Something that many people don't realize when shopping for a laptop computer is that cheap used laptops may not always be the way to go. The very portability of a laptops makes them prone to all manor of shocks and vibrations as they are manhandled, dropped and carelessly placed on surfaces. This type of abuse tends to take its toll on the various hardware components. Over time, these computer systems may develop problems that are hardware related. These hardware problems will translate into software problems. Ultimately, the computer must be either fixed or discarded, thereby defeating the purpose of buying it used.
When buying laptops it's almost always a good idea to buy new. Plus, most new laptops come with the added benefit of a warranty, in most cases, a 1-year warranty. Given the cost of buying a new laptop it's not a bad idea to cough up the extra $50 to buy an extended warranty. As a general rule, the more expensive an item is, the more important having warranty protection becomes.
Here are some things to look for in a laptop computer:
Processor: More and more, computer manufacturers are moving toward dual-core processors. This is not to say that single core processors can't get the job done; but dual-core processors are specifically designed for parallel processing. This is good when working with software applications that were specifically designed for such tasks. And don't be fooled by clock speed: Most single core processors have higher clock speeds, yet the number of operations per second that they are capable of performing is significantly less that that of dual cores.
Pointing device: Pointing devices come in a variety of forms, such as touch pads, track balls, mice and even touch screen. Generally, laptop computers come equipped with touch pads. While using a touch pad can take some getting used to, most people find that they are fairly easy to adjust to after a few weeks of use. If you simply prefer to use a mouse it's simple enough to invest in a USB mouse.
Screen size: If you plan to use your laptop for applications such as graphics or gaming then you'd probably be best served by a larger screen size. If, on the other hand, such things aren't all that important, then screen size shouldn't be a deciding factor if it means spending significantly more to get.
Hard Drive Capacity: This is one area that is important. The very purpose of a computer, aside from data processing and manipulation, is that of information storage. All those pictures, songs and movies take up space. You can never go wrong by getting the maximum amount of storage space.
Operating system: I've used Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP Pro and Windows Vista. Personally, XP Pro is my favorite. I didn't really care for Vista. And, as evidenced my Microsoft's hurry to bring Windows 7 to the market, it's probably a safe bet that most Vista owners didn't really care for Vista. Ultimately, which OS you use it a matter of personal preference. Just be sure that whatever system you buy is not built exclusively for one operating system, such as the so-called 'built-for-Vista' machines.
