Top Picks for the Casual Worker

Top Picks for the Casual Worker

​​When at the computer, you don't usually accomplish much. There are exceptions, however, and you occasionally have to work on a text document or organize your finances. The following recommendations aren't "workhorses", but if you need to do a little bit of work, they will accommodate that.

Your options 9 top results, ranging in price from ∼ US$709 to US$1070, with accessories.

Let's start with a broad search. The following offer the best value for the lowest price regardless of format preference. As a result, you will most likely see stationary computers down here and maybe a few portable options. You have the option to look for a specific kind of device at the bottom of the page.

  • ME PC VT1000A Home PC

    ME PC VT1000A Home PC from US$570;
    ~$1070 with accessories

    This cost-efficient PC is a great solution to handle more than just typical homework. And thanks to the way it's built, you have several upgrade options in the... Read More about the MX75756

    Device Ratings

    by Stationary Computers standards

    Bang for the Buck2.5/5
    Versatility for the Price3/5
    Power2/5
    Storage3/5
    Portability3.5/5
    AutonomyN/A

    by All Smart Devices standards

    Bang for the Buck4.5/5
    Versatility for the Price3.5/5
    Power3/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability0.5/5
    AutonomyN/A

    by Compact Towers standards

    Bang for the Buck4.5/5
    Versatility for the Price3.5/5
    Power2/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability1/5
    AutonomyN/A

    performance in Texts & Numbers

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in LibreOffice

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in Microsoft Word 2019

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in Microsoft Excel 2019

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.
    Specs
    Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 2200G
    Graphics: AMD Radeon Vega 8
    Memory: 8.00 GB
    Storage: 1 TB
    Dimensions: 9.60 x 37.00 x 33.40 cm
    Weight: 10.000 kg

    Pricing Accuracy

    Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the Memory Express site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. ×
  • HP Pavilion 590 Desktop PC Guillaume's pick; 6 times!

    HP Pavilion 590 Desktop PC from US$35025%, Best price yet!
    ~$740 with accessories

    With a large hard drive, this computer is a good fit for the collector of photos, music, videos and any file you'd prefer not to store in the cloud.

    Device Ratings

    by Stationary Computers standards

    Bang for the Buck2/5
    Versatility for the Price2/5
    Power1/5
    Storage5/5
    Portability3/5
    AutonomyN/A

    by All Smart Devices standards

    Bang for the Buck4.5/5
    Versatility for the Price2.5/5
    Power2/5
    Storage5/5
    Portability0.5/5
    AutonomyN/A

    by Tower Computers standards

    Bang for the Buck0.5/5
    Versatility for the Price1/5
    Power0.5/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability5/5
    AutonomyN/A

    performance in Texts & Numbers

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in LibreOffice

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in Microsoft Word 2019

    2.5/5
    More than the bare minimum but not quite recommended specs.

    performance in Microsoft Excel 2019

    2.5/5
    More than the bare minimum but not quite recommended specs.
    Specs
    Processor: AMD A12-9700
    Graphics: AMD Radeon R7 Graphics
    Memory: 8.00 GB
    Storage: 2 TB
    Dimensions: 17.00 x 27.70 x 33.80 cm
    Weight: 5.150 kg
    from US$342.03

    Pricing Accuracy

    Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the retailer's site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. ×
  • HP Pavilion Desktop PC

    HP Pavilion Desktop PC from US$460;
    ~$890 with accessories

    A cost-efficient computer for homework and even quite a bit of creativity.

    Device Ratings

    by Stationary Computers standards

    Bang for the Buck2.5/5
    Versatility for the Price5/5
    Power1.5/5
    Storage3/5
    Portability3/5
    AutonomyN/A

    by All Smart Devices standards

    Bang for the Buck4.5/5
    Versatility for the Price4.5/5
    Power2.5/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability0.5/5
    AutonomyN/A

    by Tower Computers standards

    Bang for the Buck1/5
    Versatility for the Price4.5/5
    Power1/5
    Storage2/5
    Portability5/5
    AutonomyN/A

    performance in Texts & Numbers

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in LibreOffice

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in Microsoft Word 2019

    4/5
    Meets recommended specs

    performance in Microsoft Excel 2019

    4/5
    Meets recommended specs
    Specs
    Processor: AMD A10-9700
    Graphics: AMD Radeon R7 Graphics
    Memory: 8.00 GB
    Storage: 1 TB
    Dimensions: 17.00 x 27.70 x 33.80 cm
    Weight: 5.150 kg

    Pricing Accuracy

    Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the Staples site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. ×
  • Dell Inspiron 15 Guillaume's pick; 16 times!

    Dell Inspiron 15" Laptop (touch) from US$5308% cheaper than usual
    ~$780 with accessories

    Balancing horsepower, a crisp and roomy touchscreen and cost-efficiency; this laptop is a good fit for productivity and multitasking.

    Device Ratings

    by Laptops standards

    Bang for the Buck5/5
    Versatility for the Price5/5
    Power2.5/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability2/5
    Autonomy1.5/5

    by All Smart Devices standards

    Bang for the Buck4.5/5
    Versatility for the Price5/5
    Power3/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability2/5
    Autonomy1/5

    by Portable Laptops standards

    Bang for the Buck5/5
    Versatility for the Price5/5
    Power2/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability2/5
    Autonomy1/5

    performance in Texts & Numbers

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in LibreOffice

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in Microsoft Word 2019

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in Microsoft Excel 2019

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.
    Specs
    Processor: Intel Core i5-8250U
    Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620
    Memory: 8.00 GB
    Storage: 1 TB
    Screen Size: 15.6"
    Screen Resolution: 1920×1080
    Dimensions: 37.85 x 25.81 x 2.26 cm
    Weight: 2.170 kg
    from US$524.45

    Pricing Accuracy

    Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the retailer's site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. ×
  • Dell Inspiron 15 Guillaume's pick; 5 times!

    Dell Inspiron 15" Laptop from US$540;
    ~$790 with accessories

    Balancing horsepower, a crisp and roomy display and cost-efficiency; this laptop is a good fit for productivity and multitasking.

    Device Ratings

    by Laptops standards

    Bang for the Buck5/5
    Versatility for the Price5/5
    Power2.5/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability2/5
    Autonomy1.5/5

    by All Smart Devices standards

    Bang for the Buck4.5/5
    Versatility for the Price5/5
    Power3/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability2/5
    Autonomy1.5/5

    by Portable Laptops standards

    Bang for the Buck5/5
    Versatility for the Price5/5
    Power2/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability2/5
    Autonomy2/5

    performance in Texts & Numbers

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in LibreOffice

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in Microsoft Word 2019

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in Microsoft Excel 2019

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.
    Specs
    Processor: Intel Core i5-8250U
    Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620
    Memory: 8.00 GB
    Storage: 1 TB
    Screen Size: 15.6"
    Screen Resolution: 1920×1080
    Dimensions: 37.85 x 25.81 x 2.26 cm
    Weight: 2.170 kg

    Pricing Accuracy

    Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the Dell site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. ×
  • HP 14

    HP 14" Laptop from US$48011% cheaper than usual
    ~$709 with accessories

    A budget-conscious laptop for productivity and everyday tasks.

    Device Ratings

    by Laptops standards

    Bang for the Buck4/5
    Versatility for the Price2.5/5
    Power2.5/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability3.5/5
    Autonomy2.5/5

    by All Smart Devices standards

    Bang for the Buck4/5
    Versatility for the Price2.5/5
    Power2.5/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability2.5/5
    Autonomy2/5

    by Portable Laptops standards

    Bang for the Buck4/5
    Versatility for the Price3/5
    Power2/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability3.5/5
    Autonomy3/5

    performance in Texts & Numbers

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in LibreOffice

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in Microsoft Word 2019

    3/5
    More than the bare minimum but not quite recommended specs.

    performance in Microsoft Excel 2019

    3/5
    More than the bare minimum but not quite recommended specs.
    Specs
    Processor: Intel Core i5-8250U
    Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620
    Memory: 8.00 GB
    Storage: 1 TB
    Screen Size: 14"
    Screen Resolution: 1366×768
    Dimensions: 32.40 x 22.59 x 1.99 cm
    Weight: 1.430 kg

    Pricing Accuracy

    Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the HP site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. ×
  • HP 15

    HP 15" Laptop from US$500;
    ~$740 with accessories

    This laptop's designed to be relatively versatile for a modest cost. It's a solid choice for productivity and going online as long as you usually only handle on... Read More about the 15-DA0008CA

    Device Ratings

    by Laptops standards

    Bang for the Buck4/5
    Versatility for the Price2.5/5
    Power2.5/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability2/5
    Autonomy1/5

    by All Smart Devices standards

    Bang for the Buck4/5
    Versatility for the Price2.5/5
    Power2.5/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability2/5
    Autonomy0.5/5

    by Portable Laptops standards

    Bang for the Buck4/5
    Versatility for the Price2.5/5
    Power2/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability2.5/5
    Autonomy1/5

    performance in Texts & Numbers

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in LibreOffice

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in Microsoft Word 2019

    3/5
    More than the bare minimum but not quite recommended specs.

    performance in Microsoft Excel 2019

    3/5
    More than the bare minimum but not quite recommended specs.
    Specs
    Processor: Intel Core i5-8250U
    Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620
    Memory: 8.00 GB
    Storage: 1 TB
    Screen Size: 15.6"
    Screen Resolution: 1366×768
    Dimensions: 37.60 x 24.60 x 2.25 cm
    Weight: 1.770 kg
    from US$494.05

    Pricing Accuracy

    Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the retailer's site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. ×
  • Asus VivoBook X441UA 14

    Asus VivoBook X441UA 14" Laptop from US$580;
    ~$840 with accessories

    If you want to be able to do a little more than handling Word and Excel documents, this laptop has a bit of extra oomph to explore creative activities.

    Device Ratings

    by Laptops standards

    Bang for the Buck3.5/5
    Versatility for the Price1/5
    Power1.5/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability1.5/5
    AutonomyN/A

    by All Smart Devices standards

    Bang for the Buck3.5/5
    Versatility for the Price1/5
    Power2/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability1.5/5
    AutonomyN/A

    by Portable Laptops standards

    Bang for the Buck3/5
    Versatility for the Price1/5
    Power1/5
    Storage4.5/5
    Portability1.5/5
    AutonomyN/A

    performance in Texts & Numbers

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in LibreOffice

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in Microsoft Word 2019

    3/5
    More than the bare minimum but not quite recommended specs.

    performance in Microsoft Excel 2019

    3/5
    More than the bare minimum but not quite recommended specs.
    Specs
    Processor: Intel Core i5-7200U
    Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620
    Memory: 8.00 GB
    Storage: 1 TB
    Screen Size: 14"
    Screen Resolution: 1366×768
    Dimensions: 34.80 x 24.28 x 2.76 cm
    Weight: 1.750 kg

    Pricing Accuracy

    Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the The Source site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. ×
  • Asus Zenbook 14

    Asus Zenbook 14" Laptop from US$5407% cheaper than usual
    ~$790 with accessories

    Versatile for the price, this laptop can handle a bit more than everyday tasks.

    Device Ratings

    by Laptops standards

    Bang for the Buck3/5
    Versatility for the Price2/5
    Power2/5
    Storage1/5
    Portability4/5
    Autonomy3/5

    by All Smart Devices standards

    Bang for the Buck3.5/5
    Versatility for the Price2/5
    Power2.5/5
    Storage2/5
    Portability3.5/5
    Autonomy2.5/5

    by Portable Laptops standards

    Bang for the Buck2.5/5
    Versatility for the Price2.5/5
    Power1/5
    Storage0.5/5
    Portability4.5/5
    Autonomy3/5

    performance in Texts & Numbers

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in LibreOffice

    5/5
    Exceeds recommended specs, fit for hardcore users.

    performance in Microsoft Word 2019

    2.5/5
    More than the bare minimum but not quite recommended specs.

    performance in Microsoft Excel 2019

    2.5/5
    More than the bare minimum but not quite recommended specs.
    Specs
    Processor: Intel Core i3-7100U
    Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620
    Memory: 8.00 GB
    Storage: 128.00 GB
    Screen Size: 14"
    Screen Resolution: 1920×1080
    Dimensions: 32.50 x 22.60 x 1.50 cm
    Weight: 1.300 kg

    Pricing Accuracy

    Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the The Source site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. ×

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Looking for a laptop, tablet, smartphone or desktop computer specifically? Here are the product families in which we found options matching your needs: