How to reduce costs when buying a notebook ? :

It is almost a fact that current technology evolves at huge steps regarding the production and assembling of portable computers, besides, companies spend a great amount of research resources in the developing of innovative components, which is why sometimes we find that the prices are a little bit over the top when we are visiting electronic devices shops. For that reason we must ask ourselves the following question: which notebook do we need? and for what are we going to use it?, in that way, we will save buying a computer which goes according to our necessities and not one that has applications that we will rarely use.

The first we need to do, is analyze which kind of applications we need to run. If we run applications that are going to need a lot of process, we are going to require a very fast processor, which is not a bad election, because each day applications are going further and it is also a benefit because we are not going to need to renovate our notebook, which is directly related to our notebook’s useful life: by choosing a powerful processor, we are stretching it usage time.

In the second place, we must take into consideration the RAM memory, when we but a notebook which, for example, has a 2 GB RAM memory, it can be expanded to up to 4 GB, but it only has two DDR2 entrances of 2 GB each; sometimes, when they are bought directly from the store, they are usually separated in entrances of 1 GB each, which forces us to buy two RAM memories of 2 GB each if we want to increase it up to its limit. Notebook provider companies make the RAM memory’s price to increase excessively, so instead of buying a notebook with the maximum capacity, we can buy the RAM apart, at a reasonable price.

In the third place, we find the hard drive. We have to take into consideration that the space is always necessary, whether it is for our personal documents, the system resources or the applications we store, which is why we have to have an average of, at least, 150 GB in our notebook, it is useful so, in the future, we do not have to erase applications because of needing space for other ones.

In the fourth place, we find the video card. Having a video card with the last novelties regarding the graphic process makes sense for those who work with graphic design applications, image and video edition, or even for those who use Windows Aero. It is also very necessary for gamers, who love having the newest and most shocking games, but will be completely unnecessary for those who do not use that and simply use the notebook as an office tool. Suppressing the video card you can save a lot of money.

Finally, when you can make some serious savings is in the operative system. It is nonsense to use an operative system such as the Windows Ultimate if you are not going to use its resources; it is not a bad idea to require the Windows Home Basic version or to look for alternatives such as a free operative system, like, for example, Linux.

When purchasing a notebook, it is better to make a comparison between its performance and its price. Notebooks are pricey because they have an expensive performance; it is much better acquiring a notebook that satisfies all the characteristics that we need, than one that does not, that will make our notebook’s lifetime to increase and, in the same way, we will be saving money.