Buying a cheap laptop is not an easy job. There are numerous options on the market, almost none of which are advertised. And when you start your search, you will be overloaded with technical details that are difficult to fathom.
If you have up to 550 euros to spend, you will soon no longer see the forest for the laptops.
But sometimes there is nothing else to do than buy a new laptop if your current one is no longer working or is so slow that you are waiting more than working.
Here are some tips to guide you through the tricky process of choosing a new laptop.
TIP 1: If it is not necessary, do not buy a new laptop.
Photo: The Dell XPS 13 is a laptop that is worth saving for. Source: Hollis Johnson.
It may be known, but it never hurts to give good advice more than once: a laptop is something you can invest in. You use it for important things and you are going to put the device to the test, both inside and outside. Unfortunately, you have to pay a hefty sum for a laptop that meets all your requirements. For a MacBook, to name a few, you already pay around 1200 euros.
So if you can afford to buy a good device, do it too. It is worth the investment, especially if you have a laptop that still works well years later.
Buy a new laptop? You should pay attention to this
TIP 2: Consider a Chromebook.
If you are really tied to a budget, you must ask yourself the following question: what am I going to use the laptop for? If you want to use Photoshop, Excel or new games on it, go directly to tip 3.
If you mainly use the new laptop for surfing the web and basic entertainment such as Netflix, the Chromebook is a good option. These Google machines are faster, better built and cheaper than their affordable Windows counterparts.
This is mainly due to the operating system, Chrome OS. In fact, that is an extensive variant of the Google Chrome browser. In short: the system focuses primarily on things you do on the internet. This ensures that the production costs are low.
For many people that is enough. Facebook, email and word processing work great in Chrome. By the way, all future Chromebooks ( plus some that are already out ) have the option of running thousands of Android apps.
It does not make the Chromebooks perfect machines, but it fills a few gaps, such as the possibility of photo editing, gaming, and some offline matters.
But, if you want to be able to make optimum use of those Android apps, then you do want a Chromebook with a touchscreen. They are not cheap, although that will change in the short term.
Photo: The Samsung Chromebook Pro becomes one of the first Chromebooks to support Android apps. Source: Business Insider / Jeff Dunn
The best model is currently the Chromebook 13 from Dell, but with a tight 600 euros, it is reasonable at the price. A handful of other models also support the PlayStore, including the Acer Chromebook R11. That is still the best choice, although this laptop has a very small screen: 11 inches.
Google kicks off the new trend of Android on a Chrome OS system with some Samsung Chromebooks. They still have to appear on the market, so the best thing you can currently do is wait and see which company will manufacture a really good product with the above options.
Anyway, if you buy a Chromebook, make sure you take one with 802.11ac WiFi, at least 4GB RAM and a new Intel processor. A Celeron is a very good choice, an Intel Core chip is fantastic but usually a bit too much. A Rockchip or an ARM processor is usually too weak.
By the way, if you really only use the device for internet, a tablet is also an option for you. Although laptops and tablets are completely different devices.
TIP 3: Remember that you have to add water to the wine somewhere
Okay, you know what to look for and you have decided that only a Windows device is good enough for you. Then the moment has come to keep your expectations at a realistic level.
With cheap Windows laptops, it’s all about compromises. If it is fast – and it will never be too fast – it probably has a battery that quickly runs out. If the image is good, it probably has a rickety keyboard. Only a few are thin, light or narrow – 14- and 15-inch screens are common – and most contain software that you are not waiting for.
You will really have to be satisfied with good enough. Companies don’t make laptops for charity.
TIP 4: Search for the specifications below.
Photo: An Acer laptop Source: Acer
Now that you know that you will have to add water to the wine, it is wise to look at the most important specifications to prevent your purchase from becoming a drama.
– First, you will usually encounter screens with a resolution of 1366 by 768 pixels. That is not very sharp nowadays. With this resolution, you will not easily have multiple windows open on one screen at a time. If you can find it, a 1920 x 1080 screen (or “1080p”) is a better option. Higher than that will not be needed quickly.
– If it is possible, buy a laptop with an IPS screen instead of a TN screen. IPS screens are usually more colorful and they read more easily from larger angles. But these are not cheap. We prefer a matte screen than a ‘glossy’ because they are nicer in the sunlight.
– Let go of your idea of a touchscreen. It’s a nice gadget, but Windows 10 is great to use without a touchscreen. It is not easy to find a good 2-in-1 machine in our budget.
– Over to the internal specifications. Look for a laptop with an Intel Core i5 processor. Without becoming too technical, but this processor is strong enough to do the things you normally do on a laptop. If you don’t play on your laptop, Core 13 is also a great processor.
– Intel renews these chips annually, so look for a just-updated one. The 7th-gen model makes your laptop futureproof. Make sure the chip belongs to the U-series. The chips with a Y in the name are weaker. If you find a good laptop with a 6th-gen chip, then that is also strong enough.
– Make sure you have enough RAM. Enough RAM ensures that everything runs smoothly. If possible, choose 8GB or 6GB if the other specifications are not too weak. Don’t settle for 4GB.
– Regarding storage. A so-called solid-state drive (SSD) is not cheap, so choose a hard disk drive (HDD) carefully. Although they are slower and less stable. 500GB is the standard, so everything above is completely beautiful. The best laptop is a laptop where you can upgrade your hard drive to an SSD drive if you have the money over the years.
– Good graphics processors are rare, so if you find a laptop with an Nvidia GeForce in it, see that as a bonus. You only really need that if you are going to play games on your laptop.
– The duration of the battery is a matter of personal preference. What do you think is good enough? Note that manufacturers generally exaggerate slightly when it comes to battery life.
– This preference also applies to USB ports and WiFi. You probably want a device with a good WiFi receiver, so choose the fastest: an 802.11ac receiver. It also doesn’t hurt to choose a number of USB 3.0 ports.
Also with regard to specifications, you will find that you will not easily find a laptop that meets all the above criteria.
