Buying a laptop can be a difficult thing to do. With so many brands, offers, and specifications it a challenge to choose one. Most of us simply settle for something someone at your local store recommends to you.
Ask for suggestions and recommendations from your friends, family, and relatives when buying some new gadgets. You can get mixed ideas that are very confusing.
These suggestions from friends, family, or relatives will not lead you anywhere but cause confusion and you have to start it all over again, especially when it comes to buying a laptop based on your own requirements or needs.
To avoid all this confusion, the following are a few tips that will help you to know what to keep in mind while buying a new laptop:
Select the best laptop brand.
Whether you like to try new things or stick with the traditional ones, it is advised to stick with top-notch brands when buying a laptop. A well-established brand assures good quality hardware and software.
When it comes to customer service, make sure and read about what each specific company provides and how helpful they can be when you need some help. Customer service is something many people overlooked. Many times people will buy a laptop based on the price, but they never consider how powerful having strong customer service can be especially when you need your computer fixed quickly.
Know your budget and stick to it.
Exceeding your budget for the sake of a few more features is not always good. Know your requirements first so that you can choose a laptop accordingly that has sufficient features to fulfill them. This can be a difficult task because many salespeople will direct you to higher cost computers. Know what you need the laptop for and stick with features that fulfill your requirements.
Do you really need that graphic card to watch YouTube videos or to do your schoolwork with? Sometimes all your really need is a budget computer to accomplish your work and other times you something with more power or options to upgrade.
Choose the processors accordingly.
There are several processors available these days that provide very high to moderate speed. If you need to process more work, you should definitely go for high processor speed as moderate processor speeds may slow down your work.
However, it is advised to choose a CPU with a minimum speed of 1.6 GHz. Today processors have multiple cores that enable you to have multiple programs open. A dual-core is more than enough to do multiple things like watch videos, do homework, and use the internet.
Prefer more memory.
RAM (Random-Access Memory), memory, or system memory all are one and the same thing and usually confused with storage. RAM is what allows you to have 15 browsing windows, YouTube, Microsoft Office, and your webcam running all at the same time. Most of the modern and mid-range laptops come with 8 GB (which is best for daily use). Having more RAM is good, but not necessary for basic computer tasks.
Prefer more storage but a faster one.
Do not compromise with storage space. If you are planning to store your music, pictures, and school projects you will need plenty of storage. Now we have Solid State Drives (SSD) which can be used to install your software on. SSD’s are a lot faster than traditional hard drives (HDD).
HDD (Hard Disk Drive) is also good option but only for storing large files. SSDs are becoming affordable and cost is almost comparable.
Choose the laptop’s screen size wisely.
Choosing the right size screen can be difficult. Many of us want a larger screen, but larger screens will cost you more too. What type of work will you will be doing on your laptop? Graphics and office work demand for a wider and broader screen (like 15 Inch) while chat and email can be composed and read on the smaller screens (like 10-13 Inch). Businesses choose either 13 inch or 15 inch laptop for their employees.
Look at the laptop’s portability side too.
Portability is a major concern. Having a laptop should allow you to move with it. If you want to bring your laptop to work is when you travel, choose one that is lighter and thinner. This will make things much easier for you.
Choose the laptop with better battery life.
Laptop batteries do not last as long as they are meant to. For basic needs, a laptop must contain a lithium-ion battery with minimum two years of life. You will have to do this research yourself and understand how much battery life you can get out of your battery.
Prefer warranty.
Everyone loves warranty except when it runs out. Laptops all come with a manufacturer warranty, but many stores will try and make you buy their own warranty. Warranties are expensive and sometimes will cost almost as much as your laptop! If you do not purchase a warranty and just stick with your manufacturer it can be a bit risky. If you choose to do this make sure you have a good computer shop that can do this kind of work. If you are looking for PC repair shop I suggest you go online and read some of the reviews and take into consideration what others have to say about specific shops. Most important thing is that consider a extended warranty when you buy a used laptop.
Buying a laptop can be as easy or as hard as you would like to make it. Know what you need the computer for and staying within budget are the two most important things to keep in mind when looking for a new laptop. Another alternative is buying a used laptop.
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