A question that sometimes gets asked is whether laptops, even cheap new laptops, are overpriced compared to the performance they give. It’s an interesting question and one with no definitive answer.

As we’ve mentioned on other pages, since laptops are smaller and designed to be more portable, they have a higher cost-to-performance ratio (meaning that laptops are, on average, more expensive than a desktop computer with similar performance power). Therefore, it could well be argued that laptops are over-priced, i.e. since they are more expensive than a similar desktop computer.

But having said that, the fact that laptops are smaller, therefore portable, means that invariably they will be more expensive since packing all the complicated hardware that make up a computer into a relatively small container (compared to a large desktop tower case) will invariably result in a higher cost.

Plus, lets not forget about ‘supply and demand’ here. If someone will be traveling a lot and will need a computer system with them, a laptop is the only real choice here (or the only major choice, at least). Quite simply, there is a demand for laptops and it could be argued that laptops are not over-priced since the supply of laptops is being met by the demand for laptops.

Finally, I think it’s worth pointing out that the cost of laptops has been falling quite rapidly in recent years. You were never able to buy a laptop for under $1100.00 a few years ago, but now you can buy a cheap new laptop from around $450.00. Indeed, laptops are falling in price, and the gap between desktops and laptops is falling also.

In my personal opinion, I would say that laptops are not over-priced. However, even if you are not planning on traveling, then a desktop computer is still the better choice since there will always be at least a bit more ‘bang for your buck’ with a desktop.

The question “Are laptops a good choice for gaming?” is one that comes up every now and then. There’s obviously no simply answer as there are laptops ranging from the low hundreds to the high thousands, and there are some games which require very little in the way of resources and others which require huge amounts memory and capacity, plus very powerful graphics cards.

However having said that, the simple answer is that laptops are not as good (on average) as desktops, for gaming. This is because:

1. Laptops cost more than desktops and so it would be cost effective to just purchase a desktop compared to a laptop. If you are using it solely for gaming you will typically get more performance ‘bang for your buck’ than with a desktop computer)
2. An imortant consideration is that desktops are easier to upgrade than laptops. This means that if a desktop computer is starting to get a bit out-dated and some games won’t play on it, it is a relatively easy task to upgrade a desktop’s graphics card, or RAM (Random Access Memory, or CPU (Central Processing Unit) so that your new games will then be able to play on it. With a laptop, this isn’t possible, at the very least very difficult, if it is at all possible)

So whilst it is true that it would make sense to buy a desktop computer if you mainly want to play games, it is important to remember that there are some very good gaming laptops out there (however they then won’t be cheap new laptops but will be quite expensive ones instead). A good gaming laptop can be purchased for around $1000 that should be able to play most, if not all games currently on the market.

The only downside of a good gaming laptop is that they are typically relatively heavy, meaning that they may not be as portable as more standard and cheap new laptops.

In summation though, it is true that laptops are good for gaming, however be prepared to pay a bit more money for a gaming laptop than you would have to pay for a gaming desktop computer of equal quality.

Refurbished notepads

Have you tried an online shop for cheap new laptops? There are any number of shops where you can buy cheap new laptops on the Internet. Some of the bigger ones are outlined below:

ASUS

Acer

HP

HP offer a large range of products including laptops. When on the website, choose your location (if necessary) and then click on the “Laptops & Tablet PCs” link to browse the various laptop models they have for sale. They sell them from around £350 (~$570 USD) which is relatively cheap for good quality laptops from a well-known brand.

Dell

Dell are one of the largest computer/laptop suppliers in the industry. They have a wide range of cheap new laptops available, and so it’s well worth checking out their offerings.

Apple

Apple are viewed as one of the most trendy suppliers. They have a range of laptops available. Please be aware, though, that Apple computers and laptops run off of Apple’s own operating system – so if you are very used to Windows Vista/7, you may want to re-consider ordering an Apple laptop.

Amazon

Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk have a large number of very cheap new laptops on their website. To get to their website, click on “Computers & Office” and then “PCs & Laptops”. From there you can filter to view only laptops, and there will also be an option to sort by price (choose “Low to high” to have an ascending price – meaning the lowest price first). View some of the laptops listed and also read the reviews about those laptops and make a choice from there.

If you are looking for any kind of new or used computer equipment this page has some of the best advice you can find anywhere. The bottom line is to know basically what you need and then doing your research online. Use keywords incorporating the exact name of the product you want. Check all of the forums, review sites, and blogs you can find.

To search review sites just prepend your search term with “review:” (don’t use the quotes ). You can do the same by prepending blog: and forum: but visiting these two websites will give you much better results:

To search the blogs use http://blogsearch.google.com/

To search the forums use http://boardreader.com/

Example, enter this as your search term: blog:Toshiba Satellite L655-S5065 15.6 inch laptop

Laptops or Desktops

Choosing between a laptop or a desktop computer can be a tricky task for some. However the choice can be easier than you may think. Below are some points that you may wish to consider when picking which to buy:

Portability

The obvious starting point – the main difference between a laptop and a desktop computer is how portable they are. Desktop computers are large and require 3+ peripherals (keyboard, mouse and monitor) and so are not very portable. Whereas laptops are all-in-one and built to be as small as possible, and so are very portable. Hence if you plan on traveling a lot (and will need to have a computer with you), choosing a laptop would be a good idea.

Cost

On average, a laptop costs more than a desktop – relative to the performance/power they give. Hence if portability isn’t a major factor in your choice, then a desktop computer may be the better choice since you would get greater performance from your desktop computer compared to what you’d probably get from a laptop computer of the same price.

Extras

Many deals on desktop computers tend to come with a new keyboard, mouse and monitor. However for some people, they already have a keyboard, mouse and/or monitor and just want the base machine (i.e. the tower which contains all the hardware). Hence this may cut down your options (if you are seeking a desktop computer) since many offers nowadays do offer more than just the tower/base machine. On the other hand, a laptop is (as above) “all-in-one” meaning that you won’t have to worry about finding an offer which does or does not offer a keyboard/monitor/mouse – i.e. it’s usually easier to shop for a laptop.

Future Upgrades

Due to the way they are built and constructed, it is much easier to upgrade a desktop computer than it is to upgrade a laptop, if you so wish. Hence it is possible to buy a desktop computer and then upgrade it (be it by adding more memory, more hard drives, a better CPU, etc) in the future if you would like. With a laptop, this option is very much restricted. Hence if you buy a laptop, be aware that your future upgrade options are very (if not completely) limited. If you plan to have the same system for many years, it may be worth buying a desktop computer since you can upgrade it somewhat as time progresses.

The Cheap New Laptops website is designed to point you in the right direction for important information about laptop computers for the home and office – what models are available and what to look for, some of the better vendors to buy them from, their technology, and whether or not they are recommended for gaming or general use.

First off, it’s best to define the differences between a laptop computer and a desktop computer. A laptop is a smaller computing machine, designed to be relatively small and so very portable. For this reason it is a popular choice for people who are on the move and who travel quite often. A laptop can run off its own rechargeable battery or house current. Battery life can vary between three and eight hours so it is an important consideration when you make your final purchase. All modern laptops have a built-in keyboard, monitor and mouse pad and it’s often regarded as an ‘all-in-one machine’. This is an image of my personal laptop computer, and IBM Thinkpad T42, an old workhorse but a good one:

my personal ibm laptop

On the other hand, a desktop computer is a relatively larger machine and there are several separate parts or components that make up the computer. You have the main tower which contains all the hardware (equipment that makes the computer work), you then have a separate monitor, keyboard and mouse. Hence, a desktop computer isn’t portable. Having said that, since a desktop computer is larger, desktop computers generally give larger greater for the money when compared to a laptop.

While laptops traditionally were quite expensive because they were so much smaller and compact than a desktop computer and also had a reputation for lower performance when compared to their cost, their prices are coming down all the time and you can now get a fairly powerful cheap new laptop for as low as $800.00. This website will give you the information you need about the various cheap new laptops on the market, along with more general information about laptop computers.