Video editing needs a good CPU, so the cheap option would be [Acer Swift 3] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BMYJ269/?tag=bkadamos_alltest-20)
the casing made of brushed aluminum and looks very premium.
The keyboard is a chiclet keyboard, typing on it feels spongy, but you get used to it quickly.
Drag and drop sometimes doesn't work as intended, but that is easily fixed with software.

Screen is glossy Full HD IPS, with very good viewing angles, the screen flickers at 200 Hz in a brightness level of 20%. if you have sensitive eyes might find this unpleasant (or you can get a headache if you are really sensitive).

The main (and maybe only) con about this laptop is how dim the screen can get, it is not usable in direct sunlight, and the coverage of colors is average (39% RGB and 61% sRGB).

Has very good heat management, and it doesn't throttle.

Speakers provide very clear sounds, and the maximum volume is pretty loud.


Battery life is very good at around 9-11 hours of usage on light to medium usage.


and if she prefers 2 in 1, then I would recommend this [Lenovo Yoga 720] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072M22XK8/?tag=bkadamos_alltest-20) because it comes with everything you need, 7th generation, i7 quad core CPU, 16GB of ram, good SSD storage of 512GB for faster boot up and loading, 15.6 inch 4K UHD IPS touch screen, high build quality, backlit keyboard, supports pen, and thunderbolt port.
I thought I would give you a little more in-depth review, so here it goes:

• It’s equipped with Intel Core i7-7700HQ which is commonly used in gaming laptops, most convertibles use low powered dual core processors. The processor of capable of delivering enough power for most of work’s intensive tasks and gaming.
  
  
• Full HD (IPS) 15.6 4K Touchscreen, which is very rare for this budget range and great for watching movies/videos. With color range of 90 % sRGB and 59% Adobe RGB it’s one of the best for this price and it's suitable for video and photo editing. Viewing angles are great with the IPS panel but with its glossy finish it’s not the best choice for outside usage.
  
  
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 2 G is one of the most common GPUs for mid prices gaming laptops.
  
• Heat management isn’t the best as the device heats up under load and CPU throttles to maintain reasonable temperatures, but it doesn’t reach the point of hurting the internal components
  
  
• Good upgrades available, can change the SSD. It’s relatively easily upgradable which isn’t the case for most convertibles.
  
  
• It’s good on connectivity with 2 X USB 3.0 ports and a Thunderbolt 3.
  
• Battery life is from 7 to 8 hours of normal non-gaming usage.
  
• Minimal bloat-ware, speakers have excellent quality but not so loud, Keyboard is excellent as you would expect from Lenovo keyboards, Trackpad aren’t much different with windows precision driver, It has fingerprint scanner which is fast and accurate, The body is sturdy and feels premium as it’s all aluminum.
  and if you prefer more powerful CPU for video editing, then I would recommend this Eluktronics mech g2 because it has great combination between value for money, weight, battery life, and performance.
  It comes with GTX 1660Ti GPU, You can check the below link to see how the GTX 1660Ti
  GPU (scroll down for the FPs and settings expected or ctrl+f then type the name of your game).
  https://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-1660-Ti-Laptop-Graphics-Card.386426.0.html
  Comes with 9th gen, i7 hexa core CPU which is powerful for video editing.
  Very good sRGB coverage which is suitable for photo editing.
  The outer shell is made almost entirely out of metal so it’s reliable like you want.
  Keyboard is mechanical with RGB backlit.
  It has 3 USB type A, Ethernet, and mic and headphone jack and on the back an HDMI, and USB type C.
  
  Screen is IPS with 144Hz refresh rate, with impressively small bezels, and a professional design.
  
  Lid can't be open with one hand.
  
  Fans get loud under intensive work, but that is normal with every good gaming laptop.
  
  Plenty of upgrade options as the chassis supports up to 32GB of ram, and 2 SSDs and 1 HDD.
  Heat management is great, it can get hot but it gets cool again pretty quickly once the fans kick in.
  
  Main con of the laptop is the trackpad, it is mediocre at best when you compare it to other laptops in the price range.
  
  Battery life during normal usage is around 3.5-4.5 hours and 1.5 hour during gaming.
  
  Speakers are down facing so during intensive work, it is best to wear headphone since the fan gets loud during gaming as well.
  
  If you want to check similar option make sure to check my post a list of best general use laptops

Entire article with spam/referrals removed

Please report this post and user u/mnluxury11 to the mods for breaking the rules for personal profit.

Best Overall

1. HP Envy 13 Touchscreen Laptop
   
   KEY SPECS
   
   • 10th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU
   
   • Intel graphics
   
   • 8 GB of RAM
   
   • 13-inch Full HD IPS touchscreen
   
   • 256 GB of SSD storage
   
   • Built-in fingerprint sensor
   
   • Built-in switch for disabling the webcam
   
   • Thunderbolt 3-capable USB-C port, two full USB-A ports, microSD
   card reader
   
   • Bang & Olufsen-tuned stereo speakers
   
   • Up to 17 hours of battery life
   
   >By offering a perfect blend of cool design, exceptional craftsmanship, excellent performance, and a host of handy hardware features, the latest generation 13-inch HP Envy is the best touchscreen laptop. Lightweight and elegant, it has a speedy and futureproof Intel processor, a Full HD touchscreen with thin bezels, a superb set of wired and wireless connectivity options, and epic battery life.
   
   >The keyboard and the trackpad impressed me a great deal during my testing. The latter in particular offers a massive leap in quality and precision over the previous generations. A built-in fingerprint sensor is also on board, as are a webcam kill switch and stereo speakers tuned by Bang and Olufsen.
   
   >Most importantly, when it comes to pricing, this HP Envy variant is impossible to overlook, especially considering its hardware specs and the build quality it offers. I tip my hat to HP for pricing the notebook well below $1,000!
   
   Price: $970
   
   
2. Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1 Laptop
   
   KEY SPECS:
   
   • AMD Ryzen 5 3500U CPU (quad-core)
   
   • Radeon Vega 8 graphics
   
   • 12 GB of RAM
   
   • 14-inch 360-degree touchscreen with Full HD resolution (1,920 by 1,080 pixels)
   
   • 256 GB of SSD storage
   
   • Two full USB 3.0 ports, USB-C port, HDMI port, SD card reader
   
   • Up to 10 hours of battery life
   
   >Priced just a tad above $500, the Lenovo Flex 14 has a pleasantly understated design, as well as top-notch hardware specs. It has a versatile 360-degree touchscreen with a bundled stylus pen, a powerful AMD processor, and a rich set of connectivity features. A Windows Central review editor referred to the notebook as a “worthwhile budget convertible.”
   
   >The 14-inch Full HD touchscreen could use higher brightness and more vibrant colors, but it’s plenty good for a product this affordable. And the included stylus pen is all but guaranteed to come in handy for a plethora of tasks.
   
   >The backlit keyboard and the trackpad of the notebook are good for its price range. The built-in fingerprint sensor on the other hand, is a pleasant surprise. The same goes for the built-in webcam shutter.
   
   >The notebook can last for up to 10 hours between battery charges and, once that’s up, you can replenish its battery up to 80% in just 1 hour with the bundled charger.
   
   Price: $550
   
   
   The Apple User’s Pick
   
   
3. Apple iPad Pro (12.9-inch)
   
   KEY SPECS
   
   • Apple A12X Bionic chip with a built-in Neural Engine
   
   • 12.9-inch Liquid Retina display
   
   • Optional Apple Pencil
   
   • Up to 1 TB of built-in storage
   
   • TrueDepth camera with Face ID
   
   • Thunderbolt 3-capable USB-C port
   
   • Up to 10 hours of battery life
   
   >I said this before and I’ll repeat it again: the 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro is a legit laptop replacement for several reasons, starting with its insanely capable A12X Bionic chip, which, according to Laptop Mag, “rivals or beats” most laptops. Equipped with Apple’s Smart Keyboard Cover, the tablet is a phenomenal productivity tool. Best of all, the iPad Pro is lightweight (it weighs only 1.4 pounds!) and versatile beyond belief.
   
   >The 12.9-inch Retina wowed me, and is “one of the best, most accurate mobile displays you can look at,” according to The Verge. In addition to being sharp and vibrant, it has a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz. The latter makes every task you perform on the iPad Pro fast and fluid. The screen is also a perfect canvas for the optional second-generation Apple Pencil — the best input device of its kind.
   
   >Apple’s iPadOS is also crucial in making the big iPad Pro a formidable laptop replacement. The mobile platform has intuitive user interface, superb multitasking capabilities, and a fantastic selection of apps that are tailor-made for a big screen.
   
   Price: $943
   
   The Chrome OS Pick
   
   
4. Asus Chromebook Flip C434 Touchscreen Laptop
   
   KEY SPECS
   
   • Eighth-generation Intel Core m3 or Core m5 CPU (dual-core)
   
   • 14-inch 360-degree touchscreen with 1,920 by 1,080 pixels; 360-degree hinge
   
   • Built-in stylus by Wacom
   
   • 4/8 GB of RAM; 64 GB of eMMC storage
   
   • Two USB-C ports, one full USB port, microSD card reader
   
   • Up to 10 hours of battery life
   
   >If you prefer Chrome OS, then the ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 is the best pick worth your attention today. It has a gorgeous design and craftsmanship, a versatile 360-degree display, and top-notch performance. The product is also the “favorite Chromebook” of a Laptop Mag review editor.
   
   >Intel’s Core m processors found in the C434 are not the most powerful in the business, but they are plenty capable for Chrome OS. During my testing, every task I performed on the Chromebook Flip happened instantly.
   
   >I only wish that the Google Play store had more apps and games optimized for a large-screen experience. The ASUS Flip C434 is also a tad pricey for a Chromebook, but, given its design and performance, it’s well worth the splurge.
   
   Price: $530
   
   
   The Hardest Working Pick
   
   
5. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (7th Generation) Touchscreen Laptop
   
   KEY SPECS
   
   • Eighth-generation Intel Core i7 CPU (quad-core)
   
   • Intel graphics
   
   • 16 GB of RAM
   
   • 14-inch matte touchscreen with Full HD resolution (1,920 by 1,080 pixels)
   
   • 512 GB of SSD storage
   
   • Windows Hello sign-in with a fingerprint sensor
   
   • Two full USB 3.1 ports, two Thunderbolt 3-capable USB-C ports, HDMI port,
   microSD card slot
   
   • Built-in webcam shutter
   
   • Up to 18 hours of battery life
   
   >Lenovo’s touchscreen-equipped ThinkPad X1 Carbon is made for hard work on the go. It’s insanely lightweight yet impressively powerful and capable of easily making it through a full day (and beyond) on a single battery charge.
   
   >The product’s wired and wireless connectivity features are also exceptional. According to a PCMag review editor, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon “is as close to the ultimate business laptop as you can get.” I couldn’t agree more.
   
   >I was really blown away by the battery endurance of the variant with a Full HD display I tested. I also enjoyed using its quiet and precise keyboard, as well as its excellent trackpad. I like that Lenovo opted to install a webcam cover on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, too.
   
   Price: $1500

If all you care about is processor speed, and even light gaming, for the money, this is an excellent opportunity. This $280 price used to only exist for used Lenovo 310s, and at release this laptop cost $450 new. So if you're under a strict budget of ~$300, get it. It's also one of the lightest "cheap" 15.6" laptops out there.

If you have more money to spare, try going for the Acer E15. Reason is, it has a better screen, a non-fucky shift key, and better battery life. You'll feel better using it, even though the specs are practically identical.
Also, you'll get awesome "tech support" through a Youtube channel called Tech Deals for the Acer E15; he goes into meticulous detail on how to make it run in tip top shape and how to upgrade it. Like really, this guy is my hero. Below is the playlist to all the videos he's done on the Acer E15:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5-PBA-wl9Uto4fL1RHBy3SEW6_4yDqss


Here's my personal story:
I started out looking for a ~$300 laptop, and even ordered this without opening it first so I can return it full refund just in case while I continue looking for something that would check off my needs/wants/wish list better. It's just that crazy of a deal.

I kept looking, and I've always wanted a laptop that looks "nice", has a nice looking touchscreen (to see what all the hype is about), is in the weight range of my stolen Acer C720 (2-3lbs), runs Windows, and has decent enough oomph while still acting as a secondary laptop to my main pooter.

I eventually bought the Asus Zenbook flip, last generation, for ~$500 in "like new" used condition. Here's the one I got:

ASUS ZenBook Flip UX360CA-UBM1T 13.3-inch Touchscreen Convertible Laptop Core m3 8GB DDR3 256GB SSD with Windows 10 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HZT6AR0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_f4mRybV0RFFBG

For the price, its perfect, and I'll be using it for years to come. Looks gorgeous and is light as a feather as well.

Good luck with your searches! As a general tip, my workflow for finding a laptop is thus:

1. Define your budget.
   
2. Don't be stingy with your budget if it will get you something you think you'll largely enjoy. You'll be using this all the time after all.
   
3. Value is not only present in specs, but with the user experience as a whole. Screen color gamut, track pad jankiness, I/O ports, speakers, and keyboard feel are more important than you'd first think.
   
4. Go out if you can and physically use the laptops you want to buy. You won't always find the exact model, but the same chassis are used with different processors/ram/memory configs. Use this opportunity to test if you like the screens, track pad, keyboard, weight, and looks of the product. This will also help you define what you really want out of a laptop and introduce you to some models you may have not payed attention to before.
   
5. Define what you'll enjoy when you use your laptop. That will give you filter criteria for what you're looking for. Everyones needs are different. Hone in on the single component that is the biggest differentiating factor for your enjoyment and needs, then compare secondary specs between candidates.
   
6. Enjoy the process.
   
7. Don't be afraid to scroll past the first results page on Amazon. I've found some very interesting things this way, including this deal.
   
8. Use video reviews to understand qualitative aspects of a laptop and see it physically in the real world.
   
9. Use Passmark or Geekbench score repositories to gauge relative processor strength. Just Google the processor name followed by "Passmark" or "Geekbench". Gauge the price vs performance ratio as you go in your head, it's faster and easier this way.
   
10. Don't forget to check Newegg and Best Buy for open box and refurbished deals if you've found "the one" but it's still a little too expensive. I saw an Acer E15 that goes for $350 on Amazon for $294 refurbished on Newegg.
    
    Good luck!!!

I would suggest the [Acer R11 for $269USD](https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Chromebook-Convertible-11-6-Inch-CB5-132T-C1LK/dp/B01J42JPJG/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1483770071&sr=1-2&keywords=acer+r+13 "Amazon Link to purchase") if you're really on a tight budget, but you're going down to 11.6", which may in the end be better for portability if you're still lugging back and forth from classes. It also has Android Apps in the stable channel which is a bonus. Just make sure if you get the R11 that you get the 4Gb Ram model or else Android won't run well on it anyway. My previous chromebook was the Acer C720P, which has the same screen size, and it was nice and light to carry around from work, home, and travelling, and was the laptop that I've used for most of my Master's degree and works well for typing long papers. The [Asus Chromebook Flip (1) at $259USD](https://www.amazon.com/C100PA-DB02-10-1-inch-Chromebook-1-8GHz-Operation/dp/B00ZS4HK0Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1483771163&sr=1-1&keywords=asus+Chromebook+flip "Amazon Link to purchase") is nice, but in my opinion the keyboard is too cramped to be used as a computer to write anything longer than a facebook or reddit post, which I imagine why your original post requested info on 13"-ers, and 16Gb storage is too small for the future anyway.

I currently have the [Acer R13 at $399USD](https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Chromebook-Convertible-13-3-inch-CB5-312T-K5X4/dp/B01LXYG77O/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1483771046&sr=1-1&keywords=acer+r+13 "Amazon Link to purchase") and it's great. I honestly can say it's overall the best computer I've ever owned and in my opinion the best value for a computer that money can buy. That being said, $400 is a lot of money for a student, but if you can afford it, it's definitley the one I'd recommend for you. The new ones that are coming out of CES, specifically the [Asus Chromebook C302 at $499USD](https://www.amazon.com/Chromebook-C302CA-DHM4-Traditional-Laptop-Silver/dp/B01N5G5PG2/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1483771756&sr=1-1&keywords=Asus+Chromebook+C302 "Amazon Link to Pre-Order") and the [Samsung Chromebook Plus at $449USD](https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Electronics-XE513C24-K01US-Chromebook-Touch-Screen/dp/B01LZ6XKS6/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1483771819&sr=1-2&keywords=samsung+chromebook+plus "Amazon Link to Pre-Order"), that will have touch and support android apps may run better but all cost more, will be harder or impossible to get now, and are arguably not a better value for the dollar. Back lit keyboards are nice but aren't a necessity for you I imagine!

Good luck on making a decision and let us know what you ultimately decide!

Hey, I'm going to update my request. I posted earlier in the week and had time to think this weekend.

Reflections:

• Shopping for laptops is stressful; almost every lower-budget machine has big trade-offs these days!
  
• Lots of cheaper machines make compromises on basic quality of life; screen, keyboard, touchpad and so on..
  
• I really like the aesthetic of the Asus Zenbooks with the Ergo-Hinge, but they're all very different model to model.
  
• I've noticed QA issues amongst the reviews for products with the R5-3500u/3700u as well as heat/noise concerns. In retrospect these are issues that I don't want to gamble on; which also makes the Lenovo Flex 14'' & APU's less attractive.
  
• The Flex 14'' is a really good value and has a pretty secure spot at being a 2nd or 3rd choice.
  
• Something I've realized is that I don't really need a dedicated GDDR5 GPU like the MX150 or MX250.
  
  

  General Usage Habits:
  

  
  

• 10-15 Firefox Tabs
  
• Youtube, Spotify, Pandora.
  
• Netflix, Amazon Prime, Streaming.
  
• I'd like to play around w/ Linux.
  
  Budget: Initially; $400-600; but concern with build quality pushes me towards < $1000
  
  Country: USA ~Getting to a Microcenter, BestBuy or Walmart isn't a problem.
  
  Screen size: 13-14'' -- 1080p; prefer SSD & 8GB of RAM.
  
  Screen resolution: Prefer 1080p with solid brightness & good viewing angles.
  
  Heat:
  
  Sound: I'll likely bring my soundbar/headphones, but sound isn't unimportant.
  
  Touch screen: Depends; I think it's almost mandatory for Chromebooks & less so for laptops.
  
  Battery Life: I want something that's fairly powerful but can last a full school day (5-10 hours).
  
  Weight**: Less than 5 lbs; considering various Chromebooks & Ultrabooks; the lighter the better.
  
  Tl;DR - Laptops & Chromebooks that I'm considering:
  
  

  Laptops:
  

  
  

1. Asus Zenbook UX333FA-DH51 $840
   
2. Asus Vivobook S14-S432 & S15-S532 $750-900
   
3. Acer Aspire Slim 5: A515-54G-53H6 $650
   
4. Lenovo Flex 14'' R5-3500u $560
   https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/ideapad/ideapad-flex-series/Lenovo-IdeaPad-FLEX-15IWL/p/88IP8FX1272 (Lenovo Holiday sales ~ 10th Gen Intel = nice integrated graphics (for me anyway..)
   
5. ASUS ZenBook 13 UX333FA-DH51
   
6. HP Spectre x360 15-ch011dx Convertible
   
   I know that I could get better "value" - with a 10th gen i5 & an MX250 w/ the Acer Aspire Slim 5. The hardware is better, but I find the build quality concerning because this is a machine that'll go pretty much everywhere with me. The Vivobook, while less expensive loses a lot of battery life compared to the UX333FA; which I'm considering picking up used or possibly on Ebay because I love the aesthetic and getting it for ~ $700 is a much more competitive deal for me.
   
   Edit (adding some Microcenter deals) UX333FA-DH51 is @ $800 & HP Spectre x360 is at $850/800 too.

Depends on what you're looking for and whether you're okay with refurb/open box machines. At your price point, you can even get some of the 2-in-1 machines if you find a sale. Here is one at Best Buy for $199 (same machine in red is $189) right now that will run Linux, but I don't think it has Android Apps because it lacks a touchscreen. Here's one for around $230 that has been one of the best value CBs for like 2 years running, and it has a touchscreen. Both those models have SD/microSD card slots to expand storage and they . If you can dig a little deeper AND don't mind used, this is the one I own, currently going for less than $300 for a used one, but I totally understand if that's above your price ceiling. It's just the only one I can personally speak to that's moderately recent (and I love it! it's fantastic and definitely supports Linux and Android apps, plus I have a 128 GB micro SD expanding the storage literally right now as I type this. I'll probably be using it until the end of service date 3 years from now). But you'd be alright with anything on this list, which is all the devices that support enabling the Linux environment. Can't go wrong with the big names (Acer, ASUS, Dell, Lenovo, etc).

​

Speaking of enabling the Linux environment, it is currently optional and you have to do some things to enable it after you get a machine off that list (if you do) to prove you know what you're doing, I guess. r/Crostini has an excellent wiki should you decide to go the chromebook route, with a getting started guide that can really help. The best part is, ChromeOS takes way less system resources than even Win10- that same Inspiron 3000 hardware that u/QuestionThrowaway404 rightfully said chugs even with added RAM is decently snappy when a smaller OS is on it. Good luck, whatever you end up choosing and let me know if you have more questions, I'll see what I can find out!

It'll run it but the screen quality in this laptop is very bad. The picture is washed out and it isn't good at producing dark colors. The difference between a good display and a not-so-good one is easily one of the most noticeable things, and you can certainly do better.

For gaming in particular a poor quality display can be considered to defeat some of the purpose of buying a gaming laptop: to make games look better. For gaming, I would make your priorities: Good GPU + Good Display. You will notice those the most. CPU will matter less since both the i5 quad and i7 quad are plenty for most games when paired with a GTX 1050 or Ti, RAM is easily upgradable, and SSD is easily upgradable.

---

One of the best values right now is the $899 Eluktronics N850HK1. It has:

• A GTX 1050 Ti (same as the higher models of the Inspiron)
  
• A 1920x1080 IPS display with good contrast and good colors (specifically the LG LP156WF6-SPB1 if you want to get technical, which is one of the best)
  
  Eluktronics may be less well-known than Dell, but it's one of a number of resellers who buy Clevo laptops in bulk, configure them, and sell them. Perhaps a more well-known reseller is Sager, but Sager's version of this laptop costs $100 more.
  
  EDIT: Model I linked is the $899 1080p+1TB model which is currently sold out. Currently redirects to the $999 4K model, which uses a PenTile not-true-4K display. I would recommend waiting until the $899 1080p+1TB model comes back in stock. There's also a $999 1080p+SSD model.
  
  ----
  
  Other options:
  
  
• Acer Aspire VX 15 ($999, display quality is a lot better than the Inspiron but not quite as good as the N850HK1)
  
• MSI GE62-239 ($999, similar GPU similar display to the Acer VX 15)
  
• HP Omen 15 (less good value unless you get a discount/coupon, but still a better choice than the Inspiron)
  
• HP Pavilion Power 15 (less good value unless you get a discount/coupon, but still a better choice than the Inspiron)
  
• Lenovo Y520 (should be $899 with GTX 1050 and similar display to the Acer VX 15, when released this month)
  
  ----
  
  Check out /r/SuggestALaptop if you want more options

First of all I'd recommend going to arachnoboards.com and signing up and heading over to r/tarantulas. Now with that out of the way the general run of the mill recommendation is juvenile-young adult new world terrestrial species. Now let's break that down:


Tarantulas are broadly classified into two broad groups: new world and old world. Differences are mainly old world species are not from either north or south America (generally Africa or Asia) they tend to be quicker, more defensive, they do not have urticating setae (small irritating hairs on the abdomen) and have more potent venom. New world have urticating setae, are from the Americas, and tend to be less defensive, slower, and less venomous. So new world species are the obvious choice to a beginner.


The reason it's recommended to get a juvenile is due to the fact that while overall a relatively easily cared for pet, slings are quite fragile still and require much more attention, a juvenile still leaves you with room to watch your pet grow up but not so young that it's easier to take care of and it's less dangerous for the spider if you make a mistake or two as a beginner.


As for terrestrial? Again arboreal species tend to be harder for a new keeper to get used to.


Now finally the question is what are you looking for in a tarantula? The points I suggested above are more guidelines than hard rules (but with special emphasis on starting with new world not old world) I myself started with a little G. pulchripes sling, not a common recommendation for a beginner due to their extremely slow growth rate and the fact that again slings aren't the best for beginners. Despite that I knew I wanted one I could watch grow from the beginning and I was ready to make the possible decade long commitment so I went for it. Do you want one that's a heavy webber, or one with bright colours? Maybe go for a C. cyanopubescens. One that grows quickly and large? Try L. parahybana. A classic? B. hamorii. Something fuzzy? B. albopilosum. Or even what I started with: G. pulchripes. All good starter species.


A relatively common suggestion is G. rosea/porteri. They are abundant in the tarantula pet trade, and generally are decent starter species but have also known to sometimes be aggressive. The community here tends to lean on saying not to start with them but I personally think it's relatively the same as other starter species I mentioned. The consensus is pretty split.



On a final note: do your research! Before buying anything, make sure you're plenty ready to house your pet when they arrive, different species require slightly different setups. I'd recommend The Tarantula Keepers Guide it contains some very solid (and some outdated) info. It's an excellent starting point however. There are some sections that you should take with a grain of salt, but as of now it's one of the better comprehensive guides out there. The alternative being scouring various parts of the internet to try and cobble together a working knowledge.

> typing long word documents ranging from 20 to 100 pages.

As others have said, I would recommend testing out Google Docs on your current PC and see how it handles the things you require. You can also try out Microsoft Office Online, and depending on the Chromebook you should have access to the Microsoft Office Android apps as well.

> Opening 10 - 15 browser tabs for research articles.

Most any Chromebook with 4GB of RAM should be able to handle that, but I would still recommend using an extension like OneTab. It's primary function is to conserve system resources, but it also makes it MUCH easier to scan through a large number of tabs very quickly because you can see the full tab name instead of the truncated portion you see in the tab bar when several tabs are open.

> Audio transcribing (listening to recordings at reduced speeds to type them out word for word).

I've never tried this on a Chromebook and honestly don't know if the default audio player allows adjustment of audio speed, but I'm confident you could find an Android app that would allow you to do that if need be.

> Reading/highlighting PDFs.

Kami should work very nicely for you. You can try it out on whatever PC you're currently using to see how it works. You could also use Onenote Online or any number of Android Apps.

> Will a chromebook with 2gb ram perform these functions smoothly? Or am I better off getting a low-end microsoft laptop?

Honestly, I would say neither. You're better off buying a nice Chromebook with 4GB RAM as a minimum. And since it sounds like you would be doing a lot of extended typing sessions, it's imperative that you get a device with a very good keyboard. At this point, the best option available on the Chrome OS side is the Asus C302CA or the Dell Chromebook 13 if you can grab one of those refurbs when it pops up on Dell Outlet.

> How seamless is the conversion from a google doc to word doc?

I've never had any problems with it, and I don't expect you would either unless you're doing some extremely complicated formatting. Even so, you could always use Office Online or the Android Apps (which, last I checked, were available on my C302CA).

I've been working from home for a little under two years now. My setup is a little pricey, but I've paid for it working completely online, so that's a nice feeling.

I currently don't have a desk (won't have room until I move in with my girlfriend in a few months), so I work on a laptop for now. The laptop is a gaming laptop. I have a gaming laptop because, I'm not looking to simply "work" for an income. During the day, I work online while my laptop mines a cryptocurrency in the background. Crypto mining has definitely been a profitable venture for me. In the evening, I stream for a few hours on Twitch. I'm not a big established streamer, but I've made a little bit of income from streaming.

Because of not having a desk, I don't really have room for a second screen. However, I do have a Acer R11 Chromebook that I usually keep a couple Chrome tabs open to monitor various things. The touch screen is really nice as well.

My mouse is a Razer Naga. I am a man of efficiency and I believe that, for online workers like ourselves who are usually getting paid by getting work done and not by the hour, efficiency and productivity are key. The keypad on the side of the mouse work wonders. Being able to program different keys and even scripts to them is amazing. Some people prefer the Logitech equivalent to it.

The headset is going to ultimately come down to personal preference. There are many, many different headsets out that that come in all sorts of shapes and styles. Do you want over-the-ear? On-ear? Do you want the band to go over the head? Behind the head? Do you need a wireless headset because you have kids at home and you need to get up often? Reviews may not be too reliable as well. For example, with gaming headsets, if you go to any gaming forum or subreddit and ask about gaming headsets, people will have you believe that the HyperX Cloud II Headset is the greatest headset put on God's green earth. It just wasn't for me. It was a little tight on my head and the audio was a bit too "in my head", which gave me headaches. I much prefer the Astro A40 TR Headset.

Finally, you're going to want to protect your eyes. If you work online, you're going to be staring at a screen for hours on end. If you're looking at a screen, you're exposed to artificial blue light. Artificial blue light is meant to emulate sunlight. Exposing your eyes to it will strain your eyes, which can disrupt your sleeping patterns, cause headaches, elevate stress, etc. That's only in the short term. In the long term, well, screens emitting blue light haven't been around long enough yet, so we don't really know what the long term effects of it is. Still, you need to protect your eyes. There are a handful of companies that make glasses designed to specifically filter out blue light. When I used to wear specific glasses for this, my preferred brand was Gunnar Optiks. I say "used to wear" - I had to get prescription glasses recently and my eye doctor offered blue light protection in my glasses. I believe it's called "Prevencia". If you have to wear prescription glasses, ask about it next time you see your eye doctor.

Hope this helps!

Edit: I forgot to mention F.lux. F.lux is a program that reduces the amount of blue light your screen emits based on the time of day, emulating a sunset. At night, it gives your screen a red/orange lighting. At night, after the sun has set and F.lux kicks on on my screen, I take my glasses off. It's a very nice program.

Models in mind

Acer Chromebook R11, Dell Chromebook 13, Acer Chromebook 15 (from this review).

Budget

Up to 500 AUD (~380 USD).

Performance & Use Case

For my mom. She hasn't used computers in general that much so far. Mostly casual web stuff. Maybe taking notes, things like that. She mainly uses her laptop (which is now dead) and phone in her chair at home, so it will likely only occasionally be taken on trips.

Type & Functionality

She'll probably looking through her Google Photos library from time to time on there, so a decent screen would be good. She's not very interested in touch/2-in1, but the option to use Android apps would be good, as she may use them in the future as she becomes more experienced.

Build Quality

She takes care of her stuff pretty well, so it doesn't need to be super-robust, though I'm sure she'd prefer nice build quality, and how it looks.

Availability

We're in Australia. I would have listed other considerations above if they were more accessible in Australia.

Notes

She's not great at using trackpads, so a decent one (plus keyboard) is certainly prefered. That might be another reason to have the touch screen option available, in case it's sometimes easier for her to just tap something.

The Dell Chromebook 13 w/ touch screen would be great, but I can't seem to find it available for purchase anywhere. If anyone can help me out there, that'd be great.

Conclusion

It looks like we're either going to be buying either of these specific models: here and here. The specs are very similar. Can anyone recommend one over the other?

My best suggestion would be the Lenovo Thinkpad Edge for around $1000 depending on the specs you go with. Thinkpad's pretty much have the best build quality and best keyboards on the market. It also has pretty good specs that will work fine for your needs with a kaby lake i7 processor, 16gb of ram, 1TB SSHD, and a GTX 940MX dGPU. The 940MX won't quite allow you to play on high settings, but will be easily powerful enough to play around mid settings with 60+ FPS in games you listed. It will also have a pretty long battery, and a 1080p display. It also weighs in at 4.1 lbs.

For a cheaper 15'' option, maybe look into the Acer Aspire R15 for $800. Despite being a 15'', it's a bit more portable than most because of it's slim bezels and lighter weight (4.7 lbs). It'll also work fine for light/moderate gaming with a GTX 940MX dedicated graphics card. It has a 1080p IPS touchscreen display that can fold up, and a battery advertised up to 9 hours.

If you're looking for more suggestions or are interested in getting a better idea of options on the market, I suggest taking a look at my Laptop Suggestion Guide. Best of luck!

It'll depend on what features you want, but you can often find versions of the Samsung ChromeBook Plus in that range. Both the V1 and V2 are great, though they vary in specs a bit. V1 has a nicer, squarer screen, and it's lighter. V2 has a better keyboard and a full sized USB. They're well built machines, have a touch and pen interface, and they do the whole tablet/flip thing. I've had great luck with the Samsung Chromebooks, and I've had both versions of the Plus and it's upscale counterpart Pro and they're all fantastic.

V2:

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Chromebook-Plus-Camera-Chrome/dp/B07J1SY5QQ/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=samsung+chromebook+plus&qid=1564502632&s=electronics&sr=1-3

V1:

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Chromebook-Convertible-Laptop-XE513C24-K01US/dp/B01LZ6XKS6/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=samsung+chromebook+plus&qid=1564502675&s=electronics&sr=1-4

Those prices are at the high end of your range, but if you keep an eye on Amazon, they'll often drop.

If you're not concerned with the tablet form factor, both Samsung and HP make great Chromebooks for very little money, like:

https://smile.amazon.com/HP-14-inch-Chromebook-Touchscreen-Bluetooth/dp/B07L52KX7B/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=hp+chromebook&qid=1564502566&s=electronics&sr=1-4

Think I've gotten my last three or four laptops off of Woot. You find Refurbs there all the time and pretty decent deals in the Computer section:

https://www.woot.com/category/computers/laptops?ref=w_cnt_cdet_pc_2

ETA: Whatever you do, before you buy, check the Auto Update expiration on this page:

https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/6220366?hl=en

I've pretty much made a decision after lurking here, just want some feedback on weight/build.

First: Do you already have a specific model in mind?
After a lot of thinking, I like the R11.

Budget
The R11 is $249 with Amazon Prime, so it's perfectly in my range. Am open to bumping it to $300.

Performance & Use Case
This is a secondary work/school computer to my primary (gaming) laptop that's too heavy to carry around on my commute. I'm a teacher by day, and all of my students have Chromebooks and use Google for Education to do their work. I need to be able to have multiple Google Tabs open (mostly docs and presentations, but occasionally Sheets to track my students), as well as e-mail at all times. Some media (youtube clips, whatever I find for lesson plans) is a bonus.

By night, I'm a grad student in education & history, so being able to juggle PDFs and writing matters. I also like listening to music on Spotify/YouTube while I work. I have heard some mixed things about the touchpad, but I need to be able to right-click and copy/paste a lot with it. (I have a wireless mouse that I can also bring with me)

In what little free time I have left, I love to read the news (otherwise I don't care much that's it's convertible, more of a nifty quirk for me) and I'm a gamer (hence the gaming laptop), and I would love to tinker around a little with my Chromebook and maybe emulate some older games and play other, low-key ones at low res. I started gaming on a netbook so I...have pretty low standards. I'm really excited about using the Android store.

Build Quality
I am pretty nice to my stuff but I have never cared much about laptop looks (ask anyone who knew me in undergrad, I gamed on a Thinkpad...lol). I am a total graphics snob and love IPS displays. However, I commute on multiple buses a day between work and school, so I need to be able to toss this in my backpack (which will probably get bumped around here and there on public transit) and not worry about it. I'm also tiny (5'2" and 120ish lbs), and the weight of the laptop is okay for me, but is this the kind of machine I can comfortably whip out while I'm on the bus and type on/get light work done on?

Availability (Where are you From?)
Am in the US, no problems here.

Thanks y'all!