Do you need a laptop for your handicapped wife?
Do you need a laptop for your handicapped wife?
Hi all!
My wife has multiple sclerosis and uses only her right hand, which is quite weak. We're looking for a lighter device with a clear display and a full keyboard featuring a number pad. It's mainly used for video streaming, email, and word processing. The battery life isn't a big concern since it's mostly plugged in. A low cost would be helpful. Any ideas?
Off topic, but do anyone have a good resource for making shortcuts or tweaks in Windows to make one-handed use easier? Also, is there easy-to-use dictation software? Her iPhone dictation is really useful.
Thanks everyone!
Also posted on Tom's Guides forum
Sorry to hear about your wife. I hope things improve with all the tech progress we've seen. Could you please follow this thread's style? The group can then build on suggestions. On a side note, if the laptop works, we might consider swapping its OS drive (if it's just an HDD) for an SSD and adding more RAM, as long as the laptop can handle those changes. Please include your laptop's make, model, and SKU.
Windows settings includes an accessibility part.
It supports options like voice input and cursor improvement.
Regarding laptops, I believe the Lenovo ThinkPads will feature a single-touch red keyboard button that could be very helpful for one-handed use.
The displays may differ, but you might prefer one with higher brightness, around 400 nits.
The x1 carbon units are especially thin.
Current top choice is the Lenovo Ideapad 330 featuring a large display, around 19 inches.
Your budget should stay under $1000 ideally.
You're looking at a notebook with a balance between portability and screen size, likely around 15 inches or larger.
You’re unsure about the exact screen resolution but have no specific preference.
You need a portable laptop, not a desktop replacement.
Battery life is important to you; minimal is acceptable.
If you want to play games, consider titles with low, medium, or high settings—web-based options like Wordle are fine.
Other tasks include photo/video editing, web browsing, streaming, email, and document processing.
You require about 320 GB of storage space.
Storage needs aren’t huge; you’ll need to keep many documents and some photos.
For purchasing, please share any specific websites you prefer. No preference needed.
You’d like to keep the laptop for more than five years.
Regarding the optical drive, options include DVD ROM/writer or Blu-ray ROM/writer—DVD is a nice addition but not mandatory.
Tell us about brands you prefer and those you dislike, along with your reasons. No strong preference.
Your location is the USA.
Additional notes: accessibility matters, weight is important, and the keyboard should have numbers plus a few buttons; avoid keys for F or similar functions.