5 On Your Side

5 On Your Side: Need a new computer? Here are some recommendations

As part of being your Back to School Headquarters, 5 On your Side's Monica Laliberte has some recommendations.

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By
Monica Laliberte
, WRAL executive producer/5 on Your Side reporter
RALEIGH, N.C. — Frustrated with your computer? They don't last forever.

If you notice yours is struggling to keep up with work, or school for your kids, it may be time for a change. As part of being your Back to School Headquarters, 5 On your Side's Monica Laliberte has some recommendations.

From video chats to school work, all the online action is a struggle.

"A lot of freezing up problems on the websites, we only could have about two websites open at at a time otherwise it'll crash," said dad Adam Schaefer. His computer was 12 years old.

Feeling his pain? Consumer Reports looked into options.

"Laptops are a great option because they're portable, more powerful, and less expensive than they used to be," said Nicolas De Leon, the tech Editor for Consumer Reports.

If you like PCs, the Lenovo Flex 15 convertible laptop is a CR Best Buy. If you prefer a Mac, CR says the 16" Apple MacBook Pro is one its top rated laptops. CR says its long battery life could take you beyond a full day's work.

"Apple is at the top of our ratings when it comes to reliability and owner satisfaction," added De Leon.

With desktops, all-in-one models are powerful and popular with the computer built into the monitor.

The 27" Lenovo IdeaCentre 520-27ICB is a CR Best Buy. Testers say it was fast during tests and that the touchscreen offered a convenient way to navigate.

For Mac-lovers, CR recommends the 21.5" iMac MNDY2LL/A. It's designed to run more graphics-intensive tasks like video editing at top speed.

A low cost way to add another computer screen to your home is with a Chromebook. Consumer Reports recommends the Google Pixelbook GO for $650. And they offer another option. CR says you can actually turn an outdated laptop into a Chromebook for free. CR says it's not hard to do:

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