If you're in the market for an inexpensive laptop computer, you're in luck. Computer prices have fallen sharply since 2008 and you can now find a high quality laptop for a reasonable price by following a few common sense tips.
Hard Drives and Batteries
The portability of a laptop comes with the drawbacks of limited storage space and limited battery power. When buying a laptop, get one with at least a 250 gigabtye (GB) hard drive to provide adequate space to store all your programs and files. Battery life is another important consideration if you plan to use your laptop for extended periods away from a power source. Look for a laptop that can run for at least three or four hours without a charge. Prices go up with the size of your hard drive and the life of your battery, so keep that in mind.
Monitors and Memory
The quality of laptop monitors is not a big concern now that quality LCD screens are affordable, but the size of your screen still is an issue. Look for a screen that's at least 12 inches wide to make for easy viewing that doesn't strain the eyes. You should be able to find several laptop models with 14-inch or even 15-inch screens priced under $500 and many with 12-inch screens under $400. You'll also need at least 512 megabytes (MB) of RAM ("memory") for your computer, but shoot for 1GB or even 2GB if you can afford it, as more memory will help your laptop run better and faster.
Check Consumer Reports
If you're in the market to buy an inexpensive computer, consult Consumer Reports. The venerable magazine is not supported by advertising and for that reason provides reliable, unbiased reports. In August 2009, it recommended a Toshiba laptop priced at $380 that comes with a 15-inch monitor, a 250GB hard drive and a 3.5 hour battery. It also recommended models from Compaq and Acer with similar hard drives, monitors and batteries for just $400. Chances are that if Consumer Reports recommends these models, they're worth a look.
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