Laptops are small enough to carry around with you while still being powerful enough to perform demanding programs. Notebooks are the perfect tool for conducting serious work or playing, whether at home, on the go, or in a college classroom.
A laptop is ideal for browsing the web, typing a research paper, working on video creation, or playing some of the best PC games. So, how do you know what to look for while purchasing a laptop? We’ve put up this laptop purchase guide to assist you answer that question.
Laptops come in a wide range of sizes, features, and costs, making it difficult to select the ideal laptop. That is why you must determine your requirements to avoid costly mistakes when buying a laptop.
In this article, I will highlight the mistakes that you must avoid when getting yourself a laptop, especially when buying a used laptop. Kindly pay attention to every detail that you will read because it will go a long way to helping you make the best decision that will give you value for your money.
6 Pitfalls You Must Avoid When Buying A Laptop
To have read this article to this point, I’m convinced that you are probably thinking of getting yourself a laptop for your work or even study. While that is an excellent thing to do as that will enhance your financial and academic growth, it is important to not take your decision for granted as it could turn out to be a wrong one if you neglect the little yet important details. Here are the 6 mistakes you must avoid when buying a laptop.
1. Avoid Low-Cost (Cheap) Laptops
The market is flooded with a wide range of laptops at reasonable prices. When we want to buy a new laptop, we occasionally hunt for cheaper alternatives.
Now, just because a computer is inexpensive does not mean it can do all process-intensive jobs. When shopping for any everyday laptops, we should always bear in mind that the model we choose is capable of handling the duties we need to complete. Determine your requirements.
2. Neglecting Connectivity Ports
The number of ports that used to come with a laptop is dwindling by the day. Most notebooks no longer have Ethernet connectors, leaving users to rely solely on Wi-Fi for connectivity.
When purchasing a new laptop, ensure that it has all the ports you require for easy connectivity.
If you want to connect an external display to your laptop, be sure it has an HDMI connector, or you’ll need to purchase an additional USB to HDMI converter.
The majority of the adjustments are made with the mobility of the laptop in mind.
Modern users want a lightweight, high-performance computer at an inexpensive price, which can only be achieved if the company lowers the unnecessary features that are not used by a wide range of its customers.
3. Neglecting Screen Resolution
The screen size and resolution, like RAM and processor, play an important influence in the overall quality of the laptop.
When it comes to monitors, there are HD, FHD, and 4K variants readily accessible at affordable prices.
An HD display has a resolution of 1280 x 720 (or 1366 x 768 in most laptops), whereas an FHD display has a resolution of 1920 1080. When it comes to 4k, you get 3840 x 2160 pixels for a superb viewing and computing experience.
In addition to resolution, the type of display has an impact on the overall user experience.
The IPS display technology will easily allow you to work in outdoor situations, whereas the traditional will have some reflections and can cause a disturbance while viewing the display.
4. Paying an Excessive Sum
If you are drawn to every new feature that is released on a daily basis and want to buy a laptop that checks every box on your wishlist, you may find up purchasing something you don’t need and spending far more than you need to.
If you’re a gamer, it’s a good idea to invest in a gaming laptop, but if you buy one just because it looks great and has RGB color keyboards, you can end up wasting your money.
Always choose what you require rather than what companies are attempting to sell you. It’s pointless to buy a laptop with a 2TB SSD when you can get 1TB for half the price.
5. Not Minding Additional RAM Slot
RAM is an abbreviation for Random Access Memory. It is essential for all of the multitasking that the laptop does. When we start shopping for a new laptop, we tend to focus on the present and overlook the fact that the laptop has an additional storage slot or not.
Purchasing a laptop with 8GB RAM may serve your purpose for the time being, but if your workload increases slightly in the following years, you will undoubtedly need to purchase a new one if it lacks that additional room for system memory.
A laptop should endure between 4 and 5 years in order to offer you your money’s value.
6. Not Minding Screen Size
Screen size is important, especially if you use your laptop for an extended period of time or take it around with you. A laptop’s recommended industry screen size is 15.6 inches.
Although laptops such as the Dell XPS have 13.3-inch displays, other Chromebooks have displays of roughly 11-inches.
The display is crucial to the portability of the laptop. The larger screen size improves viewing but increases weight and makes the laptop less portable.
So it all relies on you and the type of work you intend to undertake. If you are an architect, a laptop with a large screen may be handy for drawing precisely. However, if you are a casual user, a normal 15.6-inch laptop will suffice.