A laptop isn’t a small purchase. However, there are many ways to make the process more affordable. Many PC stores and manufacturers may try to sway you into buying luxury laptops at steep prices. Stay sly and you’ll avoid falling trap to these tricks. In this article, we’ll provide some useful tips to help you in buying a laptop on a budget.
Which functions do you need?
Do you really need multiple terabytes worth of RAM? Do you need to operate at the fastest processing speeds available? When comparing stats the low end models may seem to offer very little, but generally this is all your average laptop user needs. If you’re not an avid gamer and rarely download massive files, a cheap model may do. Save on storage space by putting files on the cloud, don’t overload on programs and you should be fine with a basic model. Do consider the screen size though – with some smaller models you’d be better off buying a tablet.
Shop around online for promotions
Keep your eyes peeled for deals online. You may be able to nab yourself a voucher such as a newegg coupon that could save you money on a purchase. Other sites may offer sales throughout the year such as Black Friday and the January sales. Tech sectors of retailers are where you’ll often find the biggest bargains and buying a budget laptop here is definitely possible.
Read also: The Benefits of Shopping for A Computer Online
Inquire about the display model
Many shops will have a display model used for demonstrating how the laptop looks and feels. Because people have been handling these computers and because they are out of the packaging they can often sell at reduced prices, despite often having nothing wrong with them. A PC shop will give them a clean first and they will often still be covered by warranty. Not a bad idea buying a budget laptop this way!
Buy second hand
Buying second hand is another option to get a laptop on a budget. Stores such as CEX can be good for this, as you can see and feel a laptop before buying. You can sometimes get good deals online on eBay and Amazon, but you may not always have a clear idea as to the condition, even with pictures. Always ask about the age of the laptop. If you can, test it to make sure it’s working okay. Some laptops with only a few months’ use can be massively reduced in price – these are often the best deals you will find but rare finds.
Don’t be talked into buying extras
PC shops can often provide great bundle deals on security software, but be careful of added extras like insurance, mice, external hard drives and other gizmos they may try to thrown in on top. Quite often they’ll offer these extras at a reduced price, but this can push the overall cost up and have you buying products you might otherwise never have bought.
You may be eligible for a free laptop if you’re a student
Depending on your income, you may be eligible for a free laptop to help with studies. Talk to your local support at your school or university and see if the rules apply to you. You may not get choice over the model but you can’t say no to a freebie! Also, you can check out the best budget laptops for college students to see if there’s any models within your budget.
[Image credit: stux, Pixabay]
