Buying a new laptop is not as clear cut as it may seem. There are so many advances in technology today. If you feel confused, you aren’t alone. Fortunately there is some great information available, and a few great pointers are in this article.

Look for laptops on home shopping channels. Such sites let you make monthly payments and do not require credit checks. You might get a very nice laptop for payments of approximately a hundred dollars monthly.

Always consider the weight of the laptop you desire. A laptop that weighs a lot can cause damage to your shoulders and back, so you should try and get a light one that is easy to carry. You don’t have to spend more money to get a lighter laptop. However, the battery life might be reduced.

If you are buying a laptop online, don’t pay extra for added productivity and word processing software. You may end up paying full price for these programs. Look at a discount software vendor to save money. You can save between 20 and 30 percent, and may even save more.

Think about what you are going to be using your laptop for. This will give you a good ballpark figure on what is a good price to pay. If you just surf the net, you don’t need a machine as complex as one a graphic designer might need. Consider what you really need with it, and let that guide your buying decisions.

Think about whether you want to have a Windows or Mac laptop for your next laptop purchase. Apple Mac’s are often built better, but Windows tend to be less expensive. Try both of them out at the store. Then go online and read reviews of the ones that you are interested in.

Does the laptop under consideration have more than one USB port? This is an important aspect that is often ignored. You may need to use a couple USB ports simultaneously. At a minimum, any laptop you are considering should have four USB ports.

Try not to confuse netbooks with laptops. Although a lot of people think that netbooks are smaller laptops, they are mistaken. While netbooks do provide you with Internet connectivity to a degree, they do not have many of the capabilities that laptops have. Do not buy a netbook when you need a laptop.

If you’ll be carrying your laptop places, it is important to know how to carry it. Buy a strong bag that doesn’t continuously bang against you when you walk. Banging your laptop around can cause damage.

Because laptops travel around a lot with their owners, the risk of having an accident can be high. Consider getting an extended plan that provides some protection when you purchase a laptop. If you drop or damage your laptop, a protection plan mght be a smart idea. Read the coverage details carefully before buying.

Your LCD display is one major thing that uses up your laptop battery. To boost battery life, turn down the screen’s brightness to the very lowest setting that allows you to see. Dimming your laptop can help the battery last longer.

If you’re considering purchasing a laptop, make sure that you know what you’ll primarily use it for. Some are geared towards game play, while others are more business orientated. Whatever you’re trying to do with your laptop, you need to find one that has all the necessary features you might need to fulfill your purpose.

Watch how much memory you have left. You can know when it’s time to remove certain programs and free up more space. When more memory is left open, this also helps your laptop run faster.

Most people do not need much power in their laptop. You will not need a fast motherboard and lots of RAM if you won’t be playing video games. The less of each you have, the lower the cost of the laptop, so steer clear of unnecessary frills.

Think about customizing a laptop. It’s simple to purchase a computer that comes with predetermined specs. However, the price may not be so appealing. Those laptops that are customized tend to cost less than those that are pre-set. This helps you to not pay for high-level hardware that you might not need.

Change how your laptop utilizes power by changing the power settings. You will find “Power Options” on your Control Panel, and it is this section that will help you manage the way you use electricity. Change your display brightness, how long you laptop stays on when you are inactive and tweak other things to get the most from your laptop’s battery.

Before making a purchase, find out when the new model is due to come out. One great reason to purchase a laptop when newer models arrive is that now the older models cost less. Second, you can get better features on a much newer model.

Look for the term, no-drive-bay to find a laptop that is affordable and lightweight. You can only get software through downloads then, or from a USB token, but this can save you hundreds of dollars. If you decide you want to watch DVD’s from your computer, you can connect a portable player through your USB drive.

When you have narrowed your choices down, make sure you check out any complaints online. Your search string could be the model number plus “problem” or something like “not working right”. This can help you see some problems that people typically run into, such as the monitor dying quickly.

Buying a new laptop is usually considered a major purchase. Technology is always evolving and features change with it. To understand technology you need to learn from tips such as those included above. Use them to find the laptop that will stand the test of time.