Today, I’m going to give you five things to consider when looking for the best laptop. If you follow these, you should be able to get yourself a decent one (preferably MacBook) for under $1,000.
5 Things to Consider When Purchasing a New Laptop
1. Make sure it has an optical drive
Newer laptops are abandoning optical drives in favor of USB ports for DVDs and CDs. While this isn’t necessarily bad, it can limit what kinds of things you can do with your computer.
Sure, there’s Dropbox and Google Drive , but sometimes it just feels nice to put a physical disk into your laptop! Many people buy Macs because they’re afraid that Windows’t support half the software out there. You can save some money by purchasing a laptop with an optical drive, even if you’re getting the Apple-branded version (which is usually more expensive than Windows).
2. Don’t forget about graphics card
This goes along with the optical drive. Graphics cards are key in playing modern video games, so if you’re planning on buying AAA titles for your laptop, make sure you get something with decent graphics or be ready to fork over even more money! I would also recommend getting at least a 13″ screen , since they’re not as heavy and aren’t built for gaming.
3. Get an ultrabook
Ultrabooks are just like Macbooks except that they run Windows (and tend to be cheaper). They still have some of the perks of Macs, such as high-quality screens and great battery life . If you don’t want to shell out $1,000+ or switch from OSX to Windows, this might be the way to go.
4. Consider a refurbished laptop
Most people don’t realize that you can find great deals on refurbished laptops with warranties and in practically-new condition! Seriously, it’s like getting a brand new computer for half the price. I’d also recommend buying from Amazon instead of retailers like Best Buy , because they tend to be cheaper (and you’ll get free shipping).
5. Wait until next year
The perfect laptop doesn’t exist yet (although there are some pretty close contenders ). Unless you absolutely need one right now, consider waiting until 2021 when we see more leaps in technology and lower prices due to newer models . This will especially be true around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so keep an eye out for deals!
So, if you’re looking for a new laptop, follow all or most of these tips and you should be fine. Leave a comment below with your thoughts on this article, and share it with your friends!