Frank's wife is getting into real estate and bought a Lenovo IdeaPad. Leo says that's a good mobile platform for what she does. It's a consumer oriented computer though, and as such, it won't be as robust as the ThinkPad, but it's a good tool for the price. So for professional work, a ThinkPad is really a better move.
Ken is starting his own accountant firm and wants to know what computer would be best for accounting. Leo says that the current trend is to use online bookkeeping, and what operating system he uses really doesn't matter. Having said that, he can save a lot of money with a Windows machine. Dell makes a great, professional platform. The Lenovo ThinkPad is also a good option. There is a ThinkPad with a number pad, too, which is ideal for data entry.
Sam wants to get a laptop. How are the Lenovo's? Leo says that he doesn't care for the consumer grade line, but the ThinkPad business line is second to none. Dell makes a good laptop in the Inspiron line. 17" is a big large for a laptop, and the battery life will be terrible. I t may be better to get a 13 or 15" and then get a 27" monitor to plug it into when you are your desk. Leo also recommends buying the Gold level support. Costco offers support too that is pretty good.
Should he go Mac instead? Leo says that's a personal decision. But Apple's laptops are top notch.
Tina is going back to school and needs to get a Windows based computer for class. Leo says that Windows 10 is a lot better than Tina's last Windows 95 computer. Recommendations include Dell, Hewlett Packard, and the Lenovo ThinkPad (Leo's favorite). The ThinkPad would be Leo's first choice because they are built to last and the keyboards are very durable. She should get 16gb RAM.
Craig wants a tablet with a keyboard that he can use as a computer or a tablet. Leo says that Acer has great convertibles, and the screen is fully hinged to go all the way around. It's a great bargain. Dell makes some rugged ones, like the Dell ATG. They're more expensive because they're designed to take a beating. But if he's on a budget, Acer is the way to go.
Jeremy is going to college and wants to buy a new MacBook laptop. Leo says he should wait until after June 4th, because Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference is happening and they're rumored to be announcing new MacBooks. Leo adds that he would have a broader range of choices going with Windows, and it may be a good idea to contact his college and see what they support, especially if he's in a field of study that is focused. If price is an object, he should get a better computer with a smaller hard drive, but it should be at least 256GB SSD.
John wants a device for watching DVDs with a large screen. Leo says that optical media have disappeared and large screen laptops are rare as well. Dell and Lenovo still sell 17" laptops, though. But he won't have a DVD drive with it. He could get an external DVD drive. They're cheap and he can plug it in when he wants it. Leo also recommends getting a larger external monitor. He should just use external peripherals when he wants to watch DVDs. That will give him the best of both worlds.
Rich also wants a two in one tablet/laptop for meetings. Leo says the Eve laptop/tablet is great. The Windows Surface Pro is also the best option. Another good option is the ThinkPad X1 YOGA.
John has to buy a new laptop since his 11-year-old laptop is stuck on Windows 7. Suggestions? Leo likes Dell. What about the ThinkPad T430 refurbished? Leo says that for $200, it's a pretty good deal. They're pretty rugged. John should check out the ThinkPad subreddit on Reddit. That's a great place to learn how to upgrade an older ThinkPad to keep it up to date. It's really easy to do with that particular model.
Joe's Google Nexus 7 tablet has gotten super slow and he tried rebooting it and it won't boot anymore. He's afraid the flash memory is gone. Leo says it could be. 4-5 years old or more, it may have just died. What tablet should he buy to replace it? Leo says that the Asus Zenpad is a great tablet for the money. And you should pull the trigger quickly because it's a dying category as fewer companies are making them now. Even Google doesn't anymore. Lenovo makes a great high end tablet, but in the low end, they're not that great.
