Cheap Laptop and Notebook Buying Guide
The price of laptops and notebooks has dropped considerably over the past few years. Some of the top manufacturers are selling laptops at under $500, with specifications suitable for most users.In this guide we will cover what you need to know before purchasing a new, refurbished or used laptop or notebook.
What to look for in a cheap laptop or notebook.
Your choice of laptop/notebook will depend on how you intend to use it. Most modern laptops are adequate for every day tasks like word processing, surfing the internet, spreadsheet applications, and more.Buying a cheap laptop or notebook does not necessarily mean you have to cutback on performance, most machines under $500 will have sufficient memory and hard drive space. Processor speed is a factor, but again, most cheap laptops boast impressive processor speeds.
Buying Lower Specification Laptops/Notebooks
If you purchase a lower spec laptop/notebook, there are cost-effective ways you can increase the performance yourself in the future.Memory upgrades are cheaper these days, with a 2GB memory (RAM) module available for under $50. Installing the memory yourself is fairly straight forward, and can greatly improve the performance of the laptop. See our guide if you need help installing the laptop memory upgrade.
Laptop hard drives are very reasonably priced, they are also reasonably easy to install. The size of the hard drive you will need will depend on your particular requirements, if you don't wish to upgrade the existing laptop hard drive, you can always purchase an external hard drive which can be connected via USB.
One of the most crucial components when it comes to the performance of your cheap laptop is the processor. For more information on processors click here Laptop processors can be very tricky to upgrade and involve opening your laptop's casing, voiding any warranty. For this reason when choosing your laptop/notebook, pay attention to the speed of the processor rather than the size of the hard drive or the amount of memory (RAM) installed (although always check the maximum amount of memory (RAM) that can be installed). |
Any additional components can also be added in the future. For example, wireless connectivity (using a PCMCIA card or USB device), more USB ports (using a USB hub), DVD writers (external via USB or Internal from manufacturer (if available)), floppy disk drives (external via USB), modems (PCMCIA or USB), webcams (USB), and more can be added with ease.
What are Refurbished Laptops/Notebooks?
Most refurbished laptops/notebooks have been returned by a customer (within a limited time from purchase) and then tested and resold by the retailer or manufacturer.The machine will usually come with a limited warranty, which normally lasts for around 6 months. Although there is a small risk with purchasing a refurbished laptop/notebook, the majority of the machines are reliable and in excellent condition.
Buying Used Laptops/Notebooks
Some retailers sell used (second-hand) laptops, quite often the warranty is shorter than that of a refurbished laptop. Used laptops have normally been returned or sold back to the retailer, unlike refurbished machines, they may be several months, or even years old. Buying a used laptop carries a higher risk of future problems than its refurbished counterpart, but if the warranty is acceptable then there are some bargains to be had!Laptop/Notebook Advertising Jargon
Bluetooth is a very useful wireless communication device which allows you to transfer data to/from other bluetooth devices. An increasing number of devices and peripherals are being produced with Bluetooth ability, including, other laptops, printers, scanners, mobile phones and PDAs. For more information on bluetooth click here.CD-ROM is an optical drive which can read data and audio CDs.
CD-RW is an optical drive which can write (burn) data and audio to blank CDs, as well as read CDs (like CD-ROM).
DVD-ROM drives are capable of reading both CDs and DVDs. This type of drive allows you to watch DVDs on your laptop.
DVD-RW drives allow you to write (burn) data, audio and video to blank DVDs. It will also read both CDs and DVDs.
LAN (Local Area Network) devices allow you to connect to a network or other computer via an RJ45 socket built into the laptop.
Wi-Fi enables you to connect wirelessly in your home when used in conjunction with a wireless router. It also allows you to connect to any wireless hotspots, such as those in airports, cafes, libraries, etc.
Sources: helpwithpcs.com
