Unlike clunky desktop computers, laptops can bring so much convenience into any person’s life. They can make your schoolwork, job, and social life easier. The trick to getting the most convenience out of your laptop is finding the one that best suits your needs. Continue reading in order to ensure you purchase the right laptop.

If you’re not a heavy gamer, don’t believe that you need some heavy duty laptop in order to get the job done. A lot of games that are even medium leveled do fine on laptops that are in the same range. A gaming machine is very expensive and should only be purchased if you play graphics-intensive type games. Save your money.

Look online for both discounts and coupons you might use in buying a laptop cheaper. Your search may come up empty, but it’s worth the effort. You may find a promotional code or coupon that will save you a significant amount.

As you buy a laptop, be sure you get a cooling pad also. Remember that the underside of your laptop can become quite hot. In order to keep your own thighs cool, buy something to put in between them and the computer.

Invest in your laptop’s sound system. It is not uncommon to find sound being overlooked on laptops because they are not a desktop system. Then, as you watch video or listen to music, the sound is not very good. Always check the sound before buying a laptop.

Check to determine if you can adjust memory and RAM on the laptop. While you might not need the extra memory or space now, it may come in handy in the future. Upgrading costs a lot less than a brand new computer. Think about this prior to buying anything.

Don’t forget to look into battery life when shopping for a new laptop. Even if you will be mainly using it at home, constant recharging is annoying. Look for at least 4 hours of battery life.

It is a good idea to purchase an extended warranty for your laptop. It isn’t cheap to repair or replace a laptop. Paying a bit extra for a couple more covered years can save you thousands later.

Make sure you look at the mouse on a laptop before you commit to purchasing it. There are many varieties of these available now. For example, some PCs use a track pad or button style mouse, while others use the ball type mouse. You can experiment with different designs later, but get one you are used to at first.

Place your laptop on the dimmest setting in order to preserve the life of the battery. Your display screen drains more power from your laptop battery, so keeping this setting at a minimum can boost your battery life significantly. Go to your Control Panel to change the settings there.

Most users of laptops are not in need of a great deal of computing power. If you’re not going to be playing video games, you do not need a lot of RAM or a zippy motherboard. After all, buying things that you don’t need only adds up the final cost of your laptop.

Many new laptops don’t come with Blue-ray/DVD drives. This is happening due to the fact that most things can be streamed online now. So if you are looking to burn your own DVDs or watching movies on your computer, then make sure that your laptop is capable of that.

Consider customizing your laptop. You can easily buy a laptop with specific specs. But doing it that way is not always something that is going to be the right fit for your needs. Those laptops that are customized tend to cost less than those that are pre-set. This helps you to not pay for high-level hardware that you might not need.

If you’re someone who watches a lot of DVD movies or enjoys playing video games with your laptop, make sure that the one you buy has great speakers before you purchase it. Having to attach external speakers can be quite bothersome.

Get a laptop that has a webcam in it. New technology is making video interaction more common. FaceTime and Skype are coming into the top. These are fun for people that have family that lives far away. That camera is going to be more useful than you guessed.

You should shut your laptop down when you’re not using it. Laptops overheat quickly when left on a couch or bed. Protect yours by shutting it down when you’re not using it.

It is not necessary to have a special graphics card, even if you are an avid gamer or you use programs that require a lot of memory. This card will hog power and reduce battery life. A lot of people get their laptops because they’re sure that the dedicated GPU is needed, but a lot of the time they don’t use it beyond that.

Use Youtube to find videos of the laptop you are considering in action. Look at some how-to steps for some expert insight, so that you know a bit about your laptop when it shows up in the mail.

Keep your laptop charging as often as possible. This will help you conserve the battery for when you really need it. You can extend your battery’s life be keeping it plugged in.

Check the maximum battery life of your laptop. If you are planning on using your laptop a lot while on the go, it needs to have a powerful battery. Look for models with at least five hours worth of life. This will ensure your power never runs out when you are away from home.

Buying a laptop is an expensive purchase and you should do your homework first. Use the things that were gone over here if you wish to get a laptop that runs well and does everything that’s needed of it. There is no excuse for getting a computer that cannot function the way you need it to.