What to Look for in a Budget Laptop
Technology changes quickly. Pagers gave way to the Motorola brick phones, which gave way to one generation after the next, of cell phones – each smaller than the last. Until eventually our entire concept of mobile communications changed with the advent of the smartphone. Now, these gadgets just keep getting bigger with each new generation. But no matter how advanced smartphones have become, they still have yet to provide the same utility as a quality laptop. And, while it would be nice to be able to go out and purchase the most advanced laptop available on the market today, most people are looking for savvy, budget-friendly alternatives.
Screen Size
Perhaps one of the most important aspects of choosing a good laptop is selecting something with the appropriate screen size for your needs. While there are many options to choose from out there, when it comes to processors, disk space, and other features, there are a limited number of options when it comes to choosing a specific screen size. Many of the more affordable devices available on the market today come with your choice of either an 11-inch or 13-inch screen. Whereas, 14, 15, 16, and even 17-inch screens are generally reserved for higher-end units designed for either gaming or multimedia purposes. For general work purposes, a 14-inch or 15-inch screen is usually the best option.
Keyboard and Mouse
Another factor that you have to take into consideration when choosing a budget laptop is the keyboard and touchpad. The availability of keyboards on mobile gadgets ranges from 61-keys all the way up to 104-keys. Naturally, the smaller the unit the more compact the keyboard is. Lenovo laptops, for example, start with the 61-key IdeaPad 1 featuring an 11-inch screen and go all the way up to the 104-key ThinkPad with a 17-inch screen. Many people may also find the use of touchpads to be quite cumbersome. As a result, you may need to consider purchasing either a wired or wireless keyboard and mouse combo to go with your new device.
Price
Ultimately, the most important factor when it comes to choosing a budget laptop is always going to be the price. The more features, software, and accessories that a unit has, the greater its price will be. So, when choosing the best unit for your particular budget, you need to determine what features are more important than others, and what features you can either live without or upgrade to later. This does not mean starting with a bare-bones unit, rather, you need to find a balancing point between price and value for your money.
Whether you are looking for yourself, or for someone else, you need to take the time to decide what exactly your budget laptop will be used for, how it will be used, as well as the required necessities for its use. Because this is a big purchase for anyone, as well as an investment, you should take the time to determine exactly what you need and what you can live without.
