One reason many people purchase a laptop is so they can access the internet anywhere. To that end, they need to have some way of connecting to the internet. When it comes to cheap laptops, you may have one of several different ways of getting online, depending on how new the laptop is.
The first and most common way of connecting to the internet is via a wireless card. Many of the newer laptops have these cards built in, and all you have to do is make certain they’re turned on (there’s usually a small switch to press to enable or disable the wireless card). Older laptops, though, may have an actual card that you have to insert into one of the slots on the laptop. These cards do the exact same thing as a built-in wireless card does. In fact, some people never remove them from their laptop.
Another way of using your laptop without an actual cable is to purchase a USB wireless card. The only real difference between these and the type of card discussed above is that they plug into a USB port instead of a specific slot. In fact, many of the newest computers no longer feature a slot large enough for one of the older type wireless cards, so you may have to get a USB wireless card if you need one.
Finally, the last option for getting online with your laptop is the least fun. Laptops do feature an Ethernet port, so you can plug your laptop directly into your modem or router. While this takes away the portability of the laptop and ties you down, it does work. This limits your ability to access the internet in some places, though, because you may not always find a port to plug in to.
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.
