Originally Posted by
maortega15
What is your maximum budget?
$1300, but if you can go (way) lower, that would be great.
What will be the uses of this laptop?
Internet browsing, picture viewing, email, music playing, maybe word processing but that’s pretty much it
Do you have brand loyalty or care which brands we select for you?
Please avoid junk brands that are notorious for being unreliable, break down easily, and brands with poor support and customer service.
What screen size do you require?
13”
What screen resolution do you require?
1920x1080 HD Resolution or better.
Are you looking to buy NEW or would refurbished/recertified/used be okay?
New
How long should the battery last? (Under optimal conditions, no movies/games/heavy internet)
The longer, the better.
What games would you like to play with your laptop?
None really.
What operating system do you need? (if any)
Windows 10
Is there a certain style of laptop you want? (aluminum, black, gaming, etc.)
I would rather have it look more like an entertainment laptop rather than a business laptop.
How much hard drive space do you need?
256GB
Do you need any special hardware? (blue ray, webcam, specialty ports, etc.)
I assume webcam is pretty standard. Other than that, SD card slot, HDMI, Wireless AC. I also would prefer the keyboard to be back-lit if possible.
Is there anything else we need to know?
I want the SSD to be a full SSD not a regular HD + SSD.
Everything you mentioned seems to fit the bill perfectly for what I would consider to be the best laptop out there at the moment: the Google Pixel Chromebook (2015 edition, sometimes called the Google Pixel 2).
The only part that doesn't fit is of course Windows 10. But from what you're written the Google Pixel seems absolutely perfect and is the best machine I have ever laid my hands upon. I've had Windows laptops, then a few Macbooks, but the Pixel is the best of them all. Plus Google will give Pixel users 1TB of space to use on Google Drive for 3 years.
Overall:
- will cost less than your budget with the price at $1,299 for the top-end model
- does everything you mention you will use your laptop for
- has an awesome screen resolution: 2,560x1,700. This is even HIGHER than Apple's Retina display on Macbooks.
- It has a great SD slot that allows the card to slide in fully and not protrude like it does on my old Macbook
- 64GB SSD but 1TB of Google Drive for free (and as mentioned a great SD slot to rack up more local space if needed)
- has the webcam you mentioned, fast wireless, and the keyboard is backlit
- and last but not least, the great display which is the best laptop screen I have ever seen across all brands and models... is also a touchscreen should you prefer to use it this way sometimes instead of always relying on the keyboard+touchpad for input
I only discovered Chromebooks after my wife's Macbook Air bit the dust. We were looking for a replacement and I almost bought another one until I discovered Chromebooks as a 3rd option. They are super-fast, super-easy to use, and are the most secure in terms of OS. And even the Pixel, which is considered expensive and is the #1 Chromebook on the market as it is Google's flagship product, is easily within your budget.