Buying a laptop on a budget?

When buying a laptop on a budget without necessarily wanting to buy a weak budget laptop, you have to put a lot of thought into how to tackle the problem. Below are some strategies for buying cheap laptops online that fall into your price range.

Compare brands and makers

The very first thing you want to do when purchasing laptops on a budget is to filter according to makers. Are you married to any one specific brand? If yes, then you’re limited to the price range of laptops made by that brand. If not, you can be flexible by selecting alternate options. For example, if you will have nothing less than a Mac, expect to pay nothing less than £700 for the current range. However, if you’re non-fussed about who makes it – as long as it’s a reputable manufacturer – you’ll find a treasure trove of options online that are cheaper than that Dell or Macbook you were eyeing.

Consider second-hand

If that fresh smell of a brand new gadget doesn’t get you buzzing, then perhaps you should consider second-hand options. Online classifieds like the Craigslists and Gumtrees of the world are a fantastic place to sell and buy cheap laptops online. This way, you often get something you would have otherwise bought in the store for 20-50 per cent off the sticker price. That kind of saving makes nigh-on any laptop, even those super-beastly ones you thought you could never afford, affordable.

Cheap laptops filtered for you

It’s cool if second hand isn’t your thing – for laptops, the risk is simply too great and giving up the luxury of unwrapping the box is too much for some of us. The absolute best – and sometimes overlooked – tactic for finding cheap laptops online is to use good price comparison services. The better ones filter according to a price range and the really good ones have predetermined ranges like ‘cheap laptops’ and ‘gaming laptops’ and so on.

Research, filter, then price compare. That’s the trick to buying cheap laptops online without settling for a weak budget laptop.

August 13, 2010
source: mobile-computing-news.co.uk