Anyone who is in the retail sector of the computer business will recognize the following dilemna. Before buying, the consumer desires to know everything about the technical aspects of the laptops, rather than the practical aspects. It seems the customer will try and find out all of the technical differences between hard drives such as seek time, partitions available, physical dimensions. All important stuff to be sure. But this information is sought out before the practical details such as What am I going to do with this laptop is considered.

It is still amazing to hear people say they do not really know what they want to DO with a laptop, but they are sure they want a Dell. The concern is not with their desire for a Dell (a great brand, sure) but why they didnt bother to think about what they were hoping to do with the laptop they were planning to buy in the first place. It would be like deciding what car you were going to buy before deciding what you needed your car to do or even thinking if you were going to drive in hot climates or do long road trips. In the same way the right car is defined by the needs of the driver the right laptop is likewise connected to the right buyer on the basis of needed functionality.

The most sure way to spend a lot of extra cash on your next laptop is to just buy what's out there, rather than what you need from the beginning.

Here are some key things to consider when shopping for your next laptop (New or Used):

1) What applications are essential for you? Do all of your classmates/co-workers use Word? Do you need to as well? Do you want to play games on the system? Do you want to make databases? Store pictures? With everything you want to accomplish, there will be a necessary application in order to accomplish that objective.
2) How far are you away from service technicians? Can your laptop be down for several days or is it absolutely necessary to run each and every day?
3) Do you have bad vision?
4) Bad wrists? Other physical limitations?
5) Are you going to use your laptop as a Jukebox? How many CDs do you plan on putting in the laptop?
6) Do you plan on using Wi-Fi? Plan on going online?
7) Whats your price range?
8) How long does the battery have to work for?
9) Do you need a DVD player or a CD writer?
10) Do you know how to load programs? Delete them?

If you print out this list of questions, it will take you a long way in helping you to decide what laptop is best for you. It will also save you a lot of money as you get what you need and not a bunch of unnecessary items. You do not need to be a computer geek to save a bundle. You just need to be willing to ask some hard questions.

Finding a great deal isnt too hard if you ask the right questions. Have you taken the time to ask these questions? If you havent please do yourself a favor and print these questions and answer them as thoroughly and as honestly as possible. Once you have decided on some of your applicational needs, find a reseller you trust and work with them to get the best possible deal.