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Ask HN: What should I look for in a Windows PC for my parents?

warrenm 5y ago
What do they want to use it for? Presuming it's "normal" usage (Facebook, email, YouTube, random web surfing), get whatever's on sale at Walmart when you go in It'll be more than fine You may want to consider, though, if they wouldn't be better off with a tablet or Chromebook If the former, there are some decent Android-based ones, or go for an iPad (possibly with cell connectivity, if they want to use it traveling) If the latter, this Acer is really good: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Acer-Spin-513-Qualcomm-4GB-64GB-Chromebook-13-3-Full-HD-IPS-Multi-Touch-Corning-Gorilla-Glass-Display-Qualcomm-Snapdragon-7c-Compute-Platform-4GB-LPD/973209903 https://www.walmart.com/ip/Acer-Spin-513-Qualcomm-4GB-64GB-C...
- beardyw 5y ago
  I second a Chromebook. Most people can do anything they need to do on one if they are flexible about stuff like Word or Excel. Next to no support needed.
  - warrenm 5y ago
    And you can still use Excel and Word via the web browser
    - hulitu 5y ago
      For values of use which tend to 0. The only useful button is "open in desktop app".
      - warrenm 5y ago
        I use the web edition (and, to a somewhat lesser extent, the embedded-in-Teams view) probably 40% of the time I interact with Office documents Same is true for most of the people I work with
BlameKaneda 5y ago
I'd consider getting something with a SSD (or make it so that you can insert your own SSD into the tower) because it'll prevent your parent(s) from complaining about slowness and lag down the line.
- cafard 5y ago
  Upvoted. Windows has become intolerable without an SSD.
layer8 5y ago
Unless they absolutely need it on the go, I’d recommend a proper desktop PC with monitor and good keyboard and mouse (for ergonomic reasons). Personally, if money isn’t tight I’d go for a fanless design like (if you’re in Europe) https://www.cirrus7.com/en/ https://www.cirrus7.com/en/. It’s compact and maintenance-free. I agree with the sibling comment that depending on their needs an iPad could be more appropriate (possibly with magic keyboard). I switched my parents from PC to iPad a couple of years ago.
Dracophoenix 5y ago
What do you parents want in a computer and what's your/their budget?

What do they want to use it for? Presuming it's "normal" usage (Facebook, email, YouTube, random web surfing), get whatever's on sale at Walmart when you go in It'll be more than fine You may want to consider, though, if they wouldn't be better off with a tablet or Chromebook If the former, there are some decent Android-based ones, or go for an iPad (possibly with cell connectivity, if they want to use it traveling) If the latter, this Acer is really good: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Acer-Spin-513-Qualcomm-4GB-64GB-Chromebook-13-3-Full-HD-IPS-Multi-Touch-Corning-Gorilla-Glass-Display-Qualcomm-Snapdragon-7c-Compute-Platform-4GB-LPD/973209903 https://www.walmart.com/ip/Acer-Spin-513-Qualcomm-4GB-64GB-C...

beardyw 5y ago
I second a Chromebook. Most people can do anything they need to do on one if they are flexible about stuff like Word or Excel. Next to no support needed.
- warrenm 5y ago
  And you can still use Excel and Word via the web browser
  - hulitu 5y ago
    For values of use which tend to 0. The only useful button is "open in desktop app".
    - warrenm 5y ago
      I use the web edition (and, to a somewhat lesser extent, the embedded-in-Teams view) probably 40% of the time I interact with Office documents Same is true for most of the people I work with

BlameKaneda 5y ago

I'd consider getting something with a SSD (or make it so that you can insert your own SSD into the tower) because it'll prevent your parent(s) from complaining about slowness and lag down the line.

cafard 5y ago
Upvoted. Windows has become intolerable without an SSD.

layer8 5y ago

Unless they absolutely need it on the go, I’d recommend a proper desktop PC with monitor and good keyboard and mouse (for ergonomic reasons). Personally, if money isn’t tight I’d go for a fanless design like (if you’re in Europe) https://www.cirrus7.com/en/ https://www.cirrus7.com/en/. It’s compact and maintenance-free. I agree with the sibling comment that depending on their needs an iPad could be more appropriate (possibly with magic keyboard). I switched my parents from PC to iPad a couple of years ago.

Dracophoenix 5y ago

What do you parents want in a computer and what's your/their budget?