Buying laptops: How to get your money’s worth

March 24, 2014

Are you thinking of getting your next laptop computer but not sure how to go about it?

 

By Diana Chai

Just last week, I had the interesting task of replacing my now ancient laptop. As the only one of my friends still struggling to make Windows Vista work; I knew it was time although letting go of my trusty ‘friend’ was not easy. After all, it still worked and despite near-death scrapes and the fact that it takes 3 minutes just to load a basic webpage, it did what I needed it to do.

You see laptop hunting and buying can be daunting: All these specifications regular Joes and Janes don’t quite understand in full; dealers telling you you’re getting a good deal when you know you aren’t really. After my experience, I decided if there were more like me out there – they’d find a laptop buying guide useful. With the help of the RinggitPlus tech team and our money-saving gurus; we compiled this guide.

Are you thinking of getting your next laptop computer but not sure how to go about it? Why not have a read of our top tips below and learn how to stretch your ringgit further and get the best laptop for your budget.

Tip 1. Laptop vs Desktop or Tablet?
Most people plonk down for a laptop as it gives you a mix of portability with computing power, even if you have to pay a little more for it .With so many options now in the market, it can be quite a difficult decision to make when deciding between a less-portable desktop computer, a traditional 1.5-3kg lug-around laptop/notebook computer, or a flashy new 7-inch or 10-inch tablet.

This quick table should help you decide:
“Average” here means what we expect 90% of Malaysian consumers to purchase.



Tip 2. Are you buying ‘too much’ laptop



In Malaysia, if you think back to several years ago, RM2,500 was considered a good price for a budget laptop which can do basic stuff like surf the web, edit documents, check emails etc. Today, paying that much will get you a seriously powerful machine; and Apple with their “premium” positioning gets away with charging much more than that.

But if you’re not playing hours of 3D games that put World of Warcraft to shame; you really won’t need such a powerful machine.

And it’s not just underpowered plastic boxes in the RM1,800 – RM2,000 price range, either. Intel Core i5 CPUs and touch screens in slim, reasonably attractive bodies, with 128GB SSD hard drives are available in that price range – which is more than adequate for most users, unless you’re planning on editing a lot of HD video.

Tip 3. Know what you’re paying for
Always be sure to ask what’s in your machine and package for the price you are paying. A lot of these high-powered, slightly higher end machines sometimes cost more because of touch screens and flexi- monitors but then leave out certain other hardware such as DVD drives. With everything being downloadable these days (and we mean legitimate, legal downloading you); there is rarely a need for the drive. But if you still like buying a music CD and sticking it into your laptop as you work; or if you want to play your old CDs and DVDs from some years back – make sure you ask about whether or not your laptop comes with a drive.

Other things to note when buying a laptop is what kind of operating system you want on it (ignore this question if you’re buying a Mac). If you’re used to using Windows; be sure to ask whether your new laptop will come with this. To make a laptop cheaper, some shops sell the very same laptop for RM200-300 cheaper without Windows. If you’re thinking of switching to Linux or something like that; go for a cheaper laptop. No sense paying for Windows if you’re only going to delete it later.

There will also be shops that promise many ‘freebies’ like a mouse, cooling pad, cleaners and covers but these aren’t actually free. More often than not; they are worked into the price. You’ll notice there are some shops that sell the ‘bare’ package; just the laptop and backpack; for approximately RM100 less. It’s not to say the extra stuff isn’t worth the money; but if you already have all these accessories at home, no sense paying for it again.

Tip 4. Think about your laptop portability



Now that you’ve decided on the laptop, the next question is usually “What kind of laptop should I buy? Light and basic or bulky powerful ones?”. The best way to answer that question is usually with how frequent you expect to carry around your laptop. Every day? Once a week? Once in a while?

The answer to that should determine what screen size your laptop should have, which largely defines the system size and weight. Everyday and multiple times per day commutes suggest a lightweight 13-inch ultrabook (similar to the Dell XPS 13 or MacBook Air). Making a surprising comeback are ultraportable laptops with 11.6-inch screens, including several recent 11-inch hybrids and Windows tablets, where you may only have to take the screen with you and leave the keyboard base at home or the office.

More common midsize laptops, such as the 14-inch or 15.6-inch model probably sitting on your office desk right now, are OK but not much fun to carry around more than once a day.

Lastly, if you’re convinced you’re never going to need to take your laptop along with you, except something like once a month, then a big 17-inch or larger desktop replacement is a viable option.

Keep in mind that most of these big laptops can’t run for very long away from a power outlet though!

If you know what you want (just a laptop to type up work and surf Facebook?), buying a laptop can be fun. Unlike days of olde; laptops now even come in funky colours like powder blue, white, red and even shades of pink! There are many ways to customise and make it your own; all much cheaper now than before.

Happy shopping!
This was brought to you by DIANA CHAI from RinggitPlus.com. RinggitPlus compares credit cards, personal loans and home loans to help Malaysians get more for their money.