Laptops allow anyone to access the internet, software and other services anywhere they need to. That flexibility makes them a great utilitarian electronic device which most people would like to own. If you would like to learn more about purchasing a laptop the right way, the article below is for you.
If you travel a lot, buy a laptop with a durable exterior shell. Some business laptops are created with travel in mind, and this can help them to withstand the bumps and bruises that often come along with frequent flyer miles you might accrue. Always ask about this feature before making your final purchase.
Always get a case to put your laptop in if you’re going to be taking it out of the home. Whether you’re going to school with it or taking it on a vacation, you’re going to want that protection. Just tossing your laptop into your backpack is a great way to have it get damaged pretty easily.
If you are purchasing a used laptop from a private seller, you should inspect it thoroughly before going through with the deal. Inspect the outside first and make sure it is not damaged. Turn the computer on and make sure it connects to the Internet. You have no guarantees with a private sale, so make sure everything looks good first.
Often times your laptop will have sensitive personal and/or business related material on it. You will want to get in the habit of backing up all data as soon as you get home from the office. In this way if your laptop is ever misplaced or stolen the personal contained therein will not fall into the wrong hands.
Refurbished laptops can be a good idea if you know where to buy them from. For example, refurbished Apple electronics come with the same warranty as new products. Make sure your refurbished computer comes with an updated battery. Remember that you may not get the same options available on new computers.
If you don’t care much about battery life, consider buying a used laptop online. In fact, if you do care about battery life, you can even buy a whole new battery and you should be good to go. Used laptops work very well, plus the price is always right!
To avoid adding even more costs onto the price of your laptop, skip the fancy software. There are plenty of free alternatives available to you, such as Google Docs instead of Microsoft Word. Only purchase software if you must for work or school, and talk to your administrator about discounts available to you before you buy.
Regardless of how much you spend on your new laptop, there are product minimums that you should be aware of. You should get at least 2 gigabytes of RAM and a 2.3 GHz processor speed. Choose a monitor that is at least 15 inches and check your computers wireless capability.
You probably don’t need a laptop with the most computing power available for everyday use. Unless you are hoping to do gaming on a laptop, you don’t need a lot of memory or a superfast CPU. The less you need, the cheaper your laptop will be.
Understand what your hardware needs will be. If you are a gamer, sound and video cards will be important to you. This will also mean a faster processor and more RAM. If you are a more casual user, avoid the latest, greatest sound and video hardware. However, if you are watching movies regularly, they become a consideration again.
Size up the screen. Laptops are now available in sizes that range for more than a foot, to mere inches. You will want to pick a screen size that is comfortable for you to use. If you chose one that is too small, you may find yourself using the screen magnifier very often.
Turn off your laptop when it is not in use. A laptop can easily overheat, especially when placed on a surface that’s soft like a couch or bed. Protect your laptop by shutting it off when you are not using it.
Many think a graphics card is necessary for graphic intensive work and games. Dedicated graphics cards suck up a lot of power, and also cut down on battery life. A lot of people get their laptops because they’re sure that the dedicated GPU is needed, but a lot of the time they don’t use it beyond that.
To get the best deal out of your next laptop, consider whether you need an optical drive or not (Blu-ray or DVD). A lot of the smaller models don’t come with them; because there are so many other ways to access and download media, they often go unused. If you choose one with a Blu-ray player, get one with 1080p resolution.
When buying a laptop, you should be aware that you have fewer upgrade options later. PCs are typically very customizable. You can add components later. It is often a matter of popping away a side of the case and installing a new component. For laptops, this process is usually much harder, if even possible. Graphic cards, for instance, are not usually upgradable in a laptop.
These tips have shown you how to easily figure out how to buy a laptop which suits your needs. From a small budget to huge computing requirements, you should have no problem locating the perfect device. As long as you use the knowledge you’ve gained from this article, it should be smooth sailing from here.
