Need your suggestions for a laptop or tablet

About three years ago, my iMac broke. Since then, I have used my seven year old iPad Mini with an old wireless keyboard. Everything is working fine but I would really like to have a mouse but it's impossible with this iPad.

So I am searching for a computer, a laptop or a tablet that I could use for basic tasks like;

- Writing and editing my first short stories and novels.
- Doing some research on the web.
- Editing my photos.
- Sending and receiving emails.
- Watching videos on Youtube ...

What type of machine do you use for writing? Are you happy with it? Would you recommend it? Can you use a mouse? Is it working well? What are the things you don't like about your machine?

Thanks for your help!

 

You could probably do all those things with the cheapest laptop. The only one that might present a problem is editing photos, and that depends I suppose on what level of control you're looking for. I don't know if Photoshop works in full on low-end laptops or not? Possibly, since it's a subscription service these days, you don't need to download all the software onto the computer to use it anymore.

I just got a Chromebook a couple of weeks ago. It works for what I'm using it for which is basically the things you listed minus photo editing. I do plan to get Photoshop for painting, but I'll do that when I get a bigger computer.

One thing I love about the Chromebook—two things actually. Since I was using Chrome on my last laptop it already had all my bookmarks in place instantly. In the past I always had to transfer those over one by one. And because Chrome is a subsidiary of Google, it gives you easy instant access to Google Docs and the entire suite of Google Drive products. Which really just means it's one less click to get into your Google Docs projects to edit on them.

What I don't like is related to #1 above. It's a Google product, so you sell your soul and all your privacy for those conveniences. I feel like Big Brother is constantly watching through the webcam and monitoring everything I do online and off, and he probably is. But then I feel like soon any digital product we own will be doing that too.

 

On your chromebook, can you use Scrivener? Or maybe you use Google Docs for writing?

For the photos, I just mean to be able to download my photos from my camera to my laptop and edit a little bit each photo (darkness, colors ...). Nothing very complicated. A little bit like what I do on my iPad with the app "Photos".

 

I have a MacBook and would be hard pressed to give it up, but if you're looking at price along and want a basic option, a Chromebook isn't a bad way to go. You can't run Scrivener on a Chromebook normally, however one thing you can do is install Linux on a Chromebook alongside ChromeOS (basically switch between the two with a keystroke) and you can then install the free community version of Scrivener for Linux, which lacks some of the later features of the Mac or even Windows version but which (last time I used it) was good. You could also install something like GIMP for image editing.

My recommendation if you don't mind spending the money on it is to go with a MacBook for the tasks you listed. You could also wait until the Windows 11 launch next week and see what kind of budget Win 11 laptops are launched at the same time.

 

I haven't tried it on this computer, but I did download the trial version on my previous low-end Dell laptop (Wait, no, that was on my big iMac desktop), and it worked fine. So I assume that will work on any laptop (Possibly/probably not actually). For my own writing yeah, I use Google Docs. I actually love its editing feature. Only there and in email do I get such good suggestions when I misspell a word and all I need to do is click and it instantly fixes it. I suppose it's because they both connect to huge online databases and banks of powerful computers (or something to that effect) rather than just use the simple in-computer capabilities. Which again means my writing is being scanned and monitored as I go, but whatever. So far I'm not writing anything that'll get me jailed.

 

If you already read, that, I made a couple of important changes.

 

what's your price range?

 

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

My price range is around 600$.

Is Scrivener very useful for writing or is it possible to do the exact same thing with Google Docs that I already use?

 

I built mine from a computer salvage yard. If it ever breaks down, I know where I can get parts.
I have a high dollar external hard drive that I back up everything once a month. Probably should be once a day, but I'm too lazy.

 

You could pretty much do the same thing with various Google Docs files. Scrivener and programs like it make organization and tasks like moving entire scenes or chapters around very easy.

 

I own a full sized gaming computer that I use for both gaming and typing. It is a desktop. I built it myself from parts that I got from the computer store.

 

Wow, a self-built robot! Awesome!! Though I fail to see how a robot can build itself, when there is no robot until it's been built... conundrum...

 

You haven't mentioned an operating system. Since you came from the Mac world and you are now using an iPad, should we assume you are looking to stay in the Mac world? If so, that raises the price bar considerably.

I work primarily on a Dell desktop computer, running Windows 10 (only because Microsoft ended security updates for Windows 7) and using a 24-inch monitor. It's older, and doesn't meet the minimum specifications to support Windows 11 -- but I regard that as a feature rather than a bug.

I also have a Toshiba laptop running Windows 10, and a Microsoft Surface tablet running Windows 10. I could do most of what I do on the laptop. It has a touch pad, which drives me bonkers so I keep it disabled and use a cordless mouse. The biggest drawback is the screen size.

I generally keep the Surface connected to a docking station, so I can run a real keyboard, mouse, and 24-inch monitor. Set up like that, I could easily use the Surface for most (if not all) of my work. I can't even imagine trying to wrote a book on a tablet.

I see that you are in Canada. I don't know what department store chains you have there. In the U.S., when I periodically wander the aisles of the electronics department at Walmart I typically see any number of Windows laptops that would be more than adequate for writing, at prices below $500 (U.S.).

 

I visited Office Max/Office Depot to get my Chromebook, and there were many similar models at prices down to $150 or so. Maybe $120. My Chromebook (that I chose basically at random) was about $250. I refused the warranty they always try to push on you (I've never had a computer or or anything else fail during the warranty period in a way that's covered by the warranty). With tax it came to just about $300, and I rounded up for some local charity or other, so a flat $300 total.

The Chromebook has a touchpad and built-in mini keyboard, but I plugged in a mouse and external full-size Logitech keyboard (cost about $12.00) into the single USB port using a USB hub.

And since it's a Chromebook, of course it runs on the Chrome operating system, a product of Google. I immediately swapped out the Google search engine for Duck Duck Go.

 

I bought an HP 15 Laptop PC solely for writing last year around this time during Walmart's Black Friday sale. It's got an Intel Core i3 processor and a decent amount of built in memory, but I also purchased a 1TB USB memory stick for about $16. It's run on Windows 10. Overall it cost around $250 plus a 2-year warranty. I use Google Documents, Word (which I needed a monthly subscription for, under $8.) I run Scrivener on it also, but I do not recommend using Scrivener to replace something like Google Documents, I only use it to organize chapters and notes. It's perfect for writing as the battery holds up for 8-12 hours on low power settings but is too squishy to play any games on.

 

Right now, I use a Desktop Windows machine with Scrivener and Microsoft 365 primarily for the access to OneDrive. When I travel, I use a Samsung A10 (2019) Android Tablet to which I have added OneNote, and MSWord. I'm doing a LOT of my organizing in OneNote so it isn't a major problem to use the Samsung Android as a writing platform with OneNote and MS Word. I have added a clamshell keyboard case to the tablet and a Bluetooth mouse as well. That tablet functions as a tiny little laptop.

I'm an avid amateur photographer, I don't do much photo editing on the tablet though I do use it to upload photos from my main cameras to OneDrive. If you are using a smartphone to generate photos, I'd just use the default Google photo apps for simple editing and uploading to Google Drive.

At the time I considered this a less expensive alternative to a Chromebook. But the lines have blurred between Android and Chromebooks both in price and in features & available apps. If I were doing this today, I'd probably take a serious look at Chromebook.

 

I'm very surprised that thing doesn't have a lag issue with that peanut processor against Google Docs. Google Docs is fine unless your project gets more than fifty pages. Then it turns into a redundant iteration RAM and CPU slaver, choking out computers that can't take the mass of throughput. Glad it's working out for you though on the cheap.

I always thought of doing this for writing on the road. My work provided me with and alternating touch screen laptop that doubles as both a tablet and a laptop, so that's been helping. But that isn't mine of course.

I have a desktop at home that I built myself and is going through a rebuild after ten years. I tend to build mid-range PCs and get the most out of them through good set-up and software allocation rather than buying new model everything. So, if anyone wants to build a desktop, I'm always willing to help build something to your specific limitations. I've been building them since I was literally five.

I like a good workstation with all the ergonomic comfort when writing. Keeps me focused. The wide, curving screen is nice too for putting up three page panels side by side. Helps me keep programs organized.

 

Dude, here is my advice for being a writer for me right now. Now I use the term writer loosely.... crappy screenplays, poetry that would make edgar allan poe put me out of misery... LOL. But yea, something about MAC towers. You just can get in there. I know you probably want to write in different places, but get a mac tower and a ipad fancy one.

 

Don't buy Dell!!! I got a fairly high end Dell as a Christmas present, and it had heating and wiring issues roughly six months in. To make it worse, I'm a Linux user, and they wanted me to reinstall Win10 on the thing before they would replace the broken fan -- they wanted me to change software because of a hardware problem. No thank you. I went to a local person rather than bother with that crap.

If you're really budget minded, I recommend getting an HP Stream (around $100-$150) and installing Linux Mint on it, because Mint is very tiny -- 2 gigs vs Win 10's 80 gigs. You'll be able to do all the things you mention. Though any inexpensive computer would be fine, and if you go with Ubuntu Linux, that's still only 20 gigs, and Ubuntu's one of the bigger ones.

 

Honest to goodness, if I was just starting this journey and didn't have my current computer, I would buy the cheapest Chromebook that I could install Linux Mint on (it's easy with a very small amount of reading to figure out how). Mint comes preloaded with everything you are asking, and the OS runs very smoothly. The software that does the photo editing might be a little weak, but I have another semi-recommendation for that. Whatever operating system you are using, search for simple versions of illustration and photo editing software instead of the pricey or comprehensive suites of software that come with more tools than you need. In most cases this expedites and simplifies any project, unless you are a professional graphic designer, in which case you probably want all the fancy tools. ChromeOS is awful for writing and doing photo editing, though it is possible.

 

A nice thing about this is you can keep ChromeOS on the computer as well, if you want, and it’s just a matter of a simple key combination to switch between the two. I found Mint with XFCE runs great on Chromebooks.

 

Very few laptops have good keyboards. Old X Series Thinkpad's are the exception. Try one running Linux Mint XFCE Edition*. For $200 you could get a X220, which is the last of the old, great Thinkpad keyboards. Later ones have keyboards with less travel and more percussion, which can build up pain in your fingers that you don't even notice, just like every other brand out there (including Macbooks).

* They run just fine on Windows 10 too, if you prefer that.

 

A solution to that is to use an external keyboard and mouse. I do that with my Chromebook. I can't stand laptop keyboards and those pads where you slide your fingers around (whatever they're called).

 

Came across this post today re: good Linux distros for beginners. These are all good. As I noted above, for older hardware I'd use XFCE instead of the default desktop environments.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-linux-desktops-for-beginners/