Laptops 101: What You Need To Know Before You Buy
Some people may ask friends and family for advice when it comes to buying a new laptop. If you don’t know any computer savvy people, what can you do to get great advice? This article has been written by those who know all about buying a laptop, so you can read it and enjoy the tips within!
Make sure you know how much space the laptop will have. This should be something you either read where you’re buying it, or something you ask to the person selling it. This represents how much you can store on your computer. You want to be able to have something that you can work with when you need a lot of space for things like video files.
The highest priced machine is not necessarily the best one on the market. Sometimes less expensive laptops are better than more expensive ones. Sometimes, you’re only paying extra for the name. Be certain you are choosing a laptop for its specs, not its name.
You may want to get a USB mouse if you don’t like using the trackpad on your laptop. A laptop generally isn’t going to come with a mouse for you to use. This is why it’s up to you to get one. They make them in smaller sizes that are wireless if you wish to get those kinds.
Consider if your laptop will be your primary computer. If it will, you might want to spend more to get a bigger hard drive, more RAM, and an increased number of features. If it will only be a secondary computer, used from time to time when you are on the road, you can get away with something less updated and less expensive.
Never neglect battery life when laptop shopping. Regardless of how you plan to use your computer, you don’t want to recharge it constantly. If you’re going to be at home mostly, try to look for a laptop that will last around four hours before it needs to be charge. If you plan on using your laptop a lot while you’re out of your home, try to find one that will last at least five hours.
Make sure that any new laptop you buy comes with a way to return it if it doesn’t work right. Sometimes if you buy a new laptop they will give you a certain amount of time to return it if you have a receipt. Be very careful about this so that you don’t end up with an expensive broken computer.
Because laptops are designed with mobility in mind, consider a laptop with a locking mechanism. Unfortunately, we live in a world where others may not value your privacy or personal property. A laptop that locks down can deter thieves and prevent others from trying to access the personal information you keep private.
Big screens are not always right for a laptop that does a lot of different wings. The larger the screen, the heavier the laptop and the harder it is to carry around. Also if you have a larger screen you’ll lose battery power more quickly.
Be careful when dealing with add-ons. Some laptop manufacturers may sell additional add-ons. Without proper research on them, you shouldn’t consider them. It may seem beneficial to get a scanner, printer, camera, etc. you could pay a premium for the add-ons, or something like ink for the printer. Do proper research to make sure anything extra suits your needs so that you don’t waste money. Be careful with free add-ons. You need to make sure they don’t have a price that’s just added to the total computer price.
If you are looking for a laptop, consider the flash cache size for future performance. Flash cache is not quite as fast as an SSD, but you will experience faster boot times and you will be able to store a lot of data on a large hard drive. Currently you can find flash cache sizes ranging from 8-32GB.
Do you need a CD drive? Many computers today do not come with CD drives. If you need or want one in a computer, be sure that any computer you are considering purchasing has a CD drive. If you aren’t sure if you need one, you can always purchase an external CD drive.
It is always nice to have spare parts and accessories. When it comes to laptops, the best spare part you can have around is a charged battery. a place to charge your laptop, or plug it may not always be available, so having a spare battery can possibly be a life saver!
Pixels are important when choosing a laptop. Basically, the more pixels you have, the more information you can fit on the screen. Many budget laptops come with fairly low pixel counts. Higher end laptops will be full HD screens with very high resolution. You should see the difference in person at the electronics store before making a decision.
If you can only afford one upgrade on your laptop, consider an extended-life battery. An extended life battery can keep you from being tied to a power outlet for six hours or more, meaning your laptop is increasingly portable and can be used anywhere. You will thank yourself for spending the extra money the first time you travel with your computer.
Before you buy from anyone, ask about any warranties, guarantees or return policies. If you end up with a computer that doesn’t work, you could have nothing more than a doorstop if the seller won’t take it back or fix it! Ask first, buy second to protect yourself down the road.
To make your favorite applications easy to find and use on your laptop, pin the right shortcut to your taskbar. Go to the Start menu and find the shortcut to the program you want to pin. Right-click on that shortcut and choose “Pin to Taskbar.” The icon will appear permanently just to the right of your Start button.
With each tip you’ve read today, your knowledge about buying a laptop has gotten a little bigger. As you go out and shop, you will find these tips easily play into making your process simple and straightforward. If you start to use them, your laptop will be in your hands in no time.
