Buying a laptop (Guide for buying a laptop)

So you want to buy a laptop?

• Decide If A Laptop Is Right For You
• Learn About Special Laptop Features
• Learn About Basic Computer Features
• Decide How Much You Want To Spend
• Find A Vendor And Buy Your Laptop

DECIDE HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO SPEND

And now that you're all psyched about getting a new laptop, it's time to shatter your dreams and hopes by informing you on how much you'll be spending. (We're evil like that.) You can get a decent laptop for $1,500. And the best kind out there cost a mere $6,000. Mwahahahaha!

But think about all you'll be getting! A laptop might look small, but it still is a computer, and you can still use it to read your precious e-mail or spellcheck the best-selling novel you wrote. In addition, laptop prices are constantly dropping due to the fact that their popularity is increasing dramatically and vendors are in fierce competition with each other.

If the thought of blowing over a thousand bucks on a hunk of (granted, very smart) metal (especially when you've been saving up for that adorable feral midget) is still making you swoon, consider these suggestions:

• Make a budget: Don't get sucked in by shady suggestions to buy more than 64 MB of RAM, a flux capacitor, or a glow-in-the-dark mousepad (especially when you're not even getting a mouse!). You can save a lot on your laptop purchase by writing out a budget of exactly what you need and want and sticking to it .
  
  

• Get a used laptop: Of course, you run the same risk as when you buy any second-hand product: crappiness. But if you do your research and check out stores for refurbished laptops, then you just might luck out with a really wonderful model for under a thousand dollars.
  
  
• Bargain: If you make the trip down to your local computer store, you might find the opportunity to haggle. Nothing is set in stone at Mom and Pop's Laptops and it never hurts to try to bargain the price down (assuming that Pop doesn't whip out a pitchfork after hearing your insulting price suggestions).

FIND A VENDOR AND BUY YOUR LAPTOP

All right, the time has come for you to make the purchase! But before you go running to the nearest computer store, we've got some more lecturing to do. First off, there's no need to run to the nearest computer store. It's actually recommended that you do your shopping online because there is much more variety and you'll find better deals.

Vendors

You can visit online computer stores like Giga Computers , or you can go straight to some top computer manufacturers (listed alphabetically):

• Acer America
• Apple Computer
• Compaq
• Dell
• Gateway
• IBM
• Micro Express
• Micron
• Sony
• Toshiba

Before settling on a purchase, it's a good idea to compare brands on the web , which are designed to give you unbiased opinions on quality and price. And check out this article for some general safe online shopping tips.

Warranties

You could run out of the store with laptop in hand and never look back, but you could also run around naked in a lightening storm. We suggest you do neither. Instead, always remember to ask for a detailed written explanation of the company's warranty, especially if you're shopping at a Mom and Pop's Laptops . The warranty should cover details like who installs replacement parts, who pays for return shipping for major repairs, and for how long your computer is covered.

Payment

When buying something as expensive as a laptop, it's always a good idea to pay by credit card. If there's a problem with your purchase or delivery, It's not the end of the world if you come across a problem with a purchase you made by check, money order, debit card, or (gulp!) cash, but it's easiest to enforce your rights as a consumer if you pay by credit card.

And now you have a solid laptop computer. Now you can run around naked in a lightning storm. Just don't bring your new laptop… we wouldn't want to see it get hurt.