How to Choose a Laptop for a Senior

Nov 22, 2023

More and more seniors are opting for laptops, whether it's to stay connected with their grandchildren, pay bills online, or catch up on the news. However, choosing the right laptop can be a daunting task. With various technical specifications, sizes, designs, and price options, it's important to understand what makes a laptop suitable for a senior user. Read on to find out!

The size of a laptop is primarily determined by the screen size. While a smaller, more portable laptop may seem tempting, it's often a better idea to opt for a 15- or 16-inch laptop — or anything in between. This screen size strikes the right balance between visibility and portability. It also allows for increased font and icon size and zooming in on web browsers without cluttering the screen.

When it comes to senior citizens, it's essential to choose a lightweight laptop. You'll want a laptop that's easy to carry around the house, preferably with one hand when closed and with minimal effort. Consider a laptop weighing less than 1.8 kg.

For senior users, consider OLED screens like the ASUS Lumina OLED series. These screens are a fantastic choice due to their eye-care friendly technology, which reduces harmful blue light emissions by up to 70% compared to traditional LCD screens. Additionally, OLED screens offer a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz and a response time of 0.2 ms, reducing flicker and enhancing motion clarity, which helps prevent eye strain.

OLED screens provide excellent colour accuracy, but for seniors, features like an exceptional contrast ratio (1,000,000:1, DisplayHDR™ True Black 500/600 certified), wide viewing angles, and strong colour performance at varying brightness levels are crucial. This ensures a comfortable viewing experience, even under less-than-ideal lighting conditions.

When selecting a laptop for a senior, durability is key. Accidental bumps, drops, spills, and dust can happen, and while no laptop is entirely resistant to all forms of damage, there are ways to ensure your laptop can withstand more challenges than others.

Start by examining the materials used in the laptop's construction, prioritizing models with as much metal as possible. At the very least, look for a metal lid. Additionally, pay attention to build quality indicators, such as the robustness of hinges and screen flex.

For added peace of mind, consider laptops that meet military-grade testing standards for durability. Many ASUS laptops are tested to meet the stringent requirements of the MIL-STD-810H testing standard, assuring users of their durability.

Seniors may sometimes forget to plug in their laptops. When shopping for a laptop for a senior, opt for a model with a strong battery, with a minimum capacity of 50 Wh. Such batteries ensure the laptop can be used for several hours between charges, even during tasks like online calling or video playback.

While laptops for seniors don't need to match the power of devices intended for younger, tech-savvy generations, they should still have decent specifications to ensure a smooth experience when browsing the internet, watching videos, making online calls, and running basic software.

Three essential specifications to consider are the CPU, RAM, and storage space. Aim for at least a recent-generation Intel® Core™ i5 laptop CPU or equivalent. 8 GB of RAM should suffice, and 512 GB of storage provides ample storage space.

For seniors, video calling is a popular laptop use. Many ASUS laptops come with features that enhance the video-calling experience. These include high-quality 720p webcams with physical privacy shields, 3D Noise Reduction (3DNR) algorithms to improve image quality, and AI Noise Cancellation to eliminate unnecessary background noise, ensuring clear audio. Some laptops offer additional convenience by featuring Windows Hello, recognizing the user's face for simplified login, or integrating a fingerprint sensor in the touchpad for added security.

Lastly, to protect more vulnerable users, many ASUS laptops feature the ASUS Antimicrobial Guard, a silver-ion-charged surface coating that reduces microbial growth by over 99%.

For senior users, the ASUS Vivobook 15 OLED is our recommended choice. It boasts a 15.6-inch OLED screen that strikes a balance between screen size and portability. This laptop has been tested to meet the US MIL-STD 810H military-grade testing standard, ensuring durability. It weighs only 1.7 kg, making it highly portable. Users can choose specifications to match their needs, with CPU options ranging from Intel® Core™ i3 to Intel® Core™ i9. Most models come with 8 GB of memory and up to 1 TB of storage. With an attractive design and pricing, the ASUS Vivobook 15 OLED is a fantastic option for seniors. Be sure to take a look!