Did you know that the average lifespan of a laptop is three to five years according to the experts? However, laptops tend to last a shorter amount of time when they do not fit the user.
When you shop for a laptop, you have to find one that includes all of the necessary features. What’s important for you is not going to be as important to someone else.
To make your laptop last its full life, you must avoid the most common laptop buying errors. Read on to learn how to do just that.
1. Choosing Design Over Function
One of the most common laptop buying errors is shopping for design over function. Brand recognition is important, but it should not make or break your decision.
When buying a laptop, most people have their minds set on something they saw their friend or coworker use without ever using it themselves. If possible, see and try a laptop before buying it.
Even if you plan on buying a laptop online, you can visit the biggest tech stores to fiddle with the software, keyboard, touchpad, interface, etc.
What you should be looking for before making a final decision are the following factors:
- Screen resolution
- Refresh rate
- Hardware
Overall, you want to focus on the technology of the different options for laptops instead of focusing on how a laptop looks when it is closed.
2. Picking Size Over Durability
When buying laptops online, it’s hard to picture how big or small they actually are. This is why it is important to pay attention to the sizing details on a listing.
Although size is important, choosing size over durability is never a good idea especially if you don’t have a warranty to go with your new purchase.
An on-the-go person tends to enjoy a small laptop that is easy to stow away when necessary, but smaller items might be more fragile than larger laptops. Having a great laptop case can help, but the risk is still there.
Luckily, many laptops are built to fit common sizing requirements while being durable.
Small and large laptops are often defined by their screen size. The best tip we can offer is to purchase a laptop with a screen size over 14″ for something durable enough to last.
3. Not Researching
Yes, you are researching now, but there is more research that goes into buying a laptop than learning the mistakes you don’t want to make. For instance, comparing laptop prices and other factors from Lenovo is key.
If you go into an electronics store instead of buying online, you can’t rely on the staff to help you choose the laptop that fits your needs. They are more likely to make a sale that benefits the company.
Start with this question: what do you intend to use your laptop for?
Buying a laptop for running graphics, intensive games, etc., is going to look different than buying a laptop for checking emails and casually browsing the web.
When you research first, you don’t have to limit yourself to what an online or onsite store has in stock. You’ll know exactly what you need and won’t settle until you find it.
4. Buying a Laptop With a Glossy Screen
One of the latest laptop features that is eye-catching but not really helpful is a glossy screen. You might see this in advertisements or in-store and think it’s right for you, but let’s break down why it is not.
Simply put, it’s harder to see what you are doing on a glossy screen. A regular screen without gloss allows you to see everything you need to and tends to be cheaper.
5. Listening to a Salesperson
Not all salespeople are going to act in the interest of the company they work for, but some do. If a salesperson is not on your side, you’ll be glad that you did your research ahead of time.
When you walk into a store with the knowledge of the product you want to buy, you don’t have to worry about getting bamboozled by a salesperson. Don’t let them talk you out of a decision you are set on.
Of course, you won’t have this issue if you buy your new laptop online, but salespeople aren’t all that bad. In fact, you might benefit from visiting a store and asking questions about the products you are interested in if you haven’t landed on a final decision.
As long as you don’t let a salesperson pressure you into something you don’t want or need, you’ll be fine!
6. Not Buying a Cooling Pad
Not understanding that every laptop, no matter how technologically advanced, is going to get hot is one of the worst laptop buying errors. When you have this mindset, you go into the purchase thinking you don’t need a cooling pad.
Buying a cooling pad is especially important for those who have to use their laptop for hours out of the day for work or school. If you work from home, you might sit your laptop on your lap while you type. This is an even bigger issue when it comes to laptop overheating.
Depending on the internal temperature of your laptop, you risk burning out important hardware when your device doesn’t have room to breathe. If this happens, your investment just went down the drain and you’ll need a new one.
Different cooling pads range from affordable to expensive. A USB-powered external fan pad is one of the cheaper options that works.
7. Opting for an Extended Warranty
You might be wondering, “how is opting for an extended warranty a mistake?” Well, to be frank, extended warranties are shams in most cases.
The only times an extended warranty makes sense is if you travel with your laptop and the extended warranty covers accidental theft or damage or if you purchase a MacBook. A MacBook extended warranty comes with tech support.
In other cases, purchasing an extended warranty is not a smart idea. They don’t often cover the things that you need to be covered and expire before hardware defaults.
Most laptop repairs actually cost the same as the warranty. You can use the money you save by not getting the extended warranty to purchase better accessories to maintain your laptop for longer.
8. Shopping Cheap
Finding an affordable laptop is the goal for many, but you should never try saving a few bucks on a laptop that doesn’t have everything you need.
Cheaper laptops commonly include hard drives made by manufacturers with bad reputations which keeps the price down. If you know you need a nice-sized hard drive, shopping cheap is not the way to go.
Once you research laptops that fit your needs, you can get a good idea of what you’ll need to spend to get everything you want.
9. Not Thinking About the Future
When you buy a laptop based on your needs today without thinking about the future, you risk needing a new laptop sooner than later. If you plan to get your full money’s worth, choose a laptop that will last you years to come.
An example of this mistake in action would be purchasing a laptop with 8GB because the price tag is tempting. This is a problem if the system doesn’t have an extra slot for storage.
When your workload increases or even software updates take over too much space, your system might not have to storage necessary to keep up. You’ll then have to buy a new machine before wearing out your old one.
10. Ignoring Ports
If you haven’t purchased a laptop in a while, you might be surprised to know that the number of ports is decreasing. Certain MacBooks only come with a charging port and most laptops, in general, don’t have ethernet ports.
You won’t have to worry about an ethernet port if you depend on WiFi for connectivity, but not everyone has that luxury. Before purchasing a laptop, ensure it comes with all of the ports you need.
If a laptop has everything you need besides an SD card reader or USB port, you don’t have to settle for something else. You can purchase an adapter or external monitor if your laptop comes with an HDMI port.
Laptop Buying Errors You Don’t Want to Make
Above all, a laptop is a tool that you’ll probably use every day or throughout most of the week. Yet, there are an abundance of mistakes to possibly make because there are many laptop options out there.
When you choose function, durability, and do your research among other things, you’ll avoid the most common laptop buying errors that people continue to make. Follow this guide to avoid buyer’s remorse.
For more posts about technology and how to rightly shop for it, check out our other articles.