Maximum PC

My grandfather is looking to get my grandmother a new laptop, but it's pretty clear that he doesn't want to spend more than $400 or so.

She only uses the computer for email, web browsing, and she would like to be able to video chat with family.

While we were looking through various netbooks, it occurred to be that a chromebook might be perfect for her. Simple OS, don't have to worry much about viruses or updates (good for me), and it gets her straight to what she wants to do.

Am I missing a downside here? To anyone who has a chromebook, was it straight-forward setting it up out of the box? My only real concern is how she'll get help with this thing if she needs it.

Other thoughts?

If you're talking about something like the Asus Transformer, then what I find a fault is the ability to type on glass vise an actual keyboard. You may find a Transformer for $400, but to get the keyboard and base is another $120 or so. I'm not sure if you can even get a keyboard with a Motorola Xoom, but you're also looking at $500 right out of the gate for something that I really think feels very cheap in your hands.

At $400, I'd stick to tradition with the traditional family members. A 15" notebook with a camera and long battery life can be right in that range not be neutered one bit in order to become a Tablet. 15", realistic HDD capacity, a keyboard, probably a DVD drive, Wifi...just sounds like something they'd feel comfortable with on a daily basis.

I was actually thinking about the Samsung chromebook. The WiFi-only version just dropped in price to $350.

Does that change your opinion on the matter?

Oh, THE Chromebook. Sorry dude, I assumed too much and took a lot for granted in wording. Happens in forums, and I missed the literal bulls-eye. It does sway my thought somewhat though!

I mentioned the Transformer with Freudian intent, and the Samsung 5 is the thing that popped up at the time AFTER the purchase that just pissed me off. I still love the Xfmr as a Tab, but the keyboard thing still bugged me. I don't like Asus' keyboard station, love Logitech's, and when the chips are all in the thing costs too much really (not when $200 Kindles are now a few weeks old). The Samsung 5 is what I was really aiming for pretty much myself, and love that decision for what you're aiming for. I still like having a tab to pick up and walk away with, but in the end I'm not a tab guy at all...and probably right up your grandparent's isle when it comes to these things.

If you see $350 now, I'd go all in for sure! I feel the Chrome interface is very intuitive as a GUI. What you may want to fork out for, if available, is an extended warranty. An actual Samsung 5 Chromebook user may want to chime in here, but I've had issues with Samsung portable devices physically that left me hanging in the wind. Even had a dumb phone's screen break just walking outside the house...in SoCal, so it was a small temperature change. If not that, but support for the family members that are going to use it. I like to bash iStuff, but their support seems to be the best and perhaps a factor of why they're marked up. With my family at least, I love having them able to talk to tech support or a shop to walk into rather than have me dissect some problem over the phone. If 2 years of support brings it up to $450, I'd buy one for my own parent. Just something to think about when it comes to cost of a device.

Well it depends on what type of email account. If she already has email and it's not Gmail she will have to use Gmail.

welcome to a 4 month old thread...