7 Common Mistakes People Should Avoid While Buying a Laptop

By Ruturaj Kohok

Laptops are gradually becoming a primary home computing device with perks of portability. They are fast, yet handy and offer the best hardware and software at a reasonable price. Hence, their allure is logical. However, a laptop is way complex and far less customisable when compared with desktops.

If a desktop user is unhappy with the keyboard, mouse or the monitor, he can replace it very easily. However, a laptop buyer doesn't have such options. They can't modify their system. This means choosing a right laptop is very difficult, yet important decision.

Here is where most of us go wrong while buying a laptop. Following are the most common mistakes every buyer makes while buying a laptop. Read below to get an insight into the errors you should avoid.

Cheapest is not always Best

Most laptop buyers are specifically concerned about the budget. It is obviously a wise move to check for the most reasonable deal out of the available options; however, choosing the cheapest laptop will certainly provide fewer features and low-quality assurance.

For instance, if you have to choose between dual-core and quad-core, the dual-core system will clearly be cheaper than the quad-core one. So, if you opt for a dual-core processor to save a bit, you will certainly miss out specific performance power when compared with a quad-core system. Furthermore, you might experience cluttered performance as the system on your laptop will be unable to handle many applications at once.

So instead of focusing on the lowest price, you should first decide the purpose of buying a laptop for yourself. Make a list of features which are a must for your laptop, then cross-check it with the available options.

Spending too much carelessly

Some buyers often pay a hefty amount for the features they might not even use. For instance, the Apple MacBook 2016 model featured an all-new Touch Bar feature which was later caught in a controversy. Many tech experts criticised the Touch Bar integration and blamed it on the sky-rocketing price tag. Undoubtedly, the 2017 model of MacBook comes with more features and advancements which relieved the pain of Apple fans. So, spend rigorously. Only pay for the things you need.

Today's need, tomorrow's Debris

If anyone buys a laptop based on his/her present minimum requirements, then the new laptop will probably last only a few years. As your usage will increase, you will demand more power from your laptop, but it will still be a machine with minimum required hardware. And ultimately, you will have to consider getting a new laptop or adjust until you are in a position to buy one.

For instance, going for the base model which offers 4GB of RAM and merely 128GB of hard drive storage would be the cheapest option, but in the long run, you will surely need more memory capacity than the existing one and you will have to compromise even if you don't want to.

Overlook the ports and compatibility

Try to figure out which ports you will require necessarily on the laptop. For instance, how many USB ports will you actually need? Do you require a card reader? Do you require external hard drives to be connected to your laptop? Which USB standard will you probably require?

Take a consideration of ports you will actually require in your day-to-day usage. If a laptop lacks any of the required port, then you will have to opt for additional adapters.

Caught in gimmicks related to Display

"All that shines is not gold", is a saying that holds true when it comes to a laptop's display options. Most of us get fascinated by the shiny, glossy, ultra-reflective displays. However, buying a laptop with a glossy display is not such a good idea. Such display screens are prone to fingerprints, smudges, and they reflect every light objects. Instead, one should go for a laptop with a matte finish.

Also, a lot of buyers also get allured with the display resolution. A laptop with a 4K display is not beneficial for everyone; however, graphic designers or intense gamers should surely consider higher screen resolution.

Buying extended warranties

The extended warranty is good for those who travel a lot and require accidental damage or theft cover. Else, you purchased an expensive device such as MacBook Pro and strongly believe that the extended tech support is a good investment. If your requirements are not fitting in any of the above situations, then you should seriously avoid the purchase of extended warranties.

Most of the laptops normally encounter a hardware default just when the extended warranty expires. And later on, the customer has to pay for the repairs which are approximately same as the price of the extended warranty.

Getting obsessed with a single specification

When buying a laptop, one should avoid being a victim of tunnel vision. Concentrating on a single key feature of a laptop and neglecting other important factors is a big no. For instance, avoid buying a laptop with the maximum gigabyte numbers and ignoring the processor and other hardware essentials. Also, many choose an ultrabook or a 2-in-1 laptop even if they need a full-fledged portable computing machine.

Conclusion

Buying a laptop is a complex process. As you can see, these abovementioned mistakes are easy to make. So shop carefully and avoid these mistakes. By doing so, you will be able to find a laptop that will suit your requirements perfectly. And ultimately, you will enjoy work, entertainment, or whatever you plan to do with your laptop. Let us know how your shopping goes in the comment section.

Ruturaj is the CEO and Founder of   Pricekart. He is an energetic Digital Marketing professional with integrated marketing experience in the B2B & B2C domains.