| Dell frequently has coupons available for pretty good discounts on their systems.
The best time to buy is in the month of the end of their quarter. Their EOQs are January, April, July and October and they start ramping up the discounts from one to two weeks into the month. I prefer Dell quality to HP at this time.
I have a saying in that your first laptop is where you learn what you really want in a laptop.
It is better to buy your target laptop instead of looking for the cheapest model and then adding equipment to get to where you want.
You should equip your system with the highest level of components that you want in parts that are not easily changed. For most, this includes the video and network cards.
Accessories can add quite a bit to the cost of a laptop. I always like to use an external keyboard and mouse with my laptops and leave keyboard/mouse sets at the usual places where I use my laptops.
Consider matte vs glossy screens. Matte screens are usually preferred for work while glossy screens are preferred for watching movies. I always get matte.
Another option is screen resolution and aspect ratio. I'm an engineer and prefer more vertical pixels on the screen. Most other people prefer the newer wide-aspect ratio. |