What To Look For When Getting Your Very First Laptop

What To Look For When Getting Your Very First Laptop



When I go to meet a client, I need a laptop to show them my projects, but how do I select the right model? I'm in school, but I don't know which computer will work best for my situation, where can I get help? Whatever your needs are, the tips below will help you out.

Know what kind of operating system you're going to get before you get your laptop. This should be displayed where you get your computer, or you can ask someone working there. Some people like to get computers and change the operating system, or you can just get one that you already know that comes with your laptop.

Get the right sized screen when you buy a laptop. Look at the screen of your computer right now, and decide whether that is going to be a good screen size for your new laptop. In fact, take a look at bigger screens as well. Just keep in mind that the larger the screen is, the more the laptop will weigh.

Don't be so eager to buy a new laptop that you don't do the proper research. If you're finding a laptop that is far cheaper than the others you have looked at, it might not be a great deal. In fact, it might be a cause for alarm. Try to avoid scams and poorly made machines.

Find out what programs will come pre-installed on your laptop. This can be a great thing to do, particularly because sometimes the Microsoft suite of products are included, which can mean a substantial savings for you. Get a list of all the programs that will already be on your laptop before you buy it.

Before purchasing a laptop decide what you will be using it for. If it will be more business oriented you can probably go for a cheaper model that can do word, excel, and basic internet functions. If it will be your portable gaming device, you'll want to invest more to ensure performance.

Often times your laptop will have sensitive personal and/or business related material on it. You will want to get in the habit of backing up all data as soon as you get home from the office. In this way if your laptop is ever misplaced or stolen the personal contained therein will not fall into the wrong hands.

After you choose a model to buy, check out reviews online. This can be an easy way to avoid buying a computer which is reported to blow a power supply or have the screen conk out after a year or two. Check multiple sources to ensure you see a broad spectrum of opinions.

To avoid sales people who desperately want to make a commission, do your purchasing online. This not only opens you up to a much larger selection, but the prices will often be lower as well. On top of that, shipping is often free, meaning you'll get your laptop quickly and easily.

To avoid adding even more costs onto the price of your laptop, skip the fancy software. There are plenty of free alternatives available to you, such as Google Docs instead of Microsoft Word. Only purchase software if you must for work or school, and talk to your administrator about discounts available to you before you buy.

While buying a used laptop from the classifieds or online can be affordable, you are better off purchasing one from an authorized reseller. They will only sell you a factory refurbished model which has been tested time and time again. They will likely also offer you a guarantee for a year or so.

Back to school time, in September, is a great time to buy a new laptop computer. Almost all manufacturers offer special deals and discounts at this time. They may also offer discounts on bundles that may include software and add ons, such as printers. Even if you are not going back to school, you can save money.

To prepare your laptop for your favorite applications, create some hot keys to make them easier to run. To make a hot key for an application, right click on a shortcut and then select Properties. Enter a key combination into the Shortcut Key dialog and hit Enter. Use a combination that you do not commonly use in any other programs.

To save money, consider buying a laptop with limited hard drive space and instead storing your data in the cloud. Whether using Apple's iCloud or a service like Amazon's EC2, this gives you easy access to your data from any computer around the world, meaning you don't need a huge hard drive any longer.

Before making a laptop purchases, make sure that you look at the various ports that will be available to you. You will need several ports in order to use a printer, a mouse and a external hard drive. Determine which ports are essential, and make sure you have them.

If you expect to have your laptop for more than a few years, consider how upgradable the laptop is. You may want some additional memory or better graphics down the line, so a few empty card slots will be a big deal when buying. A laptop that isn't upgradable means less of a shelf life.

When bringing your laptop out of a colder or hotter environment, be sure you wait until it gets to room temperature in order to boot it up. Temperature changes build condensation in the machine. This condensation can damage your computer.

You may like the convenience of buying a laptop in a retail store, where you can see and feel what you are getting. Ordering online, though, offers some real advantages. You can custom order each laptop component to better suit your needs and usually the overall price is lower as well.

It doesn't matter if you need a laptop for work, school or entertainment - these tips will help you get it with less hassle than those not in the know. You'll avoid many hurdles now that you have read the tips above. Use them today to have a great laptop for tomorrow.

Laptops 101: What To Look For When Purchasing

Laptops 101: What To Look For When Purchasing



Since its inception, the laptop computer has become one of the most popular and beloved modes of computing. The ability to take your machine everywhere you go has massive appeal, which shows no signs of waning. To understand the best ways to get the computer you need, continue reading the article below.

It is a good idea to develop your budget before you go shopping. Think about the kind of laptop you seek when determining your budget. Are you looking for a PC or a Mac? If you're interested in computer graphics, Macs offer the best graphics technology available.

If you need to get something fixed on your computer, make sure you know how long a repair place will take to do it. You don't want to have to send in a computer you need only for it to take forever to get back. Try finding some place that isn't that busy and does good work in your area.

A can of compressed air can be your laptop computer's best friend. You can prolong the life of your laptop by blowing out dust and debris from your computer's fan and heat sink at least once a month. Make sure that the compressed air that you purchase is static neutral.

Consider the type of laptop that fits your lifestyle best. These days there are multiple types of laptops, from netbooks to desktop replacements and everything in between. Take note of how much you travel, how often you expect to carry your laptop with you, and how intensive the software that you expect to use really is. All these will affect the choice you make.

Don't assume that paying more for a laptop will mean that you are getting a better laptop. Expensive does not always mean better. Sometimes, you are in fact paying for the brand and the status that the brand affords you. Use the technical specifications to compare models and choose the best deal.

Check out the specifications of a laptop before you buy it. You might be excited that a laptop is affordable, but when you do a little investigation, you may find that it comes with fewer programs, less storage and less memory than you want. Before you buy a laptop, make sure that you look at and understand the specifications of the machines that you're interested in.

Brands do matter when you are buying a laptop. Some have better service than others, while others are noted for their ruggedness. The reputation for certain companies change over time. It is usually a good idea to stick with a reasonably well-known brand and to check online reviews by buyers before making a final decision.

If you plan on keeping this computer for quite some time, make sure it can be upgraded. You may need to swap out the hard drive or add more RAM. These changes are easier to make on some computers than others. Try to get the newest options but don't overpay for these upgrades that may be obsolete next year.

You may want a cheaper laptop, but buy as much battery life as you can afford. Prematurely running out of juice is the most common complaint about cheaper laptops. Shop for at least four hours of battery life, but try to snag a model that lasts six hours or more if possible. Look for power saving features.

The size of your laptop depends on how much you need to travel with it. If you travel frequently, your best option is a small, lightweight computer. The screen and keyboard are small on these computers, but it makes traveling much easier. If you are mostly planning to use your laptop at home, you can go larger.

Understand what the specs mean. Pentium and AMD CPUs are today's lowest price processors, with faster dual, quad and multiple core processors more expensive. RAM affects the speed in which tasks are performed almost as much as the processor. SSD drives are the latest, faster versions of hard drives. For displays, generally speaking the higher the pixels the better the display.

If you want to play video games on your new laptop, you'll have to buy one with a top of the line video card. The amount of memory on the card is key as the more memory is available, the faster the game will play, allowing you to quickly move without lagging.

It is a good idea to purchase an extended warranty for your laptop. Computer repairs can be quite pricey, and replacing a computer may be too expensive for many budgets. You could save yourself money in the long run when you get an extended warranty.

Check out the keyboard before purchasing a laptop. Play around with it and find out if it is comfortable for you. Is there enough space between the keys? Do you like the touchpad, which is used as the mouse? A great laptop could be useless if you do not like the keyboard.

Get a laptop that has a video camera built into it. You may think it's unnecessary, but face-to-face interaction on computers is becoming commonplace. Programs like FaceTime and Skype are getting more and more popular. They are really enjoyable if you have kids that you don't live near. Your webcam will really come in handy.

Know the battery life. All laptops have batteries, but they are not all equal. When you are examining the laptop specs, take note of the battery. Know how long you will have when you go mobile. You may find some models have a very limited amount of time away from outlets.

Prior to starting your shopping, identify the online stores that provide free shipping and choose one of those. You can save a lot of money by finding free shipping.

If maximum flexibility and true convenience are priorities in your life, you surely appreciate what laptop computers have to offer. When it comes time to buy your first machine or simply replace the one you currently have, the information above should prove quite useful. Refer to these tips as you go, and you will not be disappointed.