Thoughts about buying a CHEAP spare laptop

Which would be for very light use, browsing, streaming music from YouTube or Apple or whatever, occasionally playing a video. Not really any word processing or such. As this is like a spare of a spare for a work location, I'm looking for CHEAP like $50. Or maybe somewhat more, but I don't really want to spend even $100...MAYBE if it would make some amazing difference in future longevity. [EDIT: seems I'm a bit in fantasyland??]

This is to replace an old machine which another thread seems to indicate is not worth upgrading. So I'm looking for hints what to look for:
- 64 bit I should think-how do I tell?
- Windows 10???
- What processor(s) (especially at this rock bottom price)
- HDMI?
- Can I assume they all have WiFi?
- What else to think about?
Working battery would be nice but probably out of luck I assume; not a deal killer, this is plugged in.
Gotta be a laptop due to space and moving around.
Gotta have the charger I best remember!
Watch out for shipping costs...

 

iPad would do the job.

 

What is the old one you were thinking about upgrading?

 

Are you near Tustin, CA? They have a Micro Center, looks like they start out around a $100.00.

 

$50?

With your requirements, yes, maybe in fantasy land. Or something used, but I would not buy a $50 used laptop personally.... but YMMV.

 

Doesn't Google have some type of Laptop ?

 

techbargains.com

 

No. I typed in "Laptop" in Google and got nothing!!!

 

A used Chromebook would do that. However, onboard sound on Chromebooks usually isn't good. But if you have a Chromecast or other audio device that can accept Chromecasting you can cast that audio from the Chromebook to that better audio speaker/device to get better sound. There are also other ways to get the Chromebook to send audio to an external speaker or to your main system. Or to a bluetooth speaker. Or wifi connected speaker. Or...

 

For the things you list, I would think using your phone would offer a better experience than using what would likely be a very outdated laptop.

 

Ignore my previous post, I noticed you were trying to upgrade a Dell Latitude D620. Honestly, you're not going to find much for $50. I recommend spending the $100-$120 and buy a used (stay away from refurbs!) ThinkPad, maybe a T420/T520 or newer...

Maybe I'm a bit biased though. I love the brand. I currently have 5: 365C (1995), 600 (1998), T20 (2000), T40 (2005), T430 (2013, which is my main laptop). I also had a T520 that I recently gave to my father and he loves it.

 

Get a cheap Chromebook. Won't find one for $50, but new on Amazon can be had for less than $150.

 

Google has the pixel book but they are premium devices. Just as their phones are

 

Yep, or even an old iPod. A $50 laptop is not likely to be a bargain.

 

Ah, good suggestions but no, since I sometimes need Java or Flash. A used Chromebook could be interesting for another application though...

 

Not going to get anything decent for a $100 bucks, cept a iPad.

 

buy dot com (rakuten dot com) has this refurbished from Joy Systems for $80 free ship
https://www.rakuten.com/shop/joy-systems/product/BC5-31488/
These are miscellaneous HP model Elitebook (previous top HP corporate line) laptops of Grade B - could have a scratch in the screen and shiny keyboards, with at least the specs listed including a fresh Win 10 Home. Refurbished, working and guaranteed, AC adapter included which could be a replacement adapter. Elitebooks usually have a metal case which could have scratches and dents, this would fit what you want for the price. I have bought many refurb HPs from Joy Systems and I recommend them for HP refurbs. These are Elitebooks so it is likely they have an i3 or i5 but that is not guaranteed. No HDMI but it likely will have Firewire/488. The listing says no optical drive, but it would have one which probably doesn't work. I suppose at this price they don't bother to replace it since nobody uses it. You can replace it yourself, ez one screw, for $15.00.

 

This is one of those cases of where the expectations / education / requirements bar are at one level, and what's possible is at another. We're trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

I am sure with enough shopping any thing is possible, but the original requirements and budget are just a mismatch. (recall the original budget is $50, not $100 with the statement "I really don't want to spend $100")

It's already been said, increase your budget beyond $50 - plus I suggest spending some time researching the market just a little, educating on what a modern laptop costs and can do. (at least one from this decade). Sorry but respondents supporting the notion that we can find a $50 laptop as an "upgrade" to anything is just not great advice. YMMV.

 

Adobe is ending Flash support by the end of 2020. All browsers are going to stop supporting Flash when that happens.

Modern Chromebooks can now run Linux. Many of the Chromebooks that are a year or two old can install and run Linux within the Chromebook OS environment. You can install Java within that Linux environment. I've got Linux support installed on my Chromebook and have it running python scripts and a python dev environment. I haven't tried Java yet, but it certainly should work.

However, newer Chromebooks that can support Linux (and also Android) are going to be newer and more powerful and likely not going to be found used in your price range.

Chromebooks are getting quite more capable than they used to be.

 

An ancient Dell D620 What/how to upgrade this computer...

 

And yes, I guess you could get a working laptop for $50 back when I got the old Dell...in the meantime inflation is conspiring against me...
...makes me rethink adding 2GB RAM for $27 to the old one...though that's 1/3 of the way to a "newer" machine.
Hmm, I wonder if I could find used RAM ha ha

 

It's not really inflation, laptops are actually just as cheap as they have ever been, it's just that the really cheap laptops don't hold up all that well so they end up trashed instead of on the used market.

Either way spending any more on your present machine or buying a $50 replacement is throwing good money after bad.

 

hey here's something for $60, doesn't look too bad...
Dell Latitude E4300 Laptop Intel Core 2 Duo 4gb ram windows 10 | eBay

 

that's true, some laptops have gotten very cheap, I suppose to the point of disposability. Somehow that makes me think to also look on Craigslist.

The Dell D620 still runs, just slow. For instance, slow to open documents and slow to transition between applications (I might have a movie open, and browser, and hard drive view, that's about the most). But I think actually it is some kind of runaway process slowing it down, and maybe the RAM, it is mostly OK for the purposes I use it.

 

Another question-if I move up from the current 2GB to 4GB, but from Win7 to Win10, will that eat up all the RAM increase?