Laptop Buyers Guide
Guidelines and Golden Rules
Here are some important guidelines I always give to people. Please note that they are only my opinions based on my experiences - many people completely ignore this advice and are very happy but having seen what I do on a daily basis I would NEVER buy a laptop without following these simple rules:
Choose a Trusted Brand
This is without question the single most important factor. By their very nature laptops break down more often than desktops. Using a trusted company means it will be more reliable in the first place and the warranty service will be better if anything goes wrong. Also when the laptop is out of warranty then finding a third party company to repair it is much, much easier. The same can be said for finding replacement parts such as batteries or AC adaptors. If you don't believe me then just try finding a replacement battery for your generic unbranded Woolworth’s laptop!
There is an exception to this rule though and that is SONY. Sony laptops may be very desirable (and quite expensive) but they are very difficult to repair and Sony do not make the spares available to anyone in Europe. Because of this any repairs have to be done by Sony themselves. As you can imagine, this is a very expensive and painful process!!
Best of all are big names such as Dell, Toshiba, IBM, HP, Fujitsu etc. (you know the ones you should look for!)
Less recommended are Advent, Acer, Medion etc. (Still branded but you might not have heard of them)
Try to avoid shops own makes or unbranded wherever possible.
Buying major brands needn't be more expensive as many of the larger companies have some very aggressive pricing these days and most of the larger companies such as Dell, Toshiba etc enable you to configure components to meet your exact need and price bracket within each given genre. My section on important components should help you choose from the bewildering range of options.
Handy Tip: If you want to check availability of parts/accessories just do a Google or Ebay search for a battery or AC adaptor of the laptop you are interested in. But bear in mind that just because it's available now does not mean it will be around in a couple of years! On the other hand it's easy to get Dell parts for laptops that are over ten years old!
Stick with Intel Mobile CPU's
Despite AMD's low pricing and foothold in the market place with Desktop PC's, Intel are still streets ahead in laptop CPU technology. It has to be said that the gap is narrowing but in terms of reliability, performance and power consumption (very important in a battery powered laptop!) then Intel is still king. It's definitely worth paying the difference in my opinion.
Also make sure you buy a laptop with a mobile/laptop CPU (this is probably even more important that the AMD/Intel choice!) Some laptops are built around desktop CPU's and the truth is that all but the most extreme desktop replacement laptops cannot handle the extra heat. Buying a low/mid range laptop with a desktop CPU will significantly increase you chances of CPU and heat related problems. In addition to this the extra power needed by a desktop CPU will cripple your battery in no time!
On Intel look for Pentium M (the M means mobile) P4M or Centrino. On AMD look for Turion. If in doubt then check with the laptop manufacturer.
Handy Tip: Mobile CPUs will seem to have much lower speeds than desktop CPU's. If the laptop is boasting speeds of around 3.0 GHz or 3.2 GHz then it will have a desktop CPU. Mobile CPU's will be much nearer 1.0 GHz 2.0 GHz. Do not be swayed by the higher clock speed on a desktop CPU. Mobile CPUs are just as fast - it's just that they work in a different way!
Make sure your laptop has DEDICATED video memory
Some entry level (and even higher spec!) laptops use shared video/graphics memory. This is a cost cutting exercise that means the laptop will 'steal' some of the built in RAM for use by the graphics chip. Internal RAM is not well suited for graphics and this will lead to poor graphical performance as well as reducing the amount of memory available for the rest of the laptop.
Look carefully in the specifications for any indication of 'Shared' memory and avoid where possible. Look for laptops with dedicated video/graphics chips with dedicated graphics memory. Remember you may not be able to upgrade your graphics at a later date!
Handy Tip: If in doubt, look for names such as NVIDIA or ATI and check with the retailer that they are not using shared memory. Intel also make graphics chips but unlike their CPU's they are pretty poor. Avoid Intel graphics if you want the laptop for even light gaming use.
Consider extended warranty
I can't believe I'm saying this as I hate these things but a laptop is the only product I would consider worthy of an extended warranty. Because they are carried around and subject to a lot of abuse, faults can and will occur at some point during the life of your laptop. When out of warranty, parts and repairs are very expensive. I get lots of repair work from people whose laptops have developed a fault 'just a couple of weeks' outside the warranty period. A typical laptop repair can cost between £200 and £300 so it's worth thinking about.
Handy Tip: Do a Google search for laptop repairs to get an idea of prices and availability of repairs on your model.
Check installed Software
Always check what software comes with the laptop. You'll be surprised how many companies don't even include an operating system as standard leaving you high and dry or charging you extra for the Operating System.
Look for Windows XP Home or even XP Professional included with the price. Also make sure you are provided with DVD playback software if applicable as this isn't integrated with XP as standard and you could be left unable to play DVD's if this is not installed. If your laptop has XP Home then you should also make sure you are provided with CD writing software. This isn't as essential with XP Professional as it has CD writing functionality built in.
Some basic office software is also nice, but don't expect full blown Microsoft Office as this is an expensive product and it's fair enough that they don't include it. MS Works is fairly common though, as is Open Office or Ability Office.
Also ask about system restore CD's - not all companies provide these as standard!
Beware of Buying Second Hand
Second hand prices can be very tempting but if this is your first laptop purchase I would recommend against it. Like any product, laptop components wear out over time and there is no telling how reliable a second hand model will be. The last thing you want is to fill your laptop with data only for the hard drive to fail and no warranty in sight. Laptop components have advanced rapidly in recent months and new laptops are cheaper than ever. There are genuine second hand bargains to be had if you are careful but unless you really know what you are looking for and are willing to take a chance on old technology then you may be disappointed.
Handy Tip: If you can't resist then buy from a reputable company. There are many companies who refurbish to a professional standard and will provide a short warranty period along with some technical backup if needed. Be particularly cautious when using Ebay - I've seen plenty of people pay good money and end up with a useless non working pile of components! A quick Google should turn up plenty of reputable dealers.
In Summary
As I mentioned before, these are only my views and I do know of people who have purchased the cheapest second hand unbranded laptop they could find and are very happy several years later.
On the other hand I know of many, many more who have lived to regret the decision. As a general rule buying a well known brand with an Intel Mobile CPU and dedicated graphics chip along with XP Pre installed will minimize your chances of disappointment and provide you some security for the future.
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