Hi everyone! I need some advice because I urgently need a computer and I'm having a hard time finding a good option within my budget. (Just to be transparent: I don't know a lot about laptops, so everything I'm sharing here is based on things I've been reading and researching lately!)
I'm from Cali, Colombia, so prices and availability are very different from the US/Europe. My initial budget is around 400,000 COP (~$100 USD), but I could potentially stretch it to around $200 USD (~700,000–800,000 COP) if it is really worth it. I cannot realistically go much higher than that.
What I need it for:
University/school work (I'm finishing high school and will study Law)
Lots of browser tabs (sometimes 50–100+)
PDFs and research
Google Drive/Docs and Microsoft Office
Video calls/classes
English/German/French study
General everyday use
Some light gaming, but gaming is NOT my priority
I would like to use Linux if the hardware is old
I currently have an HP All-in-One with a Ryzen 3 4300U, only 4 GB RAM and a 1 TB HDD. It has become extremely slow and freezes frequently, especially with many browser tabs and video calls. I installed Linux Mint, which helped somewhat, but the hardware is still a major limitation.
I originally wanted a laptop that could last me 5–8 years, but I understand that this is probably unrealistic with my current budget. Right now I mainly need something that is clearly better/more usable than my current computer and can serve me for the next few years.
Options I've found so far:
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon — around 820,000–900,000 COP (~$220–250 USD) | 8 GB RAM, 250 GB SSD, Full HD, Intel UHD 620, Windows 11 Pro, Refurbished. (The listing says "i5-8600U", which seems suspicious because I can't find a normal Intel mobile CPU with that exact model number).
Lenovo ThinkPad E490 — 820,843 COP (~$220 USD) | i5-8265U, 8 GB RAM, 250 GB SSD, Full HD, Intel UHD 620, Refurbished. The seller says the battery is guaranteed for only 1–2 hours, although it may last longer. The good thing is that RAM can be upgraded.
Mac Mini Mid-2011 — 400,000 COP (~$100 USD) | Core i7, 16 GB RAM, 250 GB SSD, Windows 10 currently installed (I could install Linux on it instead). The Mac Mini is tempting because it fits my current budget and has 16 GB RAM + SSD, but obviously it isn't portable and I would still need a monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc. I already have an HP All-in-One, but I don't think I can simply use its screen as a monitor for the Mac Mini.
So my main question is: what would you do in my situation?
Would you buy the $100 Mac Mini as a temporary desktop?
Spend up to ~$200 on a used/refurbished ThinkPad/Latitude/EliteBook?
Look for an older business laptop such as a ThinkPad T480/T470, Dell Latitude 5400/5490, HP EliteBook 840, etc.?
Buy something older/cheaper and upgrade the RAM/SSD?
Do something completely different?
I'm specifically looking for used business laptops because I've read that older ThinkPads, Latitudes and EliteBooks can be much better value than very cheap new laptops. I'm also willing to buy something older if it has good Linux compatibility, an SSD, at least 8 GB RAM, and preferably upgradeable RAM.
Important: I'm in Colombia, so please keep in mind that a recommendation that costs $150 in the US might cost significantly more here.
Any advice on specific models, CPU generations I should look for, models I should avoid, or what would be the best use of ~$100–200 in my situation would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!