With the introduction of iPads and notebooks, laptop computers are getting more advanced and thinner. These innovations have also driven the price of a laptop down. Even with a reduced price, a new laptop can be a major expenditure for the average consumer on a budget. You want to get the most for your dollar while at the same time getting the features that you need. Add to that getting a computer that is not outdated the minute you walk out the door of the reseller.
Five Main Areas to Consider When Purchasing a Laptop
The Size of the Laptop
In most instances, the size of the laptop is a personal preference. If you have a specific size in mind, you may have to pay more than if the size doesn’t matter to you. The most economical laptops in today’s market weight around 8 pounds. There are laptops that are ultra portable weighing in at 3 pounds, however, you will pay a higher price for these sleek new systems. Your budget will go much further if you stick to a mid-size laptop.
The Screen of the Laptop
The size of the laptop and the screen size tend to go hand-in-hand. In most instances, a 15 inch screen that comes with a standard laptop is more than adequate for most users. Be cautious with purchasing a laptop with a larger screen such as a 17 inch screen. One of our customers came in looking for a case to carry their computer and we had to special order a case due to the size. The savings they received from purchasing a larger screen was over shadowed by the additional cost of the case. You can always attach an external monitor if you are using the laptop as a replacement for your desktop computer.
The GPU of the Laptop
The GPU is the video card for the laptop and controls how the images appear on the screen. If you are purchasing a laptop on a budget, you will want to go with a shared video card as opposed to a dedicated video card which will produce better results however, it will also increase the price. A shared video card shares the RAM of the computer and is usually fine for the average user and will bring down the cost of the laptop. If playing video games on your laptop is important to you, then you will need to spend the additional dollars for a dedicated video card. Most of today’s games will not play on a shared device.
The CPU of the Laptop
Here is where you can really save money on a new laptop. In most cases you don’t need the newest processor out on the market so don’t get pressured into buying the latest and the greatest. The CPU is the central processing unit of the laptop. You can easily step down from the most current processor and save on your laptop purchase. Unless you are working with very large graphics files or need to do some heavy calculations, a processor that has been out on the market for awhile will work just fine.
The RAM of the Laptop
RAM stands for random access memory. This is what gives your laptop the ability to “think.” I am sure that you have experienced a time when your computer seemed to freeze when you were multi-tasking or noticed a slow down when trying to load a program. These are all indications that the system doesn’t have enough memory. The average laptop comes with 1 GB of RAM. Fortunately, this is one area that you can add to your laptop at a later date if you notice that this is not sufficient. If price is an issue, you may want to step down on the amount of RAM initially and add more later if needed.
Buying a new laptop should be fun and exciting, but in today’s economy it can be discouraging trying to purchase a laptop on a budget. You will want to shop wisely and have a list of items on which you can negotiate if you need to bring down the price of a new laptop. Take your time and do your research. Then you will feel comfortable when talking with a technician about what you need.
We would love to help you with your purchase of a new laptop. Stop by our shop and let us help you stay within your budget and still get what you need.
We also have used laptops that can easily be modified to fit any need and budget.
Five Main Areas to Consider When Purchasing a Laptop
The Size of the Laptop
In most instances, the size of the laptop is a personal preference. If you have a specific size in mind, you may have to pay more than if the size doesn’t matter to you. The most economical laptops in today’s market weight around 8 pounds. There are laptops that are ultra portable weighing in at 3 pounds, however, you will pay a higher price for these sleek new systems. Your budget will go much further if you stick to a mid-size laptop.
The Screen of the Laptop
The size of the laptop and the screen size tend to go hand-in-hand. In most instances, a 15 inch screen that comes with a standard laptop is more than adequate for most users. Be cautious with purchasing a laptop with a larger screen such as a 17 inch screen. One of our customers came in looking for a case to carry their computer and we had to special order a case due to the size. The savings they received from purchasing a larger screen was over shadowed by the additional cost of the case. You can always attach an external monitor if you are using the laptop as a replacement for your desktop computer.
The GPU of the Laptop
The GPU is the video card for the laptop and controls how the images appear on the screen. If you are purchasing a laptop on a budget, you will want to go with a shared video card as opposed to a dedicated video card which will produce better results however, it will also increase the price. A shared video card shares the RAM of the computer and is usually fine for the average user and will bring down the cost of the laptop. If playing video games on your laptop is important to you, then you will need to spend the additional dollars for a dedicated video card. Most of today’s games will not play on a shared device.
The CPU of the Laptop
Here is where you can really save money on a new laptop. In most cases you don’t need the newest processor out on the market so don’t get pressured into buying the latest and the greatest. The CPU is the central processing unit of the laptop. You can easily step down from the most current processor and save on your laptop purchase. Unless you are working with very large graphics files or need to do some heavy calculations, a processor that has been out on the market for awhile will work just fine.
The RAM of the Laptop
RAM stands for random access memory. This is what gives your laptop the ability to “think.” I am sure that you have experienced a time when your computer seemed to freeze when you were multi-tasking or noticed a slow down when trying to load a program. These are all indications that the system doesn’t have enough memory. The average laptop comes with 1 GB of RAM. Fortunately, this is one area that you can add to your laptop at a later date if you notice that this is not sufficient. If price is an issue, you may want to step down on the amount of RAM initially and add more later if needed.
Buying a new laptop should be fun and exciting, but in today’s economy it can be discouraging trying to purchase a laptop on a budget. You will want to shop wisely and have a list of items on which you can negotiate if you need to bring down the price of a new laptop. Take your time and do your research. Then you will feel comfortable when talking with a technician about what you need.
We would love to help you with your purchase of a new laptop. Stop by our shop and let us help you stay within your budget and still get what you need.
We also have used laptops that can easily be modified to fit any need and budget.
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