Top Deals
The Toshiba Satellite T115D-S1120 recommended with the SquareTrade 3-Year Laptop Warranty. Weighing just 3.5 pounds, the ultrathin Toshiba Satellite T115D-S1120 features a 11.6-inch LED backlit screen and up to 5.5 hours of battery life. With its 1.6 GHz dual-core AMD Turion Neo X2 L325 mobile processor, 2 GB of RAM, and 250 GB hard drive it delivers a highly responsive ultraportable laptop that lets you maximize your mobile computing potential and emerges as our Top Deal at MaximizingTheNet.com.
Guide to Buying Computers
One of the biggest questions we get is “What type of computer should I buy?”. While the answer to this varies from person-to-person, just about everyone is looking for some very basic things when it comes down to owning a computer:
- Ease of Use: The ability to turn the computer on, and immediately get to work doing what you bought it for. Most computers these days come with everything you need to get started, and only require you to do a few registrations and quick optional tutorials to get started using it to its fullest capacity.
- Compatibility: Knowing that your new computer and software will work with your old computer files and hardware is a big issue for many people. Unless you’re changing operating system (OS) platforms (say, from Windows to Macintosh) this issues shouldn’t be that much of a problem, and even then given the cross-functionality of both systems, there’s little doubt that your files won’t easily transfer between them. Hardware can be another issue. If you’re planning to use your new computer with existing hardware that needs to be installed on it (e.g. printers, fax machines, etc.), you will want to make sure that you can find compatible drivers for that hardware on your new computer. Most operating systems today are packed with drivers for all types of devices, and unless you own a really obscure, or obsolete piece of machinery, chances are your hardware will be easily compatible with your new computer without the need for you to install any new drivers, and if the need arises, you can probably find the driver online. If, in the rare case that you can’t find the driver you need to work with your existing hardware, it might be time for an upgrade. :)
- Reliability: The reassurance of knowing that your computer will turn on when you press the power button or open the lid is something we often take for granted, until the day it doesn’t happen. Though there might not be anything we can do to insure that computer hardware and software doesn’t fail under normal use, we can be sure we have an awesome support package included with our computer purchase, especially for laptops. Most retail outlets offer some sort of warranty protection for their computers, and unless you’re technologically savvy enough to navigate computer technical support on your own when the time comes, a good 2-3 year warranty package is the best way to go.
- Security: Securing a computer, both physically (for laptops and netbooks) and virtually, is very important. Key or combination-type locks and cable cords are available to physically secure your portable computer, and Lo Jack for Laptops (i.e. a computer based theft recovery system that tracks, locates, and recovers stolen computers) runs about $20-30/year. Once your computer is physically secure, virtually securing it through antivirus and internet security software is a must! There’s a wide range of products that fall into this category, but make sure your antivirus software: 1) Is Up-to-Date and Current, 2) Has a Realtime Scanner that monitors activity coming into your network, 3) Has an On-Access Scanner that scans files as they’re opened or accessed, and 4) Has an On-Demand Scanner that allows you to immediately scan folders or items upon a suspected threat. Read more about What To Look For In AntiVirus Software, here.
- Price: The price of computers has dropped dramatically over the past few years, and as such consumers can purchase netbooks, laptops, and desktop computers at a fraction of the price of their predecessors. Buying a computer online can be an intimidating process, but with the right information it can become an easy and less-stressful transaction. Online prices for computers range anywhere from $200-1000, with a host of software/hardware configurations and capabilities. One thing to keep in mind when you see online sale prices for computers is that they don’t last long, so if you’ve done your research, and know what you want in a computer, and what you want to spend, then buy it fast! Sometimes online resellers inform you when their specials will end, but often they don’t, as things change within a blink of an eye on the internet.
When it comes to what computer you should buy, the main question you should ask yourself is: “What will I use it for?”. If you’re like the average computer user, who will surf the internet, check email, download music and movies, write papers, make flyers, and pay bills, just about any economically priced laptop or netbook can suit your needs, so there’s really no need to pay extra for expensive video cards, “premium sound”, and all the other extras that computer sales people talk you into when you go computer shopping without knowing what you want.
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