Dell is one of the largest and most recognizable computer manufacturers in the world. A Fortune 500 company, they are known for building and selling relatively cheap windows based computers and accessories. If you are in the market for an inexpensive and reliable notebook, a dell laptop can be a decent investment. Here are some guidelines to help you get the most value when shopping for dell laptops.

Tip 1: Determine What You Want From Your Computer Figure out in advance what you want your computer to be capable of. For instance, if you want a notebook simply for browsing the internet, checking email and casual use, a lower end Inspiron or netbook might be the best value for your money. Middle end Dell laptops like the Vostro series feature multi-core processors and screens up to 17 inches, which makes them ideal for watching DVDs and downloaded movies up to 720p. For high resolution movies, gaming and graphic developers, Alienware units are available but pricey. Make sure you know the system requirements for the game you want to play and that you choose a graphics card and processor capable of not only handling the current generation but ongoing into the future.

Tip 2: Bargain Hunt There is no reason you should ever pay full price on Dell laptops. There is always a sale for whatever item you are looking to acquire, and plenty of coupons floating around the net. The key number you should be targeting is 25%. If you are in the market for Dell laptops, it is also a good idea to create an account with the Dell website and sign up for their monthly catalog. Each catalog comes with a number of coupon codes you can use to decrease the price. There are some that can even be stacked on top of each other, or used in conjunction with other shipping deals, but this is not common. Internet coupons are also all over the net, sometimes offering substantially higher percentage deals on Dell laptops than the official website promotion.

Tip 3: Do Not Upgrade Parts, Upgrade Tiers Dell laptops allow you to customize or upgrade any particular accessory, whether it be a Blu-Ray drive, the screen resolution, the hard drive or the processor, but this will likely significantly raise the cost of your notebook. It is probably wiser to simply upgrade from tier to tier in order to capture the best deal. Upgrading specific parts of your computer, whether it's the processor, the graphics card, or the hard drive may seem like a good deal, but it can significantly diminish the amount of your discount. Most Dell laptops offer deals that are a set value, so while the offer may be thirty percent as it stands, upgrading can drop that percentage to where your savings are minimal. It's far better to go to a higher tier, where the upgrades are in place and the discounts are proportionally elevated.

Tip 4: Don't Think You Have to Buy Now Many of these sales for Dell laptops have a specific end date, but you should in no way feel pressure to purchase now. This is a sales tactic, and in truth the very same or similar deal will no doubt crop up a month later. However, this does not mean that waiting an inordinate amount of time will decrease the price. Most of the time, price drops for electronics happen when a new technology hits the market, not as a result of any specific time frame. For example, if a new Intel chip is set to be released next year, it makes no difference if you wait to buy between summer and winter. On the other hand, the difference between purchasing in the winter and the following spring might be huge.

Tip 5: If You're On a Budget Try the Outlet If you don't mind refurbished items, Dell laptops can be purchased for steep discounts from the Dell Outlet store. Vostro, Latitude, and Precision Workstation products can be found for almost half the cost of buying new. With all refurbished, products, Dell offers the same limited warranty and 21-day return policy as it does for its other products.