any q's you have if you want to ask.

Good luck

[Huguenot]

Anyone got a view on these Samsung Chrome Books - everything web based?

[mockney piers]

They're no fun when your ISP packs up!!!