How to Buy a New Laptop
A laptop or a notebook computer is usually smaller than a desktop and will contain items like monitor, keyboard, mouse or touchpad to do different operations on the screen and system unit. Another advantage of using a laptop computer is that they are very handy and light in weight than the conventional desktop computers which are also not portable. A laptop also consumes less power than the desktop. A laptop or a notebook computer does have some problems that you should be fully aware of while buying new one. Many of the laptops require you to use parts which have been manufactured by the same company that has made the laptop. Many cheap laptop computers of famous companies are available, which have almost the same facilities as the high-end ones. The process to buy laptop is not so difficult. Here are some useful tips on buying a laptop computer that will make it all easy for you.
While buying a laptop you also need to consider some other important factors like the optical devices, the weight, size and display screen of the laptop. Dell, HP, Toshiba, Fujitsu are some of the best brands of laptops available in the markets for laptop lovers.
Factors to be Considered While Buying a New Laptop
Before you go about laptop computer buying, be very sure how you will be using it. A laptop can be used for home use, entertainment, browsing and business related purposes and for various developmental, industrial and manufacturing and designing purposes. The needs of businessmen, students, casual users wishing to buy laptops will obviously be different. A business person would need all the packages of Microsoft like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint and other packages like Paint, Photoshop, Tally etc. However, a student wishing to buy a laptop just for the sake of surfing the Internet would not need all these packages.
Laptop Processor
The laptop computer processor is one of the most important things you need to consider as it is considered as the brain of the computer. The advice to buyers will be to buy one which has a Intel Core Duo processor. The AMD Athlon Turion 64 X2 dual-core processor is also a very good when considered from the performance point of view. Check out the various 32-bit processors and 64-bit processors available in the market. The advanced silicon technology in the 64-bit processors makes them more useful for home and office levels. A 64-bit processor has a data bus which is 64-bit wide and can carry more information than the 32-bit processor which has a data bus which is 32-bit wide. The one vital thing you should remember is that if you want your 64-bit computer processor to work well, the capacity requirement of your Random Access Memory (RAM) will also increase. Read more on: 32 bit vs 64 bit processors.
Random Access Memory
Be aware of how much random access memory ( RAM) you will be needing and buy a laptop as per your requirements. For business and industrial purposes, you should ideally use the DDR3 memory specification. DDR2 is also a widely used memory specification in laptop computers. Depending on the use, you should decide how much RAM you need. Ideally, you should buy a laptop with 1 GB of RAM. Later on, if you feel that you are falling short of memory due to increase in your daily tasks, you can always consider adding more memory to your existing laptop. Read more: What is computer RAM (Random Access Memory).
Cache Memory
Cache memory is RAM that the processor in your computer accesses directly and faster than the normal RAM. Hence, it's very important that your laptop computer should have a sufficient amount of cache memory. The main function of the cache memory is to speed up the process of memory retrieval.
Hard Drive
Check for the hard drive as this is the place where the memory will be stored unlike the random access memory (RAM) which, by nature, is volatile. While buying a laptop, consult an industry expert considering your needs. The capacity of the hard disk, which is expressed in gigabytes, shows the amount of data which the user can store in the memory of the laptop.
Laptop Screens
When looking for the best laptop deals, you should give special attention to the size of the screen. The thin-film transistor technology and the flat screen are the striking features of these high-end laptops. Due to the flat screen, each pixel is controlled individually and the final resultant display has a brilliant appearance and fluidity. The size of the laptop screen is always described in inches and the corresponding diagonal length is also mentioned. If you have the intentions to view videos on your laptop screen, you should buy the one with 15:10 display formats. If you want to buy a laptop with a normal screen size, you can buy the 13'' or 14'' laptops. Nowadays, the LCD laptop screens like Active Matrix are used which has more advanced technology. The advantage of using LCD screens is that they are flat, wide and are half-inch thick. They are known to use less power than the contemporary CRT screens.
The best and the most portable screen size is the 14.1" laptop screen. If you are comfortable carrying some extra weight, you can consider the idea of buying a 17" laptop. However, you should remember that the cost of the laptop will go on increasing with the increase in the screen size. Laptops with screen size as less as 7" are also available in the market. You should also be aware of the concept of screen resolution, while you buy a laptop. Screen resolution is the number of pixels across by those which are up and down. Generally, the resolutions get bigger as the size of the screen increases. However, for the LCD screen, you must have a backlight to illuminate your display.
Graphics Memory
Graphics memory is another vital aspect which must be considered. Remember that the graphics memory should be independent and should never be clubbed with the main memory of your laptop. You will need the advanced 3D graphic fries which are in the size range of 256MB to 512MB, if you intend to play games on your newly bought laptop. While buying a laptop, ask the shopkeeper about the laptop battery and how long it will last.
Connectivity and Networking Features of a Laptop
Almost all laptops manufactured today, come along with inbuilt wireless networking facility. You can easily connect laptops to Wi-Fi zones and wireless networks even from your home and any other public place which is connected to Wi-Fi terminals. If your need for multimedia is very advanced, then consider important hardware security features and the I/O ports which are available. Discuss various other features like ergonomics, hard drive, bluetooth technology and modem with some experienced people who know a lot about laptops. Your new laptop should have good number of USB ports.
Laptop Peripherals
While you buy a laptop, give special attention to the inbuilt hardware and peripherals of the laptop. The PCMCIA cards are available with connectors for many peripherals. You can also buy an inkjet printer considering aspects such as weight, resolution and size. If you did not get an external modem or a PC modem, then buy one. Small speakers, which are powered by batteries will help you to travel with the speakers. Also check for business peripherals like the bar code wands, PC cards which have cellular phone connections and projectors. The sound cards and networking cards will help to raise the functionality of your laptop computer.
Pricing and Warranty for Laptops
Be very clear of the budget, when you buy. A laptop for a price tag of $1,200 is a good consideration. Some high-end laptops with advanced facilities can cost you as much as $6,000. You should, however, stick to your budget and not surpass it, in any case. Bargain with the shopkeeper, so that you get a good deal for the laptop. While making the payment, do not forget to ask about the warranty for the laptop. Well-known companies offer laptops with two to three-year pick up and return warranty and attractive discounts on the purchase of certain models. Standard companies will have a service-level agreement which will be useful in the servicing and maintenance of your laptop. You can pay for the laptop by various modes of payment, like cash or by simply swiping your debit card.
Laptop Accessories
Laptop accessories will be of a great use while you use your laptop, especially when you are traveling. Due to these accessories, you will not have to rely on outside sources for gear. Here is a list of some of the best accessories.
- Laptop bags
- USB flash drives
- Power adapters
- TV tuner
- Wireless LAN card
- Security cables
- Laptop headset
