Buying a laptop becomes quite a confusing affair with myriad choices and configurations available in the market. Unless you are aware of what features you want, you might end up spending more than what you want. There is no end to how much you can spend on cutting edge technology; you need to ascertain what is the best buy for you based on your budget and requirements. With a little bit of prior financial planning and research, you can get the most suitable laptop for your needs.
Start with a budget: How much can you realistically spend on a laptop without having to rely on external sources of funding like a personal loan or financing from the seller? Decide on a budget and stick to it, otherwise you might get swayed by the fancy features of laptops, many of which you might not even use that frequently. Don't stretch your finances just to get the latest technology when you cannot afford it comfortably.
Specify your requirements, prioritize what is important: Make a note of all your requirements based on whether you are going to use it at home or at work. Identify your priorities; are you going to use the computer mostly for email, or will you be building complex spreadsheets. Accordingly, you might invest less or more in the processing speed and spreadsheet packages. Match your budget to your needs and make a comparative study of the prices of comparable models with different sellers.
Size: Remember that notebooks often come at a higher price than laptops, because you end up paying a premium for the tiny size and weight. Analyze how often you will be traveling with your machine and if size is important for you or not.
Processors: Different processors, depending upon their speed and brands can dramatically change the price of a laptop. If you have prioritized what you will be using your machine for, you will be able to make the right choice that suits your budget. Generally speaking, the latest software and websites run faster and more efficiently on faster processors. So, if you do not want to update your machine at a later date, you might want to invest in a faster processor. Intel's Centrino offers great speed as well as greater battery life, but might cost more. Celeron processors are cheaper and ideal for entry level budget laptops. Choose wisely because you will not be able to upgrade the processor at a later date.
RAM: Opt for a minimum of 512 MB Ram if your budget is extremely limited. Otherwise 1GB or 2GB or more would be ideal for today's uses. Remember, if you don't want to spend too much today, this is one area where you can get an upgrade.
Battery life: For people who travel quite a lot, long battery life should be a main criterion. Go in for those that give a minimum of two hours per charge. Remember that your batter life will deteriorate over an extended period of time. Understand what the replacement cost of a battery will be, so that you can bring down the lifetime cost of owning a laptop.
Operating system: In today's world, you can get an open source operating system for which you do not have to pay anything. If, however, you choose to use Microsoft Windows, you will have to pay to buy the original software. Your operating system is one area where you can bring down the cost of ownership without compromising on quality if you are using your machine for basic needs such as email.
Hard Drive: Another area which drives the variability in the cost of a laptop is the amount of memory you choose for your hard drive. If you use your machine to store a lot of files like photographs and music, then you might want to buy a machine with a bigger hard drive. Of course if you have a limited financial budget, you can start with a basic hard drive and later get an external drive. The prices of such hard drives is coming down quite dramatically.
Wireless: The way the world is moving, you might want to get a laptop that has wi-fi compatibility. Getting wi-fi installed at a later date might not only be a hardware challenge but also might come at a huge cost. So, minimize this cost by getting wi-fi upfront.
Warranty: Many laptops will come with a factory guarantee - check the warranty period and scope of coverage. Does the warranty cover both the cost of replacement parts and the labor charges? Check if it is onsite warranty or a carry-in warranty. Also check if there are options for extended warranty and insurance and how beneficial will it be. Read the fine print and also go through the replacement policies.
Things to remember
Start with a budget and ensure that you can afford your machine Prioritize the features like size and speed based on the activities you will be most using the laptop for email, word processing or spreadsheets You can save money by getting an open source operating system Understand the warranty and maintenance issues - clarify what you might have to pay for
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