Since she seems to be set on going with a PC instead of a tablet, I'd recommend getting a desktop or an All In One. You will have a bigger screen, full-size keyboard (both easier for the aging), and they are a lot more bang for your buck vs a laptop. You are giving up the portability and convenience, but there is a good chance she will only want to use it at a specific spot anyway.
Business class stuff is built better and holds up better in the long run. The cheapo $200 Black Friday specials are cheap for a reason, and often don't make it long past the warranty expiration. It is a case of you get what you pay for, that is why ThinkPads, Dell Latitude, HP EliteBook and so on are worth getting over the cheaper consumer focused stuff.
I'm still thinking a desktop or AIO is the way to go should space and portability not be an issue, $200 can get a decent couple-year-old PC.
You're assuming she'd understand about pairing the two devices together, and what to do if the pairing should ever drop. And how to replace batteries when they eventually die.
Physically attached keyboard would be preferable. Stop thinking like a technically savvy young person and try to think about being an elderly person whose NEVER used a computer before.
That's why I initially suggested a Chromebook. Inexpensive, and other than setting up a Google account there's NOTHING else to do.
AND what, exactly, do you have to do to use an iPad? Or an iPhone? If you get a computer with Windows10, have you SEEN how much data Microsoft sucks off of that thing even if you turn OFF all of the options??
In an ideal world, she'd have a laptop with Linux Mint installed but I gathered from Crusty's original post, that wouldn't be something he could easily do himself (it IS what I did for my wife, and will do for my Mom once Microsoft drops support of Windows7).
And, as Shoggin pointed out above: "I don't know if a lady in her early 70's really has that much to hide to worry about Big Google?"
I got my mom (81 years old) a generic Android tablet for Christmas. She has an Android phone but was always bitching about it being small (old eyes) so I got her a 7", set it up for tethering, and now its' driven her to get home wifi (!). No major setup for her as far as accounts since she was already on the 'droid phone, just a larger interface for her youtubing and emailing and twitting. She loves it.
I'd think, for an older person, the most important factor would be "do they have a smartphone, if so what kind, and do they like using it?" If answers 1 and 3 are yes, get one that matches the OS for easier transitioning.
And I've got mom trained pretty well not to put secure info (card numbers, ID numbers, etc) out there EVER, and don't EVER send them to people who request them out of the blue. Dad (retired navy, ex-CPA) was also good about drilling that home - ONLY give that stuff out if YOU call THEM on the phone, so you know who you're talking to.
Android, iOS, and Windows devices can be used without creating an online account. Chromebooks cannot. Well, you can log in as a guest, but you lose everything once you log out or reboot.
I agree about avoiding components that can't attach physically, as eventually, it will fail to connect, either due to a pairing issue or power.
Regarding the Chromebook, since everything is stored "in the cloud" there is no need to run backups (something a LOT of non-technical people have problems doing). Something goes wrong, you replace the device, log in with your account and "Voila!" Like magic, everything is back.
Of course, if you're paranoid about your privacy, that is a negative. EVERYTHING is a compromise... Google already pretty much knows more about me than I probably know myself so I don't particularly care. At least now the ads I get are relevant, instead of all of the "Breast Enlargement" ads I used to get back in the early days.
BTW: It's not necessarily the privacy issue I am concerned with. Anyone can find out just about anything about me they want (sometimes for a small fee, sometimes free).
My main issue is the fact that these companies make money off of my information without compensating me or providing a means for me to opt out of that information marketplace.
That should bother everyone.
If they gave me a chromebook for free with the caveat that they would be selling my info, that would be a different matter.
I'll have to look it up, but pretty sure Google allows you to opt out of everything and have for a few years. They will still gather info, but it will not be tied to you. They do hide this very well though, so it's going to be damn hard to find again. And with the GDPR they will be required to allow you to see your information, download that info., and delete that info. If they chose not to do this, they will be blocked from operating in the EU and any other country that signs on to the GDPR laws. Same goes for every other business that has dealings, or even has a user from the EU.
I finally got my dad on a chromebook, no more screwing with virii. Started on an older one that no longer got updates, then got a newer one and got him on that a couple weeks ago. Took a bit over 10 minutes for his apps and stuff to appear, and many of the website needed to be logged in again, but it was painless for the most part. For many people, this is very good. And he used a Yahoo email address to operate the devices, so you are not tied to Gmail!
Alternate might be a ChromeBox for the bigger monitor and full size keyboard. Downside is that you need to buy a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
Mobil 1 is no longer a real full synthetic. The government changed the rules on what you can call a full synthetic so Mobil cheapened it's oil to match the government description.
Amsoil did not, still a true full synthetic!
Boy did this thread take a left turn at Albuquerque!
Have you seen the price of it? For a grand, you can get a really nice anything else that would be better suited. Honestly, I'd drop a grand on an iPad Pro, Surface Pro, or similar before a phone.
A Grand? Thats for the cheap entry level note 9 with 128 GB. Its 1250 for the 512 GB, if you want to get to be able to get to a terabyte. I was asking because I was told it could take the place of a PC.