# What's the cheapest device to browse the internet with?



## eversleep (Nov 22, 2011)

Just wondering, because it'd be handy to have an internet-enabled device. I'd pretty much only use it to browse the internet. Keep in mind, I'm talking about regular wi-fi and NOT a cellular wi-fi data service plan.
Also playing videos and stuff would be nice, not necessary though.
Also prefer a device that isn't so cheaply made it breaks in a few weeks... went through 3 of those already.


----------



## dinosaurdammit (Nov 22, 2011)

Do you want cheep or good?


----------



## Onnes (Nov 22, 2011)

Well, if you aren't purchasing something with a phone contract, then the tablet e-book readers are probably the cheapest you can get. Check out the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet.


----------



## ZerX (Nov 22, 2011)

http://www.amazon.com/HP-TouchPad-9...HW/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1321997030&sr=8-18 this looks like a nice tablet


----------



## Rotsala (Nov 22, 2011)

Get a cheapass netbook/laptop, they're not very powerful but they're pretty useful as long as you don't plan on playing games or running heavy programs. 

I guess you could get some sort of tablet/e-book reader with wifi capabilities, but they're seriously underpowered and fickle in my experience


----------



## LizardKing (Nov 22, 2011)

Well, I suppose technically the cheapest way would be to whistle down the phone and pretend you're a modem, you can do that for free, but I don't think that's the answer you're looking for.


----------



## eversleep (Nov 23, 2011)

dinosaurdammit said:


> Do you want cheep or good?


I need both! Something has to exist





Rotsala said:


> Get a cheapass netbook/laptop, they're not very powerful but they're pretty useful as long as you don't plan on playing games or running heavy programs.
> 
> I guess you could get some sort of tablet/e-book reader with wifi capabilities, but they're seriously underpowered and fickle in my experience


$100 netbook I had broke in like 2 weeks and it sucked really bad. $100 tablet also sucked and broke in like a month. The battery life on both was like a half hour (literally). I guess $100 is too little to spend on something like that though.





LizardKing said:


> Well, I suppose technically the cheapest way would be to whistle down the phone and pretend you're a modem, you can do that for free, but I don't think that's the answer you're looking for.


I'm still confused by this...

Anyway, is there any kind of like touchscreen phone-like or MP3 player-like device or something that's really cheap but will last atleast a year and can play Flash videos and stuff? 

Also, reviews on both the Kindle Fire and Nook seem mixed.


----------



## Onnes (Nov 23, 2011)

eversleep said:


> Also, reviews on both the Kindle Fire and Nook seem mixed.



You aren't going to find anything that is both dirt cheap and durable. I think most people just get this sort of thing through their phone service; many of those phones cost $500 or more before the discount from the contract.


----------



## Leafblower29 (Nov 23, 2011)

I'd recommend a netbook with a light GNU/Linux distro like Debian, Gentoo, etc or Puppy if you aren't comfortable with those.


----------



## shteev (Nov 23, 2011)

Just get an Android Tablet/iPad.

Going cheap with these things is just a waste of time.


----------



## CaptainCool (Nov 23, 2011)

how about an 8GB ipod touch? small screen but it works well for browsing the web.
or an archos 7.0 or 10.1 tablet. they are pretty good android tablets and below 200â‚¬


----------



## ZerX (Nov 23, 2011)

archos is crap. slow and unresponsive.


----------



## CynicalCirno (Nov 23, 2011)

If you don't want to buy something that breaks in seconds, you have to pay a regular price for a regular product. A netbook would do, gives you plain control over internet and video while browsing in a natural enviorment for the normal PC user.


----------



## Ricky (Nov 23, 2011)

I wouldn't get a Kindle to surf the net.  I've heard really bad things.

You'd probably be best with one of those mini laptops.

I'd say a mobile device but those aren't really the best for browsing the net still, IMO.


----------



## Rotsala (Nov 23, 2011)

I don't know man my Acer Aspire One is pretty much invincible. 

I broke the power switch by being a retard but even that was easy to fix. For browsing the internet and chatting I couldn't hope for a better shitbook


----------



## Ames (Nov 23, 2011)

Pick up an old laptop at an e-waste place.

Free.


----------



## Runefox (Nov 23, 2011)

Blackberry Playbook. They're shit, but they're good for web browsing I guess. $199 for the 16GB version.


----------



## ArielMT (Nov 23, 2011)

Runefox said:


> Blackberry Playbook. They're shit, but they're good for web browsing I guess. $199 for the 16GB version.



If he looks around, he might be able to do what I did and score a netbook for the same price.  Mine's an eMachines, but despite the crap name it's proven worth the price.

Also, Acer Aspire One netbooks can still be had for just $50 more.  The only practical disadvantages to netbooks are the smaller keyboards and trackpads (which means you can't use them if you have fingers as big and fat as Heavy's), the smaller screen real-estate, usually 1024x600, and the edition of Windows they come with: Starter.

Also, if you get a notebook or netbook of any kind, copy down everything on every sticker on the underside and lock it away.  Every last one of them will wear down to blank in no time, even the Microsoft Windows Certificate of Authenticity.


----------



## Aden (Nov 23, 2011)

Get a netbook on black friday


----------



## Runefox (Nov 24, 2011)

My main issue with netbooks in that price range is that they usually come with an AMD C-50 CPU, which is quite honestly one of the most staggeringly slow CPU's I've seen in a long time, even (especially?) compared to the also-netbook-class E-350, which is actually surprisingly decent for what it is. They also usually come with a measly 1GB of RAM, which on Windows 7 (even Starter) isn't enough. Either you'll need to upgrade to 2GB or switch to Linux unless you want to deal. Personally, I'd run with the Playbook first, and I'm by no means a fan of the device.


----------



## Elim Garak (Nov 24, 2011)

Check for deals on Archos Tablets! The older tablets are good for websites, not so much for the high end android games. http://www.archos.com/products/ta/archos_70it/specs.html?country=us&lang=en
They tend to last well. Just not that all uptodate when it comes to android versions. This is what I hear from people.
http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Fire-Amazon-Tablet/dp/B0051VVOB2
Kindle fire is quite wanted as well. It can run high end shit and has a nice price.


----------



## eversleep (Nov 24, 2011)

Caroline Dax said:


> Kindle fire is quite wanted as well. It can run high end shit and has a nice price.


Looked at that, but it has lots of 1-star reviews. =\ Hmm.
Also I did browse around and found a few devices I could get, not sure if I will or not though. The prices make me believe they'd break very soon, and I'm sick of shit breaking on me constantly.


----------



## Eversleep Again (Aug 18, 2015)

revival


----------



## Rayzr (Aug 19, 2015)

Raspberry pi 2


----------



## Zrcalo (Mar 15, 2016)

an actual real laptop. You can buy one used for $50 on ebay.
www.ebay.com: Dell Latitude D505 2GB RAM 1.3 GHz NEW 80GB HD, New Battery,AC,Windows 7

or you can buy a modern one for $150
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ASUS-Laptop...512490?hash=item1a0ffee42a:g:O9cAAOSwoBtW6HkM


----------



## ArielMT (Mar 16, 2016)

Wow, blast from the past!  Bangin' year, 2011.

Yeah, you almost can't beat used if price is your only consideration.

Also, watch for spontaneous deals at yard sales and in dead-tree edition classifieds.

The catch is, the less you pay for it, the more you're getting of what you don't want.  For older Windows PCs, nuke and pave with the factory restore disks; for newer Windows PCs, use System Reset to almost nuke and pave if you can; or nuke and pave, and install a desktop Linux distro.


----------



## Simo (Mar 16, 2016)

A friend of mine gave another friend a Samsung Chromebook, but lost the charger, and didn't need it, and gave it to me, so for free, it seems a very speedy way to browse the web. I can see the limitations---not sure I'd ever buy one, but it's been very reliable: has never crashed, no virus issues, easy to use.


----------



## Victor-933 (Mar 17, 2016)

You could get a $100 Android tablet and actually try to take care of it. Hardware has become advanced and standardized enough that even cheap Chinese knockoffs can be pretty good.


A few tips:

Get a case of some sort that protects the screen.
Don't use the tablet while it's charging. People do this all the time and then end up knocking it on the floor or yanking it or something and they break the charging port. Usually the fix is as simple as pulling the tablet open and resoldering the connector but that's beyond most people so they trash it because it's "broken".
Handle it carefully, like you're holding a piece of glass (that's what a good portion of a tablet is anyway)
Don't get mad and throw it across the room if it's acting slow -- just because you hit the "home" button doesn't mean the app is closed. Open the task switcher (some versions of Android have a dedicated button for this, otherwise hold Home until it comes up) and swipe apps you're not currently using down off the screen. This closes the app so that it is no longer wasting system memory (it's still installed, just not running). Alternately, go to "About Tablet" under Settings and tap "Build Number" repeatedly until it says "you are now a developer" (no I am not pulling your leg), then under the new Developer Options category check "Don't keep activities" to close every app fully as soon as you leave it.

Source: being poor as hell has made me appreciate things more and learn how to fix and maintain stuff.


----------



## Notkastar (Mar 17, 2016)

A DSi or a Wii.
(Times where tough to go online before I had my own computer but it didn't stop me ✧(•⌄•  )


----------



## Chir (Mar 18, 2016)

There's a plethora of Chinese affordable Win8.1/Win10 tablet manufacturers, but finding a reputable dealer with any kind of real warranty, support and maintenance is going to be a problem. For purely internet browsing with one or two chat apps running, you'll be fine with the older Intel Atom quadcores (the two latest generations x5- and z3**** are surprisingly snappy) and 2GB of RAM. You could check eBay, FastTech and similar places with lots of Chinese knock-off brands, just be sure to check up some reviews of the product in question. The biggest problem with these kinds of ultra-cheap devices oftentimes is (besides warranty), that their charging chip and/or adapter are so under powered, they'll hardly power the device during active usage, and charging even with screen/device off is going to be sluggish. So make sure to do your homework before pulling the trigger on one of those, but you should get a decent device with okay specs for less than $150 shipped, if the aforementioned problems aren't deal breakers for you. Happy hunting!

Edit: so, without recommending anything specific, I'd say, $100-150 for an affordable Windows tablet, from China.


----------



## Lasvicus (Mar 21, 2016)

OK
1. Dont listen to whoever tells you to go with a netbook or a laptop because they really arent very powerful.  The netbook, its usually true enough but with a laptop it depends on what you get.  The good ones arent too far off from desktop performance, but theyre also kind of expensive.  
2. A tablet or a kindle wouldnt be a bad idea.  It would also give you more freedom to download and play games and/ or books like you would on a phone.


----------

