Five Questions for the Student to Ask - Before Buying That Laptop

That laptop for school will become essential equipment (more than just for gaming and music). Your class notes are there, along with possible essays, references, email and other “stuff”. In case your laptop breaks down, you want to know these five things:

• where will the machine be serviced?
• what is the expected turn-around time for servicing? - You will need to know how long you will be without your laptop.
• what exactly is covered in the warrantee? - If it has some ambiguous wording like “limited warrantee”, you want a detailed explanation. Ask for an operation definition of the terms. For example, you do not want to be paying for technical services after the problem is diagnosed.
• is shipping covered? - If the service centre is in a distant location, the shipping to have the machine repaired and the shipping back can be a shock. Find out prior to buying that machine.
• is an extended warrantee available? - Sometimes the cost for such a service is reasonable. Often it is not. Some companies will sell the extended warrantee as the owner nears the time limit of the original service plan. The policies differ from company to company. Be a curious consumer.

It may seem odd to be considering laptop problems prior to putting down your hard-earned dollars. However, these questions protect your investment and ease your frustration in case of problems. It is a good way of assessing how well a company does stand behind its products. If you are not happy with some of the responses to these questions, do look elsewhere. Your dream machine may be sold by another computer firm.

Catherine Forsythe