Laptop/tablet for an elderly, not tech savvy parent

I need to buy some sort of computing device for my mum to replace her ancient iPad. She wants it for basic tasks – mostly web browsing and email. She’s also got an iphone but the screen on it is fairly small for her. She also wants to be able to print some things (although I can’t help thinking it’d be easier getting her to email me links so I can do the printing and then post it up, than to show her how to print and have her remember). As you may have guessed she’s not terribly technically literate and I am tech support, by default. We’re at opposite ends of the country so it’s not like I can sit her down and show her how to do things.

The easiest thing to do would be to get a new ipad but I baulk at the cost for such a limited use case and I’m not a iOS user (work phone aside) so I’d be able to support less. We’d also end up with issues with her using it for wifi printing (in theory this would work on her printer but printers are the spawn of the devil). A second hand/refurb ipad would be an option but they’re still expensive and we’d lose some lifespan in terms of OS updates.

Option 2 would be an Android tablet of some variety but then she’d have to learn a different sort of OS – not a problem for me but how many calls can I stand for to solve simple things.

Option 3 is an inexpensive Windows laptop. This might be easiest as I think there may be a support group at the local library. Again she’d have to learn how to use it but the screen would be bigger and there would be a USB port for printing. Touchscreen might also be an option. It also has the advantage that I could remote desktop onto it for support. There are no apps though – not a major issue but she wants to use Vinted.

Final option would be a Chromebook. I know very little about these (although I mostly use Chrome and Google Workspace at home). I’m led to believe that you can get apps from the Play store but know little else. It’d also have a USB port for easy printing. I’m wary of this option as it’s the unknown.

Does anyone have any experience of this decision that can offer thoughts?

you don’t always need apps, e,.g. vinted has a perfectly fine website interface, and you can usually access email via a website too. A chromebook should be fine. I suppose it depends on which specific apps you think she needs which don’t have a usable website (there are some, e.g.  I recently downloaded the “slopes” app for tracking my skiing, it’s like strava for skiers, but unlike strava there’s no website interface, you have to use the app)

Buy her an iPad.

It’s what she’s used to and it works the same as her phone.

Have a look in the Apple Refurbished store.

FWIW my iPad prints perfectly on my HP printer, more reliably than the Windows laptop.

I’d have put the Chromebook at the top of your list, assuming you know what “apps” she needs installed and that they are available.

Go for an iPad, as they still do “just work” and it’s what she’s used to. Buying something that she has to learn means that it probably won’t get used.

Actually just looked, only Airs or Pros in the refurbished store.

If I was looking for my mum I’d get her a 9th or 10th Gen standard iPad (not an Air or Pro). The 9 is £369 direct from Apple or the 10 from John Lewis is £379 I think.

It is a lot but my iPad (Air) is 6 years old and still works as well as the day I got it.

Costco just came up in a search cheaper.

Go for an iPad, expensive but they work. The journey with my mum, who is an IT nightmare, went through several Google tablets (didn’t go well despite a huge amount of effort on my part) then a MacBook (worked perfectly but she just didn’t need a laptop) and now onto a new iPad which works like a dream. She knows how to use it and amazingly doesn’t seem to offer her any challenges. It also works perfectly with her oldish printer, go figure. 🙂

IPad 9th gen is £315 at Costco

I’m in exactly the same position as you so I can sympathise!

We bought my Mum a Chromebook – she already had an Android phone and her ancient PC kept throwing up error messages, stuff about anti-virus expiring so we went with the Chromebook on the basis that Google just does all that stuff in the background, everything is backed up and she no longer has to rely on flash drives. She had a nasty habit of loading up billions of pics onto various flash drives, taking them to friends and neighbours to show photos and then importing viruses so at least the Chromebook stopped all that.

Remarkably, her home printer set up works OK – it’s slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through treacle but once the printer is warmed up (2 days or so) it’ll print wirelessly and reliably from her Chromebook (with much clunking, whirring and many long pauses, presumably while it contemplates the meaning of life and how much it can charge for a set of replacement cartridges).

Buy her an iPad.

It’s what she’s used to and it works the same as her phone.

Have a look in the Apple Refurbished store.

FWIW my iPad prints perfectly on my HP printer, more reliably than the Windows laptop.

^^^ this – and have her email you a file so you can print and post it is the most stupid idea I’ve heard this morning and I’ve heard the PM’s statement on the Rwanda bill

Your reticence about Apple is because you aren’t that familiar with it, but she is so will probably pester you less anyway.  The cost is partly over inflated “brand value” but in general it will be a better product and better supported than any cheap tablet.   The advantage for supporting an “iPad” as informal tech support is you can google and find an answer to 98% of issues (and go to apple store for the other 2%).  When you try and so that for a random android tablet you need to know the version of Android, the particular hardware options, what modifications the vendor made to Android in an attempt to make it better etc.

Oh, and I’d bet if she’s stuck with ordinary stuff and can’t get you to help her from miles away she could go to that local library group and someone there would have used an ipad enough to steer her in the right direction.   If she goes with a chromebook they may just be confused.

+1 for just getting an iPad, my mother has always been on windows (and still is for a desktop) but has inherited an iPad and it’s so much easier for us to support.

Like others I’m inclined to say get her what she’s familiar with, iPad. I’ve stuck with a Samsung tablet for my mum as she has a Samsung phone, all the layouts and settings are the same.

I’ve previously found a laptop with Team Viewer on it a god send, as I could remotely take over the laptop and sort things out for her. Much better and faster than trying to guide her over the phone and losing my temper with her over the most basic instructions.

Looks like you might be able to use team viewer on other devices??

Yep – refurbed iPad – dunno how old my Ipad Pro is (bought it with redundancy dosh, so suspect 9 years) but it still works like new. Battery life probably 60%-ish what it was, but a refurb should get around that.

Get what she is happy with and used to using.

I think im late to the party but even though im personally not an apple person – just get an iPad. 2nd hand or refurb if needs be.

They do, ultimately, just work. Its the only bit of tech that both generational ends of our family can pick up and work out themselves intuitively.

If she wants a tablet then iPad would be the best option.

If she wants a laptop form factor then Chromebooks are very simple to use.

I have both and the Chromebook gets used far more.

+1 for another iPad, pricey yes but given she’s already used to the interface and they pretty never go wrong with updates etc. it will be less hassle in the long run. Printing from one is simple, especially if the printer supports AirPrint

Agree with the above. iPad, refurb is fine.

My parents had Windows laptops. Endless calls, sessions on TeamViewer, couldn’t stop them clicking on random things and installing weird IE toolbars and stuff. Updates, drivers, passwords, how do I transfer photos from my phone etc.

Got them an iPad – don’t get any calls now. Got a second one now too as they get on with it so well.

I actually donated the laptops the other day, last visit, they said get rid of those.

Mumsies 1st gen ipad(air i think, or whateveer its actually called) packed up the other day so we took her to the apple shop and got a later 9th generation. Slightly bigger screen, which should make playing ‘candy crush’ a little bit easier.

Unfortunately they wouldnt accept the antique 1st generation for a trade in.

It stopped working in a funny way(1st gen) first the banking app wouldnt work, and when we updated it, which Im guessing it had never been it stopped working completely. I think the update deliberately broke it.

But she’s happy with her new one. Can do the banking and its a bit bigger.

I should add she’s 82.

I’d say IPad too, just to buck the trend!

Two reasons… she’s used to how to operate it… Don’t underestimate the headache it will cause them to learn a different system if they are old, and I say that as a PC/android person.

You don’t need the latest and greatest model. I bought my nan standard 9th generation iPad… She sadly passed so I’ve got it back now. It’s not my cup of tea but it’s slick to use and will do everything they need by the sounds of it.

Two reasons… she’s used to how to operate it… Don’t underestimate the headache it will cause them to learn a different system if they are old, and I say that as a PC/android person.

I’m in the middle of switching from Windows computers over to Apple Macs (a Mini & a MacBook Air). I don’t consider myself that old and I’m reasonably tech savvy but there’s still been a few times where I’ve struggled to get my head around stuff. Familiarity counts for a lot.

my elderly parents
Windows laptop = weekly mither/constant worry of them getting hacked.
iPad = not had any mither in the whole time they’ve had an iPad.

Just because you dont like iPads, doesn’t mean she doesn’t.

what does the customer want…

My parents had Windows laptops. Endless calls, sessions on TeamViewer, couldn’t stop them clicking on random things and installing weird IE toolbars and stuff. Updates, drivers, passwords, how do I transfer photos from my phone etc.

Did they have new-fangled colour screens or were they still amber and black? 😁 I take your point, but times have moved on since Windows XP.

In any case, for the OP the question is “do you want a physical keyboard?”  If yes then a Chromebook seems the obvious choice, if no then go with what she knows and suck up the price of a newer iPad.

Maybe a ipad is the answer. We’ve had huge problems in the last few years with her spending money like it’s going out of fashion (a £1k Thermomix that never gets used anyone) and I’m always reticent about spending.

I’ll take exception at my somewhat flippant comment about emailing me stuff to print. I’ve lost count of the frustrating phone calls when she’s done something daft and then it somehow becomes my problem to fix. Me printing stuff may not be efficient but it’s certainly the least ballache option for me.

Edit: thanks for all your input. I know I’m pretty fed up with a number of ongoing problems and this is just another potential pain point for me.