I have always stored my data on my home desktop or laptop computer. I do not trust cloud storage. I think it is a plan to get one hooked on the cloud and then "free" become expensive monthly charge or like PhotoBucket you find they have change and your data is not what you thought it was.My son on the other hand has a Chromebook which does not have a hard drive and all his data is on the cloud. He loves his Chromebook. I can see the advantage of the lightweight Chromebook while traveling.I mostly use MS Office and some of my Access data is very sensitive with driver license number and social security numbers of about 40 people in the database.I do not need to share the data with anyone else and I do not use a smartphone. My phone is an old fashioned flip phone. Your thoughts on a new computer are welcome.What is a good tablet to run MS Office?

For a decent MS experience in a tablet, the Microsoft Surface line is the way to go.I have similar requirements and decided to stay with the laptop form factor. Got a good deal on an HP at Costco. Has a really good IPS touchscreen too. There are so many good choices in laptops now it's hard to choose.

i like my samsung laptop. costs around $1000 but the best one i've ever had. don't care for my tablet.

My Chrombooks (I have 2) do have not a "hard drive" but a "Hard card" (SSD) not all that big but I have a bunch of docs stored on this one.. I also have a windows box with 450Gigs sitting underneath and from time to time I "Offload" via a thumb drive. Plus I can plug a THumb drive into the CB's as well. Love the CB'sTablet of Laptop?Well I like a genuine keyboard so .. There is a 3rd optionConvertibleI have a convertable tablet but the KB only works .. when it feels like it.

Had a Chromebook for 2 days, returned it and got a 'real' computer laptop. For me, there's not much you can do on a Chromebook without the internet, which for me while traveling I don't always have.

Chromebook convert here! You can use an external HD with them for your sensitive information. At less than $300, they are practically disposable. Google Apps are close enough to MS Office for all but the most demanding needs. I will say that having an iMac at home as my main computer allows the use of the CB as a secondary machine. If I had no "main" computer, I probably would not use a CB.

Laptop or Tablet computer -- I need a new one. | Good Sam Community

trb46
Explorer
Mar 08, 2019
Love my Chromebook. As someone else mentioned, you can use an external hard drive with them or use SD cards or thumb drives for additional storage. I’ve had the free Dropbox account for years and still not close to running out of room. Cloud storage is pretty safe; I admit I was skeptical at first, but have not had a problem yet. A couple of cloud accounts I had went out of business, but the gave users a 30-day notice so we could move data to another site.
Walaby
Explorer II
Mar 07, 2019
I got a surface pro 4 a few years back, and I hardly ever go use the desktop computer in the office.

Love my Surface Pro

Mike
wildtoad
Explorer II
Mar 07, 2019
If you think you need MS Access they perhaps you should look into MS Surface. I would think that for 40 people you could just as well use IOS Numbers. MS supports office on IOS if you need it. Right now I can do all I need on my iPhone and IPad except my taxes.
AsheGuy
Explorer
Mar 07, 2019
TenOC wrote:
I have always stored my data on my home desktop or laptop computer. I do not trust cloud storage. I think it is a plan to get one hooked on the cloud and then "free" become expensive monthly charge or like PhotoBucket you find they have change and your data is not what you thought it was.
I have been using Google Cloud storage since it was first offered and I don't have either concern (security or cost). I think you underestimate the motivation for a company to protect its reputation. You might be interested in Google Cloud Security

Cloud storage has so many advantages that being hooked is the usual outcome, but for good reason.
MrWizard
Moderator
Mar 07, 2019
I have a 17" HP laptop, and a 10" Android tablet
I spend my morning forum reading and some YouTube, on the my tablet
But my serious computing is done with the laptop
I have nothing on the cloud but a few recent pictures from my phone
old_guy
Explorer
Mar 07, 2019
what ever you decide on make sure it has an i5 or i7 processor a minimum 8 gb of ram and a SSD hard drive. that should carry into the future for some time
toedtoes
Explorer III
Mar 07, 2019
I have a tablet and a laptop. The tablet is great for internet surfing, writing and such. But for excel, access, etc., I go straight to my laptop. The tablet is just not user friendly for creating a lot of spreadsheets and data manipulation.

If I could only have one, I would go with a laptop.
T18skyguy
Explorer
Mar 07, 2019
I have a Google Pixelbook and love it. You can get MS Office for it, then offload your sensitive stuff to a thumb drive storage. If you get a chromebook, stay away from the cheapies. It's just not worth it with the poor performance. A bonus is you don't need antivirus for it. It's built in. I won't buy another Windows laptop.
RoyB
Explorer II
Mar 07, 2019
I've been carrying my DELL 17-inch laptop for years on my camping trips... I am into Ham Radio an radio scanners and this fits into my camping just fine... All of radio scanners in on-line using BROACASTIFY.com... I used to have a board made up with two DELL large monitors on it and then feed with my radio nets an other forums etc that I like to use yaking to all my friends.. Usually it just me and the wife on the trips so I get to use the back tent bed setup for my radio console setup. This has the wrap aroun seating in front of it... Can pull the curtain to hide my console etc...

Roy's image

Now they have these smart TV sets real inexpensive. I just got a couple here for my radio room setup here at the house... These can used as computer monitors, supports ext antenna for OTA TV setups, allows for HULU and a whole bunch of other internet based videos, tv shows, etc I got these in the 24-inch size and every I screen on them is perfect quality HDTV format stuff... WALMART sells these for under $100... Will be taking theses out this upcoming off-road camping trips here...

I'm using them here in radio/computer room at the house and have wrap around TV COMPUTER RADIO NETs... all going at the same time hehe...

I like carrying my LAPTOP with me on these trips... Has everything stored on it.. When I get back to the house it plugs right into the large monitors and has everthing being displayed on 24-inch monitors.. This all replaced my desktop computers along time ago...

Roy Ken
tragusa3
Explorer
Mar 07, 2019
Chromebook convert here! You can use an external HD with them for your sensitive information.

At less than $300, they are practically disposable. Google Apps are close enough to MS Office for all but the most demanding needs.

I will say that having an iMac at home as my main computer allows the use of the CB as a secondary machine. If I had no "main" computer, I probably would not use a CB.