I'm trying to find an affordable device for gaming that could also be useful for jobs or school in the future. I'm not interested in Apple devices and have been considering Samsung tablets because they support wireless keyboards, but the higher-end models seem too expensive. I currently play on a 2020 iPhone SE, mainly Minecraft, Roblox games including Royale High, and player-versus-player games. Minecraft sometimes lags or closes even without mods, while some Roblox games have severe lag. Call of Duty and The Sims either would not open or ran too poorly to use. Would a reasonably priced tablet be enough, or would a Windows laptop offer better performance and value? I'm also wondering whether refurbished devices are worth considering.
3 Answers
A Windows laptop is probably the better choice if gaming and future work are both important. Look for at least 8GB of RAM, preferably 16GB, an SSD, and a reasonably recent Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor. If possible, a dedicated graphics card will make Roblox, Minecraft, Sims, and similar games run much more smoothly. Tablets can handle some of these games, but adding a keyboard often makes the total cost close to that of a laptop while still leaving you with fewer options.
The exact games matter, but based on what you play, you do not need an expensive gaming computer. A midrange Windows laptop with 16GB of RAM and a modern Ryzen 5 or Core i5 should be a major improvement over the iPhone SE. For Minecraft, make sure the laptop has enough memory and avoid extremely cheap models with low-end processors. A Samsung tablet could work for lighter gaming, but severe Roblox lag and games that already struggle on your phone suggest that a laptop would give you more headroom.
Refurbished equipment can be a good deal as long as it comes from a trustworthy seller and includes a return period or warranty. A business-class Windows laptop that is a few years old may offer better build quality than a brand-new budget model. Before buying, check the battery condition, storage type, RAM, processor generation, and whether the device can run Windows 11. Avoid anything with only 4GB of RAM or a very small storage drive.
That helps a lot. I was worried refurbished meant the device would be unreliable, but checking the warranty and battery makes sense.