Finding the Best Deals on Laptops
If you're in the market for a new laptop or want to upgrade your existing laptop, you should consider buying a budget laptop. While some of the mainstream brands are more known brands, such as HP, Asus, Apple and Acer, the likes of Lenovo, HP and Acer still provide solid hardware at affordable prices. Even if you only want to perform basic functions such as checking emails, surfing the net and basic office work, then a budget laptop would suit the purpose perfectly. Here is a guide to picking out the best bargain laptop.
As with most products, there are two main things to look out for when buying a budget laptop. Firstly, make sure you get a laptop within your price point. This means that you don't end up with a product which is beyond your means. Don't set yourself up for disappointment by paying way over the odds. Similarly, don't buy a laptop with poor specs, either. These can put a major dent in the performance of your laptop.
Secondly, make sure you don't buy a Windows laptop, even if you're on a strict budget. Windows laptops tend to be higher spec'd than the competition, but because they are aimed at a lower price point, they often lack features which may be vital to you. While it's tempting to go for a Windows laptop, be careful about this. You may find that your chosen Windows laptop is substandard when it comes to basic computer use, leaving you high and dry if you need a laptop for more intensive tasks. If you need the most powerful laptop on the market, then stick to an Apple product.
One of the best ways to ensure that your budget laptop has everything you need is to be sure you're getting the latest and greatest desktop alternatives. Desktop alternatives to laptops include quad core i7 models, as well as models with up to fourGB of ram. Even if your budget laptop doesn't have the ability to be upgraded, an upgrade to a quad core i7 or better processor will give your laptop everything it needs to run all of your latest programs. This way you'll get the most out of your laptop and increase the speed at which you can work with it.
Next, check out how the laptops prices compare when it comes to processor speed and RAM size. The average lenovo laptop in our tests tended to be mid range machines with about two or three gigabytes of ram and a low level of processor power. Even these low end options offer great value for money. You can get an entry level machine for less than one hundred dollars. However, a faster processor and more memory will bring the price up significantly, so if you want the best price for your laptop, go for a mid range option with good levels of processor power and RAM.
The third thing to look out for when it comes to finding the best price for your laptop is its build quality and keyboard. Although many people think that a bad keyboard is just as important as a bad trackpad, it's not. A poor keyboard will limit how comfortable you are to use your machine, and might make it harder to type quickly. Choose a cheap but good build quality such as one with a good battery life, a decent trackpad and good key-set widths to fit in with your needs.
Finally, look out for extra features on the cheap laptops as these tend to be more expensive. Do the standard functions such as wifi, Bluetooth and USB but do some research and find out what else you can do with it. Most HP laptops come with an internal camera so don't overlook this. Look out for optional additions such as a media player or an optical drive. Many people also buy additional batteries, screen protectors, memory sticks and other add-ons. These can boost the budget laptop's functionality and might otherwise be included by the manufacturer.
Note: For the best performance, the latest models of the cheapest budget laptops will usually include at least 8GB of ram and a solid state hard drive (sticker memory). If your laptop uses a standard hard drive, it may be worthwhile choosing a different manufacturer for a faster model. You may also benefit from faster hard drive speed if you use more than a couple of gigabytes of data each day. Note that unless you have an external laptop backup solution (and in some cases this isn't even an option) you won't be able to download your work to an external drive, which means you'll need to consider how fast your local network is.