5 Best Laptops For Seniors in 2025 (Easy To Use )

1. ASUS VivoBook 17

Best Laptop For Seniors – 17 inch Display

  4-Core Intel i3-1220P

  16GB RAM DDR4

  Intel UHD Graphics

  1TB SSD

  17.3” FHD

  4.6 lbs

  5 hours

    WiFi 6

As of late 2024, this is still the best overall laptop for seniors. I chose to keep this model on the list this year, and it will likely remain the best budget option until mid-2025, when the Core i3 13th-gen ASUS VivoBook is released.

Core i3-1220P: While you may find cheaper options like the Pentium Gold version, those are too weak to handle heavy multitasking. This is especially important if you have a senior who’s new to computers and may not be accustomed to closing web browsing tabs or programs, leaving them running in the background instead. The Core i3-1220P is significantly faster and supports hyper-threading, unlike the Pentium Gold.

There are also VivoBooks with the Core i9-13900H, but realistically, that CPU is far too powerful (even for a gamer) and would make the laptop much more expensive. The Core i3-1220P offers the best balance between performance and cost.

Why stick with the VivoBook? For a small price tag, you get almost all the features that make this laptop ideal for seniors, including:

• 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD: Most laptops under $600 come with an SSD, but very few offer a 1TB SSD. You may find dual-storage setups (like 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD), but they’re slower when handling videos, photos, and other large media files. SSDs are the fastest storage type available—so if your senior wants to move a movie to another folder or copy DVD contents to the storage drive, it’ll happen in seconds.
• 16GB RAM: Although 8GB is usually sufficient for multitasking, especially for seniors, having 16GB means the laptop can handle 50+ open tabs and still run smoothly. More than 16GB is unnecessary unless you’re doing video or photo editing.
• WiFi 6: WiFi 6 is the latest WiFi standard on laptops, and it’s the fastest available. It doesn’t necessarily improve reception over WiFi 5, but it does help maintain speed when multiple people are using the same internet connection in the household. Nearly all laptops now come with WiFi 6 in 2024.

Lastly, the most important feature:

  Display: FHD

If you browse for 17-inch laptops under $500, you’ll notice most come with HD+ or HD resolution and often have older CPUs or slow Celeron and Pentium chips.

This model, however, has a recent CPU and is one of the few 17-inch models around $500 with FHD resolution. Additionally, it features a “nano-edge” display, which means the screen has minimal bezels, providing more screen space. Compared to a typical 17-inch laptop, this model will feel slightly larger.

HD or HD+: You’re welcome to consider lower-resolution ASUS VivoBook models (HD+ or HD) if this laptop is for someone with moderate visual impairment, as they may need to magnify fonts and objects anyway, making FHD resolution less useful.

However, if there are no visual impairments, FHD resolution offers distinct advantages, particularly in reducing eye strain.”

A few more things you can do to prevent further vision damage with a computer:

• Filter out blue light as much as possible: You can do this by calibrating the display’s color temperature,  installing a third party software like f.lux  or use Window’s night light feature as shown here. 
• Assuming this laptop is going to stay at one place. You can find and set the brighhtness levels that fits best the area the laptop is sitting at. For more info click here. 
• Some laptops have a sensor which adjust brightness levels automatically but not the ASUS VivoBook (that’s usually a 1000+ dollar laptop).
• Matte display: this display has a matte finish, in other words, it’s anti-glare. Thus there’s extra protections for sensitive eyes. There’s a small trade off of losing color quality but you’re not buying a laptop for a photographer.

3. HP 17

Budget Laptop For Seniors with Large Display

  AMD Ryzen 5 7520U

  16GB LPDDR5 RAM

  ‎Intel UHD Graphics

  512 GB SSD

  17”  FHD+ IPS

  4.8lbs

  7 hours

    Wifi 6

This is the most budget-friendly 17-inch laptop I’ve found with a recent CPU:

FHD 17-inch 60Hz Display

If you’re buying a laptop for someone with visual impairments, then resolution isn’t a priority. However, if that’s not the case, you might want to invest around $200 more for a high-resolution display (QHD), like the Lenovo Ideapad 5 Pro 16″ with a 2.5K resolution. Lower-resolution displays (HD+ or HD) work quite well for magnifying the operating system’s elements (objects, fonts, and bars) as shown below.

This makes any 17-inch laptop much easier to read. This HP model has an FHD display, so you can lower the resolution to magnify text when needed and switch back to FHD for watching movies in high definition.

As for refresh rates (60Hz vs. 120Hz), it’s not something to worry about here. Although higher refresh rates theoretically reduce eye strain, the difference isn’t as significant as using blue light filters. Higher refresh rates are mostly beneficial for gaming.

Ryzen 5 7520U

Compared to most 17-inch laptops under $400, this laptop will be significantly faster for multitasking, thanks to the latest-generation Ryzen 5 CPU. Typically, you’d find older Ryzen 5 models from the 3rd or 5th generation in this price range. However, the latest HP variant offers the current generation Ryzen 7 for under $500.

This is why I chose this model over others. While CPU speed may not make a huge difference for basic activities, there’s no need to settle for a lower-end system when this one is available for only slightly more.

Keyboard

As a 17-inch laptop, it includes a full-sized keyboard that is clicky, bouncy, and responsive. The only downside is the color scheme—grey letters on a black background—which may be difficult to see for someone with visual impairments. I recommend buying keyboard stickers and placing them on each key for improved visibility.

Windows 11 vs. Windows in S Mode

If you’re on a tighter budget (below $350), you may come across laptops like the SGIN 17-Inch Laptop Computer, which has similar specs to this HP model: same size, resolution, RAM, etc., but with one major difference—the CPU, which is an Intel Celeron.

Under $300, especially for 17-inch laptops, Intel Celeron or Pentium CPUs are the standard. The problem with these CPUs is that they’re too slow for the full version of Windows 10 or 11 Home. As a result, these budget laptops typically run Windows in S Mode.

Windows  S Mode: Software

Windows in S Mode is less demanding on hardware, and even 4GB RAM is enough for smooth performance. However…

S Mode restricts third-party software installations, which means you can’t add any specialized software that might assist with hand, vision, or hearing impairments. You’re limited to standard apps that come with the system.

If the senior you’re buying for doesn’t have any of these specific needs, a Windows 10/11 S Mode laptop could be a suitable, budget-friendly option.

5. Lenovo ChromeBook C340-15

Best Chromebook for Elderly Parents
Laptop or Tablet 

  Intel Core i3-8130U

  4GB RAM

   Intel HD 615

  32eMMC

  15” FHD 2 in 1 TouchScreen

  3 lbs

  10 hours

If you’re looking for an “easy-to-use” system rather than one with specific features to help with physical impairments, then you might consider convertible laptops.

These laptops can turn into a tablet when you flip the display back, and they’re known as 2-in-1 laptops.

Now…

These models are usually expensive, especially if you want a larger display. However, if you can avoid Windows, you can opt for a Chromebook, which doesn’t run Windows or macOS but is very fast and incredibly affordable.

  Performance & Quality

Why are Chromebooks fast even with basic hardware? Chrome OS is an efficient operating system that eliminates many hardware-intensive tasks common in systems like Windows. They can still handle games, photo, and video editing, but through lightweight apps rather than heavy software.

Think of Chrome OS as similar to a phone’s OS, making your Chromebook feel like a large phone with apps.

Quality: Most Chromebooks are made of inexpensive plastic, but that doesn’t mean they’re not durable. I had a Chromebook that lasted six years before the screen failed and the keys started to wear out, all for about $250!

CPUs & Temperatures: Since you won’t be running hardware-intensive tasks on a Chromebook, you don’t need a powerful CPU with an advanced cooling system. This keeps the CPU running at low temperatures, preventing overheating and extending the laptop’s lifespan. High temperatures and motherboard overheating are major causes of laptops becoming unusable.

  Lenovo Chromebook C340

I chose the Lenovo Chromebook C340 out of hundreds of other Chromebooks for several reasons:

• Screen Size: It’s the most affordable, high-quality 15-inch Chromebook that can turn into a tablet.
• 2-in-1 Touchscreen: Despite its large display, it still functions like a smaller 2-in-1 Chromebook. You can flip the screen back and use it as a tablet.

Touchscreen Chromebooks/Laptops

You can find cheaper Chromebooks with a touchscreen, but they might not let you flip the screen back to use as a tablet. This is a big drawback—here’s why:

With a standard touchscreen, you need to reach up to touch the screen, which can be tiring and uncomfortable, especially for those with shoulder issues.

Performance (Core i3): Most Chromebooks run on Celeron or Pentium processors, which work fine for Chrome OS since it’s not resource-intensive. This Chromebook, however, has a Core i3, which is overkill for Chrome OS but ensures it runs smoothly even with heavier apps like photo and video editing.

Weight: Despite being a 15-inch device, it weighs under 3 lbs, keeping it in the lightweight category.

Keyboard: Many Chromebooks have smaller, cramped keyboards due to their compact size. This model includes a full-sized keyboard with enough room for a numeric keypad. The color contrast between the keys and the background also improves visibility, though it lacks backlighting.

  Sound

Unfortunately, the speakers are lower quality than those on MacBooks or standard Windows laptops. This is the only major downside.

  Ease of Access: Chrome OS

While Chrome OS lacks some features found in Windows, it’s perfectly suitable for everyday tasks. Most widely-used software has an “app version” that runs on Chrome OS—apps like Office, Zoom, Skype, and alternatives to Photoshop are all available.

For interactive games or simple photo/video editing apps, Chromebooks are a great choice because they function more like a large phone.

Learning Curve

Using Chrome OS has a similar learning curve to using a phone or tablet.

Now…

To make the Chromebook even more accessible, you can go to the control panel (see image below) and adjust font sizes, shortcuts, and other accessibility options.

Worried about making accidental changes? Don’t be. The system locks certain critical settings, so even if you explore the control panel and experiment with various buttons, nothing will break.

One last bonus: Chromebooks are automatically backed up if you have a Google account (required to set up the device). This means that if the Chromebook ever breaks or you get a replacement, logging into your Gmail account will restore your favorite apps and settings on the new device.