What Should I Buy?($1000CDN GC) at Microsoft Store

[chobo2]

Hi

I have a $1000 credit for the MS Store(online) but not really sure what I should buy. I had the credit for almost 1 year now and it expires on June 21,2015 so getting down to home stretch. I really was hoping that a new windows phone would have come out but that's not going to happen.

Right now I decided I will get

- HP Stream Mini 200-010 ($200 with educational discount)

and a laptop for my moms birthday in June. I have not decided which one yet(any recommendations?). she is running a laptop that super old(think like 7 years old and still uses XP and is super slow(takes like 15mins to load). She just basically uses to check her email so I am thinking of a laptop that uses eMMC for storage as I rather get the speed(I would hope the speed would be faster than hdd and closer to the ssd drive to speed.) then having 500gb harddrive, though I all ears the pros and cons.

I don't think I want to spend more than $250 on the laptop though as I think anything more is just a waste.

So they have a few

Acer Aspire E 14 ES1-411-C507 Signature Edition (has 500gb hd)
HP Stream 11 Signature Edition Laptop (Magenta)
ASUS X205TA-UH01-BK Signature Edition Laptop

They seem to have multiple models of each not sure what the difference are though.

This will get me to like $504 dollars with tax. I have to spend the $1000 all in one go. So I got basically $500 left and not sure what to get. I really don't need anything so I guess it is finding something that I might need.

I have a 360 and played maybe like 2 games on it, so xbox one is out. I thinking maybe some sort of tablet or something but I really don't want to put any money on top of this so surface(I could get the cheapest 3 model for adding like $75 but not sure without the cover might not be worth it?) is out as like I said it's nothing I really need but just need to spend this credit.

I have till June 21st but I don't' really thing anything new will be coming out to wait?

 

[sinime]

I wonder if you could buy a gift card to basically extend the expiration date?

 

[SamJHannan]

I wonder if you could buy a gift card to basically extend the expiration date?

Or even contact Microsoft and ask them, worth a try.

 

[chobo2]

I wonder if you could buy a gift card to basically extend the expiration date?

I don't think they have GCs or at least not for Canada. I never seen them on the site. I got this GC from Developer movement thing. I think it was run by MS but I don't think anyone at MS online store would be able to extend it.

I even have to use it all in one shot.


Edit

No GC are offered. I was trying to ask support about what happens if I order something like on June 15th and want a refund what happens but I got to call refund office to find out what will happen.

 

[TechFreak1]

Man that is an amazing dilemma to have lol.

Like the fact your being practical with the credits .

Well you could buy yourself something for $700 / $650 dollars and leave $300 / $350 dollars for your mum's birthday gift in case you want to get additional peripherals.

The way I see it:

1) You could get yourself the Surface 3 (128gb Wi Fi model), a keyboard + pen and that should come upto something like $700 dollars with the Student discount.

2) I guess you could wait until June and see what crops up.

3) If it was me and had get the stream mini, this is what i'd get with the set budget of $700:









In regards to the msd card, I would get a 16gb (32gb if possible) card as back up as well.

Also would down grade to officially supported size of less than 32gb (which HP says is the max supported) in case there are any issues using a 128gb or 64gb card with the tablet (I haven't seen any threads myself).

3a) Or if had to choose a mini desktop and the budget could be stretched to $750:





.

Here I would swap out the 128 msd card for a 32gb one @ $50 dollars without the sale (they currently don't have any in stock so couldn't replace it in the list - so subtract $45 from this total).

Personally I wouldn't store any important documents or photos just music & movies for the tablet.

I would use the office 365 personal and activate it on the mini desktop. The tablet would be just for multimedia consumption.

 

[chobo2]

Man that is an amazing dilemma to have lol.

Like the fact your being practical with the credits .

Well you could buy yourself something for $700 / $650 dollars and leave $300 / $350 dollars for your mum's birthday gift in case you want to get additional peripherals.

The way I see it:

1) You could get yourself the Surface 3 (128gb Wi Fi model), a keyboard + pen and that should come upto something like $700 dollars with the Student discount.

2) I guess you could wait until June and see what crops up.

3) If it was me and had get the stream mini, this is what i'd get with the set budget of $700:

View attachment 104191




View attachment 104192


In regards to the msd card, I would get a 16gb (32gb if possible) card as back up as well.

Also would down grade to officially supported size of less than 32gb (which HP says is the max supported) in case there are any issues using a 128gb or 64gb card with the tablet (I haven't seen any threads myself).

3a) Or if had to choose a mini desktop and the budget could be stretched to $750:

View attachment 104193
View attachment 104195


.

Here I would swap out the 128 msd card for a 32gb one @ $50 dollars without the sale (they currently don't have any in stock so couldn't replace it in the list - so subtract $45 from this total).

Personally I wouldn't store any important documents or photos just music & movies for the tablet.

I would use the office 365 personal and activate it on the mini desktop. The tablet would be just for multimedia consumption.

Yea I am thinking more doing: 700 / $650 dollars and leave $300 / $350 dollars for your mum's birthday. then The stream would be on mine side as well so I am seeing about $500 left over to figure out. I am not sure how you got the number for $700 with surface 128gb model with the pen and cover I get like over $1000 plus tax.

Some people have suggested to beef up the computer for my mom but not sure. I can see a point to it but at the same time getting like an i5 I just see is a waste.

 

[TechFreak1]

Yea I am thinking more doing: 700 / $650 dollars and leave $300 / $350 dollars for your mum's birthday. then The stream would be on mine side as well so I am seeing about $500 left over to figure out. I am not sure how you got the number for $700 with surface 128gb model with the pen and cover I get like over $1000 plus tax.

Some people have suggested to beef up the computer for my mom but not sure. I can see a point to it but at the same time getting like an i5 I just see is a waste.

If all your mum does is web browsing, watch movies, send emails and maybe the casual game or two then an i5 processor is over kill.

If you can stretch it, I would say an i3 however I would say the ASUS Transformer Book T100TAF-B1-MS Signature Edition 2 in 1 PC would be worth a look, its at $296 right now.

BUT
​

One crucial thing you will need to bear in mind is storage upgradeability as 32gb (29gb minus O/S install) will not be enough for the long term. Your mum like anyone else would want to save photos, videos, music etc etc.


In regards to the Surface 3 128gb bundle (not pro - didn't say anything about the pro model which would explain why you got over $1000 + tax lol):

 

[chobo2]

If all your mum does is web browsing, watch movies, send emails and maybe the casual game or two then an i5 processor is over kill.

If you can stretch it, I would say an i3 however I would say the ASUS Transformer Book T100TAF-B1-MS Signature Edition 2 in 1 PC would be worth a look, its at $296 right now.

BUT
​

One crucial thing you will need to bear in mind is storage upgradeability as 32gb (29gb minus O/S install) will not be enough for the long term. Your mum like anyone else would want to save photos, videos, music etc etc.


In regards to the Surface 3 128gb bundle (not pro - didn't say anything about the pro model which would explain why you got over $1000 + tax lol):
View attachment 104204

View attachment 104205

My mom literally only checks her emails and maybe watches a video or 2 that someone might send through email or she sees on Msn.com homepage. This is about the extent of her computer skills. She plays no games nor has any music on her computer and probably will never(she has a radio that she plays her music from).

For pictures the only pictures again she would view are from emails and all the pictures she takes I setup to go automatically to the "one drive". If she used 10mb of space I would be surprised. The only thing I can think of that takes any space off was a typing program I installed for her. otherwise everything is programs I installed that she would never use as I needed to borrow her laptop a few years ago.

I will double check space to be sure but I think a few gb plus cloud storage will be more than enough space.

Why do you recommend the Asus?

Is your prices US?

 

[TechFreak1]

My mom literally only checks her emails and maybe watches a video or 2 that someone might send through email or she sees on Msn.com homepage. This is about the extent of her computer skills. She plays no games nor has any music on her computer and probably will never(she has a radio that she plays her music from).

For pictures the only pictures again she would view are from emails and all the pictures she takes I setup to go automatically to the "one drive". If she used 10mb of space I would be surprised. The only thing I can think of that takes any space off was a typing program I installed for her. otherwise everything is programs I installed that she would never use as I needed to borrow her laptop a few years ago.

I will double check space to be sure but I think a few gb plus cloud storage will be more than enough space.

Why do you recommend the Asus?

Is your prices US?

View attachment 104215

1) Ah alright, was just making sure have had that a few times when people said they don't do much other than web browsing, watching movies and sending emails. They don't realise that their usage evolves over time as they become more tech literate.

2) I suggested as it was a reduced, She gets a tablet and laptop & the price less one of all - the feeling of "progression to the next level" lol. Trust me that joy alone enough to fuel light bulbs :winktongue:. However on the other hand, you people who would much prefer using what they have as things just "work".

3) Nope it is not, any one can access a different countries website and for the US website Microsoft Store Official Site - Free Shipping, Free Returns redirects you to the correct US website . In regards to the checking the Student discount - that's even more easier however you can only check the prices, not buy & have the delivered - you need valid details (us address etc) for that.