Benefits of Using a Wireless USB Headset

WrittenBy:Avijit Majumder
When shopping for a new laptop, in addition to features, aesthetics, and performance, it is wise to look at possible repair costs down the road. Just like with an automobile, repair costs for a laptop can vary considerably depending on the make, model, and screen size.

First, let's analyze the types of repairs that you'll most likely encounter in the future. The types of repairs can be broadly divided into hardware and software. For software repairs, Windows 7 laptops are uniform in costs because they allrun the same operating system. A possible exception is Lenovo, that adds a signicant amount of overhead software to Windows thus making it harder to restore the system if needed

Hardware repairs is where the greatest variations in costs occur. The types of hardware repairs that a laptop owner will likely encounter include screen repair, keyboard replacement,hinge repair, case damage repair, and hard drive replacement. Becauseof the costs involved, it is very unlikely that a motherboard or processor replacement will be performed.

Any repair that will cost over $300 has to be considered carefully because this is the price range that new laptops start at.Having said this, it is possible to do the hardware repairsabove for well below this price. However, if 2 or more repairs are needed at one time thecost could well be over $300.

Except for the hard drive which has thesame physical dimension in nearly all laptopsand costs a similar amount, the other types of repairs follow rules in costs as described below. Here are some common guidelines:

• Replacement parts for more common laptops are far more available and cost much less than for less common laptops. High volume laptop brands include HP, Dell, Toshiba and Acer.
• More expensive laptops will have more expensive parts.
• For the do-it-yourself person, HP has online.pdf disassembly documents for all of their laptops.
• HP, Dell, Toshiba, and Lenovo host very active technical support forums.
• Backlit keyboards are more difficult toreplace.
• Self-loading optical drives require the disassembly of the laptop to replace, while standard optical drives require just the removal of one screw.
• Liquid spills can quickly destroy alaptop or screen. Lenovo Thinkpad laptops are the most resistant to liquid spills since they are designed with liquid drainage channels.
• The 15.6 screen size for laptops is themost common, so if the screen needs to be replaced, it will be the least expensive. Other common screen sizes include 14.0 and 17.3.
• ASUS laptops often use unusual screen designswhich are difficult to find and more expensive to replace.
• Slim screens are more fragile and more expensive. These screens are thinner thanthe standard screens and are often installed on higher-end laptops. ASUS and Lenovo use slim screens in their laptops.
• Screens made by Toshiba-Matsushita that go into high endLenovo and Sony laptops are ultra-expensive ($400 or more)

Buyinga new laptop involves tradeoffs in price, performance, reputationofthe brand and aesthetics. One issuethat isnotcommonly considered is any potentialrepair costs down the road. Hopefully with the aid of thisarticle, the laptop consumer can make a more educated decision.