I'm the family IT guru so I always give this advice when buying a new laptop or desktop: Set a budget on how much you're willing to spend and don't try to save

I'm the family IT guru so I always give this advice when buying a new laptop or desktop: Set a budget on how much you're willing to spend and don't try to save from that amount. Buy the best you can for the amount you can afford and you won't feel bad about it. If you could only afford something really cheap and it dies in 2-3 years, you won't feel too bad about it and if you can afford something else, rinse and repeat. If not, try to get it fixed.