The big-picture steps you take to refresh a laptop are the same regardless of whether it's a Windows laptop, Apple MacBook or Chromebook - save your old data, remove all personal information, then go for a factory reset. (Although that's something you should definitely do before you gift it.) How much data scrubbing you need to do, however, will likely depend on the recipient. Wiping the computer of all your apps, files, folders and other personal information isn't necessarily as straightforward as just wiping down the laptop screen. Even if you're giving it as a gift to a friend or relative, you'll still want to clean out the laptop and give it a fresh start. As we mentioned earlier, though, it’s worth noting that it’s not a gaming machine – for more complex tasks, you may want to check out our picks for the best laptops for coding.A full factory reset can help an older laptop run a little faster - but it's absolutely crucial that you do it before you give a laptop away or take it to be recycled. User reviews are positive, with the Lenovo Ideapad 1i getting a 4 out of 5 star (opens in new tab) average rating from Walmart customers.

However, for an everyday laptop it does the job and is at a very affordable price, too. While the machine does include three-months of access to Xbox Game Pass, you’ll struggle to play much on the Lenovo Ideapad 1i due to its more modest specs. There is also a webcam for web calling, although it is a 720p sensor. The 128GB of onboard storage isn’t a huge amount, but there are USB ports to allow for additional storage options. Weighing just over 3 lbs, it’s a very portable device. On the plus side, it also offers 10 hours of battery life, and the 14-inch display is just about HD quality. With an Intel Pentium Silver processor and 4 GB memory, this Ideapad is far from a computing powerhouse, but it’s ideal for more basic tasks like word processing, watching streaming media, or firing off emails and scrolling through social media. The Lenovo Ideapad 1i (opens in new tab) comes with Windows 11 pre-installed in S Mode, which means it’ll only run apps from the Windows store (this can be disabled to allow running of other apps, too).

11 windows laptop