George is looking for an affordable replacement for his Android phone. Leo says that he likes the Motorola G9. It's $238 and it has a huge battery. Decent camera. A little more expensive, but with a better camera is the Google Pixel 4a - and the 5a should be out in a few months.
Suzanne is about to retire, and she needs a new computer to replace her school-issued laptop. Leo says there's an infinite number of choices in the Windows PC world, but there are also trade-offs, depending on what you plan on using it for. Suzanne wants a 17" laptop. Leo says if you get a 17" laptop, its battery life will be impacted greatly. Plus, there are fewer 17" models out there. Look at HP, Dell, and Lenovo. Leo says that the Lenovo P17 Mobile Workstation is a good option. And it's on sale. Look for coupon codes too, which can cut the price tag in half.
Frank wants to get a laptop for his brother, who lives in Ukraine. Leo says that 8GB RAM is the minimum for a Windows 10 PC, but Leo says he should double that. RAM is different from hard drive storage. Get as much as he can afford, but 128GB is the minimum for a hard drive, 256GB is even better.
An SSD is best. Frank has a budget of $300. Leo says that's going to limit Frank's choices, so if he can go higher, the better.
Another option is a Chromebook. Less expensive, so he can get more bang for the buck, and if his brother's work is mostly online, that would be ideal.
Linda is looking to get a Chromebook to replace an old Lenovo laptop. Her budget is around $300. But remember that when you have a budget that low, you tend to sacrifice performance. But if you don't mind that, Leo says that Lenovo has a few models in that range. There's also the Acer Spin, which is a nice one that Leo likes. And can she transfer her data to the new Chromebook? Leo says that Chromebooks store everything in the cloud, so you can easily backup all your data to Google Drive and Google Photos for stills.
Marlin does reports using his computer with voice dictation. He would like to transition to an iPad, but he hasn't really had success with them. Leo says there are a bunch of note-taking apps that do just as good a job as Nuance's Dragon Naturally Speaking. Including OtterAI and Notability. There are also online options. So maybe trying a few different apps would yield better results. Marlin needs to update his laptop anyway, so what's his best option? Leo says that the latest HP Elite Folio laptops are designed just for that purpose, with a reversible screen to go into tablet mode.
Paul got his grandson a Lenovo laptop five years ago, and now it's time to get him a new one. Leo says that Lenovos are still good. Leo says that the ThinkPads are better than the Flexpad though. Far more robust. Leo likes the X1 Nano. Super Thin and light, but very powerful. But if on a budget, the Thinkpad T series certainly can do the job. It isn't a sexy design, but definitely functional. Make sure to get at least 16GB of RAM and a larger hard drive!
Roger is approaching 70 and is about to buy his first computer. Has it passed him by? Leo says that often people who are math challenges, have a phobia when it comes to computers. It's more of a psychological limitation. Leo says that a computer isn't really difficult to understand or use. A gentle introduction helps, along with having a specific purpose. What does Roger want to do with it? That enables him to start learning with a targeted approach. When cooking, for instance, Leo likes to use an app called Paprika, which helps him look up recipes from its built-in browser.
Gary bought a refurbished laptop, and it stopped working after the 90-day warranty. So he's having to get a new one. Leo says that the new MacBook Air is probably Gary's best option: very reliable, or get a Chromebook.
Richard would like a fast laptop to do CAD, video editing, etc. Leo says that a desktop would probably be a better way to go for super-fast CAD working. Laptops can't run at full speed because they get too hot. But the top of the line fastest laptops are Windows machines and are more like desktop replacements. And they run hot. ASUS Republic of Gaming and Dell's Alienware brands are designed for that high-performance gaming and other applications. But Apple's new M1 designs are making strides to do high-performance computing without having to run hotter.
Jim's daughter is going to be studying STEM in college. What laptop should he buy? Leo says that in general, it won't make a difference. But she may want to call the college and talk to the STEM department and ask to see if they are focused on one platform over another. Especially if they are using specific software in class. But generally, it shouldn't matter. A MacBook Air is a good option though. On the Windows side, Leo says that the Lenovo Thinkpad is a great option.
