6 Things to Consider Before Buying a Laptop
August 8th, 2008Guest article by MoiN
Laptops are complex little machines with a variety of configuration options which can lead to very confusing buying decisions. In this article, we are going to cover out factors that one should consider before purchasing a laptop. These 6 factors are the crux of any laptop purchase and by using these as a guideline, you can land the most appropriate mobile PC for your needs.
1- Weight
The lighter the laptop, the easier it is to move around. Prices usually have an inverse relationship with the weight of a laptop. Hence the lightest of laptops will almost (always) cost more than the heaviest ones.
Another relationship is the features of a laptop which would affect the weight of the laptop, which can be if it has a powerful graphics card, or a larger screen etc. The laptop will end up being comparatively heavier and more expensive. So keep a look out for that.
2- Power Consumption
Battery life is critical for users who are on the go. On an average workload, a regular low budget laptop would easily give you 2.5 to 3 hours of battery time. A fairly good machine would easily clock in 4 hours.
These are battery times for regular 6-cell batteries and 9-cell batteries have longer backup times. However, power consumption varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and model to model. Additional features usually result in a powerful drain on battery supply. If you are mostly mobile, power consumption becomes a critical factor to consider.
3- Processing Power
Laptops are almost more expensive than a desktop with similar specifications and so, it is essential to opt for a level of processing power that matches your current and near future needs.
For office work only, an entry-level processor such as the single core Celeron is more than enough. For multimedia enthusiasts and power users, a Core 2 duo or equivalent processor is recommended.
4- Warranty
Locally manufactured laptops usually have a sound local warranty that can span over a time period of a year and beyond. International warranties allow one to take a laptop to any country and in case of trouble, hand it to the sales and support outlet there for repair.
Most warranties allow non-physically damaged laptops to be repaired or replaced free of cost in the first year and cover parts and repairs in the following years at an approximate cost to the customer.
5- Operating System
For most users, the operating system (OS) plays a very important role. If one opts for Windows Vista, the laptop is likely to be more expensive mostly because the OS requires the latest hardware.
Of course, it is a feature rich operating environment but that is the price one pays for the latest and the greatest. Other than that, a user can choose from Linux, Windows XP and Mac OS X.
6- Brand Matters
It is easy to choose unbranded systems for the sake of lower prices but that does not necessarily mean that one would get much value or quality. Most no-name companies have a lack of spare parts, precarious warranties and unstable configurations.
Make sure that you have read enough reviews and are sure about the quality of the manufacturer before you make a purchase decision
This guest article was written by MoiN from A New Morning, a blog about technology, softwares, tips, tricks and downloads. Got some tips to share, you can also write a guest article on QOT.
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You have missed a big point .. Cost :)
Yep. All the 6 items you’ve mentioned are great. But like Riz pointed out, Cost is also a key factor.
~ Ramesh
Yeah… What about the cost? All we know that the better specs, the higher cost of the Laptop.
I think the cost is implied in every one of those points. In every category, a better option will result in more cost. Though arguably with the exception of the Operating System choice, where Vista is by far the most expensive OS. Still, a user’s familiarity with the system might be worth more to them, than technical or design features, so this point is subjective.
So at a fixed price, a laptop would have only a certain set of features; and sometimes one has to decide on the trade-offs between them.
in my opinion branded vs non-branded isn’t that big an issue.. when it comes to laptops almost everyone buys branded ones.. the key issues are warranty, processing speed, weight, power consumption (and efficiency) and cost :P.. you highlighted all the major issues, kudos.. good post
above 6 points should and they tell you whats the cost of the laptop is going to be in my opinion as coobler said as well that the better the specs the higher the cost would be
I think whenever you are going to buy a laptop its cost is depend upon its brand,quality, processing power,warantee.
i have bought more about 11 laptops, and i thinks backpack/bag, cost and warantee are very important.
btw another factor that needs consideration could be the availability of replacement parts/upgrades for that laptop in the market.. since computers are evolving at a rapid rate.. its only wise to consider future upgrades that might be needed..
In regards to the “price” aspect missing as pointed out by the above people who have left a comment — I think it is important that the purpose for which you’re buying a laptop is first zeroed down.
You’ll have people who would want to buy a machine with high end specs, only to use the system for browsing, emailing, word, excel, powerpoint — for which even a basic Celeron system can do the job perfectly. Once the “purpose” is zeroed down you can decide on the specs that you need. Then look for a system that’s a bit powerful in specification and then freeze the system specifications. Now go looking for bargains at sites such as http://www.bestbuy.com, http://www.buy.com etc and find a laptop that matches your requirements.