GEEK FREE
By Joe Callison
15 April 2025

Computer Buying Guide

Choosing a computer should generally be guided by what you want to be able to do and how much you are willing to spend. That will help define the boundaries for available choices. Some may only want to do email and browse the internet and need a reliable budget computer. Others may also want to stream movies in high resolution, play online computer games with high frame rates, or use artificial intelligence without using the cloud and need higher performance models.

To compare annual costs of purchase options, the cost per year of use can be estimated by adding the purchase cost plus expected maintenance and other costs, subtracting the value at the end of use, if any, and dividing by the total years of use.

Chromebooks released from 2021 onwards will receive 10 years of automatic updates, while those released before 2021 can opt in to extended updates for a total of 10 years from the platform’s release, though with some feature limitations due to not being supported by the older hardware.

On average, MacBooks typically receive new macOS updates for around 5-7 years after their initial release, with security updates potentially continuing for a few more years beyond that.

Apple generally provides software updates for iPads for 5-7 years, but this can vary depending on the specific model and the release of new operating systems.

Microsoft generally supports Windows versions for 10 years with free software updates, technical assistance, and security fixes, after which it recommends upgrading to the latest version. For example, Windows 10 was released in 2015 and will reach end of support on October 14, 2025. Windows 11 was released in 2021.

Laptops have an average lifetime of 3 to 5 years of mobile use because of greater susceptibility to damage and the cost of repairs. For stationary use as a desktop computer, the life may be longer. The first part to fail is typically the battery, which degrades in performance over time to the point that it needs to be replaced, or the laptop must be plugged in all the time to be used. Since most recent laptops do not have easily removable batteries, the cost for replacement may be enough to convince someone to upgrade to a newer laptop instead. Depending on how the laptop is used, other common failures are a hinge breaking loose from the body or the flexible cable connecting the logic board to the screen being damaged. The likelihood of a hinge failure can be reduced by always opening from the center instead of a corner and adjusting the hinge tension if it gets to be too much. The flexible cable can be replaced by a repair shop, with cost depending on the complexity of disassembly and availability of a new or used cable. After 5 to 7 years, the hard drive or solid state drive may become slow or unreliable and should be replaced. This is also true for desktop computers, though the rest of the desktop hardware generally lasts at least 10 years.

Most users are ready to move on to newer technology in 7 to 10 years, even if the hardware still works. Some prefer to upgrade to a new system every 2 to 3 years and sell the old system for a fraction of its initial cost.

Considering the above, let’s look at some typical buying scenarios for senior adults.

Budget Computers for Email and Internet Browsing

With new Chromebooks now being supported with updates for 10 years, they are a viable low-cost option for the intended uses. Name brands such as Lenovo, HP, ASUS, and Acer with 14” screens are available for $200 to $300 with low requirements for processors, RAM, and storage space. Celeron, Pentium, and ARM processors with at least 4GB RAM and 64GB storage are adequate for Chromebooks. Higher-performance models are available in the $400 to $600 range, but you might as well get a Windows laptop at those prices.

Windows laptops with 15” or larger screens are available for $300 to $500. It is recommended to avoid Celeron and Pentium processors for Windows use, and also avoid any with less than a minimum of 8GB of RAM and 128GB SSD.

Windows name brand desktops (not including monitor) are available for $350 to $650. The same recommendations for processors, RAM and SSD stated above apply.

Mid-range Consumer Computers for Most Uses

Windows laptops with 15” screen resolutions of 1920 x 1080 or higher, Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processors, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD are capable of most uses except advanced photo and video editing for professionals and extreme gaming experiences. They are available in the range of $700 to $1,000. For Apple users, Macbook Air laptops with similar specifications start at $1299.

Windows desktop computers (not including monitor) with the same processor, RAM, and SSD requirements as above are available in the $500 to $700 range. Mini PCs are also available in the same price range.

Copilot+ PC for AI or Moderate Gaming

Windows laptops equipped for artificial intelligence and moderate gaming are available in the $900 to $1,400 range. These include a neural processor to more efficiently handle artificial intelligence processing on the device instead of using mostly web resources. The Copilot+ PC name applies to laptops meeting the minimum requirements of 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a neural processor to boost processing to 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS). Desktop processors for AI will be coming out later this year.

MICROSOFT EXCERPTS FROM END OF SUPPORT FOR WINDOWS 10

If you need more time before moving to a Copilot+ PC or other new Windows 11 device, a one-year Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for $30 USD will help protect your Windows 10 device. Enrollment for this program will open in 2025.

ESU is a paid program that will entitle enrolled PCs to receive Critical and Important security updates after support for Windows 10 ends. The program will provide Critical and Important security updates but will not provide other types of updates or technical support.

On October 14, 2025, support for non-subscription versions of Office will be affected in two ways:

• Support for Office 2016 and Office 2019 will end across all operating systems.
• Office 2024 and Office 2021 (including Office LTSC versions) will continue to run on Windows 10 but will no longer be supported.

To maintain a supported configuration, we recommend that you upgrade your device to Windows 11 and consider subscribing to Microsoft 365. If you are running Office 2021, Office LTSC 2021, Office 2024, or Office LTSC 2024, you can also migrate that license to a new Windows 11 device. As you consider your options, please note that support for Office 2021 and Office LTSC 2021 will end one year later, in October 2026.