Best Cheap Laptops

Some of the best cheap laptop deals are online, but there are some people who are hesitant to purchase anything over the internet.  While some of these people are simply hesitant about giving out their credit card information online, some want to actually see the laptop before they buy it.

But is that really necessary?  Well, there are some perks to being able to walk into a shop and play around with several laptops before buying one.  However, in the minute or two that you try out the laptop, it’s not exactly possible to get a true feeling for how the laptop is going to work.  Mainly, you get to see what neat extras that particular model has.  You generally can’t tell how well the laptop will perform after you’ve had it on for hours and are running three memory-intensive programs.  You also can’t get an idea for how long the battery will last.

There are some benefits, though.  You can pick up the laptop and see how heavy it is, and you can see if the screen is too small for you.  You can try out the touchpad so you know if you’ll like it or if you want to buy a mouse to go with your laptop.  You can also talk to the sales representative and clear up any questions you have right away.

Is it absolutely necessary to shop for a laptop in a shop instead of online?  Of course not.  Many people love the laptops they’ve purchased on the internet.  In fact, sometimes buying a laptop online is the only way to easily customise it.  Manufacturers usually allow you to add more memory, upgrade the hard drive, and more without any difficulty.  You can’t easily do that to a laptop you buy in a store.  In the end, it really comes down to your personal preference.

When you purchase a laptop, you know it’s going to come with a small touch pad that functions like a mouse—you move your finger around the pad to move the cursor, and the two small buttons under the pad allow you to left and right click.  However, some people don’t like the pad, and for those people, laptop mice exist.

However, laptop mice are yet another expense, and if you’re looking for a cheap laptop, chances are that you’re on a budget.  Do you really need a laptop mouse?  If you just need your laptop for basic functions like email, word processing, or accessing the internet, you may not.  Even though you don’t like the touchpad, you may be able to adjust to it.  Many people have difficulty using it at first, but after a few weeks, they find they can use the touch pad just as well as a mouse.

However, there are some instances where a mouse is needed.  If you’re doing graphic design or image editing, a mouse gives you a little more control than a touch pad does.  Likewise, if you’re going to be doing a lot of gaming with your laptop, you may need to have a mouse to actually play the game.  Touch pads also often don’t have anything that acts like the scroll wheel on a mouse does, so you may want that feature.

There are specific mice made for laptops.  They are generally a little smaller than standard mice, and many of them are now wireless.  However, regular computer mice work just as well with laptops, and you may be able to find one of those cheaper than a laptop mouse.  As with anything, do a little comparison shopping before you buy.

Buying a cheap laptop as a gift can be a great way of saying “congratulations” to a high school graduate, an accomplished student, or just about anyone.  However, there are some things you’ll want to consider before you purchase a laptop for someone, lest you have to return it for whatever reason.

The main issue with giving a laptop as a gift is that you know what the receiver needs in a computer.  While you may think they simply need a cheap laptop that does the basics (email, internet, and word processing), you may be mistaken.  If you’re buying a laptop for a college student, for example, you may need to make certain it has a built-in wireless card so they can connect to their college’s network.  Some colleges actually have specific requirements for their students’ laptops, so you should inquire about this before you go shopping.

Make certain the laptop comes with the necessary software that your receiver will need or be ready to purchase the software.  Accessories, too, may need to be purchased.  Of course, you can simply leave those up to the person you give the gift to.  It really depends on how you feel about giving a gift you know may not have everything that someone needs.  You can always talk to the person and see what software they will need.  This is a good idea even if you’re not planning on buying the software yourself so you’ll at least have an idea of how much memory and hard drive space the laptop will need.

Be certain that you or the person you’re giving the laptop to can return it.  While you hope that you know the person well enough that you can purchase a great laptop that’s perfect for them, there’s always the chance that you’ll overlook something.

In the past, all laptops featured tiny little keyboards.  This was because people wanted a laptop for its portability and smaller size – the whole point of buying a laptop was so that they didn’t have to lug around something as heavy or as large as a desktop computer, after all.  However, today, some laptops are being constructed with a full keyboard.  But which is better, the larger keyboard or the smaller computer?

First, what is meant by a full keyboard?  Basically, it’s the same type of keyboard you’d use with a desktop computer.  In addition to featuring the full set of keys, a full keyboard includes a separate number pad (what accountants refer to as a ten-key), the row of F1 through F12 keys, and others such as the four arrow keys, a delete key, a home key, and an insert key.  On the smaller laptop keyboards, these keys do exist, but they’ve been integrated with the standard letters and require you to press a specific function key.  For example, in standard mode, the keys for letters like j, k, and l type those letters.  In function mode, however, they become 1, 2, and 3 for the number pad.  This means that you can’t easily enter numbers and letters without pressing the function key often.

If you’re not an accountant or won’t be dealing with many numbers, you may think that you’d have no need for the full keyboard.  However, if you’re a gamer, you will certainly want to consider it.  In many online games, players use the keyboard to type to other players and use the number pad to control their characters or perform specific functions in the game.  Without a separate number pad or set of directional arrows, it may be impossible to play some games on a laptop.

Finally, some people, especially those with large hands, may find it hard to type on the smaller keyboard.  For them, it’s simply too difficult to use a laptop for typing, and while it is possible to connect a full sized keyboard to their laptop, that means lugging around a keyboard.  However, if they purchase a laptop with a full sized keyboard built-in, they don’t have to deal with carrying around an extra keyboard.

No matter what the reason, laptops featuring full sized keyboards are often just as affordable as those with tiny keyboards.  It all depends on if you need the number pad, the arrow keys, or the larger sized keyboard for typing convenience.

You probably know someone who always has to have the latest gadget.  They have the newest mobile phone (you know, the one that can check email, access the internet, and can probably even make a good cup of coffee), the fastest, newest computer, and a television as big as your car.  But is it always wise to run out and spend all that money on a brand new laptop?  Maybe not.

The main reason to spend money on a fancy new laptop is when you need a top of the range computer that can run just about any program.  If you’re not running something like AutoCAD 3D, a drafting program that uses huge amounts of memory, then you may not need the fastest, most powerful computer around.  If you’re planning to do a lot of high-graphic gaming, video editing, photo editing, or run any program that takes up a lot of processing time and memory, then a top of the range laptop is certainly something to consider.

However, if you just need a computer that can access the internet, send and receive email, and do basic word processing, then an expensive computer is not really worth it.  Sure, your computer will be fast, but you will be paying for things you don’t really need.  Top of the range laptops generally include things like DVD burners, multimedia programs, and a ton of other extras that the basic user simply won’t use.

If you’re looking for a laptop that does the basics, go with a slightly older model.  It will get the job done, and it won’t cost you nearly as much.  In fact, many of these “older” models were once top of the range, and they’ll handle just about everything the average user ever needs them to.  Many will even run graphics-intensive games and have enough memory to let you do photo and video editing as long as you don’t get overzealous and try to edit an hour-long film.  Before you buy the newest laptop, take a look at what you really need the computer to do.  You may find that you can save a lot and still get a great laptop.

When you’re shopping for laptops, you may have a basic idea of what you need.  Then you get into the shop or start scrolling through websites and you see all these extras.  While you know you don’t really need them, you just can’t help but want all those extras.  Here are some dazzling extras that you may decide your laptop really needs.

Laptop Touch Screen

The first is a touch screen.  Some laptops convert to tablets – the screen rotates around and folds flat, covering the keyboard.  To allow for input, these laptops feature touch screens.  You don’t need to use a mouse to select anything – just touch it with the stylus or even your finger.  You can also use the stylus to write or draw on the touch screen, which is really useful if you’re an artist or want to hand-write notes or documents.

LightScribe CD or DVD Burner

Another extra touch comes featured on HP and Compaq laptops.  These laptops may feature the LightScribe CD or DVD burner.  LightScribe burners allow you to create a label for your CD and then actually burn it onto the CD or DVD itself.  You don’t have to print a label and stick it on the CD.  Instead, your label is etched onto the CD.  While you can’t include colour, it is a neat little way of making a CD cover.

Fingerprint Scanner

Some newer laptops also include a fingerprint scanner.  This scanner is an alternative way of logging in to your computer.  Instead of entering a password, you swipe your finger along the scanner and, if your fingerprint matches that on file, you’re automatically logged in.  This is a great extra security feature for those who may have very sensitive material on their computer.  You don’t have to worry about your password being stolen since only your fingerprint will unlock the laptop.

Light-up Keyboards

Other laptops may feature light up keyboards, full-sized keyboards, or lights that change colours and blink in time to your music.  These extras, just like the LightScribe burner, fingerprint scanner, and touch screen, aren’t always necessary, but they are a lot of fun.  If you’ve got a little extra money to spare, you may want to include some of these fun bells and whistles on your laptop.

Have some ideas of your own unique laptop bells and whistles? Then leave us a comment below with some cool things you may have found.

Laptops are expensive, there’s no doubt about that.  In fact, some of the cheapest laptops are still more expensive than cheap desktops.  While laptops are certainly cheaper now than they were a few years ago, many people still don’t want to spend the money to purchase a new one.  Instead, they often purchase refurbished or used laptops.  There are some pluses to this, but there are also some negatives.

The main reason to buy a used laptop is, obviously, the price.  If you find the right deal, you might get your used laptop for half the price it originally cost, maybe even more if it’s an older model.  You might also have the option of buying a printer, external mouse, and carrying bag also, especially if you’re purchasing your used laptop from an individual and not from a company or store.  Getting all of those accessories for next to nothing is a great price-saver.

However, that’s about the only good thing about buying a used laptop.  Let’s face it: buying anything used is a risk.  You have no idea how hard the item was used or what kind of abuse it took.  While this doesn’t matter as much with some items, when you’re talking about a laptop, it certainly is something to take into consideration.  What if the laptop has been dropped or had something spilt on it?  Maybe it has been running slowly or has had many different viruses on it.  If the person selling you the laptop isn’t totally upfront about things like this, you may never know until the laptop stops working.

Another thing to consider is that you may not get everything that originally came with the laptop.  CDs, books, and other items get lost over time, and you often simply have to take the laptop as is, even if that means you don’t get everything.  On the flip side, the seller may leave programs installed on the laptop that you wouldn’t get otherwise.  Of course, this means you may find programs you don’t want, or you might find that the person has left personal files or other things (like their website browsing history) that you have no use for.

In the long run, it’s probably better to buy a new laptop if you can.  There’s just so much that can go wrong with buying a used laptop, especially if it’s from someone you don’t know.  Why pay good money, even if it’s just a little money, for something that could only last a few years when you can invest in a laptop you know will work?

When you find your cheap laptop buy, you might think you know exactly how much money you’ll be spending.  However, you may discover that there are other things you need to purchase for your new laptop that will impact your bank account more than you expected.

The first item you may want to purchase is a laptop mouse, especially if you don’t like using touch pads.  Laptop mice come in two types: corded and cordless.  Both generally take up one USB slot on your laptop.  Laptop mice aren’t usually that much, and while you could purchase a regular mouse to use with your cheap laptop, mice designed specifically for laptops are usually smaller and easier to fit in a bag.

Speaking of bags, you’ll want a nice bag or hard case to carry your laptop around in.  You can find some very cheap bags for laptops, but the old saying that “you get what you pay for” definitely applies here.  Cheaper bags often don’t have as many extra pockets for your laptop accessories, and some aren’t as well padded.  If you know you’ll be taking your laptop everywhere with you, you may want to invest in a laptop bag that’s going to protect your computer and take a lot of daily wear and tear.

Chances are you’ll be offered a long-term service plan or warranty along with your laptop.  On one hand, purchasing one of these can be helpful since it will save you money if your laptop breaks down later, but it can add more to your bill than you might like and it may seem like wasted money if you never need to use it.

There are a number of other items you might need to purchase with your laptop.  They include headphones, blank CDs or DVDs, or a USB hub if you will be using a lot of USB devices at once and will need more ports.  While each of these is fairly cheap individually, if you need to purchase them all at once, expect your overall bill to be a lot more than you were expecting.

When looking for a laptop, you’ll see a ton of numbers and letters that might make no sense to you.  If you aren’t a computer expert or don’t want to do a lot of research, you might not know exactly what you need.  Here are the basic things that just about every laptop needs to have.

The first thing is a solid processor.  If you’re planning on playing games or using large software programs, you’ll want a faster processor (2 gigahertz or more).  However, if you’re just looking for a laptop to use for editing documents and surfing the internet, you can get away with a slower one—anything around 1.5 gigahertz is probably good enough.  Of course, the faster your processor, the faster your computer will be.

When it comes to RAM, or memory, you need at least one gigabyte.  That’s the absolute minimum required to run Windows Vista, which is what most PC laptops are running these days.  Again, gamers and those who use programs like PhotoShop or AutoCAD will want at least two GBs of RAM if not more.  However, Windows can’t make use of more than 4 GBs of RAM, so don’t go too overboard.

While it’s not an absolute necessity, having a wireless card on your laptop makes life much easier.  Being able to connect to the internet anywhere in your home (assuming you have a router to broadcast your wireless signal) gives you much more freedom.  You can surf the internet in bed, at the kitchen table, or in the living room while watching TV, and you don’t have to worry about plugging in cables.  Most laptops have a wireless card built in, so you don’t even have to deal with inserting the card into your laptop.

Finally, you want to have at least two USB slots on your laptop if not more.  Nearly every device uses USB cables now, and you need to have several on your laptop if you plan on using a mouse instead of the touch pad, connecting to a printer, storing files on a thumb drive, or typing on a full-sized keyboard.  If you don’t have a laptop with more than a few USB slots, you’ll need to invest in a USB hub.  These hubs basically turn one USB slot into four or more, allowing you to connect more devices to your laptop.

There are many more things that you’ll need to decide on.  Do you want a CD burner, a DVD burner, or a Blu-ray drive?  Do you need a laptop specifically designed for multimedia?  However, the four items listed above are things that will be useful to anyone who owns a laptop, and they are the four basic things you should look for when purchasing one.

We all want to save money these days, but if you are looking for a cheap laptop for your gaming needs, you need to make sure it has the essentials. Here is an easy word to help you in your search: GRADS

That is: Graphics + RAM + Display + Speed.

G = Graphics. Graphics are essential to gaming. Get the most advanced graphics chipset you can afford and make sure you can upgrade the graphics card at a later date. A cheap gaming laptop isn’t cheap if it will be obsolete next year.

R(A) = RAM or random access memory. Most gamers agree that you need at least 256 MB in order handle the graphics on a laptop. . Look for VRAM if you want to play 3-D video games. VRAM can be accessed by two devices simultaneously, so while your video processor is handling new data, it can also provide screen updates. VRAM is more expensive than ordinary RAM, but it is worth it if you like 3-D games.

D = Display. A sharp display makes all the difference in the gaming experience. Display is determined by picture resolution. Resolution is formed by the number of dots (or pixels) placed in a grid. This can also be a subjective matter: some people feel they can sacrifice resolution to get a less expensive gaming laptop, while others cannot. Take a look at several laptops in your price range and decide which is the best for your needs.

S = Speed. Who doesn’t hate it when the screen freezes up in the middle of a hot game?  Look for Serial Advanced Technology Architecture (SATA) rather than Parallel Advanced Technology Architecture (PATA). SATA transfers data almost 30 times faster. Also get the fastest microprocessor you can afford. This is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). Lastly, look for the fastest hard drive speed, measured in revolutions per minute (rpm)

To get the best gaming laptop at the best price, you may have to sacrifice the most advanced technology. However, by careful searching, you should still be able to get a quality machine for your gaming fix.