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.