Looking for a Work Laptop for Parent for under $400

Lelacim on 25/04/2025 - 08:37
Last edited 25/04/2025 - 11:00 by 1 other user

Hi everyone, my mum is looking for a laptop for work (predominantly Microsoft Office usage).

In order of importance, her conditions are:

  • Cheap
  • White or Rose Gold coloured
  • Touchscreen (ideal, but not important)

With those, she'd be happy.

From looking at OzBargain posts, I found a few good options that I would like a second opinion on - specifically bang for your buck and if the options are good, if there are similar laptops in white/rose gold colour.

I've been out of the "finding a good computer" game for so long. I'd greatly appreciate any tips (how on earth do CPU numbers work?) and some recommendations for laptops.

Thanks!

Computing Computer Laptop

Comments

  • 87percent on 25/04/2025 - 08:54
    +3

    Get one of those refurbished Surface’s that get posted quite regularly

  • MT2010 on 25/04/2025 - 09:11
    +2

    maybe go with a newer model - A Grade, minimum 8th Gen, 16GB or more, very good or good refurbished condition, windows 11 pro if psosible:-

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/256805479103?_skw=hp+x360&itmmet…

    or older model

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/185225796512?_skw=hp+x360&itmmet…

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/267222728052?_skw=hp+x360&itmmet…

  • stickingly on 25/04/2025 - 09:25
    +2

    CPU is not that important but I would not go less than 16GB of RAM

    At that price point I would have thought performance would be far more important than color!

    • neoleo on 25/04/2025 - 10:25
      +2

      Light use case such as MS Office with 8 GB of RAM is still good enough for most average people. My Thinkpad laptop has 8 GB RAM and still good enough for me. Previously I had a heavier Dell Latitude with 16 GB RAM, but I prefer the Thinkpad.

      I use laptop mostly for watching video, browsing and MS. Office just like many average people.

      • stickingly on 25/04/2025 - 10:40

        Unless you are like most people I know and am related to who end with 2,000 open tabs and things running in the background and then wonder why their computer is running so slow

        • neoleo on 25/04/2025 - 10:44

          2,000 open tabs and things running in the background

          I can manage this. Just change the settings in Chrome browser for example, so not all tabs will run at the same time. Only when we open tabs that we click. Apps and tasks that are running in the background can be disabled if not needed or only run when I need them.

          I have >3,000 tabs in my Chrome mobile browser in my cheap android phone with 8 GB RAM. No problem, no lag.

          • datafellows on 26/04/2025 - 10:38

            @neoleo: It's so funny when Chrome mobile mocks you with :D when you have more than 100 tabs open :P

    • Dr Phil on 26/04/2025 - 21:40
      -1

      CPU and RAM are both important!

      However both Core i5 and Core i7 would suffice

      Hence it becomes a matter of RAM

      So the DELL is a much better buy
      but also because its running Win 11
      but also unfortunately OUT OF STOCK!

  • neoleo on 25/04/2025 - 10:33
    +1
    • Cheap
    • White or Rose Gold coloured
    • Touchscreen

    Check Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga gen 3 (14") or newer as it has touchscreen, good enough for the use case, durable and light enough (1.4 kg). Without touchscreen, Thinkpad X1 gen 6 or newer (no Yoga in the name) is lighter around 1.1 kg.

    Another light laptop is Lenovo Thinkpad X13 (with or without Yoga) as it is 13.3".

    For white or rose gold colour, maybe cover the whole laptop case with sticker of that colour. Check sellers that sell sticker for laptop case.

    • elacim on 25/04/2025 - 12:31

      Great idea with the sticker. It's not easy to find a white/rose gold colour I'm finding out.

  • AustriaBargain on 25/04/2025 - 10:48

    If they are going to keep using it for the next 10 years, get a decent one. Especially if it's for their work.

  • bargaino on 25/04/2025 - 10:52
    +1

    What is "for work"? Will she be carrying if back and forth from home every day?
    If it just stays in the office (home or other), that is a very different case.

    size, weight, sturdiness …

    • neoleo on 25/04/2025 - 11:00
      -4

      For women, light laptop is important as most women dislike heavy laptop. So, Thinkpad X1 with 1.1 kg is more suitable than Thinkpad P series for example :P

  • scrimshaw on 25/04/2025 - 11:37
    +2

    There's a Toshiba Portege for $399
    https://www.australiancomputertraders.com.au/dynabook-porteg…

    11th gen i5-1135G7 + 16GB RAM

    13.3" Sharp IGZO Anti-Glare display with Touchscreen and Corning® Gorilla® Glass, resolution 1,920 x 1,080

    989g weight.

    360 degree hinge.

    how on earth do CPU numbers work

    You can use NotebookChecks website for a list of benchmarks and specs. you can also click on the individual processor names and it'll give you a dedicated page with a description of what that CPU is intended, how many cores it has, it's TDP and when it was released (e.g Intel Core i5-1135G7.

    • bargaino on 25/04/2025 - 12:12
      +2

      15% off on eBay. Also, many people recommend buying from ACT via eBay, as less hassle if faulty or not as described.

      https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/186741965956

      That is fantastic value for an ultralight 2-in-1. Uses a common standard stylus. (ie not included, but cheap) 11th gen Intel.
      (Not Toshiba, BTW, in the same way that Thinkpad is not IBM.)

      Oh, and "HP EliteBook(corporatepc.com.au)" is too old for Will-11 (7th gen) and only 8GB, so $399 is a total rip-off.

      • elacim on 25/04/2025 - 12:25
        +1

        Thanks guys, that looks perfect. She just told me she wants to do some video editing too so this is looking like the perfect option.
        Thanks for your time in looking at it for me :)

        • Draycen on 26/04/2025 - 09:14

          Video editing? Then she'll need to spend more than $400 I feel. Why such a tight budget?

    • TurnipHead on 25/04/2025 - 12:22

      That's not bad. How does a Toshiba Dynabook compare to business Lenovos/Dell/HPs?

  • p1 ama on 25/04/2025 - 12:03
    +4

    "White or rose gold" would be a really difficult criteria to fulfil.

    My recommendation would be a Lenovo T490s (e.g. this seems good: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/306217098762). If going with Intel, I would suggest an 8th generation or above (due to being a quad-core instead of dual-core), and 16GB of RAM.

    If your mum is after a Macbook, the first generation M1 MacBook Airs are getting really close to your $400 budget, and will probably provide an overall much better experience (silent, amazing battery life, super responsive)…etc., e.g. something like this is $550 with APR100 code (see: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/176898062146). If she's not strongly wedded to Windows, this would be a great option for just day-to-day usability.

  • elacim on 25/04/2025 - 12:30
    +1

    Thanks everyone for your comments, I didn't expect this much of a response! Thanks for all the advice and laptop ideas, we've gone with scrimshaw/bargaino's idea (even though it's black). Like p1 ama said, white/rose gold has proven to be an elusive target, so we're now going to look for a laptop sticker like neoleo suggested - she's now moved onto a wood looking background, haha.

    Again, cheers everyone, I appreciate the fervent help immensely.

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