• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

laptop for a kid

slightlyhuman

slightlyhuman

Lifer
My boss is looking for a laptop for xmas for a 12YO.

He had one for $225 with a celeron processor in it. I read a thread here with reports of freezing on youtube videos etc. Is there a laptop under $300 that could be a bit better? Normal use FB/youtube/music but the stuttering on HD playback has me trying to find something better for him while trying to not spend too much.

i3 laptops jump up to $500 pretty quick, was hoping was cheaper:|
 
I got an i3 laptop for my wife for 360.00 on sale at best buy. It is kind of cheaply made, but is plenty fast and runs really cool, in contrast to other laptops my family has had. I think even an ivy/haswell pentium should handle those uses quite well. Actually, I think even an atom or kabini should handle those uses, but I would avoid them simply because the big core laptops are not that much more expensive.
 
I hear you on the boss comment! However, fortunately he's a pretty rad dude. I figured a celeron would be ok with just regular web use and everything else but the video stuttering is something that would ruin the purchase knowing kids these days.

I've had a few intel atom processors, pretty bad stuff. Always wanted to throw an SSD on it with windows XP but never got around to it.

I told him if he wasn't worried about the presenting it to her in a box to order a refurb for $300 and he would get plenty of computer. Perhaps add a warranty from the egg for $50. I think he's wanting it NIB so he might have to spend more than 3 bills to get better hardware.
 
slightlyhuman said:
I hear you on the boss comment! However, fortunately he's a pretty rad dude. I figured a celeron would be ok with just regular web use and everything else but the video stuttering is something that would ruin the purchase knowing kids these days.

I've had a few intel atom processors, pretty bad stuff. Always wanted to throw an SSD on it with windows XP but never got around to it.

I told him if he wasn't worried about the presenting it to her in a box to order a refurb for $300 and he would get plenty of computer. Perhaps add a warranty from the egg for $50. I think he's wanting it NIB so he might have to spend more than 3 bills to get better hardware.
Click to expand...

There are real celerons(big core haswell) and "fake" celerons(atom). I think a big core celeron should handle video playback with no problem. An atom celeron could be more problematic. But you still should be able to get a pentium for around 300 dollars on sale.
 
Try to find a Lenovo x131e - the cheap ones are AMD chips to avoid, but there was a Celeron 1007U model and a more expensive variant with a full blown i3 CPU. Either of those would be pretty kick-butt, as long as the kid isn't too into gaming.

The machine itself is a ruggedized education-market laptop. I use one to run my CNC machine and it's pretty decent.
 
I'd just offer the advice of avoiding those cheap-o chips for very low end machine... Intel Atom and J####, or the AMD E1 or E2, etc.

If it's not an Intel i3/i5 or AMD A6/A8/A10, you don't want it.
 
Blue_Max said:
I'd just offer the advice of avoiding those cheap-o chips for very low end machine... Intel Atom and J####, or the AMD E1 or E2, etc.

If it's not an Intel i3/i5 or AMD A6/A8/A10, you don't want it.
Click to expand...

Seconded. When you only have 2 cores, single-threaded performance actually matters more.
 
sm625 said:
Careful with the AMD A8, that too can be a cat core (ie like atom).
Click to expand...

I knew the A4's were anemic... I didn't know there were A8's to avoid as well! 🙁

The worst A8 can't possibly be as weak (per core) as the E-series chips.... can they? 🙁
 
Blue_Max said:
I'd just offer the advice of avoiding those cheap-o chips for very low end machine... Intel Atom and J####, or the AMD E1 or E2, etc.

If it's not an Intel i3/i5 or AMD A6/A8/A10, you don't want it.
Click to expand...

Core2Duo's still make for a great video, web, email laptop for kids.

My 12 year old loves his IBM/Lenovo Thinkpad T60. The only thing it hasn't played that he wanted is Goat Simulator...which should work based on specs but doesn't.
 
My local Sam's Club has a Dell 15 with 4 GB, I3u, DVD, 2 USB2, 1 USB3, and HDMI for $399. It is substantial, well under $500, and no lines yet. Even though it's not a great deal it will do if you can not find better.

Jim
 
Sounds like you need a tablet. Will likely end up with a better abeit smaller screen. The activities you listed would be smooth as butter. Is the laptop actually used for anything that requires the extra weight , heat, and power consumption?
 
Sohaltang said:
Sounds like you need a tablet. Will likely end up with a better abeit smaller screen. The activities you listed would be smooth as butter. Is the laptop actually used for anything that requires the extra weight , heat, and power consumption?
Click to expand...

My 11 year old (now he is 12) has a tablet, but it doesn't work so well for his online homework/games for school.
 
alkemyst said:
My 11 year old (now he is 12) has a tablet, but it doesn't work so well for his online homework/games for school.
Click to expand...


Some are better than others. I see crappy Win RT tablets with a keyboard at high level business meetings. They do have office so I guess they are functional in that respect.
 
fvck.. just now i picked up on ebay, t410s i5 nVidia for $130 shipped, no hdd, no ram

ultra-bay caddy: free
w/ssd: $37 (ebay)

ram: 4gbx1 ($25 on FS/TR forum)

OS: free (win7-COA)

power adapter: ($10)

max price: $202

m0therVken_aw3some..

p.s. I've set up a lot of A6-4GB-ram laptops with SSD's on w7 and w8.1, and I'm going to be very frank, the A6 is "trash" in the OS environments.

if you're thinking XPmini OS, it's fast, but the software engine is not built for native hardware superiority.
XP on a newer system, will suffer, even with an SSD, even if you manage to find drivers for it, because of the lack of software engineering support for native conditioning.

sub $300: the "Lenovo ideapad i3" (search ebay) with an i3 will be able to handle XP, but an SSD w/manual trim may not promise anything fascinating.
 
Last edited:
fire400 said:
fvck.. just now i picked up on ebay, t410s i5 nVidia for $130 shipped, no hdd, no ram

ultra-bay caddy: free
w/ssd: $37 (ebay)

ram: 4gbx1 ($25 on FS/TR forum)

OS: free (win7-COA)

power adapter: ($10)

max price: $202

m0therVken_aw3some..

p.s. I've set up a lot of A6-4GB-ram laptops with SSD's on w7 and w8.1, and I'm going to be very frank, the A6 is "trash" in the OS environments.

if you're thinking XPmini OS, it's fast, but the software engine is not built for native hardware superiority.
XP on a newer system, will suffer, even with an SSD, even if you manage to find drivers for it, because of the lack of software engineering support for native conditioning.

sub $300: the "Lenovo ideapad i3" (search ebay) with an i3 will be able to handle XP, but an SSD w/manual trim may not promise anything fascinating.
Click to expand...


That's a good deal if it's not beat to death.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top