Computers are expensive, right? The chips, hard drives, ports, fans and everything else in there cost a lot of money. Actually, basic PC components aren’t nearly as costly as they used to be. It’s true that the super high end computers can still cost one an arm and a leg, but that type of power just isn’t at all necessary for most of us. In fact, it’s plenty possible to get a very capable laptop for under £1,000.

Still, it would be crazy for me to judge the value of a thousand pounds in your eyes. Everyone has different financial situations, so it’s impossible to make blanket statements about the worth of one grand. For some, it’s harder to part with than others. That means you want, maybe even need, that money to go towards something you can rely on. Callously throwing cash away on a machine just because a manufacturer tells you it is a good deal would be insanity.

There is myriad information available online when it comes to making a laptop purchase decision. Sorting blindly through millions of internet reviews and message board posts probably isn’t your idea of a good time, though. To simplify the process, there are a few basic things you should familiarize yourself with. Doing so will help you get the computer that’s best for you, rather than one that’s best for somebody else.

Ask yourself how you’re going to use the laptop. If you only need it to do the basics (emails, some light internet browsing and the likes), then you can always go with a netbook for a few hundred pounds and keep your wallet fat. However, netbooks don’t have the longevity and features of notebooks and are therefore not recommended for anyone who is going to put serious strain on them.

Watch out for the dinky plastic casings of the cheapest units if you plan to frequently haul your laptop around with you. An aluminum shell will hold up far better in the long run.

If you’re going to be running Office applications on your laptop with any regularity, then you’ll need some power. Not a terrible amount of it is required for basic word processing and spreadsheets, but you will need some. It’s easy to find a unit with about 4 GB of RAM and an Intel i3 or i5 CPU, which should be plenty for banging out the big presentation.

If your plan is to mostly use the laptop around the house or office (or home office), then something with more oomph might be in order. A beefed-up i5 or i7 processor with 8GB of RAM in tow will certainly get you the power, but it will make portability a hassle. However, they are the way to go if you’re planning on carrying out a bunch of multimedia tasks or doing some 3D gaming.

That being said, a high-end gaming rig is going to put you over that £1,000 budget; so the thousand pound limit isn’t for everyone. It is, however, more than enough coin to support the laptop needs of just about everyone else.