According to the Pew Research Center, about three-quarters of American adults own either a laptop or a desktop computer.
While desktops are more powerful than laptops, they don’t have the convenient portability of laptops. If you’re shopping around for a new portable computer, you might find yourself overwhelmed by the countless options.
It can be frustrating to put so much time into a purchasing decision, but choosing which laptop to buy shouldn’t be something you choose flippantly. It’s better to take your time to find the right product at the right price.
Are you wondering what some of the common mistakes in buying laptops you should avoid? Let’s take a look at ten mistakes and how to fix them.
Table of Contents
1. Buying the Cheapest Laptop You Can Find
Buying a laptop can be an expensive investment. For that reason, it’s entirely reasonable that you would try and find the cheapest option that fits your needs. However, if you hyperfocus on spending the least amount of money, you might find that you end up with a device that was still pretty pricey but also doesn’t fit your needs.
There are secret costs to buying a lower-quality laptop. You might find that you end up investing a lot of money into trying to upgrade it into a machine that will work for you. You also might find that you lose a lot of time because your laptop is too slow to do all of the things you are trying to do.
Budget is an important component of buying a laptop, but it’s important to understand that there are secret costs to having a machine that doesn’t do what you need it to. Be realistic about what it is you need and what you don’t before you start shopping so you can find the best deal for the best device.
2. Paying Too Much for a Laptop
On the other hand, you also don’t want to assume that just because something is more expensive than it is better. If you are looking to purchase a laptop so that you can do some writing and surf the web, you likely don’t need the highest-end laptop designed for gamers.
As mentioned above, it’s important for this reason to be mindful of what you will be using your computer for. You might find that something less flashy than the most expensive option will suit your needs just fine.
3. Being Too Brand Loyal
When it comes to technology, it’s easy to get attached to a specific brand. After all, buying from one brand can make life easier because of compatibility concerns and other reasons. However, if you blindly trust one brand over all others you might be holding yourself back from finding the right laptop choice for you.
Brands aren’t always consistent across products. You might be super psyched about your TV and therefore assume that you should buy from the same brand when it comes to your laptop. If you make this assumption without any research, though, you might find yourself with a subpar machine.
For this reason, it’s a good idea to be open to learning about different brands. During the research phase, don’t close yourself off to all options.
4. Not Thinking About Weight and Size
These days there are lots of different types of laptops that come in all different sizes and with different capabilities. You likely are looking into a laptop versus a desktop because you want something more portable. Desktops can be great for certain high-powered tasks but they require that you work on them in one location.
While laptops are more portable than desktops, they aren’t always as portable as you might expect at first. If you choose a large, heavy laptop, you might find it kind of laborious to lug around with you. (For example, check out this beast of a laptop that costs nearly $10,000 and weighs more than 22 lbs.)
However, if you choose a small, lightweight laptop, you might find it underpowered for your need.
Choosing between small and large laptops certainly isn’t the only consideration, but you’ll want to think about how you want to use the machine before deciding on going big or small.
5. Tunnel Visioning on One Feature Over All Others
Buying a laptop can be a very exciting thing indeed. There’s a good chance you’re particularly excited about a few aspects of what you’ll do on your new device. However, this can lead you to tunnel vision on a few considerations rather than taking a more holistic approach to the buying process.
There are a lot of different factors to keep in mind when you are buying a laptop. This includes features, price, size, weight, operating system, and more. Make a list of the things you need out a laptop and the things that you want but aren’t necessary to help you during the process.
If you find yourself tunnel visioning on one feature over the others, step back and ask yourself if it’s something you really need.
6. Not Doing Your Own Research
It can feel like a big project, but it’s a common mistake in buying laptops to not do your own research. Rather than listening to a salesperson or the first YouTube video you come across, do your due diligence to get a machine that will meet your needs.
Research can include looking at online customer reviews, watching YouTube videos, comparing laptop prices, and reading product descriptions on manufacturer and retailer sites.
When looking at reviews, take the time to look at both the five star reviews and the one star reviews. This can help you get a balanced sense of other people’s experience with the laptop you’re looking at.
If you’ve been looking at laptops online, you’ve likely noticed some of them have an Intel Evo badge on them. If you’re wondering what this means, you can get more details here.
7. Not Shopping Around
Different retailers are likely selling the same laptop for different prices. For that reason, comparing laptop prices both between types of laptops but also between retailers is essential. You can end up spending hundreds of dollars more than you need to if you forget this important step.
Things are always more expensive if you end up having to make a purchase on the fly. It’s a good idea to give yourself plenty of time to do your research before you’ll need the new laptop. This way, you can keep an eye out for sales and find the best deal on your chosen product.
8. Trusting Salespeople
Some salespeople are very knowledgable and take it upon themselves to help people find the best possible laptop. However, many are swayed by the desire to earn a commission. This means they might talk up a laptop that actually doesn’t fit their needs because they’ll end up earning more money off of the sale.
There are definitely trustworthy salespeople out there. However, the point is that you’ll want to take into account their angle. Many of them make their money by making sales, meaning they might leave out some of the more negative information about their products.
9. Not Considering Repair Options
When you’re buying a new laptop, you’re not necessarily thinking about the fact that it might have to get fixed someday. However, it’s a good idea to look into if there is insurance for your new laptop, how good the warranty is, and how accessible it is to get it repaired if you need to.
10. Not Trying It Out First
There are a lot of benefits to buying laptops online. However, you’ll want to at least go to a store and try it out first before pressing buy. This can help you make sure that you’re making the right decision.
Avoiding These Mistakes in Buying Laptops Can Help You Avoid Buyer Remorse
Buying a laptop is a big investment. For this reason, you’ll want to take the decision seriously and make sure you get the right product for you the first time.
For some people, a smaller, lighter, less expensive laptop might fit the bill perfectly. For others who are hoping to perform higher-powered tasks, a heftier laptop might be more appropriate. While it might be tempting to get the most expensive laptop that has all of the latest laptop features, you’ll want to step back and consider what it is you really need and what you don’t.
Did you find this article about common mistakes in buying laptops interesting? If so, be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more informative and useful articles!