5 Helpful Tips for Buying Your Next Laptop

After a teeny accident (my dad tripping over my laptop’s power cord and the poor thing going flying), I was in dire need of a new laptop. It’s a big purchase, not only because of the price tag, but because I use my laptop for just about everything. I use it for work, for blogging, to keep in touch with friends and family, to watch movies, to shop, and to pay my bills. Whatever laptop I decided on had to be a reliable machine that fit all my needs. But with so many makes and models available, how does one decide? Here are some things to consider when shopping for your next laptop.

Price. How much are you willing to spend on your laptop? Once you know that, you’ll be able to narrow down the options considerably. I was looking for a mid-priced machine, so I knew I’d be staying clear of anything with a price tag higher than $600. Laptops can range from $150-$2000.

Mac or PC. People today are divided into two groups—Team Mac and Team PC. I’m Team PC and have been since my first computer at age 3. I’m a creature of habit and prefer what I know to having to learn a new operating system, but there are some people who are more willing to try out something different.

Screen Size. Size does matter when you’re buying a laptop. In my case, I use my laptop more as a desktop and watch a lot of TV shows and movies on it, so I wanted a bigger screen. But, if you’re someone who carries their laptop to work or to classes, a smaller screen means that the laptop will probably be lighter too. One thing I noticed too was that smaller laptops tend to not have CD-ROM drives. Since I use my laptop to watch movies and some of my software requires a CD for installation, this was just another reason why I decided to go with a larger screen.

Touchscreen? Whether I should get a laptop with a touch screen was a point of contention in my house. Some people (my dad) are huge advocates of the touchscreen because it’s the newest technology and they like the interactivity. But, for me, I didn’t want to pay more for a feature that I had no intention of using. I don’t see the point of a touchscreen on a laptop and think of it as more a of tablet function. Different strokes for different folks, right?

RAM. RAM is a computer storage location that allows information to be stored and accessed quickly because it is accessed randomly instead of sequentially. Once upon a time, if you were tech savvy enough, you could add memory to your laptop. Nowadays though, fewer laptops are giving you that option. Since I can’t expand the RAM on my laptop, it was important to me that I get a laptop with the most memory in my price range. More GB of RAM does mean a more expensive machine though.

In the end, I decided to go with an HP 15.6" Laptop with Intel Core i5 Processor. I’ve been happy with it so far, though the keyboard has taken some adjustment. It’s much slimmer and lighter than its predecessor, and its battery life is fantastic. I think my money was well-spent.