By Robin Owens 16 days ago, Hardware
Easy-to-use and affordable laptops for seniors.
If you are currently making a purchase for yourself or your older relatives, make sure to read this article to choose the best laptop for seniors. Here, you will find a list of models that have great accessibility and functionality, were found simple in use by elderly people, and have a decent price.
A good laptop is always hard to find because manufacturers prioritize different things. That creates a sea of offers where your request is only a tiny present that has to be somehow sieved out. I did the hard part for you so that you can find a model that has the price and specifications you like.
CPU: Intel Core i5 | GPU: Intel Iris Plus Graphics | RAM: 8 GB | Storage: 256 GB | Display: 13-inch | Weight: 6.09 pounds
You might be surprised to find such a powerful Apple model listed as the best laptop for seniors but there are reasons for that. This particular model received great updates that make it much more comfortable in use. One of them concerns the keyboard, your parents will appreciate the better scissor-type mechanism that solved some performance issues. If you buy this newer version, you can also benefit from the last generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor. Sure, it is much too powerful for seniors but such a choice is better for long-term use.
You can pick an SSD from a range between 256 GB and 4 TB, whatever you think fits the needs of the future owner. There are also options for RAM capacity, but there you can easily stop on the simper 8 GB model unless your parents are heavy gamers. The screen is pretty good, a 2560x1600 IPS with True Tone technology and good brightness.
CPU: Intel i5 | GPU: Intel HD Graphics | RAM: 16 GB | Storage: 128 GB | Display: 13.3-inch | Weight: 2.33 pounds
A Chromebook for seniors is another good idea, and this particular model is really advantageous. It measures 13.3 inches, and the touchscreen is quite bright and clear, set for a resolution of 1920x1080. The 8 GB of RAM is quite capacious but the storage is limited to a 128 GB SSD. The 1.3GHz Intel i5 processor will cope easily with any task your older relative might need to solve.
The device is equipped with 2 new C-type ports, but one can be discarded as a power plug. If high internet speed is a priority, this laptop was built to handle it. Google Play support could also be useful as a source of secure entertainment. The device has small dimensions and only weighs 2.3 lb. Plus, the manufacturer provides you with a year of guarantee and tech support handy for inexperienced users.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 | GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 3 | RAM: 4 GB | Storage: 128 GB | Display: 15.6-inch | Weight: 3.97 pounds
If you were interested in a bigger model but not as large as the best computers for seniors, you will appreciate this one in particular. Its plastic shell helps it to remain lightweight while also being robust enough to stand some rough treatment. This model has a few variations so that you can select the one that fully meets your needs. For instance, you can go for a weaker or stronger AMD processor, more or less RAM, a Hard Disc or Solid State Drive. The screen is particularly nice, providing you with bright visuals at 1920×1080 resolution. Whatever combination you go for, you will get a reliable machine with a reasonable price tag.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 | GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 3 | RAM: 4 GB | Storage: 128 GB | Display: 15.6-inch | Weight: 4.84 pounds
Some say this is the easiest laptop for seniors, and there are a few features that might prove that. It comes with Windows 10 and a good processor to cope with several tasks at once. On a 15.6-inch HD screen and with loudspeakers your relatives can enjoy long chats or interesting movies in comfort. There is somewhat little storage and the RAM is considered insufficient by today’s standards but for the aged users, it’s quite enough. The laptop has a whole array of ports and connectivity options so that even old internet cables can be used. It comes with a microphone and a webcam with a shutter that gives a special piece of mind to a user.
CPU: Intel Core i7 | GPU: Intel Iris Plus | RAM: 16 GB | Storage: 512 GB | Display: 15.6-inch | Weight: 4.08 pounds
This model would be great for parents who are slightly more accustomed to working with computers and might have higher needs than just emailing. It is somewhat heavy for a 15-inch device and weighs full four pounds. The clear and vibrant screen has 1920x1080 resolution and wide viewing angles, which will be greatly appreciated if your parents plan to share the device.
It has a great battery that not only lasts long but can also charge in about 90 minutes. With the help of its four cores and an SSD, it will not make your parents impatient, launching programs immediately. Robust, performant and promising to last a while, this will be a great present to any aging person.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 | GPU: AMD Radeon | RAM: 16 GB | Storage: 256 GB | Display: 14-inch | Weight: 3.63 pounds
Being one of the smallest laptops for seniors, it comes with a 14-inch screen. This makes the device lighter but still quite powerful. You get a great processor and stunning 16 GB of RAM, which is enough even for gaming. You will hardly ever need to add more RAM so the fact that it’s fixed should not bother you. What is really stunning in this model is the Full HD IPS display and the graphics it can create through the powerful video card. This means that images and text will be very clear, which is important for people with poor vision. Whether they want to read the news, call their relatives on video or watch movies, everything will look great.
IMAGE | NAME | FEATURES | |
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MacBook Pro
Premium
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CHECK PRICE → | ||
Google Pixelbook
Chromebook
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CHECK PRICE → | ||
Acer Aspire
Easiest
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CHECK PRICE → |
Technologies are becoming so widespread that more and more categories of people are becoming included in the customer list. It means that not only parents but also grandparents of modern users are starting to feel the need for a personal laptop. If using it is something they can manage, selecting a good model could be a task way over their head. Thus, it is important for you to learn what the common priorities for seniors are.
Notoriously, touchscreens are easier for older people to understand, and many prefer devices with this feature. It is especially true for those cases when a person has not had any experience with keyboard functions before. A convertible model that can be turned into a tablet is particularly appreciated. There are people, however, that would prefer a physical keyboard to a dual-function device.
Obviously, to select the best laptop for seniors, you need to figure out what they intend to use the device for. For instance, gaming features might not be required but something for emailing, creating or reading documents, doing some occasional browsing is common. Sometimes, there could be an interest in video chatting with relatives abroad, and that would require special features.
It is very important to go for a particular set of features. First and foremost, a screen should be big enough to fit enlarged content, possibly 16 inches or even more. It should additionally have an anti-reflective coating which is crucial for ease of viewing. At the same time, a finer resolution than 1400x900 is not advisable since the content will look too small for people with deteriorating vision.
There are a few things that help the seniors feel more comfortable about the keyboards. You need to give preference to laptops with large and widely spaced keys. It would be better if the keys were backlit but if that’s too hard to find, at least make sure that all the letters and symbols are visible. For that reason, black keyboards are suboptimal.
Notwithstanding the presence of the touchpad, it is best to buy a proper mouse straight away. A corded device would be better as the whole charging ordeal might prove too annoying. As for the type of mouse, larger would be better but you should let the future owner try at least one model in their hand. There is a reason why ergonomic mice have differences in build, up to specially shaped models for relieving arthritis. The extra buttons should be avoided, as the classical model is good enough.
A few more things can be important in laptops for elderly. If your relative wants to do video calls, a camera with at least 2 megapixels should be chosen. It will not increase the cost too much but at least the other side will see a decent image. While the quality can mostly be overlooked, the volume range is quite important so check up whether it reaches 6 W. While normally you would worry about RAM in a computer, elderly people are unlikely to ever load the 4 GB capacity.
The Google Pixelbook has been the most favored model this year.
The HP Pavilion is excellent for parents.
The Acer Aspire will be comfortable for your grandparents to use.
Amazon has a good selection of reasonably priced models for senior citizens.
It is recommended to install video chat applications like Skype or Zoom for staying connected with family and friends, and word processing software like Microsoft Word or Google Docs for writing letters or creating documents.
While touchscreens can be beneficial for some seniors, they are not necessarily necessary for all. It ultimately depends on the individual's preferences and comfort level with using touch-based interfaces.
The choice usually boils down to Windows and macOS. Windows provides a user-friendly interface with a wide range of software compatibility, while macOS offers a streamlined and intuitive experience specifically designed for Apple devices. The choice between the two depends on the individual's familiarity with the operating system and their specific needs.