Archive for the 'Buying Tips' Category
When it comes to laptop screens, there is really only two “types'” of screens: matte or glossy. Though matte used to be the only choice, over the last few years, glossy has almost become the only option.
But to make your decision to get a glossy screen you need to consider a few things including who will be using the computer, where you will be primarily using it and what you expect from your notebook screen.
First, you need to decide where you are going to be primarily going to use it. If you will be using it mostly indoors in a room without windows, then it would be a good choice. On the other hand, if the room that you are going to be using the computer in does have windows, or if you will be using the laptop primarily outside, you might not want a glossy screen because you will get reflections which will make it harder for you to see the screen.
Secondly, the person using it will have a large bearing on whether or not you want a glossy screen. For adults it is usually not a problem, but if you have little kids that are using it, you might want to pass on the glossy screen. The reason that glossy screens can be a problem is that fingerprints show up easily, and chances are little hands will touch the screen resulting in difficulty viewing the picture.
Lastly, you need to decide your expectations when it comes to the laptop screen. If you are expecting vibrant and lifelike pictures and videos, then glossy is the right option for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for a screen that will work in a multitude of situations that won’t be difficult to use, then matte might be a better choice.
Be sure to consider the above points when buying a laptop and get the one that suits your needs.
If you are looking for a new desktop computer but you don’t have a lot of room, I would suggest that you consider buying a broken laptop.
Now, I don’t mean a laptop that isn’t working (which wouldn’t make a lot of sense), but rather a laptop with a broken screen. Even if the screen isn’t working, usually the computer portion of the laptop still is, and as a result, usually you can get a really good deal.
All you need to do is hook up the laptop to a monitor and it is a full-fledged desktop with a smaller footprint. It can be great as a second computer, or a perfect computer for your kids that won’t blow the budget.
Take a look at some of these great deals on laptops with broken screens below and you’ll see what I mean.
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Lenovo ThinkPad X300 64GB SSD Laptop Notebook webcam Sierra 3G Broken screen |  |
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US $468.00 | 8h 41m |
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Acer Aspire 6935 Laptop Notebook Computer SCREEN BROKEN | |
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US $350.10 | 25d 21m |
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Apple MacBook 133 Laptop MB062LL A May 2007 broken screen parts repair | |
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US $274.99 | 12d 11h 51m |
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Apple MacBook 133 Laptop MB467LL A October 2008 For parts broken screen | |
4 Bids | US $255.00 | 3d 7h 58m |
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HP ProBook 4510s Laptop Broken Screen Still Works | |
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US $250.00 | 6d 7h 53m |
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Apple MacBook 133 Laptop October 2009 broken screen | |
2 Bids | US $202.50 | 1d 17h 11m |
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Dell XPS m1330 Laptop for parts good screen | |
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US $175.00 | 1d 6h 5m |
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Dell Studio 1555 Laptop Broken Screen | |
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US $200.00 | 1d 6h 55m |
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Dell Inspiron 1545 Laptop Notebook broken screen intel dual core 4gb NR PP41L | |
11 Bids | US $152.50 | 1d 10h 13m |
Unlike the olden days, we are now faced with many options when it comes to the size and power of our laptop. You can buy everything from a small netbook (as small as a 7” screen) to larger than life notebooks that have screens over 18”. With this buffet of laptops available to the consumer, how do you decide which one to buy?
For me, the toughest decision is whether or not I should buy a netbook. You see, I work at home and it would be convenient to have a computer that I could use away from the office (like at the kitchen table) or when we go on the road traveling. I already have a desktop that satisfies my gaming needs (at the moment), and really I am looking for portability.
But when it comes down to making the decision whether to buy a notebook or netbook, you have to consider the following:
- Are you willing to sacrifice computing power for mobility? If you are just working on basic stuff such as word processing, surfing the Internet or checking email, this won’t be an issue. But if you are expecting your computer to be able to do something a little more complex (such as video rendering or games) you might be disappointed with the speed and responsiveness of a netbook.
- Is weight an issue? If you are a student or business person that will be carrying your laptop with you wherever you go for extended periods during the day, a lighter notebook will be better for you and your back. Also, if you go with a smaller notebook or netbook, you will be able to carry more without having to have a large bag as they take up less space.
- Are you going to be running primarily on the battery? If you will be away from being able to plug in your notebook during the day, a netbook provides better battery life since they are designed to be more power friendly. In fact, some of the netbooks can even run 8 hours on a full charge, which should be good enough for most of your working day.
- Do you have problems reading or seeing text on a computer screen? If you are wearing bifocals or don’t have the greatest vision, the screen size of a netbook may be a challenge for you. If you find yourself in this predicament, you can go with a netbook, but chances are you will have to increase the font size to ensure that you are able to read the screen or go with a notebook that would have a bigger screen and therefore bigger font.
- Are you going to be playing a lot of games? If you are an avid computer gamer, then a netbook won’t work very well for you. There currently is only one that I can think of that has a dedicated video card (the ASUS N10 in particular) and even that netbook can only play games on the most basic settings.
Make sure to consider the above questions when deciding on whether to buy a netbook or a notebook, and if you do, you should be happy with your decision.
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Acer Aspire One AO722-0473 11.6-Inch HD Netbook (Espresso Black) List Price: $329.99 Sale Price: $380.00  |
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The Aspire One AO722, 11.6" Netbook, is the perfect combination of usability and portability in a thin and light design, while boasting a full-size keyboard and excellent connectivity for the best of both worlds... |
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Toshiba NB505-N508BL 10.1-Inch Netbook (Blue) List Price: $299.99 Sale Price: $399.99 |
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Toshiba Mini NB505: Stylish, Highly Portable Netbook Perfect for your everyday computing needs when you're on the go, the Toshiba Mini NB505-N508BL is one of the thinnest netbooks on the market--just 1... |
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ASUS Eee PC 1001PXD-EU17-BK 10.1-Inch Netbook (Black) List Price: $249.99 Sale Price: $380.00 |
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Mobile Computing in Style The Eee PC 1001PXD-EU matches its beauty with power and energy efficiency, featuring the new power-saving Intel® Atom™ N455 CPU, which works in tandem with ASUS' exclusive Super Hybrid Engine energy management technology to deliver 4 hours of battery life on a single charge... |
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Acer Aspire One AOD257-13685 10.1-Inch Netbook (Espresso Black) List Price: $279.99 Sale Price: $379.99 |
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The new Aspire One AOD257 is the ultimate fun and ultra-portable companion bringing you efficient performance, sensational style and convenient connectivity anywhere you go. Superior Intel® Atom dual-core processing power, 10... |
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iView 7-Inch Android Netbook List Price: $149.00 Sale Price: $90.00 |
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Features: 7" Digital LCD Screen, VGA 800 x 480 pixel. Android 2.2 OS. 256MB RAM. 4 GB Nand Flash. WiFi b/g Ethernet port. Google Webkit browser. Supports MSN, Google Talk, Skype, QQ Basic Games: Chess, Sudoku, Miner... |
It seems that everyday, I talk to people interested in purchasing laptops. Well, I guess that was obvious, being that I am an electronic salesperson. The biggest problem I run into is that most people don't know what to buy, or what they need in terms of a laptop.
Basically everyone I talk to has to decide what the main purpose of their laptop purpose will be: business or pleasure. The reason I make this comparison, is that there is some difference between a computer that can handle working on writing a paper for school and one that can allow you to play cutting edge games. Sure, the game playing computer can do work as well, but the business machine may not be able to play the games you want to.
Don't get too fixated on price. I have had a lot of customers buy the cheaper computer only to return it a few days later because it doesn't do what they need it to do. If the computer you need costs $600 more than a cheaper one, consider this: that works out to a little more than fifty cents per day if you keep it for three years. Don't let the $0.50 per day hold you back - you just might regret it.
When you are out buying your computer, you will have the option of either a dedicated video card, or an integrated video card.
If you are into playing computer games, chances are you would opt for a dedicated card. If you just work, type, surf the Internet and check some emails on your notebook, an integrated card will do fine.
What does a video card have to do with battery life?
Simple. If you want better battery life, an integrated card will give you the most battery life, whereas a dedicated video card will give you the least battery life.
When you are out shopping for a notebook hard drive, you probably have noticed that they come in different speeds. The way the notebook drives are rated is by RPM (revolutions per minute). Typically, you can find either 4,200 RPM, 5,400 RPM, and 7,200 RPM drives. When making your decision, consider the pros and cons of each drive speed:
4,200 RPM
This drive has the lowest speed out of the bunch. On the good side, it's slower rotational speed gives you better battery life. On the bad side, you get less performance. The performance on this drive should not affect you if you are doing normal computer tasks such as Internet, email, or typing. For gaming and video editing, you would see the worst performance out of the bunch.
5,400 RPM
The 5,400 RPM drive is almost 30% faster than the 4,200 RPM drive. You get better performance with this drive but less battery life. Out of the three drive options, this drive gives you the best all round performance and battery life. It is good for the everyday stuff, as well as game playing and video editing.
7,200 RPM
The 7,200 RPM drive is the fastest drive of the bunch. Expect quicker boot times into your operating system, better game performance and quicker video editing times. The catch: this drive has the worst battery life of the bunch.
When you are out shopping, you need to decide if performance is most important to you, or if battery life is the major concern. If you want the best compromise go with the 5,400 RPM drive - you get good battery life and good performance.
If you have owned a computer in your life, you may have had to decide between purchasing a notebook or a desktop computer. If you need some pros and cons to help you make your decision, check the following list out:
Pros of owning a laptop:
- Portability. You can take your laptop out for coffee, to work and even to your job site.
- Convenience. You do not have to stay attached to a desk anymore. If it is a nice day, go outside and take your computer with you.
- Environmentally friendly. Laptop computers tend to use less power than their desktop counterparts.
- Safe from power outages. Since your laptop has a battery, if the power goes out your work is not lost.
- Multiple uses when traveling. Your laptop can work as a GPS, a portable DVD player, a stereo, a tour guide, and many other uses as well.
Cons of owning a notebook:
- Not very upgradeable. Except for the memory, hard drive, battery and wireless card, most laptops are not upgradeable. Be sure to buy what you need now and what you will need in the future.
- Theft. Laptops are easy to conceal and much easier to steal compared to a desktop. Be sure to have some type of anti-theft device to use with your laptop.
- Multi-tasking ability. Now this may seem weird, but just last night, I was working on my laptop while watching television. I was more productive, but something is just wrong doing these two tasks at the same time.
I am sure some of you have gone out and purchased a mouse for your notebook. When you were out shopping, you may have noticed that there were regular mice and notebook mice. Take a look at the following picture:
The mouse on the left is a "regular" size mouse, and the mouse on the right is a notebook mouse. Now that you can see the visual differences, let us look at the good (pros) and the bad (cons) of using a notebook mouse.
Pros
- Small, easy to carry around
- Convenient. Some wireless notebook mice also double as a wireless presenter
- Requires less counter space to function
Cons
- Smaller than a regular mouse
- Extended use can cause hand strain and pain
- Easier to lose because of size
- Hard to use if you have large hands
If you do decide to buy a notebook mouse, purchase it from a place where it can be easily returned. If you do find that it does cause problems, take it back and get a regular sized mouse.
You may have spent a large amount of time researching what kind of notebook to buy. In your haste to get the laptop home you may have forgotten to purchase a laptop case. If you did indeed forget, here is a quick guide as to what to look for in a laptop case.
Why do you need a laptop case?
A laptop case serves three purposes:
- Protects your notebook from damage
- Stores your accessories and other items you will take with you on the road.
- Disguises your laptop from thieves.
What to look for in a case:
- Make sure that your laptop fits in the case. This also involves making sure that the case will close properly with the laptop in it. Though the case may fit most laptops, be sure it fits yours.
- Be sure the case has room for all the stuff you will carry with you. Items such as your laptops AC adaptor, extra mouse, extra batteries, notebook cooler, folders, books, etc. Most bags come with compartments to hold these extra accessories. If you need a really large bag, get one with wheels and a retractable handle.
- Look for a case with a handle or a shoulder strap. If you need your hands free, consider a backpack with a laptop compartment.
- Look for a soft case. Soft cases tend to hold onto the computer better. If you do opt for a hard briefcase style, be sure that it has Velcro straps to secure the laptop from moving around in the case. This will prevent your notebook from being damaged while you carry it around.
Remember, your laptop case needs to hold your notebook safely, be able to hold all your laptop accessories and whatever other gear you need to carry with you. As long as you find a well-made case, bag, or backpack, you will be ready to take your laptop out into the real world.
Trying out a laptop in the store will give you an idea on how it works, what it looks like, and a good first impression to help you decide whether or not to buy it. When you take it home it may be another story...
That is why you need to check out the return policy on your notebook purchase.
Different stores have different return policies. Some only allow you to return the laptop within ten to fourteen days if it is unopened. Others let you have thirty days to try it out, and if you don't like it, even if you used it, you can bring it back. I also know of one store that lets you have six months to figure out if there are any problems with it or if you don't like it, and returning it is hassle free.
Be sure to ask about the return policy, and how it works. Do they just take your word that it is broken, or do they require that they test it? If they do test it, how long does that take? Ask a lot of questions. Below is a quick list of what you should ask about:
- What is the return policy on a laptop or notebook?
- How many days do I have to try it out?
- Do I need a reason to return it, or can it be just because I don't like it?
- Can I return it even if it has been opened and used?
- Do you need to check it before I can get my money back? How long does that take?
- If I have XX (substitute the number of days in their return policy) days, does that count days you are not open?
- What if the price goes down during the time I am allowed to return it. Do you offer any kind of price protection?
- Can I have a copy of your return policy in writing?
This is just a sample list of questions. I would suggest asking more than one salesperson these questions to ensure that you are getting consistent answers. Talk to your friends that have used the store as well to get their feedback on their return policy. If for any reason you feel that their return policy doesn't sound so good, don't buy there. Sometimes it is also worth paying a little more at a different store to get a more favorable return policy. Just be comfortable with your decision before you buy.
