Laptops & Tablets

Tablets

Tablets are great for browsing the internet, watching videos and playing games, using apps, making video calls and reading. They are portable and generally have good battery life.

Because they mirror a smartphone interface and have similar control functions  - many people without strong digital skills find them easier to use than laptops. 

They aren’t as useful for doing ‘productive’ work on - but you could add a detachable keyboard to make writing easier. 

Tablets range in price but good budget options are available from between £65 and £150 from online retailers.

5 Tablets under £200 reviewed by Which?

Laptops

You can buy relatively cheap laptops for between £200 - £400. 

Like with most technologies, you get what you pay for.

Sometimes, the factors that might affect your decision about which laptop to purchase can be confusing.

Screen Share exists to support, inform and advocate for digital inclusion for young refugees. They do this primarily by repurposing used laptops and gifting them to young refugees in the UK.

Top tips

• New models of laptops are released each year. Avoid this year's models if possible, the price drops when a newer model comes out.
• Read this Guardian article on which laptop to buy. 
• Check reviews from customers on Amazon and Which?

Brands

It's recommended to get a well-established brand for the sake of online support and help they offer.

Examples of these brands include: HP, Acer, Lenovo, Dell, Asus, Toshiba, Sony, Apple.

Price and quality can vary significantly between each of these brands. There are a lot of models that exist, so use a comparison tool or review site to make sure you find the most suitable one.

Models

Chromebooks‍

These types of laptops use Google's operating system, which isn't Windows. Chromebooks tend to be cheaper, aimed towards students and kids. They do not come loaded with software, which means they can be relatively quick for basic tasks.

Netbooks‍

These laptops are small, lightweight and come free of the software that is automatically installed on most traditional laptops. They are also relatively inexpensive and can offer a cost-effective solution if you need a portable laptop.

Thinkpads‍

ThinkPad is a line of business-oriented laptop computers and tablets designed, developed, marketed, and sold by Lenovo. They are more robust and reliable, typically used by working professionals.

Components

The technical specification of laptops can be confusing, and it can be hard to know where to start. Some guidelines to follow when purchasing laptops for clients are the following: 

Memory (RAM)

This is known as the 'working memory'. The more applications installed on your computer, the more of the 'RAM' is used, and the slower the computer becomes. This is one of the primary reasons that computers with a large RAM are typically faster. Most laptops have RAM that can be upgraded at a later date.

The amount of RAM you might need is roughly 4GB. Laptops will usually have an empty slot for upgrades, but purchasing additional RAM is not cheap.

Processor

Like RAM, this is one of the primary factors that can affect the speed of your laptop, and what you can do on it. Unlike RAM, this cannot be upgraded at a later date. Establishing the 'best' processor is complicated, so here are some things to look for:

• AMD Ryzen 4000 (Avoid i3 less than -6xxx or 7xxx, Core m i5, "Y Series:", AMD A, FX or E Series are less powerful)
• A laptop with an 'Intel i3 core', or higher
  

Storage

This is sometimes known as the 'hard drive'. There are a few distinctions to make when looking at storage in laptops:

• SDD (solid drive) is faster than HDD (disc drive), but more expensive
• Capacity (in GBs) is not so much of an issue as it can be added using a (relatively cheap) separate device like a USB stick or external Hard Drive
  

Connections and other bits

• Laptops that have a HDMI connection can be useful for plugging into most TVs
• Camera and Mic are usually included
• Most laptops are unlikely to have a sim card slot for direct internet (4G/5G), and instead will use WiFi
  

Operating system, software

• Windows is often included, generally licenses will be included. Linux is also OK, and will reduce the cost.
• Microsoft Office is probably to be avoided as the license tends to be 1 year, and it can easily be swapped for a good free equivalent (LibreOffice), or free software like Google Docs.