Imagine you’re about to send an important email or submit a term paper, but your laptop crashes. You try to reload it, but nothing works, so you decide it’s time for an upgrade.
Before you head to the computer store, you should look for tips for buying a laptop. That way, you can get a laptop that can handle everything you need it to and for many years.
Keep reading to learn how to choose a laptop that works for you.
1. Consider Your Budget
One of the most important tips for buying a laptop is to know how much you can afford. Fortunately, you can find plenty of laptop deals on a budget.
Knowing your budget can also help you narrow your search easily. If you don’t want to spend more than $1,000, for example, you can know to eliminate the more expensive options.
Whether you’re shopping for a laptop online or in stores, you can look at the price before you research a laptop more. That way, you can save time in your search.
2. Think About Where You’ll Use It
Next, you should consider how and where you want to use your new laptop. Consider if you will need to have a long battery life or if you can plug your laptop in throughout the day.
Similarly, you should think about if you want a smaller, more portable laptop. Portability can be great for people who travel a lot of work in different locations.
But if you plan to use your laptop mostly at home and for an hour at a time, portability and battery life aren’t as important. Then, you can prioritize a different laptop spec that does matter to you.
3. Look For A Long Lifespan
Unless you always like to have the latest and greatest tech, you should consider how long a laptop will last. Some can last for years before you need to replace the battery or the entire computer.
If you’re buying a laptop that you plan to use all day, you should also look for a long lifespan. That way, you won’t run the battery into the ground after only a few months.
Now, you don’t need your laptop to last for a decade. But make sure you buy a recent model so that it can last through a few software upgrades before you need to buy another one.
4. Research Available Software
Another important step in how to choose a laptop is to figure out what software the computer can handle. If you know you need a specific program, like Final Cut Pro, you can use that in your research.
You would need to get a Mac laptop to use Final Cut Pro. However, you can also research alternatives for video editing software if you want to get a Windows computer.
Still, some programs are only available on one or two operating systems. And if you can’t find a suitable alternative, that can help you choose your next laptop.
5. Decide Which Features You Need
Along with software options, consider if you want any other specific features. Touchscreen laptops can be an excellent choice if you want to manipulate your screen more easily.
You can also find laptops that convert into tablets or where you can rotate the laptop 360 degrees. Some Macs have a Touchbar, but not all of them. Think about those and other unique features you won’t find on all laptops.
If you want to use a wireless mouse or a second screen with your laptop, you should take note of that. When you go to get a laptop, you can make sure you find one that meets all of your needs.
And if you can find that perfect laptop, you can prioritize. Then, you can find something you’ll enjoy, and you can get as many features as possible.
6. Don’t Forget About Storage
You should also consider your storage needs when reviewing a laptop buying guide or comparing models. Consider how much on-board storage comes with your computer and if you can upgrade it later.
If you don’t always have access to the internet, you may want a laptop with more storage. That way, you can access all of your files and information wherever you are.
You can also consider using cloud storage when you do have an internet connection. Consider if you will get a discount on cloud storage when you buy the laptop. That may be enough to help make your decisions.
7. Consider An Internet Connection
Whether you use cloud storage or not, you should think about accessing the internet. Consider how reliable your WiFi is where you live, work, or go to school.
If you don’t have a good WiFi connection, you may want to consider using a cellular hotspot. In that case, you should look at laptops that can work with hotspots either over Bluetooth or using a wired connection.
And if you don’t have that, you may want to get a laptop to use with an Ethernet cable. Consider if you will need an Ethernet port or if you can use an adapter.
8. Determine What Ports You Need
Speaking of cables and ports, you should consider if you need anything specific in that area. Think about what you connect to your current laptop and if your needs will change with your new computer.
You can also figure out if you want the laptop to have all of the ports you need or if you’re willing to get and use an adapter. Using an adapter can be a good compromise if you want a thinner, lighter laptop.
However, it can be annoying to manage tons of adapters. You should decide if portability or ports are more important to you so that you can get a laptop that best suits your needs.
9. Listen Up For Sound
If you plan to use your laptop to listen to music or podcasts, you should also look at the speakers. Consider how many speakers a laptop has and where on the computer the speakers are.
While you can connect external speakers to a laptop, that can be inconvenient. Buying external speakers can also be expensive if you get them at the same time as your computer.
If possible, try to listen to audio on the laptop you want to buy before purchasing it. Then, you can see if you like the audio quality or if you may want to keep looking at computers.
10. Use Your Personal Preference
Sometimes, you may have a laptop in mind before you start researching your options. If you’ve always used Lenovo laptops, for example, you may want to stick with that brand.
Getting the same laptop brand can be a good option if you can’t try the computer ahead of time. You know what you’re getting when you buy from that company, so you can trust you’ll have a good experience.
So consider the laptops you’ve used in the past and how you did or didn’t like them. Then, you can see if there’s a pattern and if one brand or model stands out from the rest.
11. Review Stock Availability
Laptop availability may not always matter, but it’s something to think about when buying a laptop. If you need to get your new laptop that day or within a few days, that can limit your options.
You may need to only consider laptops that are in stock at a store in your city. Consider how and when you can get your new laptop and if you may need to wait.
Sometimes, waiting for the perfect laptop can be worth it. However, you may need to settle for a different model if your current laptop stops working.
12. Ask Your Friends And Family
Another thing you can do before buying a laptop is to ask for opinions from your friends and family. Ask a friend what laptop they use and what they like and don’t like about the computer.
Talk to as many people as you can so that you can get a range of opinions. You can also ask everyone how they use their computer and if they chose it for any specific reason.
If you know someone well, you can ask to borrow their laptop to test out using it. That can be useful if you’re looking to switch to a different operating system or laptop brand.
13. Try Multiple Laptops
Whether you ask friends or not, you should try as many laptops as you can before you buy one. You never know what you may like or dislike until you give it a try.
Try to go to a computer or electronics store where you can test drive a ton of computers at once. You can do the same tasks on each model, such as load a webpage, type in a document, and check your email.
Then, you can compare how each laptop performs during those tasks. While it may not help you make your final decision, testing computers can help you narrow your search.
Which Tips For Buying A Laptop Will You Use?
Buying a new computer can be stressful, and the amount of options doesn’t help. Fortunately, there are multiple tips for buying a laptop that can help you along the process.
Whether you have a tight budget or know the laptop brand you want, you can use that to choose your next laptop. Then, you can save time and get the best laptop for you.
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