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Laptops for Less: How to Save Money on a New Laptop

Did you know that one of the most expensive laptops in the world, the Alienware Area 51 M15X, costs $5,000?

Now, not all laptops are that pricey, but for the most part, they can be incredibly expensive. If you’re currently looking for a new laptop for school or for work, it’s stressful to scroll through websites looking for a good deal–and not finding one.

Finding laptops for less is a challenge, and frustrating, considering that we’re using our laptops so often right now during the COVID-19 Pandemic. It’s not just about saving money anymore.

It’s about finding a high-quality laptop that’s affordable and that you can have Zoom conversations on with friends and get all your work done without it shutting down in the middle of a work meeting.

Something that can help is knowing the different strategies you can use to save money on a new laptop. That way, you can have exactly the laptop you want–and at the right price.

Read on to learn more.

Do Your Price Research–and Budget

When you’re making any big financial decision, it’s smart to do your price research.

Visit websites with reviews of laptops (such as this one) so you can see what’s out there. Then you can start getting a good idea of what kind of laptops are affordable for you, what they usually include, and where to find the best laptop deals.

You’ll also want to take a look at your budget and figure out what you can actually afford. Take a look at how much money you spend every month, and see how much you can take out of your savings.

This should give you a good idea of how much you can actually afford. It can also help you decide if you want to pay for your laptop in one go, or in installments.

Don’t Pay For Features You Don’t Need

An easy way to save money on a new laptop is by being realistic with yourself about what features you don’t need. Sure, it can be fun to be able to use a touchscreen or have a resolution that makes movies look awesome, but do you really need it?

Be realistic with yourself about what you need. Put together three lists of features. One of what you really need–a graphics card, for example, if you’re an artist, one of what you want but can forego, and one of what you definitely don’t need.

This will help you narrow down your options and be realistic, so that you don’t spend too much because of a feature you don’t actually need.

Whatever you do, ensure that the laptop has:

  • A wireless card so you can connect to WiFi
  • At least 300GB on the hard drive
  • An i3 or i5 processor that’s above 2 GHz
  • A video card
  • At least 4GB of RAM

Understand What You Need by Asking Yourself Questions

Just like you should know what you don’t need, it’s smart to be aware of what you do need. That will also help you narrow down your search.

When you’re thinking about what you need, you’ll want to ask yourself some questions:

“What will I be using this laptop for? Is it primarily for work or for school, or for checking emails and watching Netflix?”

“Do I do anything that would require additional specs?”

“How long do I need the battery to last? If I’m working from a cafe and they don’t have power outlets, what impact would that have on my battery needs?”

“Do I care about the operating system?”

You’ll also want to think about technical aspects such as HDD versus SSD, additional memory (if you need to store a lot), and screen quality.

Most laptops have pretty good screen quality these days, so unless you’re a designer, filmmaker, or photography, chances are you won’t have to spend too much on a laptop with high resolution. If you’re a gamer, check out gaming laptop deals.

Take Advantage of Sales

Considering the great Cyber Monday sales going on right now, and additional sales that will be going on during the Christmas season, it’s a great idea to take advantage of these sales.

Lenovo, for example, has some great Cyber Monday sales going on now, with savings anywhere between $309.01 to $1,549.01, depending on what laptop you end up buying.

All you need to do is put in the right code they provide you with and you’ll save money!

Other sales to watch out for are those after Christmas, as well as back-to-school sales.

It’s also a great idea to subscribe to the newsletter of a company such as Lenovo, so that you can find out anytime they have sales going on. They’re also likely to have special deals, especially for subscribers.

Use Coupons

Speaking of sales…another great way to save money is by using coupons.

We don’t mean old-school paper coupons (especially during the COVID-19 Pandemic, when the last thing you want to do is go to a crowded store). We mean online coupons, which are codes you put in at checkout that can save you money.

As mentioned above, you can get access to coupons by subscribing to a company’s newsletter. However, you can also check out coupon websites, which include:

  • Rakuten
  • Swagbucks
  • RetailMeNot
  • BeFrugal (this is an app)
  • Coupons.com

Take Cheap Options Seriously

With so many pricey laptops out there, with many features, it can be easy to feel like buying a cheaper laptop is a mistake. You might also be worried about their quality.

But there’s no need to have this worry. In 2019, there were over 2 billion computers in the world, and many people are choosing to use cheaper models.

Once you’ve taken the steps already outlined above, such as figuring out your budget and knowing what features you need, you can easily find a cheap laptop that will meet your needs.

Cheap doesn’t mean low-quality. Not anymore, without so many laptop deals available. If you’re still in doubt, read user reviews to help inform your choice.

Upgrade Your Laptop Yourself

Another great way to save is by upgrading your laptop yourself. If there are many features you need, you can buy a cheaper laptop and then fix it up as needed. There are plenty of affordable laptops out there.

This is especially the case if you think you’ll need additional RAM in the future. Simply buy a laptop with a small amount of RAM, and when you need an upgrade, add it yourself.

Remember that you can also use features such as an external keyboard, additional screen, or external speakers to make the usability better for you–while spending way less on the laptop itself.

Get a Bundle to Get Laptops for Less

Another way of saving money on laptops is to combine your laptop purchase with other technology you need.

For example, if you’ve been looking for some high-end headphones, a printer, or a subscription to an online software service such as Adobe or Word, you could get a bundle that includes what you want along with a laptop.

By getting a bundle, you’ll be paying less for everything included. If you’ve been saving a lot of money for a laptop, then this is a great way to get some additional products with that laptop–and pay less for the laptop than you would if buying it by itself.

Keep Compatibility in Mind

Not all laptops will be compatible with all your other technology. If this happens, then you might have to pay additional money for the right cables and additional software.

So, when you’re researching the laptop you want, be aware of how it might be compatible with the technology you already have. Does the laptop have the right ports? Will it work with the charger you already have, or will you have to buy a new one?

If there are a lot of issues with compatibility, then these issues will add up, so it’s something to think about.

Buy an Older Model

Finally, you can buy an older model. A lot of older models are actually high quality, and if they’re still selling popular…then that’s a sign that they’re worth investing in.

As with other laptops that come at a cheaper price, you can always update your older model easily with a few upgrades–and save money on the laptop itself.

Get a Great Deal Now

If you want a great deal now, then you can get it by following these tips.

What strategies do you use to get laptops for less?

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