I'm on the hunt for a new work computer that's efficient and has good performance, but I have a pretty tight budget. I've found a couple of affordable options and would love some input on their quality and how well they perform. Here are my options:
1. HP 14 Laptop with an Intel Celeron N4020, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB Storage, 14-inch Micro-edge HD Display, running Windows 11 Home, which also includes One Year of Microsoft 365.
2. HP 2023 Chromebook Laptop featuring a 14-inch display, Intel Celeron N4120 processor, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB eMMC, and Chrome OS.
3. Acer Chromebook 311 with an 11.6" HD display, Intel Celeron N4500, 4 GB memory, and 64 GB eMMC storage.
Can anyone share their thoughts on the performance and reliability of these laptops? Also, how well do Chromebooks usually perform for work tasks?
5 Answers
I checked the Amazon product review ratings, and the HP 14 Laptop has a decent rating of 4.1, which is promising. The Chromebook also gets good marks for basic use. Just keep in mind, they're best for browsing and light productivity tasks. If your workload is more demanding, you might want to consider looking into slightly higher specs.
I see these models being used in schools a lot. We have Chromebooks for kids and Windows computers for staff. If you're doing mostly web-based work, they can handle that fine, but just make sure your workload matches what they can offer.
Honestly, those laptops will struggle. If you can, aim for something with a bit more RAM, at least 8 GB to really ease your workflow. Otherwise, it might be frustrating to try and get much work done on them.
For the HP 14 Laptop, it has a Fakespot rating of A, which means the reviews are trustworthy. That's a good sign! But remember, specs-wise, it's not designed for heavy lifting. If you just need something for browsing or docs, it could work.
Honestly, those specs are pretty low for serious work tasks. Chromebooks are mainly for web activities, so if your job relies on heavier applications, I'd be cautious. The Celeron processors are okay for light tasks but could struggle if you multitask or use demanding software.
What about the basic Google Workspace apps? Are they usable?
What laptops would you recommend in that case?