Friday, December 12, 2025

I need some help

What laptop do you all recommend? In the 200 dollar range. Any suggestions??

Posted by LauraMohr at 10:31 AM | 34 COMMENTS | permalink

Comments

I'd recommend a Lenovo Thinkpad over just about anything but it's not going to be anywhere near the $200 range.

#1 | Posted by qcp at 2025-12-12 10:58 AM

Thanks for the heads up. I greatly appreciate it.

#2 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-12-12 10:59 AM

"For a laptop in the $200 range, your best bets are Chromebooks (like HP, Lenovo, Acer) for web-based tasks or refurbished business laptops (like Dell Latitudes) for better Windows performance, focusing on models with at least 4GB RAM, a decent Celeron/Pentium processor (or better), and prioritizing ChromeOS for speed if you mostly browse, stream, and use Google Docs, as Windows struggles in this budget.
Top Recommendations:

www.google.com

Also, I found this:

PCs for People

www.pcsforpeople.org

#3 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-12 11:10 AM

Are you looking for Mac or Windows?
Either way, I would get it used, from eBay Refurbished.
Should be something you can return, and comes with a thirty day warranty.

#4 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-12-12 11:11 AM

4GB of RAM is not enough, 8GB is the bare minimum and probably the most you'll get for under $200.

#5 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-12-12 11:12 AM

#5

That might be ok for a Chromebook.

The PCs for People apparently gives yuge discounts of fairly high powered refurbs to low income folks.

#6 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-12 11:41 AM

I assumed Laura is looking for a Windows PC, but for $200 a Chromebook is a good choice if you can live in the Google ecosystem.

#7 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-12-12 11:43 AM

I've been using Brave a bit as a browser; it's a quick and easy switch with a built-in VPN.

#8 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-12 11:49 AM

I need some help

Posted by LauraMohr at 10:31 AM

Should have sought help years ago, before you thought cutting off your ding-a-ling made you a woman.

#9 | Posted by fortfisher at 2025-12-12 11:59 AM

#9 Flagged: You're a total ------- --------.

Personal attacks for no reason.

What the ---- is Wrong with You?

Trump gave you permission to be a Boor.

It's easy to be brave and offensive online.

How brave are you Face to Face?

#10 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2025-12-12 12:09 PM

PCs for People

www.pcsforpeople.org

#3 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-12 11:10 AM | Reply | Flag: You the man cat, Corky!


Maybe I'll finally say goodbye to my faithful XP.

#11 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2025-12-12 12:53 PM

fartfister worries his stagnant pair of marble-sized balls and skintag of a dick doesn't make him much of a man, so he has to overcompensate by obsessing over Laura's genitalia to feel better.

#12 | Posted by horstngraben at 2025-12-12 01:31 PM

If all you got is a couple three hundo, I recommend buying a cheap older laptop like snoofy said, and installing Linux. It'll run like new! Linux Mint is a good choice for novice or recovering Windows users. Fedora is also good.

It's amazing how fast a POS computer can run when it's not constantly spying on you and spamming Candy Crush ads.

#13 | Posted by horstngraben at 2025-12-12 01:40 PM

Thanks for the help. I got me a HP Chromebook at Wally world. it seems really nice. I appreciate the help.

#14 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-12-12 03:40 PM

Good job, Laura!

Now plug it into your big screen tv, get you a nice wireless keyboard and mouse, and you can be all cinematic.

#15 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-12 03:58 PM

"Personal attacks for no reason.

It's easy to be brave and offensive online."

Welcome to the Retort.

Where folks can be brave and offensive all day

Nazi
Pedo
Rapist

I agree Fortfisher is out of line with his comment but before you clutch your pearls......maybe have some perspective.

#16 | Posted by eberly at 2025-12-12 04:05 PM

Thanks for the help.

#14 | Posted by LauraMohr

Always a pleasure to give advice to the mentally challenged

#17 | Posted by fortfisher at 2025-12-12 04:08 PM

>I need some help
>Posted by LauraMohr at 10:31 AM

Should have sought help years ago, before you thought cutting off your ding-a-ling made you a woman.
Posted by fortfisher at 2025-12-12 11:59 AM | Reply | Flagged funny by Effeteposer

Pretty unkind thing to say, dude. Also fairly telling who was on board with encouraging that type of comment.

#18 | Posted by censored at 2025-12-12 04:08 PM

The truth hurts when you live your life in a fantasy

#19 | Posted by fortfisher at 2025-12-12 04:12 PM

" #16 | POSTED BY EBERLY AT 2025-12-12 04:05 PM | FLAG: "

100%.

#20 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-12 04:21 PM

Nazi
Pedo
Rapist
#16 | Posted by eberly

Why do you have to turn every post into discussion about Trump?

#21 | Posted by censored at 2025-12-12 04:54 PM

---- off Beverly

#22 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-12-12 07:11 PM

#14 My bride bought her HP Chromebook two years ago ... and she loves it!

Congrats, Laura. Good choice.

#23 | Posted by A_Friend at 2025-12-12 07:59 PM

#15 Fantastic tip!

Many thanks ... life improves!

#24 | Posted by A_Friend at 2025-12-12 08:12 PM

#18 I Flagged it Offensive. I have no idea if it showed as funny to you.

I have trouble flagging on my phone.

I thought you had me plonked, Cowardly Punk.

I guess you're a liar too.

No suprise.

#25 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2025-12-13 09:05 AM

Re 22

Also Fantastic tip!

Many thanks ... life can improve!

#26 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-12-13 09:19 AM

Wow......some really damaged people here. I know it's a place to blow off steam and that leads to posts that are overly harsh....but goddam......some of you really need some help. Maybe just self-help by taking a break from this place. Some of you need some counseling.

some of you simply need your worthless ass beaten.

#27 | Posted by eberly at 2025-12-13 10:46 AM

Self reflection.

#28 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-13 10:57 AM

Censored needs to just emigrate to his holy land of Murder.

He would make a Hell of a murdering Settler.

Fit right in. He's Far too ----------- to actually Do anything but act tough online.

Good Thing for him.

#29 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2025-12-13 11:29 AM

Wow......some really damaged people here.
#27 | Posted by eberly

Wait till you see what the MAGAts stuck in the Oval Office.

Nazi
Pedo
Rapist
#16 | Posted by eberly

Nevermind, looks like you already do.

#30 | Posted by censored at 2025-12-13 03:51 PM

I buy used laptops almost exclusively, but only from sellers who offer a 30"90 day warranty and accept returns. If a seller says "no returns," I walk away.

Once I get it, I use it heavily during the return window. I run Windows Memory Diagnostic (built into Windows " just type Windows Memory Diagnostic in the Start menu) to test the RAM, and CrystalDiskInfo (free download from crystalmark.info) to check the health of the SSD. Better to find problems early.

Always get an SSD, not an HDD. SSDs are dramatically faster, have no moving parts, are more reliable in laptops, and make the system feel instantly responsive instead of sluggish.

Prefer at least a 1TB drive if possible, and 16GB of RAM is the practical minimum these days.

#31 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2025-12-13 05:33 PM

I left off my last laptop was Lenovo. Been great.

#32 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2025-12-13 05:34 PM

Laura,

A Chromebook is a real PC, but it's inflexible by design. The hardware is real, but the operating system is intentionally limited. Chrome is mandatory.

You can't switch system browsers.

Think of it as a browser first, with PC hardware built around it.

Not my first choice for a laptop.

#33 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2025-12-13 05:42 PM

Thanks for the help with my question. It's greatly appreciated.

#34 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-12-13 08:16 PM

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