Saturday 10 December 2011

How to buy a Laptop? - A newbie guide


While writing about the top 10 laptops available in the market today, a thought came to my mind that – What about the new buyers – those who are planning to buy a laptop for the first time? I still remember my first time – it was a chaos. I went to the shop with a particular model in mind after a lot of research. Once there, my whole plan just vanished. I was flooded with options – and many were those which would have definitely solved my purpose and were cheaper than the one that I planned to buy. In short – I was confused what to buy?? And today I am using my 3rd laptop and I am no more confused. I know what I need and the things that need to be considered while buying a laptop. So to help many of you who are on the same boat like I was I thought I must write this. 

I  hope you will find the these short & simple tips helpful --  

Firstly, if you ask me why I want to buy a laptop I would say –

1.     Size & Weight – They are compact and do not need large storage space unlike desktop
2.     Portability – I can take it anywhere I want in my bag – it is so cool
3.     Runs on battery – So no dependency on power-supply if it is charged properly

And now if you ask me why I would not want to buy a laptop – My main reason would be –“Difficult to upgrade”.  Even adding a simple RAM may require you to send the whole piece back to the manufacturer. Plus most laptops require you to install parts manufactured by the same company – which I would definitely don’t like. So if you have update in mind, desktop would be your best bet.

Anyways, once you have decided on buying a laptop, now let us see the parameters that you would like to consider while buying –

1.     Weight – Most laptops would weigh max 2 kgs. So if you are a frequent traveler, you may consider buying a lighter laptop (which also would come with a little features – though not very significant considering day-to-day job). But, if you are not travelling, you can go for a laptop stuffed with more features and will be a little heavier.
2.     Screen Size – Common sizes available are 12.1, 13.3, 14.4 and 15 inch. This you can choose per you like, but for gaming fans I would surely suggest 15 inch.
3.     Material – It comes in plastic, aluminum and magnesium alloy. However if you are looking for a luxurious look, I would recommend going for the aluminum
4.     Touch pad – This is a square space located just below the space bar key. This is touch-sensitive and you use this to navigate between screens by moving your finger.  So make sure that it is not over-responsive or under-responsive. Make sure that it responds as per your need.
5.     Battery Life – The more the merrier. Many laptops come with multiple battery option.  Mainstream laptops comes with a 6-cell battery option that last anything between 5- 7 hrs. While other business laptops with multiple battery options can go 10hrs plus. So if you are mostly outside, multiple battery option is what you need.
6.     Keypad – Though all laptops will have cramped keyboard, look for one where you can place your fingers comfortably. And if you have kids, look for ‘Spill-Resistant’ keyboard.
7.     Hard drive – This is the place where you store all your data. So bigger the merrier. At least look for a 300+ GB of space.
8.     RAM – It stands for Random Access Memory. The higher the better. At least 1GB and above. If you plan to run big simulations or games, have more RAM.
9.     Processor – If you are confused with the huge options available, simple logic – GO FOR THE LATEST
10.  Removable Drives – This can be CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. So decide which one you need. Also check if you have the USB options available.

Finally and most importantly, fix a budget. And try not over-shooting your budget which is very intimidating at times.

Hope this is helpful. Please let me know if you have any queries. Thanks.

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