Please help me help my grandpa decide on a new computer!

Grildon Tundy

Grildon Tundy

Member
Update with the thrilling conclusion:

Thanks all for your help and input.

We went with this one, and I set it up for him at our family Christmas. It's slick, quiet, and fast. I think it'll serve him well.

MINISFORUM UM480 XT Mini PC AMD Ryzen 7 4800H(8C/16T) DDR4 16GB RAM+512GB NVMe SSD Desktop Computer, 2xHDMI+1xUSB-C 4K@60Hz Outputs, 2.5G LAN, AMD Radeon Graphics Mini Computer https://a.co/d/05mQw3y


OG post:



Hi all, if this belongs in Off-Topic, please feel free to move it. Not gaming-specific, but adjacent.

My grandpa's computer has crapped out on him, and he asked for advice on a replacement. I wanted to crowd-source the question here since you guys have good insights and knowledge.

He says he uses his computer for:
1) Gmail
2) YouTube
3) Light web browsing (news and I think some web forums)

I think he has a desktop tower today. Windows; no need to switch over to Apple or another OS. Getting a PC with minimal bloatware and a good rep for not crapping out would probably be good. I have not asked if prefers laptop or desktop, so if you have thoughts on one versus the other, please let me know.

Given the light resource requirements of what he uses it for, I'm thinking something under $500 would be good enough.

A couple options that looked decent to me:

slickdeals.net

HP Laptop: i5-1235U, 15.6" 1080p, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Iris Xe

Walmart has HP Laptop (15-fd0095wm) on sale for $278. Shipping is free. Thanks to Deal Hunter PennyFound for finding this deal. Specs:Intel Core i5-1235U 10-cores, 12-threads (3.30GHz Base / 4.4
slickdeals.net slickdeals.net

Not sure if this one has Windows pre-installed:
slickdeals.net

ASUS ZenBook 15.6" Laptop: FHD IPS, Ryzen 5 7535U, 16GB LPDDR5, 512GB SSD

Best Buy has ASUS ZenBook 15.6" Laptop (Ponder Blue, UM3504DA-AS54) on sale for $499.99. Shipping is free or select free store pickup where available. Thanks to community member Dr.Wajahat for
slickdeals.net slickdeals.net

slickdeals.net

Asus Vivobook 15 Laptop: Intel Core 5 120U, 15.6" 1080p, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Update: This popular deal is still available. Staples has Asus Vivobook 15 FHD Laptop (F1504VAP-SB54) on sale for $379.99. Shipping is free. Thanks to Deal Hunter Navy-Wife for finding this de
slickdeals.net slickdeals.net

I'm not finding many desktop deals. This looked interesting:
slickdeals.net

Minisforum NAB6 Lite Mini PC: i5-12600H, 16GB DDR4, 512GB Gen4 SSD, Dual 2.5G Lan, 4x Video Out, Win11 @ $319 & More + F/S

16GB Ram + 512GB SSD [minisforum.com] @ $319 32GB Ram + 512GB SSD [minisforum.com] @ $359 32GB Ram + 1TB SSD [minisforum.com] @ $379 Coupon: $100 Off via DNAB6 for Non-Barebone Models. Automatically
slickdeals.net slickdeals.net

Thanks in advance!
 
Last edited:
Spend 99 dollars more and get a Mac MIni M4 base model. I love it.
I mean he has personal items - migration tool will help out.
 
Last edited:
He uses a desktop Windows computer today. I've never had a Chromebook. Is the OS different on Chromebooks, or do they come with Windows?

lachesis said:
Spend 99 dollars more and get a Mac MIni M4 base model. I love it.
I mean he has personal items - migration tool will help out.
Click to expand...
RoboFu said:
MacBook Air
Click to expand...
Thanks, bruddas. I'm sure those are great computers, but I think Apple's OS is just different enough that switching would be a challenge for him.
 
Last edited:
Grildon Tundy said:
He uses a desktop Windows computer today. I've never had a Chromebook. Is the OS different on Chromebooks, or do they come with Windows?



Thanks, bruddas. I'm sure those are great computers, but I think Apple's OS is just different enough that switching would be a challenge for him.
Click to expand...
True - that getting used to a new OS would be a challenge - but I think windows iterations have been different enough too.
Still, I think Mac OS is simple enough to click and do light task if one get over the whole initial "different OS" mindset.
If he was on Windows 7/8/10 and moving onto 11, the surface changes only would make him feel uncomfortable to begin with...
 
lachesis said:
True - that getting used to a new OS would be a challenge - but I think windows iterations have been different enough too.
Still, I think Mac OS is simple enough to click and do light task if one get over the whole initial "different OS" mindset.
If he was on Windows 7/8/10 and moving onto 11, the surface changes only would make him feel uncomfortable to begin with...
Click to expand...
Except with maybe 5 minutes of your time he can have it looking and functioning like 7/10
 
Grildon Tundy said:
He uses a desktop Windows computer today. I've never had a Chromebook. Is the OS different on Chromebooks, or do they come with Windows?



Thanks, bruddas. I'm sure those are great computers, but I think Apple's OS is just different enough that switching would be a challenge for him.
Click to expand...
Chrome is a different OS, but the idea is that for that basic stuff you avoid all the pitfalls and bloat of Windows and just get a pared down experience.

But in your shoes I would suggest a mini PC like the one I posted, if he understands Windows, those are good machines and reliable.
 
diffusionx said:
Chrome is a different OS, but the idea is that for that basic stuff you avoid all the pitfalls and bloat of Windows and just get a pared down experience.

But in your shoes I would suggest a mini PC like the one I posted, if he understands Windows, those are good machines and reliable.
Click to expand...
Thanks; I hadn't heard of those Intel Nucs, but I'm looking into them now, and they're slick with good specs.
 
I blame you Grildon Tundy Grildon Tundy

izkSywb.png
 
Grildon Tundy said:
Hi all, if this belongs in Off-Topic, please feel free to move it. Not gaming-specific, but adjacent.

My grandpa's computer has crapped out on him, and he asked for advice on a replacement. I wanted to crowd-source the question here since you guys have good insights and knowledge.

He says he uses his computer for:
1) Gmail
2) YouTube
3) Light web browsing (news and I think some web forums)

I think he has a desktop tower today. Windows; no need to switch over to Apple or another OS. Getting a PC with minimal bloatware and a good rep for not crapping out would probably be good. I have not asked if prefers laptop or desktop, so if you have thoughts on one versus the other, please let me know.

Given the light resource requirements of what he uses it for, I'm thinking something under $500 would be good enough.

A couple options that looked decent to me:



slickdeals.net

Asus Vivobook 15 Laptop: Intel Core 5 120U, 15.6" 1080p, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Update: This popular deal is still available. Staples has Asus Vivobook 15 FHD Laptop (F1504VAP-SB54) on sale for $379.99. Shipping is free. Thanks to Deal Hunter Navy-Wife for finding this de
slickdeals.net slickdeals.net


Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
The Vivobook looks like the sweet spot between price and performance for what he's looking to do. Big screen, decent amount of ram, a fast(er than hdd) drive. Something like this can last him a pretty good amount of time if he takes care of it, and coming from his old computer, it'll seem like a space ship.

If price isn't too much of a factor, I would choose the Zenbook instead. I just like the better processor really; either one is going to feel really fast to him, and he may not be able to perceive the difference between the processors anyway.
 
Chromebook are getting really nice, I would go for that! :)

Or maybe an all in one PC , that's another suggestion. Dell and Lenovo ones are good looking too.
 
Those Asus laptops are fine. However if it were up to me I would recommend the base Mac Mini M4 as well. It's going to be just easier to help support, have much less crap, and considering the use, OPs grandpa can change over pretty quick with some help.
 
It doesn't sound like switching over to the Mac Mini would be all that challenging. Everything he does can installed and signed into. Just make sure you are prepared to go strictly usb-c or get adapters. Maybe if he has a printer make sure it works with the newer Mac operating system. I am considering going from Windows to the Mac Mini myself. Not sure if he is using an all in one. If so throw a monitor/webcam into the mix. Also,the big bummer with the base model is 256gb of hard drive space, but that not may be an issue. Sucks that the power button is on the bottom, but not a problem is you just let it go to sleep instead of powering off.
 
Last edited:
Is your grandpa even good with a laptop?

Or would be prefer a unit with a bigger monitor and keyboard?

I bought my dad a PC way back and there's not way he's the kind of guy who'd use a laptop. Too small. On the monitor he even asked me to default it so the browsers are zoomed in a bit. I think I got him a 22" monitor and fonts still too small till I zoomed it in for him.
 
Last edited:
I think a lot of people here are underestimating old peoples' resistance to change. I'm definitely pro-mac mini; it's a fantastic computer for the money, but the fact of the matter is, if OP's grandpa didn't express interest in it, or explicitly said he didn't want one, it's not a good idea.

Worst cast scenario, OP is there to help gramps on day one, then grampa forgets how to work everything because it's so different from what he's used to, and now he doesn't use the computer, doesn't say anything to OP because he feels guilty, but secretly resents him for getting him or making him get this computer he didn't want.

If gramps has expressed interest and is computer savvy enough, I think the Mac Mini could be a fantastic new computer, one that will last him many many years.

As someone who has worked with the elderly in computing for years, I can tell you first hand they are often very change-averse.

The only thing you could try is maybe take him to a best buy and let him look at some of the macs on display, and see if that's even something he would be interested in. Research the given retailer's return policy in the event that you decide to dive in and he doesn't like what you've picked out.
 
Grildon Tundy said:
Any thoughts on this one? I'm iffy on the CPU, but this looks like a good deal and fitting for what he uses his PC for.

Click to expand...
I would go AMD. This is probably overkill for what he is after but if it is in budget. I also think Beelink are a half decent mini-PC brand.
Beelink EQR6 AI Mini PC, AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX(6nm, 8C/16T) up to 4.9GHz, Mini Computer 24GB DDR5 RAM 500GB M.2 PCIE4.0 SSD, Micro PC 4K@60Hz Dual Display, Built-in PSU Copilot WiFi6/BT5.2/1000Mbps https://a.co/d/i6tmROO
 
OEMs are reliable so there is that. Don't get fooled by AIBs build cause it's unreliable.
OEMs like Dell, hp, Acer, Lenovo.
 
Comandr said:
I think a lot of people here are underestimating old peoples' resistance to change. I'm definitely pro-mac mini; it's a fantastic computer for the money, but the fact of the matter is, if OP's grandpa didn't express interest in it, or explicitly said he didn't want one, it's not a good idea.

Worst cast scenario, OP is there to help gramps on day one, then grampa forgets how to work everything because it's so different from what he's used to, and now he doesn't use the computer, doesn't say anything to OP because he feels guilty, but secretly resents him for getting him or making him get this computer he didn't want.

If gramps has expressed interest and is computer savvy enough, I think the Mac Mini could be a fantastic new computer, one that will last him many many years.

As someone who has worked with the elderly in computing for years, I can tell you first hand they are often very change-averse.

The only thing you could try is maybe take him to a best buy and let him look at some of the macs on display, and see if that's even something he would be interested in. Research the given retailer's return policy in the event that you decide to dive in and he doesn't like what you've picked out.
Click to expand...
Not just that but Mac's aren't exactly as user friendly as everyone states. I literally can't buy one even if I wanted to as all my elderly relatives have them and they have constant issues, my MIL has practically a standing weekly call with Apple Support and runs her insanely expensive Mac at 1080p so she can read stuff on screen.
 
Grildon Tundy said:
Hi all, if this belongs in Off-Topic, please feel free to move it. Not gaming-specific, but adjacent.

My grandpa's computer has crapped out on him, and he asked for advice on a replacement. I wanted to crowd-source the question here since you guys have good insights and knowledge.

He says he uses his computer for:
1) Gmail
2) YouTube
3) Light web browsing (news and I think some web forums)

I think he has a desktop tower today. Windows; no need to switch over to Apple or another OS. Getting a PC with minimal bloatware and a good rep for not crapping out would probably be good. I have not asked if prefers laptop or desktop, so if you have thoughts on one versus the other, please let me know.

Given the light resource requirements of what he uses it for, I'm thinking something under $500 would be good enough.

A couple options that looked decent to me:

slickdeals.net

HP Laptop: i5-1235U, 15.6" 1080p, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Iris Xe

Walmart has HP Laptop (15-fd0095wm) on sale for $278. Shipping is free. Thanks to Deal Hunter PennyFound for finding this deal. Specs:Intel Core i5-1235U 10-cores, 12-threads (3.30GHz Base / 4.4
slickdeals.net slickdeals.net

Not sure if this one has Windows pre-installed:
slickdeals.net

ASUS ZenBook 15.6" Laptop: FHD IPS, Ryzen 5 7535U, 16GB LPDDR5, 512GB SSD

Best Buy has ASUS ZenBook 15.6" Laptop (Ponder Blue, UM3504DA-AS54) on sale for $499.99. Shipping is free or select free store pickup where available. Thanks to community member Dr.Wajahat for
slickdeals.net slickdeals.net

slickdeals.net

Asus Vivobook 15 Laptop: Intel Core 5 120U, 15.6" 1080p, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Update: This popular deal is still available. Staples has Asus Vivobook 15 FHD Laptop (F1504VAP-SB54) on sale for $379.99. Shipping is free. Thanks to Deal Hunter Navy-Wife for finding this de
slickdeals.net slickdeals.net

I'm not finding many desktop deals. This looked interesting:
slickdeals.net

Minisforum NAB6 Lite Mini PC: i5-12600H, 16GB DDR4, 512GB Gen4 SSD, Dual 2.5G Lan, 4x Video Out, Win11 @ $319 & More + F/S

16GB Ram + 512GB SSD [minisforum.com] @ $319 32GB Ram + 512GB SSD [minisforum.com] @ $359 32GB Ram + 1TB SSD [minisforum.com] @ $379 Coupon: $100 Off via DNAB6 for Non-Barebone Models. Automatically
slickdeals.net slickdeals.net

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Unless he is really invested on the mobility aspect, buy him another desktop. I don't recommend HP (higher defect rate) to anyone, and also stopped recommending Dell (way higher price on replacement parts, at least here in Brazil). If laptop is a must, get something from Acer or Lenovo, or even Asus, they all are affordable and good. If you opt for a desktop to replace the old, go for a Lenovo.
Also, there's no way to fix and upgrade your grandpa's old computer? Maybe a new motherboard + CPU + RAM will do de trick.
Also, +1 on mac usability will be way (waaay) worse at first, specially to elder folks.
 
Last edited:
StreetsofBeige said:
Is your grandpa even good with a laptop?

Or would be prefer a unit with a bigger monitor and keyboard?

I bought my dad a PC way back and there's not way he's the kind of guy who'd use a laptop. Too small. On the monitor he even asked me to default it so the browsers are zoomed in a bit. I think I got him a 22" monitor and fonts still too small till I zoomed it in for him.
Click to expand...
I'm getting clarity from him if he's got a laptop or desktop or all-in-one today. I was looking at laptops originally because there were more deals on that slickdeals website, but now I'm thinking it'd be best to stick to whatever type and OS he uses today. Want to make the transition as smooth as possible.

intbal said:
Get him something with Windows Recall.
It will help him remember what he did the day before.
Click to expand...
Finally--an actual end-user use case for Recall.

________________________________________________________________
Thanks, everyone. Got a lot of Mac proponents in here! Not the best fit for Grandpa, in my opinion, but it's got me thinking about getting one for myself, lol

I've reached out to my G-pa with a few questions, and depending on his response, I think I've got the options lined up. Once it's all sorted, I will follow up with the thrilling conclusion to "Grildon Tundy's Grandpa's PC Upgrade".
 
Last edited:
A few things to keep in mind, based on how old your grandfather is (after just getting a new laptop for my Mom):

They may want to increase the font size on their display. While a 4k oled display may be nice...1920by1080 might fit his use case perfectly and save some dough.
Mouse/Trackpad - Try to find one with clickable buttons if your grand father has arthritis or invest in a larger mouse for him to use.
Skip all forms of physical media drives if you can. Get him away from using his old cds (if he does) and older CF memory cards (if he does). Be a good grandson and move all that to digital storage for him.

Other than that woot usually has some great Lenovo Think Pads on sale all the time. They have all the items I mentioned above and are rugged and hold up well in my opinion.
 
Last edited:
I'd avoid a laptop if his grandad is happy with his current setup then stick to a desktop, elderly people don't like change so much, in an ideal world at that price point you'd say it's an absolute no brainer to go for the Mac Mini, but i'd discuss it with your grandad and maybe even take him to a store where they have display units he could mess with, he might find it easy enough to just open safari and do his thing on it then it's happy days.
 
Vivobook. The hinges on the HP will crap out after a couple years and break off the bottom shell. If all he is doing is web browsing then i would go intel.
 
gooner4life_uk said:
scrub that, Costco is expensive for what you get in the the USA - Go direct to Dell or HP is the best bet
Click to expand...
Costco is usually good value for products.

But one thing I noticed is certain things are shit value in Canada (although the warranty can make up for it). Maybe USA too.

- Computers
- Most juice and pop. In Ontario they finally started selling booze and the value isnt a lot. You might get about 10% extra value at most vs buying elsewhere in the form of a handful of extra beers for a similar case price
- Fruits and vegetables. Prices per lb/bushel in the stratosphere and you got to commit to buying a giant amount
 
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Crayon said:
He shouldn't buy a 4090. They're just about to show 5090.
Click to expand...
A 4090 should be powerful enough to run most email programs and youtube for at least another year although it may struggle with rendering some webpages with only 24GB of VRAM before then. Still waiting for a 5090 doesn't seem to be possible in this case as he needs something now, so he will just have to settle for a 4090 and hope that webpages don't get more graphically intensive.
 
poppabk said:
A 4090 should be powerful enough to run most email programs and youtube for at least another year although it may struggle with rendering some webpages with only 24GB of VRAM before then. Still waiting for a 5090 doesn't seem to be possible in this case as he needs something now, so he will just have to settle for a 4090 and hope that webpages don't get more graphically intensive.
Click to expand...

Oh I missed the part about timing. He can probably still get a good price for his 4090 and upgrade for less than a thousand, then.
 
you should probably look at a PC with a really good CPU, and a GPU that can easily run high definition video.

having a really good CPU will give such a PC extreme longevity, as light users like that will mostly get limited by bloat, both from OS updates but also newer programms becoming less efficient and more bloated.

so, I'd say try to get a PC with a modern Ryzen 9000 series or at least 7000 series. a Ryzen 5 should be enough for these workloads. so a 7600 or 9600, doesn't matter if an X or non X, it's not like he's gonna overclock it lol.


if you want something compact,
look at this thing:
store.minisforum.de

Minisforum UM890 Pro

CPU: AMD Ryzen™ 9 8945HS processor, 8 cores/16 threads (16M cache, up to 5.2 GHz) GPU: AMD Radeon™ 780M System compatibility: Windows 11 Memory: DDR5 dual-channel (SODIMM slots×2, up to 5600MHz, maximum 96GB) Storage: M.2 2280 PCIe4.0 SSD ×2 Wireless Connectivity: M.2 2230 WIFI support(Wi-Fi...
store.minisforum.de store.minisforum.de
1_4ad9bbd2-82d8-4d46-b161-1556efb9479f.jpg


has a Ryzen 9 8945HS, which is a really good CPU with a pretty good onboard GPU as well. (it can run Cyberpunk... so should be enough lol)

small, light, relatively cheap, and should be good for some years.
 
Last edited:
1. Don't look at laptops/chrombooks/tablets - overpriced shit! He already has a monitor so it feels unecessary.
2. He has the exact same use case as my dad, just find any sort of cheaper mini PC that is more than capable for his use case, which isn't that hard. As long as it has a decent CPU, runs Win 11, SSD and at least 16GB RAM. Also options, WiFi as well as LAN and Bluetooth. You should be able to find options for less than $500, that's probably a little too much.
 
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